CBD remains a skin care darling thanks to its soothing properties.
But new research suggests recreational cannabis use is less skin friendly, with long-term marijuana smoking linked to accelerated epigenetic ageing.
The prospective longitudinal study, carried out by researchers at the University of Virginia, US, and Duke University, US, and published in the latest issue of Drug and Alcohol Dependence, followed a community sample from a city in the south-eastern US of 154 people annually from aged 13 to 30.
Participants completed annual assessments of marijuana use from age 13 to 29, and provided blood samples that yielded two indices of epigenetic ageing (DNAmGrimAge and DunedinPoAm) at age 30.
Covariates examined included history of cigarette smoking, anxiety and depressive symptoms, childhood illness, gender, adolescent-era family income and racial/ethnic minority status.
The study found lifetime cannabis smoking predicted accelerated epigenetic ageing, with effects remaining even after covarying cell counts, demographic factors and chronological age.
Predictions even remained after accounting for cigarette smoking.
According to the researchers, a dose-response effect was observed and there was evidence that effects were dependent upon recency of use.
Evidence suggests that the effects are primarily due to hydrocarbon inhalation among marijuana smokers, but the scientists say further research is needed to explore the mechanisms behind this link.