A federal advisory panel recently concluded that marijuana and cannabinoids can be helpful in the treatment of chronic pain and insomnia, but can also cause schizophrenia and trigger heart attacks.
The report, which was published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, warned more studies need to be done to determine if the benefits of marijuana outweigh the risks.
Dr. Marie McCormick headed the committee and agrees there is "very little to guide" people who use or are considering using marijuana, including how much to use and risks. Extensive data is difficult to obtain because marijuana is still considered illegal by the federal government and there are many restrictions placed on researchers.
Research that has determined that marijuana can cause heart attacks, schizophrenia and depression and can cause low birth weight in newborns if an expectant mother uses while pregnant. Evidence also suggests smoking pot can cause an increase in respiratory symptoms and more frequent bouts of chronic bronchitis.
Smoking before driving can lead to an increased risk of traffic accidents, but there is little to no evidence showing whether marijuana hurts school achievement or increases the unemployment rate.
