Marijuana may be more harmful than its reputation suggests
Marijuana use is on the rise — both for medical and recreational purposes — and with that increase in usage has come an increased belief that it is a mostly harmless drug.
Marijuana use is on the rise — both for medical and recreational purposes — and with that increase in usage has come an increased belief that it is a mostly harmless drug. But that may not be the case, especially when it comes to the brain.
In the session titled “Effect of Medical Marijuana on Brain Health,” Fernando D. Testai, MD, PhD, FAHA, professor of neurology at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, will review the latest research outlining the effects of marijuana on brain health.
Dr. Testai will be joined by Rebecca Gottesman, MD, PhD, stroke branch chief and senior investigator of the Stroke, Cognition and Neuroepidemiology section at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program, part of the National Institutes of Health.
Increased consumption of marijuana among the general public could lead to health problems if clinicians aren’t armed with the proper information in order to better educate their patients, Dr. Testai said.
“Epidemiologic data as well as experimental data gathered using animal models suggest that marijuana may have undesired effects in the heart and the brain, particularly when the exposure occurs during key neurodevelopmental periods,” he said.
“The results obtained in animal models challenge the widely accepted idea that cannabinoids are harmless, particularly if the exposure occurs during pregnancy or adolescence,” he said. “These facts call for a more educated consumer and highlight the importance of developing strategies to monitor the effect of marijuana in the general population.”
The session will explore evidence linking marijuana use to brain health and cognition.
“In particular, we will review the effect of marijuana use on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk as well as the observational data linking the use of cannabis to cognitive performance,” Dr. Testai said. “Furthermore, we will have neuroscientists who perform research in this particular area to explain the effect of marijuana use on normal biochemical and physiologic processes and how these can influence the normal brain functioning.”
Dr. Testai said the session should help dispel some of the disinformation that exists both in the medical community and in the general public with regard to the effects of marijuana usage.
“I hope this session will spark discussion and provide health care providers with elements that will allow a more balanced discussion with patients about the potential known — and unknown — effects of marijuana on brain health,” he said.
While the existing body of knowledge regarding the effects of marijuana is imperfect and constantly evolving, Dr. Testai said he would like to see a more balanced discussion within the medical community going forward.
