About Marijuana

Marijuana users suffering from the lungs more than regular smokers, researchers reported in a recent study. In fact, marijuana can cause more lung damage than 2.5 to five cigarettes. The researchers said that cannabis, the plant source of marijuana, was associated with a dose-related impairment of the large airways, causing airflow obstruction and hyperinflation. But unlike cigarette smoking, cannabis was rarely associated with macroscopic emphysema.

Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug worldwide. Long-term use of marijuana is known to cause chronic bronchitis and airflow obstruction, but the prevalence of macroscopic emphysema, the dose-response, and the dose equivalence of cannabis with tobacco had not been determined yet. In a study were investigated 339 adults, ages 18 to 70. They were recruited from the Wellington region and putted into four groups: cannabis only (75 people), tobacco only (92 people), combined cannabis and tobacco, and non-smokers of either substance.

At the end of this investigation was found the relationship between cannabis and reduced forced expiratory volume, and increased lung capacity. For measures of airflow obstruction, one cannabis joint had a similar effect to 2.5 to five cigarettes, the researchers reported. Cannabis smoking was also associated with decreased lung density on high-resolution CT scans.