Heavy marijuana customers who’re additionally vaccinated could also be extra inclined to breakthrough cases of COVID-19, a brand new study discovered.
The study, printed final Tuesday in World Psychology, discovered that these with a substance use dysfunction (SUD) — a dependence on marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, opioids and tobacco — had been extra doubtless to contract the coronavirus after receiving each of their vaccination pictures.
Those and not using a SUD noticed a 3.6 p.c price of breakthrough infections, in contrast to a 7 p.c price in these with a SUD.
At 7.8 p.c, these with marijuana use dysfunction had been most in danger for breakthrough infections, the study discovered.
Among different substances, the chance disappeared when contemplating points comparable to underlying well being circumstances and socioeconomic standing.
The distinction has not been linked straight to marijuana use however may very well be linked to the conduct of these depending on marijuana.
“Patients with cannabis use disorder, who were younger and had less comorbidities than the other SUD subtypes, had higher risk for breakthrough infection even after they were matched for adverse socioeconomic determinants of health and comorbid medical conditions with non-SUD patients,” the researchers wrote.
“Additional variables, such as behavioral factors or adverse effects of cannabis on pulmonary and immune function, could contribute to the higher risk for breakthrough infection in this group.”
Marijuana advocates stated the study didn’t present that marijuana may very well be a trigger in breakthrough cases, additionally noting that the majority marijuana customers should not depending on the drug.
“This study is limited to people with ‘substance use disorder’ which is a very small subset of cannabis consumers,” Morgan Fox, media relations director for the National Cannabis Industry Association advised Newsweek.
“This is merely correlation and does not show a causal relationship … individual behavior patterns and social conditions may be a major contributing factor above and beyond simply exhibiting problematic substance use patterns, such as lack of access to reliable information, sharing joints, etc,” she stated.
“Clearly more study is welcome and necessary, but it is important not to overstate or misrepresent the very inconclusive results presented in this particular research and ensure that cannabis consumers are accurately informed about what the newest research actually indicates,” Fox added.
