Long-term harmful effects of marijuana (MJ) include risk for
heart attacks and strokes in addition to impaired learning and
memory. The active chemical in MJ called
delta-9-tetrahyrdocannabinol (THC) is believed to exert these
effects by binding to cannabinoid (CB) receptors located on
several cell types in various organs. Scientists have found CB
receptors in many organs including the brain, heart, liver,
kidney, and spleen. In this study, researchers investigated if
persistent heavy MJ use might be associated with changes in
different blood proteins in order to check if the abnormalities
in the identified proteins might be related to other side-
effects of marijuana. The study was conducted with 18 long term
heavy MJ users and 24 non-drug using volunteers. People with
major medical and psychiatric illnesses, hypertension, head
injury, HIV positive, alcohol dependency and other drug usage,
were excluded from the study. Blood proteins were measured in
both control volunteers and MJ users using a new method (pr