Marijuana is one of the most causes of addiction in the US and although it’s illegal in most states, many people admit to have used it at least once in their life. And in some states, marijuana is used for medical purposes particularly in managing the symptoms of diseases like AIDS and cancer.
In the issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, it stated that studies show that occasional use of marijuana isn’t as damaging to one’s lungs unlike smoking cigarettes.
An associate professor of University of Alabama at Birmingham and author of the study Stefan Kertesz, M.D. states, “With marijuana use increasing and large numbers of people who have been and continue to be exposed, knowing whether it causes lasting damage to lung function is important for public-health messaging and medical use of marijuana.”
Also, he stated that marijuana smoke has several chemicals similar with tobacco smoke that can cause lung irritation. However, based on their research, marijuana smoke doesn’t cause any negative effects on the person’s lungs. The studies show that there’s an increase in the rate of lung air-flow and capacity of those who smoke at least one marijuana a day.
However, Kertesz states that the increase isn’t permanent and the effects differ with those who have higher levels of exposure. Also, he stresses that there may be other ill effects of marijuana smoke but they don’t have enough data to determine this. Lastly, he wants to emphasize that the study didn’t focus on other effects of marijuana on one’s health and doesn’t promote its use.
Kertesz says, “”Marijuana is still an illegal drug, and it has many complicated effects on the human body and its function. That being said, people should always remember that it can be as addictive as any drug. If someone you know is abusing marijuana, it’s important to encourage them to seek treatment right away.