A wave of new research is drawing unprecedented connections between marijuana use and serious cardiovascular risks, overturning widely-held beliefs that cannabis is relatively harmless. Large-scale studies published in mid-2025 point to a significantly increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death among users of marijuana—a finding that experts caution should inform personal and public health choices in Thailand and worldwide (The New York Times; Fox News; Virgin Islands Consortium).
As marijuana use undergoes rapid normalization, with legal medical and recreational access expanding across the world, researchers warn that its cardiac dangers are becoming clearer and more urgent. In Thailand, where medicinal cannabis was legalized in 2022 and recreational use remains in legal limbo, these findings arrive as lawmakers and public health officials debate the way forward in marijuana regulation and education (CNN).
Several major studies published in 2024 and 2025 have changed the landscape of marijuana research. One large review in the journal Heart, published June 2025, casts marijuana as a riskier drug for cardiovascular events than even cocaine or opioids. According to the findings, cannabis users face a 29% higher risk of heart attacks, a 20% higher risk of strokes, and a doubled risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with non-users (Earth.com). Similar research highlighted by the Washington Post and Daily Voice reports that adults who use marijuana daily are 25% more likely to have a heart attack and also face a heightened risk of stroke (The Washington Post; Daily Voice).
Why is this news so important to Thai readers? Recent years have seen a surge in cannabis dispensaries and an increasingly casual attitude towards all forms of the drug, especially among younger audiences accustomed to social media trends promoting “natural medicine.” But the latest medical evidence paints a more complicated picture. Despite perceptions of safety, scientists now agree that marijuana’s active compounds—especially THC—can trigger changes in blood vessels, heart rate, and blood pressure that increase the risk of major cardiovascular events (UPI).
A major factor is how cannabis interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which plays a crucial role in regulating cardiovascular function. Research cited in these new studies builds on over a decade of mounting evidence: even occasional use can constrict coronary arteries, accelerate heart rhythms, and, in some cases, promote blood clots or inflammation in vessel walls. The risks are particularly acute for people with underlying heart conditions or who regularly smoke tobacco. But notably, the probability of heart attack and stroke now appears to rise at any frequency of marijuana use, including infrequent or non-daily consumption.
Quoting a senior cardiologist involved in the review published in Heart, “The findings are not limited to those who use marijuana heavily or recreationally. Even medicinal users need to be aware of the potential cardiovascular consequences, which may be as bad—if not worse—than those associated with smoking cigarettes or using cocaine.” Academic leaders from institutions like the American Heart Association have echoed these warnings, urging policymakers to update public health materials and physicians to screen for cannabis use during routine cardiovascular risk assessments (CNN).
For Thai policymakers, the new research forces uncomfortable questions about the balance between economic development, medical freedom, and social responsibility. Cannabis has brought investment and jobs, especially in rural provinces, and has been promoted as a boon for everything from insomnia to pain relief. But public health experts within Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health have begun cautioning that evidence-based guidelines are years overdue, and the regulation of cannabis sales and advertising remains inconsistent at best.
Historically, Thailand has a centuries-long relationship with traditional herbal medicines, and cannabis itself is referenced in ancient texts as a remedy for digestive and nervous illnesses. But “natural” status does not guarantee safety, argue leading physicians at major Thai teaching hospitals. They point to Thailand’s unique risk profile: a high prevalence of heart disease and hypertension; the cultural popularity of both tobacco and cannabis smoking; and relatively low awareness of armed cardiovascular risk factors among the general population (Washington Post).
Looking ahead, experts predict that as marijuana further permeates mainstream Thai culture, the number of marijuana-related cardiovascular events will inevitably rise, unless countered by fact-based warnings and new types of health screening. A rapid uptick in emergency room visits for heart palpitations, chest pain, and strokes has already been observed in several Western countries following legalization. There is concern that Thailand could face similar spikes, especially among younger Thais lured by the image of cannabis as modern and risk-free.
If these predictions hold, the future could require Thailand’s public health system to train a new cadre of physicians fluent in both the old wisdoms of Thai folk medicine and the latest Western clinical insights. To protect vulnerable groups—including youth, the elderly, and people with pre-existing heart disease—experts suggest a comprehensive campaign: improved labelling on cannabis products, government-backed research on cannabis-adulterant safety, and clear, culturally-tailored education about cardiovascular warnings, not just for users but for families and communities.
For individual Thai readers, the message from this research boom is both sobering and actionable: Those with heart conditions, hypertension, or a family history of cardiovascular disease should avoid marijuana in any form until further long-term data are available. Anyone considering medicinal cannabis should consult with a qualified healthcare provider—preferably a specialist in cardiovascular medicine—before use. And for parents and educators, now is the time to honestly discuss marijuana’s risks, alongside its better-known benefits, with the next generation.
Ultimately, as the world—and Thailand in particular—reconsiders its relationship to cannabis, the clarity emerging from new scientific research should guide national debate and personal choice. Only by confronting the facts, and not the myths, can Thai society navigate this critical juncture in health and regulatory policy.