People might actually think that smoking marijuana tends to make you fat by always getting "the munchies". A new study published in the journal Obesity, however, reports otherwise saying regular pot smokers are less likely to be obese than those who don't smoke it.
Researchers from the Conference of Quebec University Health Centers studied 700 adults aged 18-74 and found that those who smoke cannabis have lower body mass index scores than non-smokers.
Having low BMIs is linked to less body fats, which lowers the risk for obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes.
According to researchers, the "large cross-sectional adult survey with high prevalence of both substance use and obesity" results show that "cannabis use in the past year was associated with lower BMI and lower percentage fat mass."
Other studies done previously support this theory. According to one research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology states that those who smoke pot for at least three times a week have lower rates of obesity by almost one third.
Studying 52,000 participants, findings show that weed smokers are less-likely to be obese than those who don't smoke at all.
These findings came out after considering various other factors such as age, body type and other habits.
Another study conducted by GW Pharmaceuticals and the University of Buckingham also proves the benefits of cannabis among people with metabolic diseases.
"In animals trials, it was discovered that these compounds acted as appetite suppressants, lowered cholesterol, decreased fat build-up, and improved insulin response to sugars."
Smoking marijuana also relieves stress and anxiety, making people avoid overeating when going through a stressful day.
In addition to the important benefits of cannabis, it has also been proven that the herb contains chemicals such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), which can kill cancer cells. These findings support the proposal submitted to the U.S. Congress and House of Representatives to consider legalizing the medicinal use of marijuana in all states.
