A new study into the effects of medical marijuana has revealed some alarming 'secret risks'.
While weed is legalized in as many as 24 US states for recreational use and many more for medicinal purposes, smoking the green stuff isn't actually 'good' for you.
Despite this, Americans increasingly turn to toke weed to help them cope with symptoms like chronic pain, anxiety and sleep problems.
A whopping nine in 10 adults also say they are in favor of the drug when it's prescribed by a medic for these reasons.
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Yet, recently, medics across the country have been raising the alarm to some pretty grim symptoms connected with chronic weed intake, including abdominal pain and severe or prolonged vomiting.
The condition, called cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), has since been listed on the World Health Organization's Internal Classification of Diseases, though experts remain stumped on what actually causes it aside from possible long-term overuse of marijuana.
Now, a new landmark study has found there is 'insufficient evidence' to support some of its alleged medical benefits and has even found it poses some secret risks.
Among the risks they found included a hike in possible psychotic symptoms for teens who consume high-potency weed, with 12.4 percent affected compared to 7.1 percent on lower potency products.
Though it's tipped to help support people with anxiety, the study also found users are actually more likely to develop an anxiety disorder, with 19.1 percent experiencing the problem to 11.6 percent of those on weaker cannabis substances.
Meanwhile, a shocking 29 percent of medical cannabis users in the study could be considered to have Cannabis Use Disorder, which the Cleveland Clinic describes as a 'complex condition that involves a problematic pattern', like having a strong, compulsive 'need' to use cannabis.
It can also hike intolerance levels and pose withdrawal symptoms for those who try to stop it.
Finally, another risk was found amongst those who rely on medical cannabis daily, especially when inhaled or of the high-potency group, finding them to be at a heightened risk of cardiovascular problems, including heart attack, stroke and coronary artery disease, compared to those who only occasionally take weed.
The researchers compared data on medical cannabis sold at dispensaries with pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids - FDA-approved drugs that contain either the psychoactive compound, THC, or CBD, to analyse the results.
Interestingly, they found the only real benefit was shown in cancer patients in chemotherapy, helping them ease the symptoms of nausea and vomiting brought on by the harsh drugs, as well as helping HIV/AIDS patients gain weight with a generous boost in their appetite.
It is also found to ease some severe seizure disorders.
However, they found no clinical evidence that proves it works to soothe acute pain.
In addition, using it to treat insomnia, mental health conditions, Parkinson's disease and rheumatoid arthritis was also deemed weak or inconclusive.
“Patients deserve honest conversations about what the science does and doesn’t tell us about medical cannabis,” Dr. Michael Hsu, an addiction psychiatrist at UCLA and lead author of the study, said.
“While many people turn to cannabis seeking relief, our review highlights significant gaps between public perception and scientific evidence regarding its effectiveness for most medical conditions."
The doc is now urging physicians to screen patients for any signs of cardiovascular problems or psychotic disorders before prescribing THC products, and to consider the harms against the benefits.
The insight comes as a brain doctor also issued a similar warning recently.
Dr Daniel Amen said in a brain imaging study that examined 'how the brain ages', marijuana was even worse than alcohol at accelerating the process.
Topics: Drugs, Health, Mental Health, US News, Science
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