New Study Reports Marijuana Users Less Likely to Be Obese

Despite popular opinion related to “the munchies,” a new study suggests that marijuana users are thinner, as a whole, and less likely to fall victim to obesity than those who refrain from smoking. The study is published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, and it raises a lot of questions as to the effects of medical marijuana.

Dr. Yann Le Strat, one of the authors of the recent study, reports being so shocked by the results that he thought he had made a mistake. The results were conclusive, however, and were based on two different research groups.

The final reports detail a total of 22-25 percent cases of obesity in non-smokers, with only 14-17 percent cases of obesity among smokers using at least three times a week. Factors, such as diet and exercise, were taken into consideration but did not appear to be the major factor in such a discrepancy.

Le Strat was quick to clarify that smoking pot will not cause you to lose weight and that there are still many negative health effects associated with regular marijuana use. He does not, however, offer any real reasoning behind these results.

While many of us may like to think that regular marijuana use magically burns calories, the truth is more likely one of conditions. Cancer patients, for example, make up a large portion of medical marijuana users. Cancer patients are also victim to many symptoms that cause them to lose weight and maintain a low body weight.

Other common prescription justifications include severe pain, nausea, and eating disorders, all of which could contribute to a person's weight. While this study is definitely interesting, it is very unlikely that marijuana use has any affect on total weight. It is more likely that the condition requiring a marijuana prescription is at fault for the statistical discrepancy.