Cannabis May Change How Genes Are Expressed, and These Changes Could Pass to the Next Generation
A review of emerging evidence found that cannabis exposure can alter epigenetic marks (chemical modifications that control gene expression) in the brain and body, with some changes potentially transmitted to offspring.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
This review examined the emerging field of cannabis epigenetics, where researchers study how cannabis exposure changes gene expression without altering the DNA sequence itself.
Accumulating evidence from both human and animal studies showed that cannabinoids can modify epigenetic marks, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, in brain tissue and peripheral cells. These modifications can alter which genes are turned on or off, potentially explaining the persistent behavioral effects of cannabis that outlast the drug's presence in the body.
Perhaps most provocatively, some animal studies suggested these epigenetic changes could be transmitted across generations. Parental cannabis exposure appeared to affect the epigenome of offspring, raising questions about intergenerational effects that go beyond the direct in-utero exposure that has been the traditional focus of concern.
Key Numbers
The review covered human and animal studies showing aberrant epigenetic modifications in brain and peripheral tissues linked to cannabis exposure. Specific mechanistic details were sparse at the time of publication.
How They Did This
Comprehensive review of published scientific literature examining epigenetic effects of cannabinoids, including studies in humans and animal models, covering DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling.
Why This Research Matters
If cannabis can change gene expression patterns that persist after the drug is gone and potentially pass to the next generation, it fundamentally changes how we think about cannabis safety. The effects may not be limited to the user or even the period of use, but could have biological consequences that extend across a lifetime and into the next generation.
The Bigger Picture
Epigenetics offers a molecular framework for understanding some of the most puzzling aspects of cannabis research: why effects persist long after drug clearance, why adolescent exposure has different consequences than adult exposure, and why parental substance use affects offspring risk for addiction.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
The field was in its early stages when this review was published. Mechanistic details were sparse, and many findings were correlational. Most epigenetic studies were in animal models with doses and exposure patterns that may not reflect human use. The intergenerational findings need much more replication.
Questions This Raises
- ?Which specific genes are epigenetically altered by cannabis, and what are the functional consequences?
- ?Are epigenetic changes from cannabis reversible with abstinence?
- ?Do the intergenerational effects occur in humans?
- ?Could epigenetic markers serve as biomarkers for cannabis-related health risks?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Cannabis-induced epigenetic changes were found in both brain tissue and peripheral cells, with some evidence of intergenerational transmission.
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate evidence from a comprehensive review of an emerging field. Individual studies provide proof of concept, but the field lacked the depth for definitive conclusions at the time of publication.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2016. Cannabis epigenetics has since become a more active research area with additional studies providing mechanistic detail.
- Original Title:
- Epigenetic Effects of Cannabis Exposure.
- Published In:
- Biological psychiatry, 79(7), 586-94 (2016)
- Authors:
- Szutorisz, Henrietta(7), Hurd, Yasmin L(21)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01277
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can cannabis change your genes?
Cannabis does not change your DNA sequence, but it can change how genes are expressed through epigenetic modifications. These are chemical marks on DNA and associated proteins that turn genes on or off without altering the genetic code itself.
Could cannabis use affect your children's genes?
Some animal studies suggest parental cannabis exposure can alter the epigenome of offspring. Whether this occurs in humans and what the consequences might be are still open questions requiring much more research.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01277APA
Szutorisz, Henrietta; Hurd, Yasmin L. (2016). Epigenetic Effects of Cannabis Exposure.. Biological psychiatry, 79(7), 586-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.09.014
MLA
Szutorisz, Henrietta, et al. "Epigenetic Effects of Cannabis Exposure.." Biological psychiatry, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.09.014
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Epigenetic Effects of Cannabis Exposure." RTHC-01277. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/szutorisz-2016-epigenetic-effects-of-cannabis
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.