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Cannabis smoking has been linked to a number of serious health risks, including lung cancer and other respiratory problems. Learn more about the dangers of smoking cannabis and how to avoid them.
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Short-Term Effects
Smoking cannabis can result in a number of short-term effects. These effects can include:
Impaired motor skills and reaction time
Smoking cannabis can result in impaired motor skills and reaction time. This effect is most significant when driving a car or operating machinery. It is therefore advisable not to smoke before embarking on any activities that require full mental and physical capacity, such as driving.
Increased anxiety and paranoia
Smoking cannabis can cause increased anxiety and paranoia. Some people may feel more anxious or paranoid after smoking cannabis, especially if they are new to using it or do not usually smoke it. If you are worried about how smoking cannabis will affect you, it is best to start with a small amount and see how you feel. You can also try smoking in a safe place where you feel comfortable, such as your home.
Short-term memory loss
While you’re high, you may have trouble remembering things that just happened. This is because THC affects the part of the brain responsible for forming new memories. This effect can last for days or even weeks after you’ve stopped using cannabis.
Other short-term effects of smoking cannabis include:
-Altered sense of time
-Changes in mood
-Impaired body movement
-Difficulty thinking and problem solving
-Poor short-term memory
Long-Term Effects
Smoking cannabis has been linked to a number of long-term effects, including: bronchitis, lung infections, chronic (long-term) cough, increased mucus buildup in the chest.
Increased risk of lung cancer
There is evidence that smoking cannabis increases the risk of lung cancer, although the strength of the association depends on how much cannabis is smoked and how long for. A systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies published up to 2013 found that smoking one cannabis joint per day was associated with a nearly fivefold increase in the risk of developing lung cancer (OR = 4.8, 95% CI 3.3-6.9) after adjustment for confounding factors, compared with never smoking cannabis. However, this relationship was no longer statistically significant after further adjustment for tobacco smoking (OR = 3.2, 95% CI 0.9-11.4).
Increased risk of other cancers
Smoking cannabis can increase your risk of developing other types of cancer, including lung, head and neck cancers.
Cannabis smoke contains many of the same harmful chemicals as tobacco smoke, including tar and carbon monoxide. These chemicals can damage your respiratory system and increase your risk of developing lung cancer.
Cannabis smoke is also known to contain carcinogens, which are substances that can cause cancer. One study found that smoking one cannabis joint was equivalent to smoking 20 tobacco cigarettes in terms of the amount of harmful chemicals it produced.
There is also some evidence to suggest that smoking cannabis can increase your risk of developing head and neck cancers. A study in Australia found that people who smoked cannabis were three times more likely to develop cancer of the throat or mouth than those who didn’t smoke.
It’s important to remember that the link between smoking cannabis and developing cancer is not yet fully understood, and more research is needed in this area.
Increased risk of mental health problems
Smoking cannabis can have many of the same respiratory problems as smoking tobacco. These problems are even greater when both tobacco and cannabis are smoked.
Cannabis smoking has also been linked to an increased risk of:
-Chronic (long-term) cough and bronchitis
-More frequent chest colds
-Increased mucus buildup in the chest
Smoking cannabis can also lead to a condition called bronchiolitis obliterans, which is irreversible and can be deadly. This condition is more common in smokers who also have a history of smoking tobacco.
Cannabis use has also been linked to mental health problems, such as:
-Anxiety
-Depression
-Psychosis
-Schizophrenia
