What Heart Patients Gotta Know ‘Bout Smokin’ that Mary Jane

Yo, peeps! Check it, after you blaze up that weed, you know what I’m sayin’, you feel all relaxed and chill, right? It’s like your mind is on a vacay and the stress just melts away. But hold up! That’s not the case for your ticker, fam. See, even though over two million Americans with heart conditions be smokin’ that ganja, we still don’t fully understand the cardiovascular risks that come with it, according to some new research paper, ya feel me?

So this article I’m talkin’ about was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. They did a review of all them previous studies that looked at how weed affects your heart. Now, here’s the thing: ’cause of all them restrictions on research in the U.S., there ain’t a whole lot of randomized control trials, which are like the gold standard of scientific studies. But there is one thing we do know about how marijuana messes with common heart conditions, and it might make y’all heart patients think twice.

So check this out: if you takin’ medications like statins or blood thinners and you mixin’ that with weed, it could mess with how well those meds work. Turns out, those liver enzymes that break down your meds also help process marijuana in your body. That means the weed could mess with the potency of your drugs. The review says that 2019 study found that marijuana use can make the blood thinner warfarin more potent, which might make you bleed too much. And get this: if you takin’ both marijuana and statins, it could boost how well those statins work and lower your blood pressure. So it’s like a mixed bag, you know?

Now, some scientists been compare smokin’ cigarettes to smokin’ weed when it comes to heart problems. Even though they different substances, they both got chemicals that can mess up your heart. Plus, some studies show that people hold in the smoke longer when they smokin’ weed compared to cigs, so it’s like they gettin’ even more of them bad chemicals in their system. Weed advocates might tell you that there’s safer ways to use marijuana, like edibles or tinctures or them sublingual strips. And you know what? The scientists in this review would agree with them. ‘Cause let’s be real here, smokin’ anything ain’t good for you. But y’all ain’t gonna believe this – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did a study and found that almost 80% of adult marijuana users admit to smokin’. Damn!

But hold up, my homies! Edibles ain’t all sunshine and rainbows either. See, a lot of first-time users don’t know what they doin’, and they end up takin’ way too much without even realizing it. That can lead to some serious problems, yo.

Now, here’s the thing: we still don’t know if there’s a direct link between heart disease and smokin’ that herb. In 2017, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine did a whole report on it, but they couldn’t come to a clear conclusion. So until we know more, them scientists be tellin’ y’all heart patients to ease up on the weed if you can. And talk to your doctor about it! They can help you figure out how much you should be usin’ and what’s the best way for you to get your fix.

So there you have it, my peeps. Weed might be all relaxin’ and chill for your mind, but your heart might not feel the same way. Stay informed, stay safe, and as always, keep it real!