Cannabis legalization in the United States has been associated with increased hospitalizations due to cardiovascular issues, including heart attacks, according to a recent study.
The peer-reviewed study, published in the journal BMJ Open on Oct. 22, looked at data from more than 50 million hospital discharges between 2012 and 2018 in the Western region of the United States, where by 2018, 98 percent of the population lived in or bordered a state where cannabis use had been legalized.
It found that the legalization of recreational cannabis sales in the region beginning in 2014 was linked to an increased rate of hospitalization for heart failure, myocardial infarction (heart attack), and atrial fibrillation, compared to regions whose states did not broadly legalize cannabis. Atrial fibrillation refers to an irregular and rapid heart rhythm….