The Marijuana Diet: Study Says Pot Smokers Tend to be Skinnier (Really)

Categories: Marijuana

Thumbnail image for marijuana girl top Shreyans Bhansali.JPG
That explains it.
You know the stereotype: Marijuana user = Jonah Hill-looking dude who lives on his friend's couch.

But if you look at the daily smokers around you, and we know you have daily smokers around you, this being the pot shop capital of the nation and all, what are you looking at?

You see skinny people.

For the first time, a study seems to back up the observation that stoners are actually lithe:


Research published last week in the American Journal of Epidemiology (via our friends at SF Weekly) finds that weed smokers on average are more likely to have normal weight.

Parsing data, researchers found that 22 percent of nonsmokers were overweight while only 14 percent of bud aficionados were. Those ID'd as potheads had to smoke at least three times a week under the study.

What munchies? This might explain why pot-smoking women are often, well, smoking hot.

Interesting, because one of the arguments for legalizing medical marijuana is that it can be used to boost the appetites of AIDS sufferers and cancer patients who have trouble keeping weight on.

Still a valid use? Whatever works.

But we do know that the Marijuana Diet sounds way cooler than any eating plan South Beach Miami has ever produced.

[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]

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37 comments
Lakeya M.
Lakeya M.

Oh, so we should all lose brain cells so we can be THINNER.  No thanks!  I'll take extra meat on my bones and the ability to think my way out of a paperbag anyday!  DUMB STUDY!

tamarahazel10
tamarahazel10

@Lakeya M. Marijuana stimulates brain cell growth, take off the inbred mask you're embarassing yourself.

The reason for losing weight is because Marijuana regulates your mind & body, including your metabolism.

Due to ignorant people such as yourself, we have yet to unlock the true potential of the human race through Cannabis.

troofie
troofie

sorry but the pot shop capital HAS to be denver now.

K2o4sx
K2o4sx

It's probably not because weed makes you lose weight, just that people who use weed tend to also enjoy going out in nature and being active.  And it's easier to eat healthier when smoking cause doing something like switching to fruit as a treat instead of an unhealthy junk food tastes so good cause of the pot, so it's not a painful switch.

Smith
Smith

Marijuana isn't a depressant, isn't distinguish asone.  It gives me the power and view to board on adventures, which frequentlytwist out just to be the normal 3.0 mile run way.   

herbal tea
herbal tea

Its true that drunker tend to be fatter like beer, wine and other drinks. I have never heard about this diet before. I will check its good and bad consequence as soon.

AAA
AAA

If I see a story is written by Dennis Romero I don't read it.

lamedicalmarijuana
lamedicalmarijuana

Leave it to Dennis Romero for posting more dubious anti medical cannabis rhetoric

Cannabis does stimulate appetite

Why does Dennis Romero write article that cast medical cannabis in a a negative light?

Why would someone want to pick on stage 4 chemo patients ?

Barrett Archer
Barrett Archer

Even after glowing studies have proven cannabis the holy grail of natural medicine and life extension, we're still supposed to believe it's as dangerous as methamphetamine? The Federal government tells us cocaine is safer. It's Schedule II.

Swopet79
Swopet79

The study doesn't say whether or not it controlled for age. Potsmokers tend to be younger people who have higher metabolisms. Being younger they also tend to be more broke as hell not being able to afford food with any real nutrients.

Jennifer Vital
Jennifer Vital

so not true i work at a medical marijuana dispensary and the majority of our patients are over 30

Jssapphire
Jssapphire

LOL! I smoke every day, am a 29 year old female, and weigh less than 100 lbs. Most of my friends who smoked when they were younger but have since quit have gained several to several dozen pounds after they quit! I'm thinner than any of my health nut friends or are very active people! And no, I don't diet, exercise regularly, or have any medical problems or eating disorders.

O
O

.. lots of drugs cause a disruption in appetite when started/stopped.... I am sure there are some pot head psychiatrists out there who would concur.. how we use a drug is just as important as what the drug is.. I takes me about 3-4 weeks of being stoned to get to the point where I am not challenged in a rooted shell....  about 1-2 weeks and my appetite is stabilized...  the type of ganja matters as well.... I find the mexi-weed to be easier to adapt to... maybe cuz of price?... the seattle buds are expensive and strong.....

XIMMY
XIMMY

aaaaaaaa FUCK OFF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shar
Shar

I have lost 100 pounds since I started smoking. I am now 32 and look better than ever. I am also a full time smoker, if I'm awake I'm stoned. Ihave 3 very active litte boys, work a fast paced job omy feet running in circles. I am also in school full time. I went to bed at 230am and was up at 6 cleaning house and rearranging the garage. The old b.s. About stoners being lazy is retarded... MOTHERF$)&:@ I'm awesome

Nicholas Reichart
Nicholas Reichart

Correlation != causation

It's probably not the marijuana, but the type of personality.People who tend to smoke tend to take better care of their bodies.There's proof it stimulates hunger, don't jump to conclusions in your hastily written article.

Coinspinner
Coinspinner

Cannabis isn't a depressant, isn't characterized as one.  It gives me the energy and outlook to embark on adventures, which usually turns out just to be the standard 3.5 mile run route.  But it makes it fun, makes me want to go.   Without weed I'm more apt to sit around.

O
O

try telling that to officer friendly when you get pulled over

It'sThe Dashiell
It'sThe Dashiell

Marijuana does increase appetite (that's a scientific fact, it stimulates parts of the brain that tell you that you're hungry) but it is also believed that it has a positive effect on your metabolism.

You want my guess on why pot smokers are generally less overweight? This is totally just a guess based off of personal experience but I'll point out that almost every new-age hippy, vegan health nut I know is also a pot smoker. My guess, and I'll repeat this is just a guess, is that there's also a much higher percentage of people who are health conscious (or at least health aware) in the pot smoking community than in the average american population.

riaa_sucks
riaa_sucks

i only clicked here because of the hottie in the article.

HempNOW
HempNOW

Don"t jump to conclusions about apatite stimulation, it may just suppress stem cells from becoming fat cells or something like that. Many have suggested that smoking weed can lead to lung cancer and other diseases. But when Kaiser permanente reveiwed there own statistics they could find no correlation with any lung disease.This just adds to how absurdly useful this plant. And how much malicious, demonizing hate its prohibition has caused. More than 1%  of the population incarcerated. This is probably costing us more than a trillion dollars, according to six year old trends.Wonder why the economy isn't picking up? It's been suggested by more than a few that entrepreneurship is often linked with moral ambiguity. Are we locking up are small business starters and turning them into criminals? They say no one wants to take risks in this economic climate. I say ware have all the risk takers gone?

Tara Templeton
Tara Templeton

If your grammar were better, I would totally like. Bad grammar suggests less credibility. Just saying. ;)

Gabriel
Gabriel

After you have been smoking for a long period of time (6months+ daily), the munchies stop happening or happen very infrequently. I have been smoking for 18 years and generally just eat one big meal a day, and maybe a snack. I am 6'4 185, down from 270 during the 3 years I was not smoking daily.

It'sThe Dashiell
It'sThe Dashiell

Agreed. I'm not even a regular smoker but I do smoke on occasion when I'm having trouble sleeping. While I sometimes get the munchies, it's rare . . . and really, I only get them once I *start* eating and then can't stop because everything tastes so damn good. If I resist that urge, knowing that I've eaten plenty on the day, then I don't really get the munchies.

Mcfreakin
Mcfreakin

It's probably marijuana boosts your metabolism and helps you burn a lot of fat.  As long as you use some self control (something that's hard when you're high) and don't down every chip, can of soda and slice of pizza in sight it probably helps you lose weight!

Anonymous
Anonymous

Its not the fact that it would increase hunger, but instead take the nausea away that is associated with cancer patients and the poison they inject into them so they are able to eat.

saraharmon02
saraharmon02

Yes major brands do give out samples of their popular products best place is "Get Samples 123" search online, I just received mine

Carol
Carol

Sounds interesting. Because as you said one of the arguments in legalizing marijuana is that it can boost appetite and contradicts the study. Oh well like you said it does sound cooler than any diet  program out there. 

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