- The Observer,
- Sunday June 17 2001
While other research has focused on the effects of cannabis on the brain or on trying to unravel the mystery of what produces the increased appetite in the first place, a team from the University of Buffalo looked instead at the nutritional and dietary changes that the drug can induce.
More than 11,000 users and non-users between the ages of 20 and 59 were interviewed, given physical examinations and asked to fill in questionnaires on foods eaten recently and regularly. Blood chemistry tests were also done.
Regular users reported that 'the munchies' often struck without warning and were so intense that they led to a desperate search for something which could be eaten immediately. Lacking the time or patience to prepare a meal, they found themselves drawn towards junk food and quick snacks that tended to be high in sugar and salt but low in fibre.
The study found that users ate fewer fruits and vegetables and therefore had lower levels of essential antioxidants in their blood. Marijuana is also thought to have a detrimental effect on levels of vitamins and minerals. Users also drank more beer, spirits and high-calorie drinks.
Despite the increased calorie intake, marijuana users are no more likely to be overweight than non-users. This is believed to be due to the effect that the drug has on the metabolism. Users were also three times more likely to smoke tobacco cigarettes which can produce an appetite-suppressing effect.
'These lifestyle habits could increase the risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer in the long term,' said Dr Ellen Smit, the study's lead author. The study is one of a number being conducted across America into various aspects of cannabis smoking in response to increasing public pressure for the legalisation of marijuana for medical purposes.
