A new study has found that people who exclusively use marijuana have higher levels of potentially dangerous metals in their blood and urine than those who don’t. The findings suggest that marijuana may be an overlooked source of metal exposure, an important consideration given the rise in its use.

After tobacco and alcohol, marijuana is the most commonly used drug in the world. The terms ‘marijuana’ and ‘cannabis’ are often used interchangeably, but whereas cannabis describes cannabis products in general, marijuana specifically refers to cannabis products that are made from dried flowers, leaves, stems and seeds of the cannabis plant.

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In the US, while some states and Washington DC have legalized recreational marijuana use, the drug is still illegal at the federal level, meaning that the regulation of contaminants in cannabis-containing products remains haphazard. This presents a potential issue, given that the cannabis plant is known to accumulate metals found in water, soil, fertilizers and pesticides.

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