Experts say that cannabis use may cause changes to the body’s epigenome. A study of 1,000 people found “associations between cumulative marijuana use and multiple epigenetic markers across time.” Epidemiologist Lifang Hou of Northwestern University describes the epigenome as a group of switches that activate or deactivate genes that control the body’s functions.
The study’s participants underwent two decades of observation and were frequently questioned about their cannabis use, as well as submitting blood for testing. The blood samples were taken after 15 and 20 years, and Hou noted epigenetic alterations, including DNA methylation level changes, in participants who had used cannabis over a continued lengthy period.
DNA methylation regulates gene expression and alters gene activity. The study found numerous changes in subjects who had used cannabis frequently or recently, Hou said. “Interestingly, we consistently identified one marker that has previously been associated with tobacco use,” she added, noting that findings suggest a “shared epigenetic regulation between tobacco and marijuana use.”
Cannabis-related epigenetic changes have previously been linked to illnesses including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and addiction, but Ms. Hou notes that the latest study does not conclusively show that cannabis causes these illnesses or other significant health problems.
Cannabis – also known as marijuana – is legal in 38 American states, and some studies reveal that as many as 49% of Americans have used it at least once. In some states, users can lawfully consume the drug for medicinal reasons only, while in others, it can be used recreationally.
Medicinally, cannabis is used to control chronic pain and is often used by patients suffering from serious illnesses such as multiple sclerosis or epilepsy. Doctors note, however, that cannabis is used for symptom control and does not cure or prevent disease progression. Furthermore, given its illegal status under federal law, studies are rarely conducted, and therefore, the drug’s impact remains largely mysterious. Nevertheless, it is known to reduce vomiting, pain, muscle spasms, and, in some patients, stress and anxiety. Additionally, it improves sleep, increases appetite, reduces tics, and helps people cope with post-traumatic stress disorder.
It has its downsides, however, and can cause panic attacks, impaired memory, confusion, paranoia, and an increased heart rate.
