New Study Reveals Cannabis Does Not Cause Late-in-Life Weight Gain

Because of the long-running cannabis joke about the munchies, as well as the very real medical benefit that cannabis can help appetite increase, cannabis has long been associated with the idea of gaining weight. However, now that research is being opened up, more evidence is surfacing suggesting that cannabis does not directly correlate with weight gain. A recent study provides convincing evidence that cannabis does not lead to more body mass later on down the line.

This long-running study surveyed individuals 15 to 19 years old, and followed up with them 20 years later to ask questions about health and weight. Included were inquires about whether or not the participants smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol or smoked cannabis. According to the study, those who smoked cannabis were not more likely to gain weight later in life. Additionally, those who started smoking as adolescence had the least BMI increase during the 20-year period.

Due to the long-running nature of the experiment, many dropped out before they could be followed up with. It also appears that a large number of those who dropped out had higher BMIs later in life and more unhealthy lifestyle patterns, while those willing to stay in the study and answer questions about their health and weight maintained a healthier weight later on.

However, regardless of the fact that this study had a less-than-perfect method for gathering results, this is just one of the many pieces of evidence emerging that cannabis and weight gain do not go hand in hand. In fact, due to the motivating factor of cannabis use and the feeling of wellbeing many patients gain, it can cause weight loss due to healthy eating and exercise. As cannabis research is opened up even more, further exciting discoveries are sure to follow.