People who regularly use cannabis may be taking chances with their cardiovascular health, according to new research examining a large national survey. The findings add to growing concerns about a possible connection between cannabis use, cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Scientists at Tulane University analyzed nationally representative survey data and found that cannabis users were significantly more likely to report a history of cardiovascular disease. The association appeared particularly strong for stroke.

The study does not conclusively show that cannabis causes cardiovascular problems. Still, it adds another concerning result to a body of research that has previously produced inconsistent findings about cannabis and cardiovascular health.

Cannabis use has increased substantially in recent years as more places have legalized recreational use. Researchers said they wanted an updated picture of how reported cannabis use might relate to reported cardiovascular problems.

The team analyzed information from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a longstanding annual survey of health trends and habits among Americans. The survey is managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Investigators examined data collected between 2020 and 2024. Together, those records included nearly half a million adult respondents, giving researchers a broad sample in which to compare cannabis habits and cardiovascular histories.

People who regularly used cannabis, whether once a month or daily, were around 20% more likely than nonusers to report a history of any cardiovascular issue. The association did not vary substantially across the reported levels of cannabis use.

Researchers compared occasional users, defined as people who used cannabis one to five days a month, with heavy users who reported using it 16 to 30 days a month. Both groups had higher odds of reporting heart disease.

Stroke produced one of the study’s more surprising patterns. Less frequent cannabis users had a 40% higher reported risk of stroke, while heavy users had a 25% higher reported risk.

The analysis did not reveal a clear relationship between the reported amount of cannabis use and the risk of reported heart attacks. That finding further complicated expectations that cardiovascular risk would steadily rise as cannabis use became more frequent.

The team presented its findings over the weekend at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions, the organization’s annual conference. The results have not yet completed the typical peer review process.

Study author Aabha Divya said researchers had expected the chances of heart disease to increase gradually with more frequent cannabis use, but the results did not follow that pattern. “Both low-use and heavy-use groups had higher odds of developing heart disease,” said Divya, an assistant professor in the division of cardiothoracic surgery at Tulane University’s School of Medicine.

Because the research relied on survey data, it can demonstrate only a correlation between cannabis use and cardiovascular disease. It cannot establish that cannabis is the definitive cause of the reported health problems.

At the same time, other evidence has suggested that cannabis may not be harmless to the heart and blood vessels. A study released last month linked increasing recreational cannabis legalization in the United States with higher hospitalization rates for cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks.

Important questions about the potential connection remain unresolved, including whether the form of cannabis use makes a difference. In the Tulane study, the association did not appear to depend on whether respondents primarily smoked cannabis or consumed edibles.

Other research has suggested that either smoking or eating cannabis can negatively affect blood vessel function. The latest findings nevertheless leave uncertainty about why less frequent users reported a higher stroke association than heavy users.

Researchers said patients and healthcare professionals should recognize the potential cardiovascular link as cannabis use becomes more common. “As cannabis use becomes more common, it is increasingly important that people and their healthcare professionals include it in conversations about cardiovascular health, just as they discuss tobacco, alcohol and other commonly used substances,” Divya said.