May 26, 2012
Topics A-Z Drugs Does smoking marijuana cause lung cancer?
Does smoking marijuana cause lung cancer? |
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Dear Ask The Doctor: I smoke marijuana once a day to help me get to sleep and I plain old just like it. My question to you is i have heard many conflicting reports about if marijuana causes lung cancer. This is my only concern. Is it true that marijuana does not cause lung cancer and is it better than smoking cigarettes. Dear Carl: The true answer is we really don't know but regular marijuana use likely results in increased risk of lung damage, lung disease and lung cancer. Let me explain. Marijuana smoke that is inhaled contains many of the same harm causing and cancer causing chemicals that cigarettes do. It is debatable if the use of a filter is protective. Marijuana smoke also causes the same type of inflammatory reaction in the lungs of patients as cigarette smoke does. This inflammatory process is believed to be a starting step for the development of cancer cells. Further more, we do now that pregnant women who smoke marijuana are at higher risk of giving birth to babies with health complications so clearly marijuana is not a risk free habit. There are some studies that show marijuana is protective for cancer but the studies are poorly done and not large enough in sample size. Further studies are needed but it will be difficult to recruit the large number of people needed for a proper study as marijuana use is considered to be illegal in many countries. |
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 04 March 2011 ) |
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