Cannabis Use Linked to Higher Odds of Reported Stroke

A preliminary analysis of 442,906 U.S. adults found that reported cannabis use was associated with higher odds of a past stroke, including among people who used it only a few days per month. The findings do not show that cannabis caused strokes and have not undergone peer review. Researchers led by Aabha Divya of Tulane University analyzed telephone survey responses collected from 2020 through 2024 through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The analysis included jurisdictions that added optional questions about cannabis use, rather than every state. Compared with adults who reported no cannabis use in the previous month, those reporting use on one to five days had 40% higher odds of reporting a past stroke. Those reporting use on 16 to 30 days had 25% higher odds. The survey asked whether a health professional had ever told participants they had experienced a stroke or other cardiovascular conditions; the results describe reported histories, not newly observed events. The analysis also found higher odds of reporting cardiovascular disease overall: 23% for people using cannabis one to five days per month and 21% for...