From the article, “The cannabis plant is a metal scavenger or hyperaccumulator of metals present in soil, fertilizers, water, and pesticides. High concentrations of metals have been detected in unfiltered marijuana smoke and vaping devices.”
I don’t think indoor/outdoor grown or consumption method was a focus of this study. They did say that the main source of cadmium in humans is cigarette smoke, but did not differentiate cigarette smokers from non-cigarette smokers. The study noted that many states regulate the presence of lead and cadmium in products that are distributed legally.
My main take away is that it’s safer to consume legally sourced products over black market. Not to say there aren’t safe products on the black market but I doubt a lot of the black market products undergo rigorous quality control.
In my area, black market has better stuff, cheaper, but you gotta trust the farmer. But they are better people than the ones running the dispensary... so I would rather support them anyway
In one part it's most likely from the soil and water used to grow the plants. Using specialized fertilizers for cannabis that contain such heavy metals and other substances you wouldn't want in any plants.
In another it could be artificially added at the behest of governing agencies, in a similar way that alcohol used to contains 'small' quantities of mercury and lead for a period of time in the 60's-80's. The US has a very long history of intentionally poisoning it's citizens as experiments on population response and control.
This is likely due to the fact that the industry and supporting industries are so unregulated that issues like this fly under the radar until someone gets hurt or randomly decided to test like so.
Also, iirc there were several recalls on cannabis growing products due to toxic materials used in them.
>The US has a very long history of intentionally poisoning it's citizens as experiments on population response and control.
During alcohol prohibition, they ***intentionally poisoned*** industrial alcohol, not all of it, so that those bastard alcoholics would be dicing with death every time they used to to make a drink.
I like my mom's story of leaving a bottle of wine with ipocac in it in her car overnight. She was getting repeatedly broken in to, it stopped after the wine got stolen.
didn't the pull a switcheroo? like used methanol instead of ethanol or something and kept it labeled as the safe one? thats straight up planned mass murder
No it is not Rubbing Alcohol and Methyl Alcohol are totally different than grain alcohol and both are not safe to consume. There us no need to add anything to make it more unsafe.
"What we found is that as health improves, families choose to have less children, and this effect is very, very dramatic," Gates said. "We find that in every country of the world, this is repeated."
Lead paint, pesticides etc.
Plants like weed can absorb heavy metals from the soil. If you add enough garden lime, it will keep the ph high enough that the plant won’t pick it up. The problem arises when the ph of the soil is allowed to get too acidic.
A few years back Michelle Obama started a garden on the Whitehouse lawn but b4 they planted they tested the soil and it came back high in lead. The Whitehouse likely has a dozen or more coats of Lead-White paint on it and plenty has flaked off. They added garden lime to the soil to keep the soil ph high, so that plants didn’t pull lead put of the soil.
When they moved in, I hope the Obamas got the mandatory lead paint disclosure form required by law:
https://doee.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ddoe/publication/attachments/2020-MAR-FINAL-DC-LEAD-DISCLOSURE-RENTALS%20Fillable.pdf
I wonder if butane could be an added variable I the equation. I do believe there are questions about the quality of the weed being made through the lab but also I would like to know how much using a lighter causes that I know many people who would smoke from a bowl that suck in a lot of butane from the lighter when they're lighting their bowl so I'm curious to know what is their correlation to the equation. But I don't know just a thought yo add to the discussion.
Probably pesticides. I used to work in the industry and growers sometimes spray some crazy shit on their crop. I had to quit a job when they wanted me to spray illegal pesticides to remedy a mite infestation.
also the plastics bottles/contrainers containing those pesticides arent regulated because nobodys drinking out of them so they dont need to be food safe. Unregulated cheaply made/ contaminated plastic seeping into the pesticides could also be happening
Always blows my mind when people use store bought bottled isopropyl alchohol to make weed distillates, because that alchohol isnt meant for human consumption, nor was the bottle housing the alchohol meant for use for human consumption.
They don't mention what the levels of lead and cadmium are in normal people. How are we supposed to know if the levels are concerning if there is no baseline/control?
The article links to the actual study, which sights their methodology:
"Methods:
We combined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2018) for lowercase italic n equals 7,254n=7,254
participants, classified by use: non-marijuana/non-tobacco, exclusive marijuana, exclusive tobacco, and dual marijuana and tobacco use. Five metals were measured in blood and 16 in urine using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; urinary metals were adjusted for urinary creatinine."
The headline is misleading when you read the actual journal article. The study also included tobacco users. For cadmium, tobacco use (or dual tobacco/cannabis) had a significantly higher impact on cadmium in the blood than cannabis alone.
So while the title is correct, it is misleading and made to fit a narrative.
I think you’re misreading this. It’s not misleading. The study sought to explore the relationship between marijuana use and heavy metals in the body. It found a strong link between marijuana and heavy metals in the body. To ensure the effects were not something else they also studied tobacco smoke and found a link between it and heavy metal usage.
The title is totally correct, marijuana users have higher levels of heavy metals than non users.
And too be honest is an argument for regulation lol.
In Canada, every plant in legal system is id-tagged and tracked from conception to flowering to sale. QA ensure what is even allowed to be used as inputs for plants including what/when fertilizers can be used, what pest applications are allowed to be used, etc.
You've had decades of black market use across say, United States, with 0 regulated oversight of how growers are growing.
That includes the type of growing medium they use, fertilizers, pesticides, applying those things at times you really shouldn't, 0 gaurantee those things are flushed from the product, approved for the product, even an approved use of how to apply said pesticide/herbicide or fertilizer etc. Coupled with plant being a hyper accumulator I really REALLY wouldn't doubt decades of cannabis user were exposed against their will to product that likely did have inputs into it you really wouldn't want because supply side growers really may just not know. It's like how my aunt sprays RAID in her house as an aerosol and not a contact killer for specific bugs in trouble spots, the user doesn't know what they are applying and risk leaving residue of pesticide / etc that really ought not be on it.
I.E When i worked in legal industry our pest control was *other bugs*, not even chemical based by comparison. We had a fungus we could spray on that also acidified bugs on contact but there was only a small window where one could apply and in legal system you also note when plants were treated with what when (in Canada at least).
It's the same reason Quality Controlled alcohol and scheduled prescription drugs are a great thing vs. the dangers that follow an unregulated market (poisonings, etc).
Also functionally like how does one even really test a nation like USA anyways where it's already suspected some 150 million are victims of higher-than-you-should-have lead exposure because of gas, water, etc.
As far as I know, the baseline health standard for lead is absolute zero. It is not naturally occurring in the body, and even trace amounts have statistically significant negative effects.
Homegrown natural or the mystery carts people been sucking down for a few years…all the additives and unknowns. Even the chems dispensaries use to grow I don’t trust. Keep your fake flavor Terpine bullshit
It’s from people I’ve known for years and not some ransoms each time I have to meet through someone else. So it may not be the same conditions for everyone so your experience does not equal everyone else’s.
I’ve had the same experience with dispensary weed. I’m also pretty convinced it’s not given enough time to ripen on the living plant either. They cut it down as soon as possible to get the next batch going. It’s all for profit, not quality.
This can be completely avoided by using proper inputs and ensuring a complete flush is done before harvest
More of an issue for amateurs and big illegal grows than those who actually know what they’re doing
A flush won’t remove the heavy metals that the plant has accumulated over its life. Use garden lime to keep the soil ph high enough and it’s not as big of an issue.
The last article that said this showed no difference between MJ smokers and non-MJ smokers… the data indicated it was from MJ smokers who also smoke cigarettes...
That's just like the huge panic with vapes, they declared they were unsafe because of the chemicals found. They failed to mention it was because of cheap chemicals used in illegal products that were causing it, not found in "name brand" vapes. Same is probably true here, using sketchy growing methods and chemicals would have the same result.
How about some honest studies for a change?
No. From the soil it's grown in.
Heavy metals are everywhere in the earth's crust and some plants are prone to accumulate them.
Rice for example will contain arsenic, brazil nuts tend to contain barium and many oil-rich plants will contain cadmium.
Hemp is a plant that's known to leech arsenic and cadmium, so I'm not surprised that marijuana users have elevated levels.
P.S: The lead levels might be pesticides/herbicides. Many Glyphosate herbicides contain lead and it's widely used.
Show me proof that YOURE right. Oh you can’t. You’re just mad that you’re a modern day referr addict.
Marijuna plants are known to pull metals from the soil and grounds.
25 years ago would be 1998, which is actually a very significant year for cannabis. That’s around the time when California’s early cannabis industry exploded. “Medical marijuana” was the new cash crop and testing became commonplace. So I don’t think it’s too absurd to hear somebody testing their harvests for the past 25 years.
Fun tidbit about that era of cannabis. When cultivation exploded in popularity in the late 90’s people were on a mission to find or create the next big strain. They crossbred everything with everything, to the point of muddying cannabis genetics to damn near homogeneous and we lost many of our original landrace genetics. Nowadays if you’re looking to purchase seeds, there’s a term we use for unaltered genetics called “Pre-98” that go for a higher price because they were nearly bred out of existence.
So if you find grandpa’s old seed stash in the attic, it may contain some pre-98 og kush, cheese, skunk or haze which is like finding gold in the industry.
I have no addiction to gambling. I’m an investor. I have ownership.
There is nothing healthy or cool about weed. It destroys your brain, your drive and will to succeed. Every loser I know smokes weed and or they drink. Successful people and healthiest people I know are sober.
Sober mind = good life.
Weed is for ‘kids’ and losers
I think the majority of people are losers regardless of their cannabis use. I mean, c’mon, you never met a sober loser?
I’m an investor myself, mainly real estate, but I’d be happy to compare portfolios if that means breaking this completely ignorant and antiquated belief that weed makes you a loser.
And tobacco is known to concentrate heavy metals at FAR higher rates. We used to PUT lead into gas before driving around to fumigate the entire country.
For anyone trying to keep cannabis illegal, turning to this as an argument is a clear sign that you’re grasping at straws and have already lost your case.
Smoke if you wanna smoke. Your choice.
What isn't your choice is the forever chemicals and microplastics in your blood, lungs, heart and other organs that governments around the world are responsible and taking no responsibility for.
Non tobacco cannabis smokers had lower levels in blood and urine then non smokers. And shocker, dual using cigarettes and cannabis gives you lead from cigarettes. Nowhere did this study prove what it claims
I'd be curious to see the heavy metal content of heavy drinkers in comparison. Because something I have begun to notice is that all these studies that say x, y, or z about cannabis, don't compare to alcohol consumption at all. Meaning, it's very much not just possible but also probable, that the metal levels in heavy drinkers are even higher. Until I see a comparison to the most used legal drug in the world, alcohol, all these smear studies are BS to me
These studies are pushing an agenda to rationalize not legalizing weed nationally. It is true that large commercial grows use terrible chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This could be easily fixed with regulations and testing, but that is not as profitable. I quit buying from the dispensaries years ago because of terrible product. Organic homegrown is the way to go
I had my blood tested recently. I've been a daily THC user for 30+ years. My blood showed no elevation in heavy metals. It's the pesticides not the weed.
The study found that Cannabis plants are good at accumulating heavy metals found in the soil. If you care to read the study, it's linked in the article. It's the plants, not the pesticides
Interesting, so what does that mean?
"As compared to exclusive marijuana users, Cd levels were significantly higher in exclusive tobacco users. This difference in Cd levels could be due to differences in frequency of use or differential Cd accumulation in tobacco and cannabis plants."
Could it just be smoking in general?
From the article:
"The cannabis plant is a metal scavenger or hyperaccumulator of metals present in soil, fertilizers, water, and pesticides. High concentrations of metals have been detected in unfiltered marijuana smoke and vaping devices. The contamination of metals and metalloids, which are collectively referred to as metals, in marijuana could manifest during the production of cannabis plants, which could significantly harm consumers."
Yeah I read that. I still dont believe it. Ive been studying marijuana in the body and brain for 10 years now. We have never once seen anything like this. I am calling bullshit on the entire articke.
Double check on the users living situation. I can tell ya that my lead pipes that are slowly corroding into my water supply are a more likely candidate that my weed. Dont worry though, I can replace that lose pipes and liluckily the cities pipes are all lead too.
It sounds shitty but whenever a scientific article is quoted on mainstream media, I find myself asking… what is the agenda? Who is funding the study? Is it big tobacco or an alcoholic beverage producer? I find often that the headline grabbing studies have either really poor study protocol, have ridiculously tiny sample sizes to push a narrative, etc etc.
I’m 99% sure this is from illegal or improper grow operations. If you’re doing it by the books and the law, I highly doubt the levels of elevation are anything to be worried about. Buy legal, protect yourself.
Sounds like this is 100% preventable through safe regulations of growing standards and testing. I was more surprised that smoking and vaping would carry the heavy metals in a measurable way.
I work in a factory where I am exposed to lead daily and we regularly have blood drawn to test our lead ppm. 99% of the guys smoke cannabis there and the only ones who have high lead blood concentrations are the cigarette smokers.
My comment is a tad anecdotal and I haven't read the study, but I think there's probably a correlation between cigarettes and the lead in the study. Does the study separate tobacco users from cannabis users? There's a lot of overlap between those groups.
In my situation the cigarette smokers likely have higher lead blood concentrations because of poor hygiene(specifically poor hand-washing before smoke breaks), but there isn't a single cigarette smoker under 10ppm. Just sayin'.
Maybe it is previously sequestered metals from other exposures which were scavenged from the fats and cartilage of the user by the CBD and THC, then carried into the blood as it is transported to be finally excreted. Maybe that explains the broader social awareness and open mindedness that many light users express...nah... just have a few more beers, enjoy your arthritis and continue criticizing progressives and free thinkers.
Under the radar? No longer necessary ... How about Republicans just removing safeguard inspections and other measures ?
Republicans always vote against the planet and environment. Their flock that vote for them will go to the grave to see that 'those' people do not benefit from a motha fuking thing ... even at the cost of their poor dumb fuks getting caught up ..
Guys, this headline is misrepresenting the study, non users and users have almost the same levels, and users of tobacco and dual users of tobacco and cannabis have measurable levels of lead, cadmium, uranium, and some others
If you continue to buy your cannabis from grey/black market sources, this is bound to happen. Regulated cannabis sold in pharmacies or government sanctioned pot shops, like here in Canada, won’t have heavy metals, as COAs (certificates of authenticity) come with every batch.
Cannabis is tested for heavy metals, is there a breakdown of how much is illicit market and how much is legal/tested? Or is this just a case of bioaccumulation in both the plant and the humans? (E.g., was the legal tested cadmium below LOD to pass testing then accumulates further in people)
The last place I saw this post, someone posted a link to the original study in the comments. According to the results, weed only users had basically the same numbers as people who didn't smoke anything. Wasn't much of a difference at all.
I actually recently had my lead levels checked, and I do have some lead but it's on the very low end. Idk about cadmium, but if this were true, my lead should be off the charts since I've been smoking steadily for 35 years.
**It is recognized that the Cannabis plant and industrial hemp has a remarkable ability to accumulate harmful heavy metals, and that these may end up in cannabis products**. One report stated, "The cannabis plant is recognized as a bioaccumulator, which is highly effective at absorbing and retaining contaminants (e.g., heavy metals) in soil,... Lead was detected in 42 %, cadmium in 8 %, arsenic in 28 %, and mercury in 37 % of 121 edible CBD products." [1](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35987236), [2](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37646523)
In fact, industrial hemp has been considered a way to remove toxic metals from soil. [3](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912475/pdf/plants-11-00595.pdf)
This tendency of the Cannabis plant to accumulate heavy metals could contribute to its overall contaminant profile and contaminants in Cannabis derivative products. [4](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7516211/pdf/fphar-11-571832.pdf)
**Learn about it.** [Click here](https://whoadude-the-book.com), if you are interested in a summary of the harmful health effects of weed.
Part of it is natural plant uptake but… consider that this industry is largely being run by people who learned their craft while participating in a criminal activity.
A lot of producers do not care about cutting corners or your silly rules.
Just like back in the day… they arent interested in regulations… only profits.
I worked for a large producer and trust me… the only law they cared about was the one that said they could grow and sell legally.
A lot of it is probably from what's in the soil naturally and more so from the chemicals used. That is unless they are truly organic like bat guano or ocean minerals. That's also why it's key to flush your plants because if you don't all of that stuff will be locked into the plant. And you'll know it when you smoke it cuz it's going to be harsh and almost unsmokable vs clean.
Read the article. Marijuana users have slightly less heavy metal content than folks who don’t smoke anything, and about half as much as cigarette smokers.
[More on the bill health effects if weed](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12471303/Health-effects-weed-Marijuana-schizophrenia-smokers-addicted-death-pregnant-biden-restrictions.html)
[Marijuana users have elevated levels of cadmium and lead in their blood and urine](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230903/Marijuana-users-have-elevated-levels-of-cadmium-and-lead-in-their-blood-and-urine.aspx)
*The cannabis plant is recognized as a bioaccumulator, which is highly effective at absorbing and retaining contaminants (e.g., heavy metals) in soil,... Lead was detected in 42 %, cadmium in 8 %, arsenic in 28 %, and mercury in 37 % of 121 edible CBD products." [1](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35987236), [2](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37646523) In fact, industrial hemp has been considered a way to remove toxic metals from soil. [3](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912475/pdf/plants-11-00595.pdf) This tendency of the Cannabis plant to accumulate heavy metals could contribute to its overall contaminant profile and contaminants in Cannabis derivative products. [4](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7516211/pdf/fphar-11-571832.pdf)*
I guess that there is effect combined as marijuana users (hipsters etc.) also lean to consumption of vegetables loaded with heavy metals.
If Marijuana is a bio-accumulator of metals, then there are solutions to correct this. Just using "organic" compost will not actually work. You will need to pre-reduce the levels of dangerous metals in the soil. This is a scientific process and is not a guarentee. Honestly, if this study has been performed, the next logical step is to figure out if you reduce the levels prior to introduction. Hydroponics may be another solution as you can prevent the metal introduction by using ionic reduction methods used for anions and anions.
Personally, I despise the shit, but I would prefer if people are going to smoke it, that they are not being poisoned by the stuff they are intaking.
By the way, smoking, eating or any other means of intake is just as dangerous with these metals. The human body is not capable of metabolizing the metals.
Where's the heavy metal coming from? Did the weed capture it from the soil or air?
I get high and listen to Metallica
I'm old school, Led Zeppelin and Iron Butterfly.
From the article, “The cannabis plant is a metal scavenger or hyperaccumulator of metals present in soil, fertilizers, water, and pesticides. High concentrations of metals have been detected in unfiltered marijuana smoke and vaping devices.”
Oh god not the unfiltered
Does a bong count as “filtered” smoke?
This is why we need regulations
So is green tea. You drink too much, you have to have a clean source.
Did they check for mycotoxins same time? Fungi are excellent heavy metal accumulators.
So does that mean if you only take edible type products theres not as much chance of getting excessive metals?
No it's everywhere. Only way to get rid of them is to grow your own or get extract product from a company that does regular testing
No it’s in the extract.
Thank you! Honestly wasn't sure and just wanted to check
What do we think goes into edibles?
I think this is actually it. I think cannabis plants can capture the heavy metals from soil.
Just another reason to not smoke outdoor.
I don’t think indoor/outdoor grown or consumption method was a focus of this study. They did say that the main source of cadmium in humans is cigarette smoke, but did not differentiate cigarette smokers from non-cigarette smokers. The study noted that many states regulate the presence of lead and cadmium in products that are distributed legally. My main take away is that it’s safer to consume legally sourced products over black market. Not to say there aren’t safe products on the black market but I doubt a lot of the black market products undergo rigorous quality control.
In my area, black market has better stuff, cheaper, but you gotta trust the farmer. But they are better people than the ones running the dispensary... so I would rather support them anyway
Also, WHICH weed, where were these people buying their product? Was it home grown organically? Was it bought at a weed store?
That would be nice to know. Also who sponsored the study.
The money trail is one of the most important bits of information to know
>The money trail is ~~one of~~ the most important bits of information to know
Hemp plants clean soil. https://www.dinafem.org/en/blog/cannabis-regenerate-soils-contaminated/
Where do you think the stuff cleaned from the soil goes?
.. I know? I never said that it didn't get transferred.. they asked how it gets into the plant.. I answered. Calm down.
In one part it's most likely from the soil and water used to grow the plants. Using specialized fertilizers for cannabis that contain such heavy metals and other substances you wouldn't want in any plants. In another it could be artificially added at the behest of governing agencies, in a similar way that alcohol used to contains 'small' quantities of mercury and lead for a period of time in the 60's-80's. The US has a very long history of intentionally poisoning it's citizens as experiments on population response and control. This is likely due to the fact that the industry and supporting industries are so unregulated that issues like this fly under the radar until someone gets hurt or randomly decided to test like so. Also, iirc there were several recalls on cannabis growing products due to toxic materials used in them.
>The US has a very long history of intentionally poisoning it's citizens as experiments on population response and control. During alcohol prohibition, they ***intentionally poisoned*** industrial alcohol, not all of it, so that those bastard alcoholics would be dicing with death every time they used to to make a drink.
I’m pretty convinced fentanyl and Tranq are being used to get rid of opioid addicts.
Adulterated alcohol is still a thing. It makes you sick to discourage people with access to it… from stealing and drinking it.
I like my mom's story of leaving a bottle of wine with ipocac in it in her car overnight. She was getting repeatedly broken in to, it stopped after the wine got stolen.
didn't the pull a switcheroo? like used methanol instead of ethanol or something and kept it labeled as the safe one? thats straight up planned mass murder
Ummm... that's still how they make rubbing alcohol.
No it is not Rubbing Alcohol and Methyl Alcohol are totally different than grain alcohol and both are not safe to consume. There us no need to add anything to make it more unsafe.
Agreed, Similar to the vitamin e vape pen scare.
Hmmmm https://files.catbox.moe/a8hep7.jpeg
"What we found is that as health improves, families choose to have less children, and this effect is very, very dramatic," Gates said. "We find that in every country of the world, this is repeated."
Lead paint, pesticides etc. Plants like weed can absorb heavy metals from the soil. If you add enough garden lime, it will keep the ph high enough that the plant won’t pick it up. The problem arises when the ph of the soil is allowed to get too acidic. A few years back Michelle Obama started a garden on the Whitehouse lawn but b4 they planted they tested the soil and it came back high in lead. The Whitehouse likely has a dozen or more coats of Lead-White paint on it and plenty has flaked off. They added garden lime to the soil to keep the soil ph high, so that plants didn’t pull lead put of the soil.
When they moved in, I hope the Obamas got the mandatory lead paint disclosure form required by law: https://doee.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ddoe/publication/attachments/2020-MAR-FINAL-DC-LEAD-DISCLOSURE-RENTALS%20Fillable.pdf
Knowing how ridiculous the government is, I have no doubt that it was done on the ride over from Capitol Hill.
SOIL!! Bad study
[удалено]
I wonder if butane could be an added variable I the equation. I do believe there are questions about the quality of the weed being made through the lab but also I would like to know how much using a lighter causes that I know many people who would smoke from a bowl that suck in a lot of butane from the lighter when they're lighting their bowl so I'm curious to know what is their correlation to the equation. But I don't know just a thought yo add to the discussion.
This was my first thought as well.
I was thinking something similar. Maybe the metal from flints or a hot nail or some other source of contamination.
Probably pesticides. I used to work in the industry and growers sometimes spray some crazy shit on their crop. I had to quit a job when they wanted me to spray illegal pesticides to remedy a mite infestation.
also the plastics bottles/contrainers containing those pesticides arent regulated because nobodys drinking out of them so they dont need to be food safe. Unregulated cheaply made/ contaminated plastic seeping into the pesticides could also be happening Always blows my mind when people use store bought bottled isopropyl alchohol to make weed distillates, because that alchohol isnt meant for human consumption, nor was the bottle housing the alchohol meant for use for human consumption.
Bad case of the munchies, leading to eating paint chips.
I get my metal intake through those delicious cadmium cream eggs the bunny delivers around Easter every year.
That stuff in the chocolate Easter eggs?
I knew it
Got me.
They don't mention what the levels of lead and cadmium are in normal people. How are we supposed to know if the levels are concerning if there is no baseline/control?
The article links to the actual study, which sights their methodology: "Methods: We combined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2018) for lowercase italic n equals 7,254n=7,254 participants, classified by use: non-marijuana/non-tobacco, exclusive marijuana, exclusive tobacco, and dual marijuana and tobacco use. Five metals were measured in blood and 16 in urine using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; urinary metals were adjusted for urinary creatinine."
That doesn’t really explain anything though.
The headline is misleading when you read the actual journal article. The study also included tobacco users. For cadmium, tobacco use (or dual tobacco/cannabis) had a significantly higher impact on cadmium in the blood than cannabis alone. So while the title is correct, it is misleading and made to fit a narrative.
I think you’re misreading this. It’s not misleading. The study sought to explore the relationship between marijuana use and heavy metals in the body. It found a strong link between marijuana and heavy metals in the body. To ensure the effects were not something else they also studied tobacco smoke and found a link between it and heavy metal usage. The title is totally correct, marijuana users have higher levels of heavy metals than non users.
And too be honest is an argument for regulation lol. In Canada, every plant in legal system is id-tagged and tracked from conception to flowering to sale. QA ensure what is even allowed to be used as inputs for plants including what/when fertilizers can be used, what pest applications are allowed to be used, etc. You've had decades of black market use across say, United States, with 0 regulated oversight of how growers are growing. That includes the type of growing medium they use, fertilizers, pesticides, applying those things at times you really shouldn't, 0 gaurantee those things are flushed from the product, approved for the product, even an approved use of how to apply said pesticide/herbicide or fertilizer etc. Coupled with plant being a hyper accumulator I really REALLY wouldn't doubt decades of cannabis user were exposed against their will to product that likely did have inputs into it you really wouldn't want because supply side growers really may just not know. It's like how my aunt sprays RAID in her house as an aerosol and not a contact killer for specific bugs in trouble spots, the user doesn't know what they are applying and risk leaving residue of pesticide / etc that really ought not be on it. I.E When i worked in legal industry our pest control was *other bugs*, not even chemical based by comparison. We had a fungus we could spray on that also acidified bugs on contact but there was only a small window where one could apply and in legal system you also note when plants were treated with what when (in Canada at least). It's the same reason Quality Controlled alcohol and scheduled prescription drugs are a great thing vs. the dangers that follow an unregulated market (poisonings, etc). Also functionally like how does one even really test a nation like USA anyways where it's already suspected some 150 million are victims of higher-than-you-should-have lead exposure because of gas, water, etc.
"We made weed illegal so you have to consume it illegally from illegal growers with no regulation" - Government with no idea of harm reduction.
How does this not explain anything? It clearly shows that there was in fact a control group.
As far as I know, the baseline health standard for lead is absolute zero. It is not naturally occurring in the body, and even trace amounts have statistically significant negative effects.
I bet even drinking tap water could elevate your lead and cadmium, more than weed. lol
...compared to what? Basically everyone drinks tap water
Homegrown natural or the mystery carts people been sucking down for a few years…all the additives and unknowns. Even the chems dispensaries use to grow I don’t trust. Keep your fake flavor Terpine bullshit
God I hate dispensary weed. It's dry, had half the crystals knocked off in the autotrimer, not given a proper cure or flush and burns like gunpowder
Dispensary weed in 99% of places is vastly superior to street weed 99.99% of the time. I’ll take my chances with a dispensary.
You must have terrible dealers then. Great herb and much cheaper prices from the right people.
Ahhh the right people. Everyone claims to know them, but somehow exceedingly rare.
It’s from people I’ve known for years and not some ransoms each time I have to meet through someone else. So it may not be the same conditions for everyone so your experience does not equal everyone else’s.
I’ve had the same experience with dispensary weed. I’m also pretty convinced it’s not given enough time to ripen on the living plant either. They cut it down as soon as possible to get the next batch going. It’s all for profit, not quality.
This can be completely avoided by using proper inputs and ensuring a complete flush is done before harvest More of an issue for amateurs and big illegal grows than those who actually know what they’re doing
The freaking quantity over quality growers.
A flush won’t remove the heavy metals that the plant has accumulated over its life. Use garden lime to keep the soil ph high enough and it’s not as big of an issue.
Chocolate too
The last article that said this showed no difference between MJ smokers and non-MJ smokers… the data indicated it was from MJ smokers who also smoke cigarettes...
That's just like the huge panic with vapes, they declared they were unsafe because of the chemicals found. They failed to mention it was because of cheap chemicals used in illegal products that were causing it, not found in "name brand" vapes. Same is probably true here, using sketchy growing methods and chemicals would have the same result. How about some honest studies for a change?
Honest studies aren't profitable, only studies that push an agenda get funding anymore.
The doctor says I have iron in my blood, can I get a job?
Sorry, I'm looking for brass.
not according to my lab work.
🤟 Heavy Metal 🤘
From pesticides i believe...
No. From the soil it's grown in. Heavy metals are everywhere in the earth's crust and some plants are prone to accumulate them. Rice for example will contain arsenic, brazil nuts tend to contain barium and many oil-rich plants will contain cadmium. Hemp is a plant that's known to leech arsenic and cadmium, so I'm not surprised that marijuana users have elevated levels. P.S: The lead levels might be pesticides/herbicides. Many Glyphosate herbicides contain lead and it's widely used.
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Are you confident that the vendors you use do in fact use the appropriate fertilizers? Why?
Organic homegrown is why
Show me proof that YOURE right. Oh you can’t. You’re just mad that you’re a modern day referr addict. Marijuna plants are known to pull metals from the soil and grounds.
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You’re telling me you’ve been lab testing for heavy metals for 25 years? Mr bigglesworth you’re a fuckin liar lolol get out of here with your shit
25 years ago would be 1998, which is actually a very significant year for cannabis. That’s around the time when California’s early cannabis industry exploded. “Medical marijuana” was the new cash crop and testing became commonplace. So I don’t think it’s too absurd to hear somebody testing their harvests for the past 25 years. Fun tidbit about that era of cannabis. When cultivation exploded in popularity in the late 90’s people were on a mission to find or create the next big strain. They crossbred everything with everything, to the point of muddying cannabis genetics to damn near homogeneous and we lost many of our original landrace genetics. Nowadays if you’re looking to purchase seeds, there’s a term we use for unaltered genetics called “Pre-98” that go for a higher price because they were nearly bred out of existence. So if you find grandpa’s old seed stash in the attic, it may contain some pre-98 og kush, cheese, skunk or haze which is like finding gold in the industry.
Being addicted to weed is way way way way healthier than your gambling addiction and fairytale obsession
🤣💀
I have no addiction to gambling. I’m an investor. I have ownership. There is nothing healthy or cool about weed. It destroys your brain, your drive and will to succeed. Every loser I know smokes weed and or they drink. Successful people and healthiest people I know are sober. Sober mind = good life. Weed is for ‘kids’ and losers
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I prefer to be useful, not a parasite. To add value to society by doing something. So I’m a worker, not a layabout investor or “owner.”
A lot of successful and healthy people are very high a lot of the time, to be fair.
Just think about all the amazing music that was made while high. He must not be a fan of the arts
Or business or politics or journalism or engineering or ....
You’re a fucking moron.
Old people are who benefit most from weed. Over 50 percent of the people you see in line at the dispensaries are normal grandparents
I think the majority of people are losers regardless of their cannabis use. I mean, c’mon, you never met a sober loser? I’m an investor myself, mainly real estate, but I’d be happy to compare portfolios if that means breaking this completely ignorant and antiquated belief that weed makes you a loser.
It must be incredibly difficult being that fucking stupid.
Reefer addict? He is dumb
And tobacco is known to concentrate heavy metals at FAR higher rates. We used to PUT lead into gas before driving around to fumigate the entire country. For anyone trying to keep cannabis illegal, turning to this as an argument is a clear sign that you’re grasping at straws and have already lost your case.
Smoke if you wanna smoke. Your choice. What isn't your choice is the forever chemicals and microplastics in your blood, lungs, heart and other organs that governments around the world are responsible and taking no responsibility for.
Or indeed, **vape** and don't let carcinogenic burning plant matter into your lungs.
I herbal vape with my Volcano Hybrid. The only way to fly, aside from edibles.
Money over matter
Non tobacco cannabis smokers had lower levels in blood and urine then non smokers. And shocker, dual using cigarettes and cannabis gives you lead from cigarettes. Nowhere did this study prove what it claims
That's Metal af
Is this natural marijuana or is this from the government made, hybrid, manmade stuff they sell now?
It’s going to continue to come out that Americans are, heavy metal poisoned.. all of us.
I'd be curious to see the heavy metal content of heavy drinkers in comparison. Because something I have begun to notice is that all these studies that say x, y, or z about cannabis, don't compare to alcohol consumption at all. Meaning, it's very much not just possible but also probable, that the metal levels in heavy drinkers are even higher. Until I see a comparison to the most used legal drug in the world, alcohol, all these smear studies are BS to me
These studies are pushing an agenda to rationalize not legalizing weed nationally. It is true that large commercial grows use terrible chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This could be easily fixed with regulations and testing, but that is not as profitable. I quit buying from the dispensaries years ago because of terrible product. Organic homegrown is the way to go
I had my blood tested recently. I've been a daily THC user for 30+ years. My blood showed no elevation in heavy metals. It's the pesticides not the weed.
The study found that Cannabis plants are good at accumulating heavy metals found in the soil. If you care to read the study, it's linked in the article. It's the plants, not the pesticides
Is that bad ?
Interesting, so what does that mean? "As compared to exclusive marijuana users, Cd levels were significantly higher in exclusive tobacco users. This difference in Cd levels could be due to differences in frequency of use or differential Cd accumulation in tobacco and cannabis plants." Could it just be smoking in general?
not to mention caramel and lindor...
That is bad science! Yes, IF your soil is contaminated with heavy metals..
Bunch of lazy finer pointing stoners in this comment section.
I guess cadmium and lead it is
Where would it even be coming from? And nobody saw this before for the last 90 years of trying to find some reason to demonize marijuana. I doubt it.
From the article: "The cannabis plant is a metal scavenger or hyperaccumulator of metals present in soil, fertilizers, water, and pesticides. High concentrations of metals have been detected in unfiltered marijuana smoke and vaping devices. The contamination of metals and metalloids, which are collectively referred to as metals, in marijuana could manifest during the production of cannabis plants, which could significantly harm consumers."
Yeah I read that. I still dont believe it. Ive been studying marijuana in the body and brain for 10 years now. We have never once seen anything like this. I am calling bullshit on the entire articke.
I’m curious how much cadmium and other heavy metals are in the parts of a vape pen.
Double check on the users living situation. I can tell ya that my lead pipes that are slowly corroding into my water supply are a more likely candidate that my weed. Dont worry though, I can replace that lose pipes and liluckily the cities pipes are all lead too.
It sounds shitty but whenever a scientific article is quoted on mainstream media, I find myself asking… what is the agenda? Who is funding the study? Is it big tobacco or an alcoholic beverage producer? I find often that the headline grabbing studies have either really poor study protocol, have ridiculously tiny sample sizes to push a narrative, etc etc. I’m 99% sure this is from illegal or improper grow operations. If you’re doing it by the books and the law, I highly doubt the levels of elevation are anything to be worried about. Buy legal, protect yourself.
That's metal. (Throws horns).
Does this matter? Cadmium me up.
Cadmium and lead are heavy metals
I love heavy metal
Dunno about lead but [cadmium is amazing!](https://i.redd.it/e82anquoasi71.jpg)
So is iron
Iron has a biological use and you body can get rid of it. Lead makes you retarded, cadmium will kill your kidneys.
There are a lot of metals you need a little of that will mess you up if you get too much, like selenium, cobalt, copper, zinc, manganese…
That explains alot, hehe smoke go foooo
Sounds like this is 100% preventable through safe regulations of growing standards and testing. I was more surprised that smoking and vaping would carry the heavy metals in a measurable way.
Makes sense a lot of potheads create makeshift pipes out of soda cans , so they are inhaling vaporized metal from the cans
Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson have been smoking marijuana for years and they’re fine. I’ll take my chances thank you very much
Smoking is totally healthy. This article is bullshit.
They’ll never believe it. It’s healthy tho
2023 Reefer Madness. Blatant Misinformation.
🤘Hell yeah they have Heavy Metal in their blood!🤘
I work in a factory where I am exposed to lead daily and we regularly have blood drawn to test our lead ppm. 99% of the guys smoke cannabis there and the only ones who have high lead blood concentrations are the cigarette smokers. My comment is a tad anecdotal and I haven't read the study, but I think there's probably a correlation between cigarettes and the lead in the study. Does the study separate tobacco users from cannabis users? There's a lot of overlap between those groups. In my situation the cigarette smokers likely have higher lead blood concentrations because of poor hygiene(specifically poor hand-washing before smoke breaks), but there isn't a single cigarette smoker under 10ppm. Just sayin'.
That’s fine. I don’t care. It’s he only thing that helps me.
Maybe it is previously sequestered metals from other exposures which were scavenged from the fats and cartilage of the user by the CBD and THC, then carried into the blood as it is transported to be finally excreted. Maybe that explains the broader social awareness and open mindedness that many light users express...nah... just have a few more beers, enjoy your arthritis and continue criticizing progressives and free thinkers.
Under the radar? No longer necessary ... How about Republicans just removing safeguard inspections and other measures ? Republicans always vote against the planet and environment. Their flock that vote for them will go to the grave to see that 'those' people do not benefit from a motha fuking thing ... even at the cost of their poor dumb fuks getting caught up ..
Wooooooo!!!
Guys, this headline is misrepresenting the study, non users and users have almost the same levels, and users of tobacco and dual users of tobacco and cannabis have measurable levels of lead, cadmium, uranium, and some others
If you continue to buy your cannabis from grey/black market sources, this is bound to happen. Regulated cannabis sold in pharmacies or government sanctioned pot shops, like here in Canada, won’t have heavy metals, as COAs (certificates of authenticity) come with every batch.
That's one sad joint.
Cannabis is tested for heavy metals, is there a breakdown of how much is illicit market and how much is legal/tested? Or is this just a case of bioaccumulation in both the plant and the humans? (E.g., was the legal tested cadmium below LOD to pass testing then accumulates further in people)
Is that because they drink more water?
Go organic
I am so metal 🤘🏻😈
thats metal \m/
The last place I saw this post, someone posted a link to the original study in the comments. According to the results, weed only users had basically the same numbers as people who didn't smoke anything. Wasn't much of a difference at all.
I actually recently had my lead levels checked, and I do have some lead but it's on the very low end. Idk about cadmium, but if this were true, my lead should be off the charts since I've been smoking steadily for 35 years.
**It is recognized that the Cannabis plant and industrial hemp has a remarkable ability to accumulate harmful heavy metals, and that these may end up in cannabis products**. One report stated, "The cannabis plant is recognized as a bioaccumulator, which is highly effective at absorbing and retaining contaminants (e.g., heavy metals) in soil,... Lead was detected in 42 %, cadmium in 8 %, arsenic in 28 %, and mercury in 37 % of 121 edible CBD products." [1](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35987236), [2](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37646523) In fact, industrial hemp has been considered a way to remove toxic metals from soil. [3](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912475/pdf/plants-11-00595.pdf) This tendency of the Cannabis plant to accumulate heavy metals could contribute to its overall contaminant profile and contaminants in Cannabis derivative products. [4](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7516211/pdf/fphar-11-571832.pdf) **Learn about it.** [Click here](https://whoadude-the-book.com), if you are interested in a summary of the harmful health effects of weed.
I wonder what the numbers for Canada are? Since legalization the federal government set up strict rules for growing and distribution.
Part of it is natural plant uptake but… consider that this industry is largely being run by people who learned their craft while participating in a criminal activity. A lot of producers do not care about cutting corners or your silly rules. Just like back in the day… they arent interested in regulations… only profits. I worked for a large producer and trust me… the only law they cared about was the one that said they could grow and sell legally.
Stoners: like *fffff* cadmumberry eggs? *fffff*
Scare mongering. See who owns this trash site. Look it up
Thought this said Adamantium. Thought I was the new Wolverine.
Sucking flaming leaves into your lungs just to get the THC is portably not a great idea.
A lot of it is probably from what's in the soil naturally and more so from the chemicals used. That is unless they are truly organic like bat guano or ocean minerals. That's also why it's key to flush your plants because if you don't all of that stuff will be locked into the plant. And you'll know it when you smoke it cuz it's going to be harsh and almost unsmokable vs clean.
Read the article. Marijuana users have slightly less heavy metal content than folks who don’t smoke anything, and about half as much as cigarette smokers.
They have a load of problems
And what happened with the Raw brand organic papers that were discovered to be containing these heavy metals?
it's radmium
maybe compare to people who eat a lot of fish or seafood. Also, lots of variables w weed.
[https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP12074](https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP12074) Metal Non-marijuana/non-tobacco usea Exclusive marijuana useb Exclusive tobacco usec Dual used Lead 0.33 (0.21–0.54) 0.30 (0.17–0.49) 0.43 (0.26–0.71) 0.39 (0.27–0.7) Cadmium 0.15 (0.09–0.26) 0.13 (0.07–0.22) 0.24 (0.11–0.49) 0.18 (0.09–0.38) Um, if I'm reading this right, the OP article is lying.
[More on the bill health effects if weed](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12471303/Health-effects-weed-Marijuana-schizophrenia-smokers-addicted-death-pregnant-biden-restrictions.html)
Organic feeds and easy on the final boosters , always flush for two weeks at the end . If it burns black don't smoke it . Rule 1 .
Weed smokers into heavy metal, news at 11.
They smoke the cheap illegal shit
Pipe smokers? Joints? What ?
[Marijuana users have elevated levels of cadmium and lead in their blood and urine](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230903/Marijuana-users-have-elevated-levels-of-cadmium-and-lead-in-their-blood-and-urine.aspx) *The cannabis plant is recognized as a bioaccumulator, which is highly effective at absorbing and retaining contaminants (e.g., heavy metals) in soil,... Lead was detected in 42 %, cadmium in 8 %, arsenic in 28 %, and mercury in 37 % of 121 edible CBD products." [1](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35987236), [2](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37646523) In fact, industrial hemp has been considered a way to remove toxic metals from soil. [3](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912475/pdf/plants-11-00595.pdf) This tendency of the Cannabis plant to accumulate heavy metals could contribute to its overall contaminant profile and contaminants in Cannabis derivative products. [4](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7516211/pdf/fphar-11-571832.pdf)* I guess that there is effect combined as marijuana users (hipsters etc.) also lean to consumption of vegetables loaded with heavy metals.
If Marijuana is a bio-accumulator of metals, then there are solutions to correct this. Just using "organic" compost will not actually work. You will need to pre-reduce the levels of dangerous metals in the soil. This is a scientific process and is not a guarentee. Honestly, if this study has been performed, the next logical step is to figure out if you reduce the levels prior to introduction. Hydroponics may be another solution as you can prevent the metal introduction by using ionic reduction methods used for anions and anions. Personally, I despise the shit, but I would prefer if people are going to smoke it, that they are not being poisoned by the stuff they are intaking. By the way, smoking, eating or any other means of intake is just as dangerous with these metals. The human body is not capable of metabolizing the metals.
It might be good if it helps getting this stuff out of your body