Movie director says marijuana helped him survive heart attack—but evidence doesn't back him up
Kevin Smith, a director known for movies such as “Clerks” and “Chasing Amy,” suffered a massive heart attack in February. Now, months after undergoing emergency surgery to treat 100 percent blockage in his left anterior descending artery, Smith has said marijuana might have helped him survive the ordeal.
Recalling the events of his heart attack on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Smith said he was working when he fell ill.
“I honestly thought I was too high,” Smith said, in a story by Men’s Journal. His doctor thought differently, “‘No, in fact, quite the opposite, that weed saved your life. You kept calm … that joint saved your life.'”
Not so fast, said Minnesota-based cardiologist Russell Luepker, MD, MS, to Men’s Journal.
“There’s absolutely no data to support that having smoked marijuana before an event like this could be beneficial,” Luepker said. “Of course, there are benefits to remaining calm when you’re in a crisis, but it may not affect your heart one way or the other.”
To read the story on the Men’s Journal website, click the link below:
As a senior news writer for TriMed, Subrata covers cardiology, clinical innovation and healthcare business. She has a master’s degree in communication management and 12 years of experience in journalism and public relations.