As cannabis becomes more common in everyday life, it’s easy to forget that we still don’t fully understand how regular use affects long-term health. A new study published in Psychological Medicine just added an interesting piece to the puzzle: daily or near-daily cannabis use may be linked to chronic inflammation.
Specifically, researchers found elevated levels of a biomarker called suPAR in young adults who reported using cannabis frequently. Maybe you’ve never heard of suPAR but higher levels suggest the immune system is under long-term stress—which could be a precursor to heart disease, cancer, or even psychosis.
“In summary, our study found that daily/near daily cannabis use is strongly associated with elevated levels of suPAR, a marker of chronic inflammation, at age 24,” the authors wrote.
The researchers used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)—a large, ongoing study based in southwest England that began in the early ’90s. They followed over 14,000 children born to enrolled families and continued tracking their health into adulthood.
For this analysis, they focused on 914 participants who were 24 years old. Blood samples were taken to assess levels of four immune-related markers:
- IL-6
- TNFα
- CRP
- suPAR
Participants also reported how often they used cannabis. Just under 5% said they used it daily, 7% reported weekly or monthly use, and 21% said less than once a month.
Among the four biomarkers, only suPAR stood out. Daily or near-daily cannabis use was clearly associated with higher suPAR levels, a sign of chronic inflammation.
So what’s the big deal about suPAR? It’s a biomarker associated with the immune system’s “fight mode” being stuck in the “on” position. High suPAR levels have been linked to everything from cardiovascular disease to mental health issues to systemic inflammation throughout the body.
That’s where it gets more concerning. Previous studies have already suggested that heavy cannabis use might be tied to psychosis, memory issues, or mood disorders. Chronic inflammation may be one mechanism behind that link.
While marijuana in of itself may provide benefits for certain populations, their risks continue to be watered down putting many people at risk and uninformed that can lead to disastrous mental and physical health consequences. This chronic “on” state of the immune system is liken to chronic stress that will eventually wear it out and place people at high risk for various chronic and debilitating medical conditions.
E Power et al. Cannabis use in youth is associated with chronic inflammation. Psychological Medicine (2025). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291724002848
