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Although marijuana may have a repute as a comparatively harmless drug , a new display case report links it to the death of two youthful men in Germany .
Toxicological examinations concluded that the military personnel were under the influence of cannabis before they died , and hunt ofTHC — the main combat-ready ingredient in marijuana — were found in the Isle of Man ’s line and brain tissue , the research worker write in the story .
In both cases , the demise were associate tocardiovascular complication . In one of the deaths , a 23 - yr - previous humanity without a history of health problems suddenly collapsed while using public transfer , and died after 40 second of unsuccessful resuscitation efforts , according to the case report based on postmortem investigations . The man had a small amount of marijuana in his pockets when he was found , according to the researchers at the Institute of Legal Medicine , University Hospital Duesseldorf in Germany , who reported the case .
In the second face identify in the story , a 28 - yr - older man was found dead at home by his girlfriend . An ashtray , wander paper and a sealable plastic bag take oddment of marijuana were find next to the organic structure . The man had occasionally used cannabis , the researchers indite . He had also misuse alcohol and drugs , such as amphetamines and cocaine until about two old age before his expiry , they wrote . [ 5 Bad Habits You Should Still give up ]
" After excommunication of other causes of last , we take on that the young Man pall from cardiovascular ramification evoked bysmoking cannabis , " the research worker write .
" We acquire the demise of these two new man occur due to arrhythmias evoked by smoke hemp , " but this assumption does not rule out that the adult male were predisposed to cardiovascular danger , they wrote .
Nikolas P. Lemos , the chief forensic toxicologist for the San Francisco Medical Examiner ’s Office , said there have been confirmed cases in which marijuana has had harmful impression on the fondness .
" The possible cardiotoxicity of cannabis has been report in equal - refresh abstracts as well as scientific proceedings before , including by my team , " Lemos sound out .
" This case report sum two more cases from Germany , but since late last year , we have known and report on thisdrug ’s potential cardiotoxic effectsin some parts of the oecumenical universe , " he said .
The researcher in Germany who reported the deaths refuse an consultation request from Live Science , summon an overwhelming media response to the paper and " some quite unpleasant reactions from individuals . "
" last due to cannabis use are normally stroke that are not make by the substance , but to the circumstances of use , " Leune said .
However , other recent enquiry also has linked marijuana use with cardiovascular complications in young and halfway - age adults . In a study publish in April in the Journal of the American Heart Association , researchers probe data on health knottiness following marijuana use , gathered from 2006 to 2010 by the French Addictovigilance internet . They found that among the 2,000 cases of reported complication , 35 case involved heart problems . Among those were 20 multitude who had heart attacks , including nine who died .
" There is now compelling evidence on the growing risk of infection of marijuana - associated adverse cardiovascular effects , especially in unseasoned people , " field of study author Émilie Jouanjus , a medical faculty appendage at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse in France , said in a statementat the time . " It is , therefore , authoritative that Dr. , include cardiologists , be mindful of this , and consider marijuana utilisation as one of the potential causes in patients with cardiovascular disorders . "
" It is important that masses realize that any drug can have harmful event , " Iain M. McIntyre , a director and chief toxicologist at the San Diego County Medical Examiner ’s Office , told Live Science .
Some mass who are predisposed to cardiac events may be particularly vulnerable to potential harmful effects of marijuana use , and the novel report shows this , McIntyre said .
One restriction of the write up , however , was that it did not particularize for how long the two piece had been using marijuana , he suppose .
The researchers who wrote the report stressed that the risk of cardiovascular effects of marijuana use in the cosmopolitan universe is gloomy , but it is in high spirits in people who have cardiovascular offspring .
" Persons who are at high endangerment for cardiovascular diseases are even urge to avoid the use of marihuana , " they write .
Lemos said he hopes the account will get up cognizance of the potential wellness complication of marijuana enjoyment . " I am delighted to see this extra work in hope that medical examiner , coroner and physician will realize that they want to gather specimens , examination for cannabis in post - mortem fluid and conceive the contribution of marihuana in the death investigations .
" We simply can not , any longer , adhere to the old mindset that ' ganja does not kill , " Lemos told Live Science . " We are now see evidence from my spot and elsewhere that it just might . "
The case report was issue in the April matter of the journal Forensic Science International .
