A study has revealed that individuals who use marijuana exhibit higher concentrations of heavy metals in their blood and urine compared to non-users of marijuana.
Published on Wednesday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, the study conducted at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and involved over 7,200 participants.
Researchers categorized the participants into five groups based on their substance use: non-marijuana/non-tobacco users, exclusive marijuana users, exclusive tobacco users, and those who used both marijuana and tobacco. They analyzed levels of five different metals in participants’ blood and 16 metals in their urine.
“We hypothesized that individuals who use marijuana would have higher levels of metal biomarkers compared to non-users, given that the cannabis plant is known to absorb metals,” explained Katlyn McGraw, a postdoctoral researcher in Columbia Public Health’s Department of Environmental Health Sciences, in a press release.
“Our findings confirm that marijuana use contributes to exposure to cadmium and lead,” she added.
The World Health Organization emphasizes that there is no safe level of lead exposure, particularly for children, as it can lead to irreversible cognitive impairments, behavioral issues, and even death.
Cadmium, classified by the organization as a human carcinogen, can cause serious harm to the kidneys, skeletal system, and respiratory functions.
“Moving forward, research into cannabis use and contaminants, specifically metals, should be prioritized to address public health concerns associated with the increasing prevalence of cannabis consumption,” stated Tiffany R. Sanchez, senior author and assistant professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia Public Health, in the press release.
