10 health risks of taking cannabis — are
you putting your health at risk?
Bala LK
Published in ILLUMINATION
Cannabis has been used by people all over the world throughout history, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe to use it today. Although medical cannabis is legal in most US states, many people still don’t realize how harmful it can be to your health and what effect it can have on you in the long term. We look at 10 health risks of taking cannabis, including some surprising side effects of smoking weed…
1) Cannabis affects brain development
As we’ve discussed, cannabis can be harmful to our mental faculties. Research has also shown that there are long-term effects on our brains even when we use them recreationally (or daily) in adolescence and young adulthood. If you’re still in high school or college and consuming pot, it is essential to know that it may have a lasting effect on how quickly your brain develops. Pot is incredibly popular among teenagers and young adults who want to loosen up or feel more relaxed. Unfortunately, consuming drugs during these years impacts how fast we learn and increases our propensity for risky behavior later in life.
2) Smoking cannabis harms lung tissue
Cannabis smoke contains many of the same harmful carcinogens as cigarette smoke, and frequent users have similar associated risks as tobacco smokers. Some studies have shown an association between long-term cannabis smoking and lung cancer; one study found a fivefold increase in risk among individuals who smoked cigarettes and marijuana. In another study, individuals who used both substances had a sixfold greater risk than those who only used one or neither. In addition to these cancer-causing agents, combustion releases high levels of tar, which may lead to chronic bronchitis or other respiratory illnesses in regular smokers. Other lung irritants include carbon monoxide (which is released when marijuana is burned) and volatile hydrocarbons like benzene that may be absorbed through breathing.
3) Cannabis increases the risk of psychotic illness in young people
A 2012 study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry found that pot smokers were twice as likely to have psychotic episodes than their peers who didn’t smoke weed. The researchers followed a group of 1,937 men and women ages 18 to 25 for three years and found that teens who used marijuana were two times more likely to suffer from a psychotic episode within that time frame than those who didn’t use pot. If you are concerned about any drug use in youth, there are free and confidential help available 24 hours a day by phone or online. Marijuana use can interfere with brain development in teens: Pot has been shown to affect teenagers differently than adults because they are still in the brain development stages.
4) Combining cannabis with alcohol or other drugs can be very harmful
Combining cannabis with other substances, such as alcohol, can have dangerous effects. THC and alcohol interact in a way that can make driving or operating heavy machinery difficult. This is because THC slows down reaction times, making it harder to think clearly or react quickly. In high doses, marijuana can also cause difficulty breathing and increase heart rate — two factors that make driving particularly dangerous for its users. Even when taken alone in small amounts, marijuana is still not considered safe to drive under its influence (DUID). It doesn’t matter whether or not a person feels they are impaired when they drive; if there are enough THC metabolites in their system to register on a test (this only takes a few days), then it is illegal to drive.
5) Cannabis affects reaction time when driving a car or riding a bike
Studies suggest that driving stoned can result in slower reaction times, poor coordination and balance, and inattention. It also affects a person’s awareness of their surroundings. You may not realize that cars aren’t stopping or pedestrians aren’t where they should be. High drivers put everyone on the road at risk — you, your passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians. Don’t take chances when it comes to driving high.
6) Taking higher doses puts people more at risk of serious mental health problems
people who take a higher dose of cannabis are more likely to experience acute psychotic episodes, as well as problems with memory and attention. For example, one study found that people who had used cannabis daily for 3 years in their teenage years showed deficits in their ability to maintain focus and remember things compared to non-users. These effects can last into adulthood (the study followed them up to age 26). Using high doses also puts people more at risk of developing schizophrenia later in life. This is because using high doses seems to trigger schizophrenia more directly than low doses. That’s not good news given that it’s possible for many people who use high doses when they’re younger to return to normal levels later on.
7) Too much cannabis can cause anxiety and paranoia in some people
It’s all too common to hear someone start a sentence with I’m not a pothead or anything, but… People who smoke weed once in a while often think it doesn’t affect them because they aren’t high all day. However, regular use can be habit-forming and increase anxiety and paranoia. Taking large doses over time can put people at increased risk for anxiety disorders such as panic disorder or agoraphobia. And even if you don’t develop an anxiety disorder, smoking too much weed might make you feel uneasy from time to time when it’s not even affecting other parts of your life.
8) Cannabis use during pregnancy can affect child development after birth
Evidence suggests that children exposed to marijuana in utero may have abnormal brain development and a significantly increased risk of developmental disorders. Some children born to mothers who used marijuana while pregnant develop withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, abnormal crying, tremors, and poor feeding. What’s more, young people who use cannabis regularly have a higher school dropout rate, lower grades, and are more likely to engage in criminal activity. And while there is no conclusive evidence that smoking marijuana causes lung cancer, smoking anything can cause lung cancer so it’s best not to smoke anything at all. As with any drug or alcohol abuse: tobacco, alcohol, or drugs — using them has short-term pleasurable effects but long-term harmful effects.
9) Cannabis use may increase the chance of developing certain types of cancer such as testicular cancer or breast cancer
Several studies suggest that using cannabis increases a person’s chances of developing certain types of cancer. Research published in 2007 found that men who smoke cannabis daily have twice as much risk of getting testicular cancer. Smoking weed also increases your risk for lung and mouth cancers, particularly if smoked mixed with tobacco. A study conducted by researchers at UCLA showed that smoking weed mixed with tobacco causes 4% higher rates of bladder cancer. If mixed with tobacco it can increase your chance of developing cancer, especially in long-term smokers compared to those who do not smoke pot or tobacco.
10) Smoke contains many toxic chemicals which could damage the lungs over time
The smoke you inhale from smoking a joint may be harmful to your lungs. Marijuana smoke is similar to cigarette smoke and has many of the same chemicals. Some studies have shown that smoking marijuana can make breathing problems worse in people with chronic lung diseases, such as emphysema or bronchitis. This is because smoking any substance impedes proper oxygen flow to cells throughout your body, including your lungs. While short-term side effects include coughing and wheezing, long-term effects could include chronic bronchitis and an increased likelihood of developing lung cancer if you regularly inhale marijuana smoke. These side effects can also stem from secondhand smoke, so it’s best not to expose anyone else to it if possible.