Marijuana what's an occasional little toke between friends? It will relax you and is so much better than cigarettes, alcohol and other drugs. Besides, didn't we all 'inhale' when we were young and we're fine?
What claptrap!
Smoke from burning marijuana pollutes the lungs and will deliver up to four times as much tar as tobacco cigarettes. And because users hold their toke longer before exhaling, the lungs are exposed to even higher levels of cancer-causing toxins. How's that for an innocent little puff?
The high incidence of marijuana use is not exclusive to any community, but the latest McCreary survey of adolescents on the Sunshine Coast shows that half of our youth have tried marijuana at some point - up from only 33 per cent in 1993's survey. While the numbers are for this specific region, few will doubt that the situation is any different across the whole of our health region.
Most of the rationalizations for using this drug are based on misconceptions about the harm it can do. Many believe that because marijuana is a 'natural' plant (name one that is not) and is grown 'organically', little harm can be associated with smoking it. Wrong! Although users may experience a euphoric high from the drug, there are severe consequences from smoking it.
The damage from marijuana smoke is concentrated because of how the drug is used. Unlike regular cigarettes (don't worry, we do not support their use either), the lack of filters on joints means nothing is held back from the lungs. Also, marijuana smokers typically inhale a larger amount of smoke, take it more deeply into the lungs, and then hold it for longer before exhaling. Thus, the lungs are exposed to even more toxins.
Still want a toke?
Habitual smoking of anything damages the lining of the bronchial airways. After continuous exposure to smoke, the delicate tissues along these passageways become red and swollen.
Smoking also alters the interior of bronchial cells that develop a variety of abnormalities, some of which are precursors to cancer.
Various studies all suggest that marijuana smoke is a risk factor for developing respiratory, mouth and throat cancers. Evidence exists that marijuana contains abundant carcinogens, which can cause chromosomal changes that precede cancer and outright malignancies.
Of course we know that some patients are prescribed medical marijuana. Patients are also encouraged to use the drug vaporized or to ingest it orally to minimize lung damage. Vaporizing heats the marijuana so that the active ingredients (cannabinoids) are released and inhaled by the user. This is different from smoking as nothing is being burned, a process which adds tar and carcinogens.
Marijuana endangers and damages the lungs and causes cancer and more. But consider the danger of driving or operating machinery under the influence - think not only of a tractor or chainsaw, but also the lawn mower or electric mixer. Using marijuana is also associated with increased rates of injury in workplaces and homes.
If you believe that marijuana is acceptable to use, please consider the health consequences of smoking it. It is not the innocent little fun that some will have you believe.
Dr. Paul Martiquet is the Medical Health Officer for Sea-to-Sky.
