If you think the harm smoking weed does is limited to your brain and heart, think again.
Yes, it is linked to dementia, psychosis, and a whole host of other mental health issues. And sure, it is associated with heart attacks and cardiovascular-related death.
But did you know it messes up how your genes get expressed as well?
A study from Northwestern University found that cumulative and recent cannabis use has an effect on DNA methylation: I.e. the addition of methyl groups to to DNA molecules, a biochemical effect that can be caused by outside factors.
Guess what these researchers found?
. . . .numerous DNA methylation markers in the 15-year blood samples, 22 that were associated with recent use, and 31 associated with cumulative cannabis use.
In the samples taken at the 20-year point, they identified 132 markers linked to recent use and 16 linked to cumulative use.
To be clear: these aren’t genomic changes. I.e. the underlying structure there are still the same. But methylation can affects how genes get expressed, and in the case of weed, research has linked the methylation it causes to (unsurprisingly) schizophrenia and substance use disorders.
Worse, epigenetic changes can be passed on to your kids. Meaning that if if weed users develop mental illness thanks to the drug, the damage won’t necessarily be confined to just one generation.
Given the recent avalanche of data around the health harms marijuana does, this epigenetic approach is one that deserves the deepest scientific attention.