It may seem counterintuitive, given pot’s reputation for giving users the “munchies,” but researchers say obesity rates have actually dropped in states where medical marijuana has been legalized.
The study was conducted by San Diego State University and Cornell University.
The researchers looked at nationwide public health surveys from 1990 through 2012.
In states that allow medical marijuana, obesity rates were 2 percent to 6 percent lower than had been projected.
Researchers cited two possible reasons for the unexpected correlation between weight loss and medical marijuana availability:
- Zero-calorie marijuana use has replaced alcohol consumption for many adults.
- Some older adults become more active when using marijuana as an effective pain medication.
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