Study Finds Association Between Chronic Cannabis Use and Early Signs of Cardiovascular Dysfunction

In a study published in JAMA Cardiology, researchers found that chronic cannabis use—whether through smoking or THC-infused edibles—is associated with impaired vascular function, even among young and otherwise healthy adults.

Healthy vascular function allows blood vessels to dilate properly, deliver oxygen efficiently, and help regulate key processes within the circulatory system. When vascular function is impaired, blood vessels are less able to expand, which can reduce blood flow and is considered an early warning sign of vascular disease, including conditions such as atherosclerosis, blood clots, and inflammation.

The study included 55 healthy adults ages 18-50 who did not use tobacco products and had minimal exposure to secondhand smoke, helping isolate the effects of cannabis use alone. Participants were divided into three groups: cannabis smokers, THC edible consumers, and a control group of those who did not use any cannabis products.

Cannabis use was defined as at least three smoking sessions per week for one year or more, or at least three THC edibles per week for one year or more. Researchers assessed vascular function—how well blood vessels expand, regulate blood flow, and maintain healthy circulation—by measuring endothelial function using flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a test that evaluates how well arteries widen in response to increased blood flow.

Key findings:

• Both cannabis groups had significantly lower endothelial function (6.0% in smokers and 4.6% in edible consumers) than the non-cannabis control group (10.4%), meaning their blood vessels were less able to expand properly.

• The level of endothelial dysfunction observed in both cannabis groups was comparable to what has been seen in studies reporting on chronic tobacco smokers.

• Higher frequency of smoking and greater THC intake were strongly associated with worsening endothelial function.

• Those who smoked cannabis showed significantly lower nitric oxide production (a key factor in regulating blood flow), compared to edible consumers and the control group.

These effects were observed in a relatively young and healthy population, suggesting that cannabis use may contribute to early cardiovascular changes long before clinical disease develops. While the study did not find differences in arterial stiffness or blood pressure, the presence of endothelial dysfunction points to early-stage vascular harm. Overall, the findings highlight that both smoked and ingested cannabis may carry meaningful cardiovascular risks.

The Article

Mohammadi, L., Navabzadeh, M., Jiménez-Téllez, N., Han, D. D., Reagan, E., Naughton, J., Zhou, L. Y., Almeida, R., Castaneda, L. M., Abdelaal, S. A., Park, K. S., Uyemura, K., Cheung, C. P., Onder, M. N., Goyal, N., Rao, P., Hellman, J., Cheng, J., Wu, J. C., Marcus, G. M., … Springer, M. L. (2025). Association of Endothelial Dysfunction With Chronic Marijuana Smoking and THC-Edible Use. JAMA cardiology, 10(8), 851–855. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamacardio.2025.1399