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DOES SMOKING POT CAUSE CANCER?
We’ve always known for a long time that smoking cigarettes causes lung cancer. Marijuana smoking has been found to have similar carcinogens as tobacco smoke but that hardly tells the whole story.
Even though the chemicals are present there is little evidence of pot smoking having a causal relationship with lung cancer. It has been difficult to establish the link which is unfortunate because many jurisdictions in the United States are legalizing the drugs use.
The Canadian Medical Association report states: "Chronic Marijuana users often have shortness of breath after exercise, coughing and chest tightness. It is probably associated with bronchitis and emphysema and have risks for chronic lung disease and lung cancer that is comparable to cigarette smoking."
The way that people smoke pot is vastly different from the way they smoke cigarettes. Pot smoke is usually inhaled longer and deeper and often without a filter which may lend itself to being more dangerous then cigarette smoke.
Cigarette smokers often times are addicted to smoking a pack or two of 25 cigarettes while those who use the weed may smoke 3-5 joints a day. But, heavy pot smokers are associated with the double the risk of developing lung cancer in their lives then those who do not smoke.
Smoking cigarettes or marijuana is not good for the overall heath of an individual. Legalizing pot as we have done for tobacco will not alleviate the long term health problems. Both products are "cancer sticks" which have a high incidence of severe health problems leading to premature death of those who smoke.
Criminalizing the growing, selling and using of Marijuana has not been successful. It is important that young people should be informed about the harms that come with smoking cannabis. It isn`t cool to smoke up: in my humble opinion the use of tobacco or Marijuana is addictive, expensive and stupid. There is no "lesser of two evils".
Len Lesser