Cannabis use does not predispose users to high blood pressure

This study retrospectively evaluated data collected by the National (US) Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2017 to 2018. It examined the relationship between past cannabis use and hypertension (high blood pressure). It was published in December 2022 in The Journal of Clinical Hypertension.

Data on 4565 participants was included. 867 (19.0%) reported sustained cannabis use in the past. 1409 (30.9%) participants had hypertension (diagnosed by a medical professional). They analyzed the following variables:

• frequency of cannabis use
• age at first use
• the effects of current cannabis use

Summary points:

Participants who reported past sustained cannabis use did not have statistically different odds of having hypertension.

Moderate and highly-frequent users did not have different odds of having hypertension than infrequent users.

No relationship between the age of first cannabis use and hypertension was observed. 

Current cannabis users had similar odds of hypertension as past users. 

The authors' final conclusions:

The findings of this study indicate that neither past nor current cannabis use is associated with clinical hypertension.

The full text article is here at the Wiley Online Library.