If You’ve Been to the ER for Weed, You’re More Likely to Develop Dementia

• A new study of more than 6 million people found that those who went to the ER for cannabis have an increased risk of developing dementia within five years

• Researchers aren’t sure why this is, but pointed out that cannabis could cause “changes in brain structure” or other “risk factors”

• However, researchers cautioned, “This is not a study that anyone should look at and say, ‘Jury’s in, and cannabis use causes dementia’ “

People who’ve sought emergency medical care for marijuana are more likely to develop dementia within five years.

A comprehensive study of more than 6 million people aged 45 and older, with no history of dementia, was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Neurology on April 14. It found that the 16,275 people who had “incident acute care” due to cannabis use were at “increased risk of a new dementia diagnosis.”

Related: Heavy Cannabis Use May Impair Brain’s Working Memory, Study Suggests

“Someone who has an emergency room visit or hospitalization due to cannabis has a 23% increased risk of dementia within five years compared to someone who was at the hospital for another reason. They have a 72% greater risk compared to the general population,” study co-author Dr. Daniel Myran, an assistant professor in the department of family medicine at the University of Ottawa in Canada, told CNN.

The increased risk could be caused by the way cannabis works in the brain, co-author and Bruyère Health Research Institute scientist Dr. Colleen Webber said in a press release.

“Regular cannabis use might directly increase the risk of dementia through changes in brain structure,” Webber said. “It’s also possible that regular cannabis use increases the risk of other established risk factors for dementia, including high blood pressure, head trauma and other injuries, and a higher risk for depression and social isolation.”

But as Myran told CNN, more research is needed.

“This is not a study that anyone should look at and say, ‘Jury’s in, and cannabis use causes dementia,’” Myran told the outlet. “This is a study that brings up a concerning association that fits within a growing body of research.”

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Related: This Unexpected Symptom Could Be an Early Sign of Dementia 

“There’s certainly a pathway where there’s potential inflammation and microvascular damage from marijuana,” Myran said.

“It could be that regular cannabis use causes people to develop other risk factors for dementia, such as depression, social isolation and lower educational attainment. And it could be that people who regularly use cannabis are more likely to have major trauma to the brain such as a motor vehicle collision.”

“Considering increasing cannabis use among older adults,” the study concludes, “these findings have important implications.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

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