Different Ways of Using Marijuana Were Linked to Different Levels of Heart Disease Risk | Research

The takeaway

Using 2023 national data, researchers found significant associations between various marijuana consumption methods and increased coronary heart disease risk, with combined smoking and vaping showing particularly elevated risk.

Cardiologists, primary care providers, and marijuana users with cardiovascular risk factors.

What the researchers found

Multiple marijuana consumption methods were associated with increased CHD risk. Combined smoking and vaping showed significantly higher risk. Combined consumption methods, particularly smoking and eating together, further compounded CHD risk. Associations persisted after controlling for demographics and established cardiovascular risk factors.

Why it matters

As marijuana use becomes more common and consumption methods diversify, understanding which methods carry the highest cardiovascular risk can inform harm reduction advice for the millions of Americans who use marijuana.

The numbers in context

2023 BRFSS data. Consumption methods: smoking, vaping, eating, dabbing, and combinations. Combined smoking + vaping: significantly higher CHD risk. Combined smoking + eating: further compounded risk. All associations adjusted for demographic and cardiovascular risk factors.

How the study worked

Cross-sectional analysis of 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. Multivariable logistic regression examined associations between marijuana consumption methods (smoking, vaping, eating, dabbing) and coronary heart disease risk, adjusting for demographics and cardiovascular risk factors.

What this study cannot tell us

Cross-sectional BRFSS data — cannot prove causation. Self-reported marijuana use and CHD diagnosis. Cannot control for all confounders (stress, lifestyle factors). Reverse causation possible (CHD patients may use marijuana for symptom relief).

How to read the evidence

Large national dataset (BRFSS) with multivariable adjustment, but cross-sectional design limits causal inference.

When this study was published

Published 2025, 2023 BRFSS data.

The bigger picture

The finding that combined consumption methods carry more risk than single methods suggests a dose-response or cumulative exposure relationship. As legal markets offer increasingly diverse product options, users may be combining methods more frequently.

Questions still open

Is the elevated risk from combined methods due to higher total dose or different pharmacokinetic profiles? Would switching from smoked to edible-only consumption reduce cardiovascular risk? Should cardiovascular screening be recommended for heavy marijuana users?

Common questions

Is eating marijuana safer for the heart than smoking it?

This study found that multiple methods together increased risk, but it does not directly compare single methods. Generally, non-smoked routes avoid inhaling combustion products, which is likely better for cardiovascular health, but this needs more research.

Should people with heart conditions avoid marijuana?

This study adds to evidence linking marijuana use with CHD risk, especially with combined consumption methods. People with existing heart conditions should discuss marijuana use with their cardiologist.

Read the original research

Exploring the Link: Marijuana Use Patterns and Their Impact on Coronary Heart Disease Risk.

Clinical cardiology, 48(12), e70223

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Wei, Tianwen; Shen, Shitong; Shan, Tiankai; Wan, Tangjiang; Liang, Yucheng; Lin, Zhihao; Sun, Yuxiao; Li, Yafei; Zhang, Qi. (2025). Exploring the Link: Marijuana Use Patterns and Their Impact on Coronary Heart Disease Risk.. Clinical cardiology, 48(12), e70223. https://doi.org/10.1002/clc.70223