A doctor is continuing to sound the alarm on the dangers of marijuana, noting new research is dismantling claims from proponents arguing weed is safe and legality has been a positive move.
Dr. Raymond Wiggins, an oral surgeon and author of “Weeding Out the Lies About Marijuana,” told CBN News there have been “countless new studies” over the past two years shedding light on the dangers surrounding marijuana use.
Listen to the latest episode of “Quick Start”
“There’s some huge studies — very impactful studies — that are out there,” Wiggins said of new research on the topic. “Some studies with millions of people, studies that are multi-center studies, and a lot of what we call systematic reviews and meta-analyses.”
He said these scientific studies offer a “really clear picture” of what’s truly happening in the culture surrounding weed legalization and its impact on human beings.
“There’s a lot of great studies about mental health, including depression and anxiety, paranoia, personality disorders, psychosis, and a lot of new studies about the devastating effects of marijuana during pregnancy,” Wiggins said. “And a couple of other studies in that area actually show a pretty strong correlation between use during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder.”
He continued, “And a few of the studies that we have are on brand new topics that we really didn’t know a lot about in the past. One shows a four times risk of diabetes among marijuana users, and then there’s another one that shows a six times risk of obesity in marijuana users.”
Wiggins pushed back on some of the more popular claims about marijuana — mainly that it is harmless and doesn’t lead to death.
“We had tons of studies already that show that marijuana does kill,” he said. “It doesn’t kill in the same way that opioids do. It generally doesn’t kill directly like opioids, but what it does is it kills through heart attacks and cardiovascular disease, it kills through suicide, through auto accidents, through violence, and much more.”
And he wasn’t done there, as he said other recent studies have shown a tie between weed and mortality.
“You’re two and a half times more likely to die if you’re a marijuana user versus not being a user,” Wiggins said. “And there’s a threefold risk if you have cannabis use disorder or addiction.”
He continued, “For instance, regarding auto accidents, there’s a lot of new studies out confirming that marijuana impairs performance while driving.”
Wiggins said there’s a 55% increase in fatal auto accidents among those who use THC and a massive increase as well in injuries among these individuals.
Ultimately, other studies show potential ties between marijuana and heart attacks and cardiovascular issues, adding even more concern into the mix. Strokes, too, are often more common, he said.
Mental health struggles also must be noted, as research exposes some serious issues in this arena.
“There was another great study that came out that showed a 15-fold risk of psychosis, excuse me, of schizophrenia in particular in those who have cannabis use disorder,” Wiggins said. “And that same study revealed that schizophrenia associated with cannabis use disorder is three times more common in states with liberalized marijuana laws.”
Watch the full interview for more of Wiggins’ warnings about weed.
