Prevention & lipidsCross-sectional study
Association of Endothelial Dysfunction With Chronic Marijuana Smoking and THC-Edible Use
- Cross-sectional study
- age-matched
- Recruited October 25, 2021, through August 1, 2024
Authors' conclusion
This cross-sectional study found that chronic cannabis smoking and THC ingestion were associated with endothelial dysfunction similar to that observed in tobacco smokers, although apparently occurring via distinct mechanisms.
Study context
- Population
- Healthy adults aged 18 to 50 years, San Francisco Bay Area, no tobacco smoking or vaping, not frequently exposed to secondhand smoke
- Participants
- 55 adults
- Exposure
- Chronic marijuana smokers and THC-edible users vs nonusers
- Outcome
- Arterial FMD, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-stimulated nitric oxide production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) incubated in participant serum
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Arterial FMD
Marijuana smokers vs Nonusers: P = 0.004 · THC-edible users vs Nonusers: P = 0.003
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
VEGF-stimulated nitric oxide in endothelial cells treated with participant sera — Marijuana smokers vs Nonusers
P = 0.004
| Outcome | P value |
|---|---|
| VEGF-stimulated nitric oxide in endothelial cells treated with participant sera — THC-edible users vs Nonusers · unaffected | P = 0.81 |
Correlation of flow-mediated dilation (FMD) with cannabis exposure
- FMD vs smoking frequency (inverse correlation), r = −0.7
- P < 0.001
- FMD vs amount of THC ingested (inverse correlation), r = −0.7
- P = 0.03
Other vascular properties
- No differences
Original publication
Association of Endothelial Dysfunction With Chronic Marijuana Smoking and THC-Edible Use. JAMA Cardiol. Published 1 August 2025. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2025.1399
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it