Cocaine boosts risk of stroke

Cocaine and other recreational drugs can increase a person’s risk of stroke.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge analyzed data from more than 100 million people and found that cocaine use was linked to a 96 percent higher risk of stroke and a 122 percent higher risk of stroke for amphetamine users compared to those who did not use the drug.

Marijuana, meanwhile, has been linked to a 37 percent increased risk of stroke, which occurs when blood vessels in the brain become blocked or burst.

But researchers found no evidence that opioids, a highly addictive painkiller, contribute to a person’s risk of stroke (the third leading cause of death and disability globally).

Dr Megan Ritson, first author of the study and research fellow at the University of Cambridge, said: “Illegal drug use is a preventable risk of stroke, but I don’t know if young people are aware of how high the risk is.

“This is the first finding to show how different substance use disorders can actually impact stroke risk.”