It has long been known that tobacco is responsible for the formation of atherosclerotic plaques (or atherosclerosis) in the coronary arteries in particular. The role of cannabis, on the other hand, is still controversial.
TOBACCO MORE DANGEROUS THAN CANNABIS FOR ARTERIES?
In Switzerland, the researcher's team Reto Auer analyzed data from the CARDIA study, which since 1985 has been monitoring the evolution of atherosclerosis in more than 5.000 young adults in the United States. For his research, the Bernese professor selected 3.498 participants exposed to cannabis and tobacco, questioned about their consumption.
As expected, scientists have found a strong link between exposure to tobacco and the appearance of plaques in the coronary and abdominal arteries. In contrast, among cannabis smokers who had never used tobacco, such a link could not be demonstrated.
According to the authors, frequent cannabis use has only a weak influence on atherosclerosis. A previous study on the same collective had already shown that cannabis is not associated with heart attack.
On the other hand, when tobacco is added to cannabis, the harmful effects are not to be underestimated, concludes Professor Auer, quoted in a press release from the University of Bern.
Source : 5minutes.rtl.lu/
