Cannabis use linked to 37% higher stroke risk in massive study
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- University of Cambridge researchers analyzed data from more than 100 million people across multiple cohort studies to assess links between recreational drugs and stroke risk.
- Cocaine use was tied to a 96% increase in stroke risk, with amphetamines at 122% and cannabis at 37%, while opioids showed no statistically significant association.
- Among adults under 55, amphetamine use nearly tripled stroke risk (174% increase), with cocaine at 97% and cannabis at 14%.
- Mendelian randomization analysis suggested causal links, with cocaine use disorders tied to brain hemorrhage and cannabis disorders linked to large artery stroke.
- Problematic alcohol use also raised cardioembolic and large artery stroke risk, while alcohol addiction was linked to higher overall stroke risk.
- Dr. Megan Ritson called it "the most comprehensive analysis ever conducted on recreational drug use and stroke risk," arguing the drugs themselves — not just user lifestyle factors — appear to drive the elevated risk.
- The study, published in the International Journal of Stroke, was funded by the British Heart Foundation and the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Center.
Why it matters: Stroke ranks as the world's third leading cause of death and disability combined. The findings shift recreational drugs from "suspected" to "likely causal" stroke drivers — particularly alarming for younger adults, where amphetamine use nearly tripled risk. With 8.8% of England and Wales adults (2.9 million people) reporting past-year drug use, the population-level exposure is substantial.
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