A recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health indicates longtime marijuana consumption has no direct association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in middle-aged men.

According to the Feb. 2017 study, 5,113 participants ranging in age from 18 to 30 participated in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study for more than 25 years. For the study, doctors from the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute at Bethesda MD estimated the cumulative lifetime exposure to marijuana by utilizing recurring assessments collected at examinations every 2 to 5 years.

The result was nothing short of outright encouragement for middle-aged men who feared their lifetime of recreational marijuana consumption might lead to cardiovascular disease later in life.

“Results. A total of 84% (n = 4286) reported a history of marijuana use. During a median 26.9 years (131 990 person-years), we identified 215 CVD events, including 62 strokes or transient ischemic attacks, 104 cases of coronary heart disease, and 50 CVD deaths. Compared with no marijuana use, cumulative lifetime and recent marijuana use showed no association with incident CVD, stroke or transient ischemic attacks, coronary heart disease, or CVD mortality. Marijuana use was not associated with CVD when stratified by age, gender, race, or family history of CVD.”

Shocking few and pleasing many middle-aged men, the study concluded, “Neither cumulative lifetime nor recent use of marijuana is associated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease in middle-age.”

I’ll smoke to that.