Smoking any drug is unhealthy, and cannabis is no exception. Cannabis smoke actually contains higher concentrations of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) than tobacco smoke. Cannabis smokers generally inhale more smoke for longer, depositing more than 4 times as much tar in their lungs as those who smoke cigarettes. To balance this, they smoke fewer joints and smoke less often.
Combining cannabis and tobacco is even worse. If you are a heavy smoker of cannabis and tobacco joints (more than 10 a day), you are significantly increasing your risk of developing lung disease. Recent studies show that the greatest pre-cancerous abnormalities appear in those who smoke the two drugs together.Another important factor is that most cannabis smokers stop when they reach their 30s. Long term surveys of cigarette smokers showed that those who stop before the age of 35 had only a very slightly increased risk of lung cancer. The same may apply to cannabis.
Other Lung Problems for Pot Smokers
A pot smoker also has other lung issues they need to worry about when they inhale this substance. The person will have similar health problems to someone who uses tobacco exclusively, such as chronic coughing and an increased level of phlegm production. Regular marijuana use also increases the risk of chest illnesses and lung infections. These respiratory issues may mean that a pot smoker is more likely than someone who smokes tobacco to take time off from work.Heart Issues and Marijuana Use
Lighting up a joint of Mary Jane and taking a toke has an immediate effect on the user's heart. Using the drug causes the individual's heart rate to increase between 20 and 100 percent. The elevated heart rate may last for as long as three hours. The higher heart rate creates a strain on the weed smoker's heart. As the heart beats more rapidly, the individual may experience cardiac arrhythmia (an abnormal heart rhythm). The risk of heart attack increases in the first hour after using marijuana. People who are older or who have a heart condition are especially at risk for a myocardial infarction.
It may be tempting to think of the risk of heart attack as something that only applies to middle-aged people who are overweight or who otherwise don't take good care of themselves, but this is not necessarily the case. A heart attack can happen to people who don't have a known history of cardiac issues, and the fact that using pot can increase the risk of this outcome is nothing to discount.
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