In the past, we’ve reported on how cannabis has the ability to heal people of all ages and backgrounds – and maybe even save lives. Joining the ranks of those healed, or possibly even having their lives saved, by cannabis medicine is filmmaker Kevin Smith.
Smith, 47, recently suffered a massive, life-threatening heart attack on February 25, which caused him to have to cancel the second of two stand-up shows he was scheduled to perform in Glendale, California. After experiencing difficulty breathing, Smith was rushed to the hospital. He had a 100 percent blockage of an artery and needed emergency surgery.
According to Smith’s doctor, the fact that he had smoked marijuana the day of having the heart attack is the main reason he’s still alive – in addition to the skills of the medical staff that treated his emergency, of course. The cannabis kept him calm even though he was informed of how serious the heart attack was, his doctor says – essentially saving his life.
“Even though they tell me I had a heart attack, I didn’t feel like I was in pain, so I never panicked,” Smith explained to Stephen Colbert on Tuesday’s Late Show.
“I was super calm. After I got out of the hospital, I said [to my doctor], ‘Hey man, I hate to admit this, but I was blazed the day I had the heart attack. Does smoking weed have something to do with a heart attack?’ And he [Smith’s doctor] goes, ‘No. In fact, quite the opposite. That weed saved your life,’” Smith continued.
Smith, whose weed-friendly stoner comedy films featured himself and actor Jason Mewes as ‘Jay and Silent Bob’, has never been shy about expressing his love for marijuana. He even created his own spoof of Batman and Robin called ‘Bluntman and Chronic’.
“He [Smith’s doctor] goes, ‘You kept calm. They told you that you were having a massive heart attack. They told you were going through stuff and you remained calm the whole time, so that joint saved your life,’” Smith said. “I was like, ‘I’m putting that on a T-shirt.’”
This is an incredible and miraculous story for fans of ‘Silent Bob’. It would be interesting to see if there have been any other instances similar to this one, where cannabis keeping someone calm and out of shock ended up saving their life.
In addition to directing the films Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, and others, Smith also produces the TV show Comic Book Men, which follows the day-to-day operations of the employees who run his comic book store in New Jersey, called “Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash”.
