Young adults with hyperthyroidism face a 44 percent risk of stroke compared with those with normal thyroid function, according to a study published in Stroke, Journal of the American Heart Association.

“Strokes of undetermined cause accounts for between one third and one-quarter of all ischemic strokes among young people,” said Ching-Herng Lin, Ph.D., lead study author and professor at the School of care management Health, Faculty of Medicine Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. “To the best of our knowledge, hyperthyroidism has not been considered a risk factor for stroke in the group 18 to 44 years.”

Hyperthyroidism, also known as overactive thyroid is a common endocrine disorder that affects approximately 0.5 percent (1 in 200 people) to 2 percent (1 to 50) of the world’s population, including a large group of young adults, said Lin. This condition causes an overproduction of thyroid hormone, which speeds up the metabolism and causes symptoms such as sweating, weight loss, diarrhea and nervousness.

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The number of Australians seeking treatment for cannabis problems has increased 30 percent since 2002, according to a study by the University of New South Wales Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC).

A study published online in the journal Addiction found that while the number of Australians using cannabis has decreased, the rate of harmful use, including daily use has increased significantly since 1995, especially 30 to 49 years of youth, when presentations in hospitals has doubled.

“There is good evidence that daily or almost daily by adults can lead to the development of cannabis dependence, and regular use is also associated with an increased risk of psychosis,” said study lead author Amanda Roxburgh.

The figures also show problems among young people daily users (ages 14-19) who were much more likely than older users to smoke 10 or more cones or joints a day. Among younger users per day, 63 percent reported difficulty controlling their use.

“The sooner a person begins to use cannabis are more likely to develop problems and dependence later, she said.