Some marijuana users may have elevated levels of lead and cadmium — two heavy metals linked to long-term health issues — in their blood and urine, a new study shows.

Among a group of more than 7,200 adults, the 358 who reported using marijuana within the past 30 days were found to have 27% higher blood lead levels than those who said they didn’t use either marijuana or tobacco.

The marijuana users also had 22% higher levels of cadmium in their blood, according to the research, which was published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Urine samples showed similar results.

The researchers, a team at Columbia University, knew going in that cannabis plants can absorb heavy metals from soil and, in fact, are particularly good at doing so. The contaminants travel through the stalk of the plant into the leaves and flowers.

But the new findings demonstrate that heavy metals in cannabis plants can also wind up in the human body.

    • @[email protected]
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      fedilink
      101 year ago

      The problem is the heavy metal sticking to the vapor particles. Heavy metal should be avoided at all costs.

    • @[email protected]
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      fedilink
      11 year ago

      220C is entering combustion territory, there’s no good reason to exceed 195C

      It would surely be better than eating it regardless

    • @Jessvj93
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      11 year ago

      It getting into your lungs and entering the bloodstream is where the danger comes in. It being in particle form is not good to inhale as much as vaporizing it into a gas is, cadmium especially since it’s a bioaccumulator and doesn’t like to leave the body.