venusinpisces
Well-known member
This information is probably most useful for older folks but there may be a few younger people with heart conditions here who could benefit as well. A study done at Harvard recently found that heart attack risk is nearly 5 times greater up to an hour after smoking marijuana.
Marijuana Said to Trigger Heart Attacks
From the article:
There is this myth that marijuana is completely harmless but I would be willing to bet that there are people out there who have either died or had significant medical problems as a result of uninformed use, especially considering that many who go to the emergency room aren't going to want to discuss whatever illegal drug use they were engaging in prior to their visit. Don't get me wrong. I am 100% in favor of legalization as marijuana is incredibly useful in a wide variety of situations. But what irritates the hell out of me is people's inability to be reasonable about the situation and inform others of potential risks. Particularly in the case of older people who are using weed for health reasons, this is an issue that needs to be addressed honestly by the medical marijuana movement. Sometimes it seems like people are so defensive about their drug of choice that they've lost the ability to think logically and see anything beyond the issue of federal suppression of the plant. I like to smoke weed too but you will never hear me saying that it doesn't impair motor coordination in experienced users, or some of the other nonsense I hear coming out of people's mouths.
One of my friends is a grower and I always looked to her as an example of responsible drug use, wishing I could be as disciplined, since she has a great job, nice house, etc. Well, last time I went to visit her she told me that there had been a hose on in her front yard for 3 or 4 months without her noticing. One day she was babysitting and the infant she was watching crawled over the area that had been soaked in water. A sinkhole was instantly created and the child plunged about 6 feet down into the ground! My friend had to call someone over to jump into the hole and retrieve the infant!!! So, there are risks that come with daily use of any mind altering substance. It doesn't necessarily mean you need to quit those drugs entirely but let's be realistic at the same time.
Marijuana Said to Trigger Heart Attacks
From the article:
The danger exists in the first hour after smoking pot, Mittleman told an American Heart Association meeting in San Diego today (March 2). "It causes the heart rate to increase by about 40 beats a minute," he says. "Blood pressure increases then abruptly falls when the person stands up. This could precipitate a heart attack."
Mittleman noted that, as an immediate trigger for heart attack, pot smoking is nearly twice as dangerous as sex for a sedentary person, exercise for a fit male or female, a tantrum of rage, or a bout of anxiety.
Personally, it never ceases to amaze me how many common sense ideas are announced as *breaking news* by the medical industry. I have a heart condition myself and there have been many times when I experienced severe chest pains immediately after smoking weed. This was always confusing to me because I'd always heard about how harmless it is compared to other drugs. So about a decade ago I looked up marijuana side effects and discovered that this happens because of the drug's effects on heart rate. I've spoken to a lot of other people who have told me about chest pains that occurred immediately after getting high as well. So, how is it that all these marijuana prescribing physicians with 8 years of education under their belts are not seeing the obvious connection between a sharp rise in smokers' heart rates and the concurring risk of heart attacks and/or strokes? Hello, people? This is not rocket science. Mittleman noted that, as an immediate trigger for heart attack, pot smoking is nearly twice as dangerous as sex for a sedentary person, exercise for a fit male or female, a tantrum of rage, or a bout of anxiety.
There is this myth that marijuana is completely harmless but I would be willing to bet that there are people out there who have either died or had significant medical problems as a result of uninformed use, especially considering that many who go to the emergency room aren't going to want to discuss whatever illegal drug use they were engaging in prior to their visit. Don't get me wrong. I am 100% in favor of legalization as marijuana is incredibly useful in a wide variety of situations. But what irritates the hell out of me is people's inability to be reasonable about the situation and inform others of potential risks. Particularly in the case of older people who are using weed for health reasons, this is an issue that needs to be addressed honestly by the medical marijuana movement. Sometimes it seems like people are so defensive about their drug of choice that they've lost the ability to think logically and see anything beyond the issue of federal suppression of the plant. I like to smoke weed too but you will never hear me saying that it doesn't impair motor coordination in experienced users, or some of the other nonsense I hear coming out of people's mouths.
One of my friends is a grower and I always looked to her as an example of responsible drug use, wishing I could be as disciplined, since she has a great job, nice house, etc. Well, last time I went to visit her she told me that there had been a hose on in her front yard for 3 or 4 months without her noticing. One day she was babysitting and the infant she was watching crawled over the area that had been soaked in water. A sinkhole was instantly created and the child plunged about 6 feet down into the ground! My friend had to call someone over to jump into the hole and retrieve the infant!!! So, there are risks that come with daily use of any mind altering substance. It doesn't necessarily mean you need to quit those drugs entirely but let's be realistic at the same time.
