A large-scale US-European study found cannabis users are nearly four times more likely to develop diabetes, highlighting urgent need for further research and clinical awareness.
A new study led by Dr. Ibrahim Kamel of Boston Medical Centre has found that cannabis use may significantly increase the risk of developing diabetes by promoting insulin resistance and poor eating habits.
The study, which analysed electronic health records from 54 healthcare organisations across the US and Europe, examined 96,795 outpatients aged 18 to 50 with cannabis-related diagnoses between 2010 and 2018. These ranged from occasional use to dependence, intoxication, and withdrawal. They were compared with a control group of more than four million individuals without substance use or major chronic conditions.
After adjusting for lifestyle risks such as cholesterol, alcohol use, cocaine use, and high blood pressure, the researchers found new diabetes cases were markedly higher in the cannabis group (2.2%) compared to the healthy group (0.6%). Statistical analysis revealed cannabis users faced nearly four times greater risk.
Dr. Kamel cautioned that as cannabis becomes more widely available and accepted, its potential health risks must be carefully considered. He added, “It is essential to integrate diabetes risk awareness into substance use disorder treatment and routine healthcare discussions.”
The authors stressed that further research is needed to clarify cannabis’s long-term endocrine effects, particularly whether risks differ between smoked and edible products.