A new study by a group of scientists from Oregon Health and Science University in the United States has revealed that regular users of marijuana are fit and active than non-users of the plant.
Marijuana has long suffered image assassination. The plant has previously been portrayed as a gateway drug as well as a substance that contributes to crime. It has also been associated with laziness and failure. Consumers of the plant are therefore scorned and ridiculed. But thanks to the recent studies, these negative stereotypes are fast changing. Marijuana is increasingly becoming popular, especially in the U.S.
According to the latest study, people who use marijuana more than five times per month have a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) than people who do not use marijuana.
“Heavy users of cannabis had a lower mean BMI compared to that of never users, with a mean BMI being 26.7 kg/m in heavy users and 28.4 kg/m in never users”, the researchers wrote in the study.
The study also suggested that people who consume marijuana on a regular basis are more physically active than people who use it sporadically or not at all.
This is not the first time a scientific study has found that users of marijuana are more likely to be fit and active than non-users:
- A 2016 study published in the Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics found that regular consumers of cannabis have a lower BMI than those who do not use the drug.
- A 2013 study published in the American Journal of Medicine found that cannabis consumers have 16 percent lower levels of fasting insulin and 17 percent lower insulin resistance levels than non-users. The research found significant associations between marijuana use and smaller waist circumferences.
- Data published in British Medical Journal in 2012 revealed that cannabis consumers had a lower prevalence of type 2 diabetes and a lower risk of contracting the disease than those with no history of cannabis consumption.
Isabelle C. Beulaygue, a researcher from the University of Miami, noted: “There is a popular belief that people who consume marijuana have the munchies, and so [they] are going to eat a lot and gain weight, and we found that it is not necessarily the case.”
Researchers have not delved deep into why marijuana users appear to be active than non-users, but some preliminary probes suggest that regular users of marijuana may be able to more easily break down blood sugar, which may help prevent weight gain.