Can You Get Lung Cancer From Smoking Weed? Everything You Need To Know About the Effect of Marijuana on Lungs

Tania Tarafdar

Marijuna (Photo credits: Pixabay)

 

Cigarettes are harmful to your health, and 90 percent of lung cancers are related to smoking. Tobacco can damage your lungs, but what about weed? Sure, smoking marijuana is not the same thing as smoking tobacco, but you cannot completely ignore the health risks of inhaling smoke. It is no secret that tobacco is the most common cause of lung cancer, but can smoking weed give you lung cancer as well? Allow us to break it down for you.

Is There Any Link Between Marijuana and Lung Cancer?

While there is little research to support the link between marijuana and cancer, a study published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology found that people who smoked pots, as well as cigarettes, were at a higher risk of getting lung cancer. The truth is that marijuana has a similar effect on the lungs as tobacco in cigarettes, but there still isn't any definitive proof of marijuana, causing lung cancer.  

People Who Smoke Marijuana Weigh Less, Says Study. 

However, a few experts believe that the toxins, irritants and carcinogens in marijuana, might result in an increased risk of lung cancer.

Apart from just the smoke and toxins, marijuana smokers typically inhale deeper and hold that breath longer than cigarette smokers. 

What Are The Health Risks of Smoking Weed?

Marijuana can block the airways in your lungs and cause chronic bronchitis and other respiratory symptoms like shortness of breath, wheezing and cough. Smoking pot has also been linked to inflammation and cell damage, immune system dysfunction and an increased risk of prostate and cervical cancer. If you have underlying conditions like asthma, marijuana can make things worse.


And while marijuana has been used to relieve pain and nausea and treat seizures and anxiety, studies to prove the benefits and risks of marijuana are pretty non-conclusive and non-existent. But it seems like the risks outweigh the potential benefits.