Cannabis and Tobacco Equally Harmful

The study underscores the necessity for further comprehensive research on the health impacts of cannabis, while emphasizing that smoking, whether it’s marijuana or tobacco, is detrimental to one’s health.

Understanding the Health Risks of Marijuana and Tobacco

The most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that nearly 20% of Americans aged 12 or older had used marijuana within the past year, through methods like smoking, vaping, or consuming edibles. Among individuals aged 18-25, over a third had used marijuana in the same time frame.

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Despite the growing acceptance of marijuana, the health effects of inhaling marijuana smoke remain relatively unexplored. In contrast, substantial research exists detailing the harmful effects of inhaling tobacco smoke, including conditions such as lung cancer and emphysema.

The perception that tobacco smoke is more harmful than marijuana smoke may stem from the extensive history of research highlighting the dangers of tobacco smoke. However, the new study suggests a disconnect between public perception and the actual health impacts of inhaling marijuana smoke.

Dr. Beth Cohen, a professor of Medicine at UCSF involved in the research, emphasizes that, in essence, “smoke is smoke,” and it is detrimental to one’s health.

The study, conducted by Dr. Cohen and her team, involved surveying over 5,000 adults in the United States to gauge their perceptions of the health effects of daily tobacco smoking compared to daily cannabis smoking, encompassing both firsthand and secondhand smoke effects.

Growing Acceptance of Cannabis

The results indicated a shift in people’s perceptions regarding the health effects of inhaling marijuana smoke, with an increasing number of individuals believing that daily marijuana smoking is safer than daily tobacco smoking, particularly in 2021 compared to 2017. Similar trends were observed regarding perceptions of secondhand smoke.

This changing perception is attributed to the normalization of cannabis use, with an increasing number of people viewing it as safer, especially given its legal status in many regions, while tobacco users face more restrictions.

However, the frequency of smoke inhalation plays a significant role in how it affects one’s health, whether from cannabis or tobacco. Tobacco smokers tend to smoke multiple times a day for extended periods, whereas cannabis smokers typically do so less frequently. This difference in usage patterns contributes to the varying health impacts of smoke inhalation from these substances.

Nonetheless, it’s important to note that there isn’t strong evidence to support the idea that cannabis smoke is significantly safer, at least from a chemical perspective. The legality of cannabis has hindered researchers from conducting comprehensive epidemiological studies comparable to those conducted on tobacco smokers, which established the link between tobacco and cancer over several decades of research. Restrictions surrounding cannabis have limited public health studies on marijuana smoke and led to under reporting among marijuana users.

The research conducted so far on the long-term effects of marijuana smoke is considered inadequate, and concerns persist about the health effects of smoking or vaping cannabis. It is crucial to have more comprehensive information available to individuals to make informed decisions regarding their consumption of these substances, especially as cannabis becomes legal in more states and companies may be motivated to make health claims without sufficient research to support them.

Reference :

1. Study finds new evidence of health threat from chemicals in marijuana and tobacco smoke – (https:www.dana-farber.org/newsroom/news-releases/2021/study-finds-new-evidence-of-health-threat-from-chemicals-in-marijuana-and-tobacco-smoke/)

Source: Medindia