Pot use increases stroke risk: study

MONTREAL (CP) — New research based on U.S. hospital statistics suggests that recreational cannabis users are increasingly at risk of stroke.

In findings presented Friday at the World Stroke Congress in Montreal, scientists from Avalon University in Curacao used a database covering 1,000 hospitals to analyze trends in stroke prevalence and stroke-related hospital stays among recreational marijuana consumers.

Looking at more than 2.3 million hospitalizations of adult cannabis users from 2010 through 2014, researchers found a steady increase in the number of strokes suffered.

Of the total, 32,231 — or 1.4 per cent — had a stroke, including 19,452 with acute ischemic stroke, which occurs when arteries to the brain narrow or are blocked.

Over the five-year period, researchers found a 15 per cent rise in all types of stroke and a 29 per cent rise in acute ischemic stroke among cannabis users. The results held across all age groups.

“The trend is increasing,” Dr. Krupa Patel, the lead researcher, said in an interview.

“We also looked at the general population, and we didn’t identify any trends, meaning that the rates of stroke in the general population was stable.”

While the research suggests there is a potential link to stroke, additional study is needed to establish a causal link.