does marijuana cause cancer? is mary jane less harmful than say, cigarettes?
409252
From what I've read, it's a bit of a weird one. In summary:\n\n1. Smoking anything is bad for you, even weed. This has to do with all the weird gases and poisons given off when you burn plant matter.\n2. The chemicals in weed can actually help your body fight cancer.\n3. For some reason, smoking weed on it's own is less carcenogenic (or however you spell it) than tobacco on it's own, but when you smoke them both together, you get something which is MORE carcenogenic than tobacco on it's own.
789004
I really am not sure, but I do know that when I was very ill a few years ago I had to have several surgeries, my ex gave me pot to smoke to help me through my recovery.  I may have smoked a small cigerette roll once a week so I was not really a pot smoker.  It did help me heal faster and that is the honest truth.  I did do research for you and found that heavy pot smokers there are indeed risks I will paste below for your reading\n\nOther negative results of smoking pot are that it…\n\nChanges the chemical balance in your brain, altering your mood, appetite, ability to concentrate, and energy levels. \nLowers testosterone levels in men and upsets the balance of hormones in women that control menstrual cycles. \nDecreases sperm count and increases sperm abnormalities. \nJeopardizes the eggs in women’s ovaries (remember, you are born with the total number of eggs you will have for your lifetime – they are irreplaceable!). \nThreatens your ability to learn and remember things, leading to forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating. \nCauses the same lung problems as cigarette smoking, including emphysema, cancer, frequent chest colds, coughing, and more phlegm production. \nLeads to anxiety problems, depression, and paranoia. \nIncreases risk for cancer of the throat, lungs, head, and neck. \nWhat are the immediate effects of smoking pot?\n\nRelaxation \nAltered sense of hearing, time, and vision \nEuphoria \nIncreased heart rate and appetite \nDilated pupils \nMemory impairment \nRed eyes and swollen eyelids \nDry eyes and mouth \nLoss of coordination, slower reaction time (never drive after smoking pot) \nImpaired judgment \nHow addictive is marijuana?\nThere has been conflicting research linking marijuana and addiction. Although pot has not shown signs of causing severe physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms, associated with drugs like cocaine and heroine, marijuana often causes psychological dependence. This means that the user experiences a psychological need for the drug and its effects in order to function on a daily basis. \n\nIf I quit marijuana, will I experience withdrawal symptoms?\nThe severity of withdrawal symptoms depends on the level of your habit, but if you smoke heavily, you are likely to experience psychological withdrawal, such as feeling sick. You may also experience chronic fatigue, headaches, mood changes, and feel depressed or anxious. Other withdrawal symptoms include nervousness, insomnia, loss of appetite, chills, and tremors. Impaired brain functioning can include short-term memory loss and inability to think abstractly. [top]
476889
Alcohol ~ Causes liver damage brain damage and a number of other ailments.  Also is one of the easily addictive substances in the world. \n\nCigarettes ~ Causes lung cancer and a number of other ailments but is easier to quit than alcohol.  Alot of over the counter gums patches etc to help you quit.\n\nMarijuana ~ Not addictive and just makes you stupid, but wont kill you. Also just makes you paranoid and really hungry and thirsty.  The snacks and soda will kill you before the THC in marijuana will ...  THC really wont kill you.
65999
Here are some facts about marijuana vs. cigarettes.
14446
Alot of people smoke pot. Lawyers, Doctors, teachers, maybe even the cashier at your local grocery. Im not saying that all of them do but there is no doubt a small percentage. Alot of bad propaganda has been forced on to pot. Its not for everyone and sure isn't for young teens. But lots of research show that the properties of marijuana can help prevent cancer cells and doesn't kill nearly half as much brains cells as alcohol. As for safety, there will unfortunatly always be risk involved when using an illegal drug because of legality and such. And since pot is the least addictive in the narcotic list, any other drug could surely pose a serious risk to your health and life.
164078
if they make cigarettes that cause cancer and harm fetuses do to mothers smoking while they are pregnant and that is legal than I really don't see the harm in legalizing pot. besides have you ever heard of somone getting cancer from pot?
445282
'weed' or marijuana is the least dangerous.\n\nIt is not phsically addictive, and no one has ever died from a marijuana overdose.\n\nMarijuana should not be considered a narcotic, and should be legalized, but still a controlled substance.
1183050
Yes and No. Smoking anything is bad for your throat, lungs and bronchial tubes, which may cause an asthma attack. But, in relationship to cigerettes and other nicotine based products, marijuana will much less likely cause one because the THC can dialate your bronchial tubes, relax the smooth muscle surrounding your throat, and open your aveoli, which are the air sacks in your lungs.\n      Is marijuana going to be the best thing for your asthma?\nNo, but it is better than the use of ciggerettes. be carefull and when ever you are going to smoke you should have your fast acting inhaler with you (albuteral, ect) incase of a problem and, with a medical condition like this, smoking with a friend would be advised
306936
Marijuanna contains more tar than cigarettes. I believe smoking a joint is somewhere around smoking 3 cigarettes. (This is off of memory from a speach I did in high school, so don't quote me).\n\nCigarettes on the other hand ALSO contain chemicals such as Benzine, Acetolyne, Formaldahyde, and tons of other poisons.\n\nSince most people smoke less joints per day than cigarettes, it is probably the safer option. Definetly if you are in Canada and don't need to worry about being caught.
1185556
My husband and I watched the Surgeon General on TV the other  day talking about the new reports on second hand smoke from cigarettes.  He made the comment that it is a toxic and deadly killer...we both said at the same time, then why is it legal?\n\nI think alcohol can be used in moderation without harm, so lets keep that party going,\n\nI have a cop friend who says marijuana is the biggest waste of his time.  He hates having it illegal, said it's a joke.  I agree.  Besides, didn't they just prove that the smokers of pot have a LESS chance of lung cancer...?  \n\nI say, no smoking...unless it's a joint!  :)
15600
Smoking can cause lung cancer, but few people realize it is also a risk factor for many other kinds of cancer as well, including cancer of the mouth, voice box (larynx), throat (pharynx), esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, liver, cervix, stomach, colon and rectum, and some leukemias.\n\nSmoking increases the risk of lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These progressive lung diseases - grouped under the term COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) - are usually diagnosed in current or former smokers in their 60s and 70s. COPD causes chronic illness and disability and is eventually fatal.\n\nSmokers are twice as likely to die from heart attacks as are nonsmokers. And smoking is a major risk factor for peripheral vascular disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles.\n\nSmoking also causes premature wrinkling of the skin, bad breath, bad smelling clothes and hair, and yellow fingernails.\n\nFor women, there are unique risks. Women over 35 who smoke and use "the pill" (oral contraceptives) are in a high-risk group for heart attack, stroke, and blood clots of the legs. Women who smoke are more likely to have a miscarriage or a lower birth-weight baby.\n\nBased on data collected from 1995 to 1999, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently estimated that adult male smokers lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking.\n\nNo matter what your age or how long you've smoked, quitting will help you live longer. People who stop smoking before age 35 avoid 90% of the health risks attributable to tobacco. Even those who quit later in life can significantly reduce their risk of dying at a younger age.\n\n\nAdditional diseases caused by smoking are gingivitis, gangrene, and emphysema
22109
The answer to this is more difficult then your might imagine due to the difficulty in performing research on the actual effects of marijuana.\n\nThe overall answer is likely no, but it is less harmful then many might imagine.\n\nIt appears that marijuana is not good for your mental health, a variety of studies have shown a correlation of marijuana use with various mental illnesses, but this is only a correlation and has yet to be shown to be an actual cause of mental illness.\n\nHealth effects on the body and thought to be similar to that of tobacco use, yet studies have yet to show a link with lung cancer and other negative effects of tobacco use.  This could be due to both the chemical makeup of marijuana and the way in which marijuana is smoked.\n\nMarijuana has been shown to be beneficial to help certain people deal with complications of treatment for cancer and HIV/AIDS.  It also can be useful in dealing with chronic pain.\n\nOverall, from a health prospective you are better off staying away from Marijuana use.  Under certain circumstances Marijuana use could be helpful to you, but I would recommend only pursuing this after long discussions with a medical professional
1153135
There was a very recent study that showed that marijuana use did not cause lung cancer as cigarette smoking did.\n\nThere are also studies showing that it reduces the pain of glaucoma and cancer, and because it increases appetite, it helps when cancer patients are going through chemo.
764824
It has a stronger potential to cause cancer than cigs. More tar = carcinogens.
237255
If you smoke the same amount, probably weed will be worse for you. It has no filters, unless you use a bong or something and since it gets you high, it increases your chance of getting involved in an accident.\n \nBut of course most ppl will smoke far more ciggarettes than joints over an extended period of time, so you rarely hear of ppl getting cancer or other deseases due to weed. And cigarrets are cheaper.
100981
Marijuana is less harmful then cigarettes and alcohol,no one has ever gotten cancer from it or any other illness for that matter, the only reason the government will not legalize it is because they make more money from it being illegal. Everytime a big bust is made they take everything, money,cars,homes ect. because they claim these things were bought with the money they made from selling Marijuana, it is not addictive like cigarettes and alcohol and it does not lead to harder drugs, if someone is doing harder drugs it is because they chose to ,not because they may have smoked marijuana first. native americans use to smoke it all the time and they lived to ripe old ages .
463165
According to most research on the subject, alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana.  Alcohol, in moderation, does have benefits, though.  When either is used in excess, you see health problems and diseases.  Marijuana is not addictive, alcohol is.  Both can cause accidents.  Of the two, I'd rather be around a pot smoker than a drunk, but that's just my opinion.