A major shift in U.S. drug policy has sparked debate around marijuana, and now, a heart surgeon is weighing in on the effects of cannabis.
Donald Trump is currently moving to reclassify marijuana, which would shift certain cannabis products from the most restrictive category – Schedule I – to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.
In practice, this would place marijuana in the same category as, for example, codeine-based painkillers, rather than drugs such as LSD. According to acting attorney general Todd Blanche, the goal of the move is to make research easier and improve medical understanding, according to VT.
“This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information,” Blanche explained, via The Guardian.
It would, however, not mean marijuana is fully legalized, but rather change how it is studied, regulated, and taxed. Trump himself has pushed for the change, saying: “You’re going to get the rescheduling done, right? … You know, they’re slow-walking me on rescheduling,” according to VT.
Some doctors still have unanswered questions when it comes to the side effects of cannabis, particularly in stronger forms. Some studies have linked heavy use to certain health issues, and one of the doctors warning about potential risks is Jeremy London.
Side effects of smoking weed
One of his concerns is the effect smoking marijuana can have on heart and lung health.
“Let’s all agree on one thing… The lungs have one simple function, and that’s to bring air into and out of your lungs. Anything else is potentially harmful,” he said, according to VT.
“Smoking marijuana regularly increases your risk of coronary disease and acute heart attack by one point three to two times compared to those who don’t smoke marijuana regularly,” he said.
He went on to describe what he has seen throughout his career: “I have operated on multiple patients over the years that smoke marijuana regularly and I can tell you their lungs are totally blackened… It looks like they’ve worked in a coal mine.”
He also stressed that some of his patients had never smoked cigarettes, but only marijuana: “They’ve got such severe blockages that I have to do bypass surgery.”
“They all say the same thing: ‘I thought it was safe,” he said, adding: “What’s important to me… is that you know the inherent risk.”
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