Many of my friends are smokers, only they aren't smoking cigarettes. They're puffing away on marijuana joints.
Citing the carcinogens found in cigarettes, my friends tout the health benefits of marijuana: It relieves stress, they say. It minimizes aches and pains, they say. It doesn't cause cancer, they say.
A recent study, however, might put a damper on my friends' pot-smoking parties.
Health Canada researchers found that people who smoke marijuana are more at risk for health problems that people who smoke cigarettes. Why? For one thing, the researchers found that marijuana smoke contains 20 times more ammonia and five times more nitrogen oxides than tobacco smoke. In addition, hydrogen cyanide, which is lethal to the heart, is also found in high levels in cannabis smoke.
Perhaps it's time for all of my pot-loving friends to put down the bong.
Your thoughts?
