#CannabisThailand

A groundbreaking new study has sent shockwaves through the medical and public health communities by revealing that cannabis use could be more dangerous for the heart than cocaine. The research, published recently in the esteemed journal Heart, synthesizes data from over 432 million individuals and challenges widespread perceptions about the safety of cannabis, especially as legalization expands globally. For Thailand, where decriminalization and policy debates about cannabis are accelerating, the study’s findings carry urgent implications for users and policymakers alike.

A new wave of scientific concern is cresting over cannabis use, as recent research finds that using marijuana—whether smoked or eaten in gummies—is directly associated with significant risks to heart health. The findings, published in JAMA Cardiology and led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), upend the common belief that cannabis is a safer or even harmless alternative to tobacco, particularly as legalization and recreational use continue to rise worldwide, including in Thailand.

A newly released study by University of California San Francisco has uncovered compelling evidence that regular cannabis use, whether smoked or eaten as edibles, poses significant risks to cardiovascular health—on par with those seen in tobacco smokers. The findings, published in JAMA Cardiology on May 28, hold broad implications for communities worldwide, including Thailand, where cannabis reform remains a subject of careful debate and rapid market growth.

The research is particularly significant given that Thailand became the first Asian nation to decriminalise cannabis in 2022, sparking a “green rush” of dispensaries, edible products, and wellness treatments across the country. However, as debates over the benefits and drawbacks of cannabis legalization intensify, the new UCSF data brings overdue scientific scrutiny to the long-term health implications for the Thai public.