Title: Smoking Marijuana. Is it Safe for the Heart?

Biography:

Dr. Karl A Larsen is Director of Graduate Studies for Forensic Sciences visiting Clinical Professor in Forensic Science at University of Illinois at Chicago,USA. Dr. Karl A Larsen completed his Ph.D. in Pharmacodynamics from University of Illinois at Chicago.Dr. Karl A Larsen's research interests include Controlled Substances, Cannabis, Alcohol in Liquor, Intoxicating Compounds, Toxicology, approximately 200 times

Abstract

Different preparations of Cannabis sativa (commonly marijuana and hashish) are widely used mainly for their euphoric effects. Cannabis after alcohol consumption is by far the most commonly used recreational drug in Europe. About 20% of adults in the European Union (aged 15–64 years), over 62 million people, have tried cannabis at least once in their life [1]. Users and lay people believe that marijuana or hashish is safe. Many cases of cardiovascular events have, however, been related to a cannabis consumption [2-4], and cases of acute ischemia or thrombosis even on the ground of normal coronary arteries have been reported.