A recent study published in JAMA Network Open linked cannabis to an increased risk of serious illness for COVID-19 patients. Patients who reported using cannabis products at least once in the year before developing COVID-19 were more likely to require hospitalization and intensive care than patients with no cannabis use.
Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine analyzed the electronic health records of 72,501 COVID-19 patients treated at BJC HealthCare hospitals and clinics in Missouri and Illinois between 2020 and 2022. The records documented demographic characteristics such as sex, age, and race; use of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and vaping; and other medical conditions. The research team also reviewed the records for outcomes such as hospitalization, intensive-care unit (ICU) admittance, and survival.
The study challenges the common public perception that cannabis is safe to use. Senior author Dr. Li-Shiun Chen explained a possible reason for this assumption: “I think that’s because there hasn’t been as much research on the health effects of cannabis as compared to tobacco or alcohol. What we found is that cannabis use is not harmless in the context of COVID-19. People who reported yes to current cannabis use, at any frequency, were more likely to require hospitalization and intensive care than those who did not use cannabis.” The study indicated that cannabis consumption can make one more susceptible to COVID-19 complications.
COVID-19 patients who reported cannabis use in the previous year demonstrated higher hospitalization and ICU admission rates than tobacco smokers. Patients who had used cannabis were 80% more likely to be hospitalized and 27% more likely to require ICU care than patients who had not used cannabis. Tobacco smokers treated for COVID-19 infection were 72% more likely to be hospitalized and 22% more likely to require intensive care than nonsmokers.
The study highlights the need for more effective public health awareness regarding the risks of cannabis use for COVID-19 patients.
Sources: Eureka News Alert, JAMA Network Open
