Anyone who smokes any substance at all will be able to describe without hesitation the discomfort and pain that is associated with inhaling combusted matter, in other words, smoke. Often the most noticeable agitation that occurs when smoking marijuana is usually one of the accepted effects of weed smoke.
Significant amounts of research have been conducted to determine the effects of weed smoke on the respiratory system. The purpose of these studies is to precisely determine what is going on inside the body when smoke is inhaled and what sort of consequences this practice may present.
Studies Show Weed Smoke Wreaks Havoc on Lungs
A substantial study was conducted by Donald P. Tashkin, of the UCLA School of Medicine, in 1997 concerning the damage that smoking weed has on lung tissue and the respiratory system as a whole. He felt that the risks of smoking tobacco were well established and so overwhelming that it would be wise to analyze the second most widely smoked substance, marijuana.
This study focused on two particular kinds of damage: lung cancer as well as infection. As far as cancer goes, the research made a few assertions. Smoking weed produces tar in the lungs much like tobacco does and tar is known to be a major player in the development of lung cancer. Secondly, the study stated that one of the problems associated with marijuana is that it suppresses the body’s natural ability to heal itself via the immune system. This finding is especially troubling news for those who already are suffering from other diseases that may already be wearing down the immune system such as in individuals suffering from AIDS.
I previously wrote an article about the effects of weed on cancer that addressed this issue. I discovered that modern research did agree with these findings that smoking marijuana may contribute to the growth of lung cancers and lower the effectiveness of the immune system. However, an emerging trend is the study of the positive effects of weed on the cannabinoid system which arguably counteracts both of these potential dangers.
As far as lung infection goes though, it’s clear as of now that smoking weed is a leading factor. When the researchers inspected throat and lung tissue by bronchoscopy, individuals who smoked marijuana daily had noticeably increased amounts of redness and inflammation in both areas.
They also analyzed the effects of weed on the population and found that regular smokers had an increased chance of developing lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes bronchitis and emphysema. This appeared to be due to the erosion of protective lung tissues, which led to a greater chance for microbial infections.
Weed Smoke Has Adverse Effects on Lungs, Mostly Avoidable
Though the negative effects of weed on cancer are still very much debatable, it is difficult to find research that will dispute the notion that smoking can, and most likely will, lead to respiratory system infection over a long period of time. Because the damage is mostly associated with the act of smoking and not marijuana itself, an individual can still experience the advantages that cannabis and THC present while minimizing the danger upon lungs by utilizing smokeless options such as through consumption of marijuana food products and vaporization.