Marijuana Smokers Said to Have More Heavy Metal in Them, But Not the Good One

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According to a new study, individuals who used marijuana had higher amounts of heavy metal in their blood than people who didn’t use even cigarettes. This difference was 27% greater. Too bad it is not a good heavy metal, though. The researchers, who were all affiliated with Columbia University, were aware coming into the study that cannabis plants are capable of absorbing heavy metals from the soil and, in fact, are exceptional at doing so. This research, too, demonstrates that heavy metals that are found in cannabis plants may also end up quite easily in the human body.

Continue reading down below for more key details.

For both cadmium and lead, these metals are likely to stay in the body for years, long after exposure ends, explained Tiffany Sanchez, an assistant professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health and an author of the study.

There were almost 7,200 people in the study, and 358 of them admitted to using marijuana during the preceding month. The blood lead levels of these individuals were found to be 27% higher than those of the adults who indicated they did not use tobacco or marijuana. It is believed that the pollutants move from the stem of the plant towards the flowers and leaves as they progress. To tell you the truth, that’s completely fascinating.

Results of the study

The people who used marijuana also had greater amounts of cadmium in their blood, which was up to 22%. Urine samples came back with the same findings. When exposed to lead over a long period of time, individuals are at a greater risk of developing heart difficulties, high blood pressure, and kidney damage.

In the meanwhile, the World Health Organization classifies cadmium as a substance that can cause cancer in humans. And as a matter of fact, exposure to low amounts, such as that which occurs through the smoke of tobacco products, may cause bones to become more brittle and renal disease to develop. The data set, on the other hand, did not differentiate between the various ways in which the individuals took marijuana, such as through joints or edibles.

Tiesha loves to share her passion for everything that’s beautiful in this world. Apart from writing on her beauty blog and running her own beauty channel on Youtube, she also enjoys traveling and photography. Tiesha covers various stories on the website.