Smoking marijuana could lead to breakthrough COVID cases, study finds

Heavy marijuana users who are also vaccinated may be more susceptible to breakthrough cases of COVID-19, a new study found.

Those without a SUD saw a 3.6 percent rate of breakthrough infections, compared to a 7 percent rate in those with a SUD. At 7.8 percent, those with marijuana use disorder were most at risk for breakthrough infections, the study found.

Among other substances, the risk disappeared when considering issues such as underlying health conditions and socioeconomic status. The difference has not been linked directly to marijuana use but could be linked to the behavior of those dependent on marijuana.

"Patients with cannabis use disorder, who were younger and had less comorbidities than the other SUD subtypes, had higher risk for breakthrough infection even after they were matched for adverse socioeconomic determinants of health and comorbid medical conditions with non-SUD patients," the researchers wrote.