DANGERS OF MARIJUANA SMOKE

If one minute of secondhand marijuana smoke impairs cardiovascular function, imagine how devastating it is to breathe in decades of pot smoke trapped in your walls 24/7!

In a study by UC San Francisco, researchers found that second-hand smoke (SHS) from marijuana diminishes blood vessel function to the same extent as tobacco…but it lasts 3 times longer. Impaired blood vessel function can increase the risk of heart attack and atherosclerosis – a major risk factor for heart disease.

According to the American Lung Association, SHS from marijuana contains many of the same toxins and carcinogens found in directly inhaled marijuana smoke, in similar amounts if not more. There is concern that it could cause harmful health effects, especially among vulnerable children in the home. Smoking marijuana clearly damages the human lung, and regular use leads to chronic bronchitis and can cause an immune-compromised person to be more susceptible to lung infections. No one should be exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke. Due to the risks it poses to lung health, the American Lung Association strongly cautions the public against smoking marijuana.

Research shows that some toxins may be more abundant in marijuana cigarettes than tobacco cigarettes. The researchers burned 30 marijuana cigarettes and 30 tobacco cigarettes on a machine in their lab, measuring levels of chemicals in the smoke. Ammonia levels were up to 20 times higher in marijuana smoke than in tobacco smoke. Levels of hydrogen cyanide and nitrogen-related chemicals were three to five times higher in marijuana smoke than in tobacco smoke. The active ingredients in pot include: Tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol, cannabinol, tetrahydrocannabivarin  which are just a few of the 483 known compounds in pot including at least 65 other cannabinoids