Cannabis is five times worse than Tabacco

Smoking a single cannabis joint is as harmful to lungs as having five cigarettes in succession according to recent research.

Cannabis smoking damaged both the lungs small fine airways used for transporting oxygen and the large airways used for airflow.

The study by the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand tested 339 people comprising cannabis users, cigarette smokers, users of both and non smokers.

Cannabis smokers complained of wheezing, coughing and chest tightness.

Cigarette smokers suffered from the rippling lung disease emphysema but cannabis use stopped the lungs from working properly.

Lung damage was directly related to the number of cannabis joints smoked, that is, more joints leads to more damage.

According to the British Lung Foundation, the dangers of cannabis to respiratory health are consistently being overlooked.

The study was published in the medical journal – Thorax.

(Source: Reuters News Service, 31 July 2007)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

This study like many others relating to lung damage and brain damage confirms why cannabis use MUST remain illegal.

The study confirms that cannabis causes great damage to users and great costs to the health system.

These studies confirm why Australian federal, state and territory governments must divert cannabis users into detoxification and rehabilitation to get the users off cannabis.