Recently researchers found heavy metals in marijuana users. In this study dated Aug. 30, 2023 researchers analyzed 7,254 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2018), also known as HANES study. These participants were using marijuana regularly. Blood and urine tests revealed that they had much higher lead and cadmium levels compared to non-smoking controls.
Specifically, the researchers found 0.22µg/L and 0.18µg/g higher cadmium levels and 0.27µg/dL and 0.21 µg/g higher lead levels in blood and urine in participants reporting current marijuana use. Another group who said they were using marijuana in the last week measured 0.23µg/L and 0.20µg/g higher cadmium levels and 0.39µg/dL and 0.31µg/g higher lead levels in blood and urine, respectively. This was in comparison to zero levels in non-marijuana users.
Heavy metal poisoning from marijuana use
Scientists showed that marijuana use leads to heavy metal poisoning with lead and cadmium. Other studies showed that marijuana plants have deep roots, which are very efficient in accumulating heavy metals in the plant. In fact, in the Fukushima area in Japan marijuana plants helped to extract heavy radioactive metals from the soil. Here is a list of 6 toxic metals and what they do to your body.
The key is to avoid these toxic metals. But with smoke exposure from wildfires, contamination of drinking water and inhaling polluted air in cities it is difficult to escape some of the exposure to heavy metals. Studies showed that the wildfires in California released cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, silver, and zinc up to 100 km away from the fire. When humans inhale the gases from wildfires the lungs will absorb some of the toxic metals .
What is a simple method to get rid of heavy metals?
Chelation therapy was originally used in Europe in the early part of the 1900’s to treat children who developed lead poisoning from lead containing paints. They were successfully treated with EDTA chelation therapy, which is still the standard of treating lead poisoning now. With this treatment EDTA is mixed with magnesium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate for pH balancing. The physician infuses this slowly in 250 ml of Ringer’s Lactate over 45 minutes intravenously. Toxic heavy metals can displace the calcium atoms of the EDTA molecule. This EDTA complex removes heavy metals safely through urine and feces in the next few days. EDTA detoxification is a simple method of ridding the body from toxic metals.
Future treatment possibility for heavy metal poisoning
Conventional medicine does not use this method very often. With the increase in pollution and exposure to the fumes of wild fires intravenous EDTA treatment could become more important in the near future. Two or three treatments per year could prevent heavy metal poisoning. It may sound like marijuana smoke is “harmless”, but it is yet another source of toxic metals that we really do not really need to stay healthy!
Researchers Found Heavy Metals in Marijuana Users
Conclusion
A recent study showed that marijuana smokers accumulate heavy metals (lead and cadmium) as these are contained in the marijuana leaves. The marijuana plant is very efficient in removing toxic heavy metals from the soil. Researchers used it to remove radioactive heavy metals from the soil surrounding the Fukushima plant. Wildfires are also releasing heavy metals into the air, which humans inhale through their lungs. Fortunately, there is a method of how to remove heavy metals from the body. This is EDTA chelation therapy. Originally physicians used EDTA chelation to treat children with lead poisoning after exposure to lead containing paints. Now this method can help to remove any toxic metal accumulation from the body.
