Cannabis colloquially gained popularity for being a safe, nontoxic alternative to other substances and pharmaceutical agents. Yet, there have been possible concerns raised by researchers citing potential elevation of cardiovascular risk. In a recent review, it was shown that cannabis may be placing younger, healthier populations at risk for suffering major cardiovascular accidents, especially immediately following consumption. Cannabis has been shown to increase heart rate and blood pressure, which in some cases, has translated into increased risk of acute heart attack and stroke. Cannabis also interferes with drug metabolism, and can thereby increase levels of common cardiovascular drugs. While there have been some conflicting results, the study concluded that cannabis is not a benign substance and users should be cognizant of possible cardiovascular risks.
