Smoking Weed Can Help Keep You Thin And Healthy, Research Has Found

by Matthew Kirby

Weed is known for its infamous "munchies," forcing couch-locked stoners down an unstoppable trip into all the best high-sugar snacks and junk food.

But while it may seem like this would wreak havoc on your waistline, new research has found that it could actually help keep you thin and healthy.

According to researchers from Oregan Health and Science University (OHSU), people who smoke cannabis more than five times per month have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who do not.

BMI is a measure that uses your height and weight to work out if your weight is healthy. For most adults, an ideal BMI is in the 18 kg/m² to 25 kg/m² range, the NHS write.

"Heavy cannabis users were more likely to have a lower BMI," the research concludes, with a mean BMI sitting at 26.7 kg/m² and 28.4 kg/m² in those who never smoke, Salon reports.

The research also claims people who consume marijuana on a regular basis tend to be more physically active than those who use it sporadically or not at all.

As the lead author of an identical study, conducted in 2016 by the University of Miami, Isabelle C. Beulaygue explains: 

"There is a popular belief that people who consume marijuana have the munchies, and so [they] are going to eat a lot and gain weight, and we found that it is not necessarily the case."

And this isn't even the first or second time scientists have reached this conclusion.

In 2012, the British Medical Journal published a report outlining how "marijuana use was associated with a decreased prevalence of diabetes."

In 2013, as part of a study into cannabis' impact on insulin levels, American researchers found "significant associations between marijuana use and smaller waist circumferences."

Researchers haven't been able to establish the reason behind this, however, but some claim those who consume cannabis may be better at breaking down blood sugar, which helps prevent weight gain.