Twins fail to confirm a simple cannabis and appetite story

Cannabis tends to bring raids on the fridge to mind, but researcher Megan Ross is interested in a different picture: appetite among frequent, long-term users. A preliminary University of Colorado study involved 90 adult twins: between families, more frequent use was associated with fewer meals, poorer diets and lower appetite, while within twin pairs there was no significant association with meal frequency or diet quality. Shared genes and environment could explain some differences; this proves neither an effect of cannabis nor the absence of one. The appetite question remains open: the sample is small, and results from a separate six-week follow-up are still being prepared for publication.