Marijuana Genetic Damage


Lifetime marijuana use and epigenetic age acceleration: A 17-year prospective examination Science Direct 2022, April 1

Lifetime marijuana use predicted accelerated epigenetic aging, with effects remaining even after covarying cell counts, demographic factors and chronological age. A dose-response effect was observed and there was also evidence that effects were dependent upon recency of use. Effects of marijuana use appeared to be fully mediated by hypomethylation of a site linked to effects of hydrocarbon inhalation (cg05575921).
Marijuana use predicted epigenetic changes linked to accelerated aging, with evidence suggesting that effects may be primarily due to hydrocarbon inhalation among marijuana smokers…

Geotemporospatial and causal inference epidemiological analysis of US survey and overview of cannabis, cannabidiol and cannabinoid genotoxicity in relation to congenital anomalies 2001–2015
BMC Pediatrics 2022, January 19

ata implicate cannabinoids including cannabidiol in a diverse spectrum of heritable CAs. Sigmoidal non-linear dose-response relationships are of grave concern.

These transgenerational genotoxic, epigenotoxic, chromosomal-toxic putatively causal teratogenic effects strongly indicate tight restrictions on community cannabinoid penetration…


Even one-time marijuana use can cause birth defects – especially if used with alcohol
TechWire 2019, November 5

A new study published in Scientific Reports, a Nature Research journal, shows how a one-time exposure during early pregnancy to marijuana incredients known as cannabinoids (CBs) – both synthetic and natural – can cause growth issues in a developing embryo. This is the first research to show such a connection in mammals.

“It is concerning how little we know about the use of marijuana, its CBs, and products like CBD oil during pregnancy,” Parnell said. “We know that there is no safe period to drink alcohol during a pregnancy, and I think this research shows the same is likely true of marijuana use.”..

DNA Damaging Effects, Oxidative Stress Responses and Cholinesterase Activity in Blood and Brain of Wistar Rats Exposed to Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol
The National Center for Biotechnology Information 2019 April 18

The present study is the first to evaluate and document that THC administered to rats at a dose comparable to those find in illicit preparations was able to provoke low-magnitude DNA damage in white blood cells and brain cells of rats detectable using the alkaline comet assay. This is novel information that was not known before. While in our previous paper [20] we showed that THC produced genotoxic effects in rat hepatocytes after seven days of repeated exposure, this study provides evidence that brain and white blood cells responded with significant increases of DNA damage much earlier than hepatocytes. These results indicate different genome susceptibility of the mentioned cell types, as well as time-dependent differences in DNA damage caused by THC in white blood cells, hepatocytes and brain cells of the exposed rats. Taken together, the results of the comet assay reported in the preceding and present study suggest that brain cells are the most vulnerable to THC exposure at a dose comparable to those found in illicit preparations…


Genetic effects of marijuana
The National Center for Biotechnology Information 2009, July 3

Marijuana and its constitutive cannabinoids–tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabinol (CBN), and cannabidiol (CBD)–markedly affect mammalian cells. Cytogenetic studies have revealed that cannabinoids induce chromosome aberrations in both in vivo and in vitro studies. These aberrations include chromosomal breaks, deletions, translocations, errors in chromosomal segregation, and hypoploidy, and are due to the clastogenic action of cannabinoids or to cannabinoid-induced disruption of mitotic events or both. Conflicting reports of the cytogenetic effects of cannabinoids are partially explained by the different experimental protocols, cell types, and animals used by investigators. Cannabinoids also suppress macromolecular synthesis (DNA, RNA, and protein) as well as reduce the level of histone gene expression. In general these studies show that cannabinoids are detrimental to the health of an individual…