Smoking cannabis may not cause lung cancer, but there could be certain risks
To date, there is no evidence that smoking cannabis causes lung cancer. With the millions of consumers around the world that smoke, there would have been some type of correlation made by now if a connection existed. However, just because smoking cannabis might not cause lung cancer, this doesn’t mean there aren’t certain risks and it’s always important to know the facts. Fortunately, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy cannabis in addition to smoking.
Some studies have shown that daily or near-daily smoking could lead to chronic bronchitis or bullous lung, an affliction that results in the formation of air pockets that can disrupt the lungs’ functionality. It can also, in very limited cases, lead to collapsed lungs, or pneumothorax.
However, it should be pointed out that the issues might not be caused by the cannabis itself. Instead, they’re caused by the introduction of “foreign substances” in the lungs. According to Dr. Donald Tashkin, “The smoke of marijuana contains many of the same volatile chemicals found in tobacco smoke that are injurious to lung tissue. As a pulmonologist, I advise all my patients not to smoke anything.”
Tashkin indicates that he has been involved in numerous cannabis studies for years. To date, he has not seen a single piece of evidence that could link cannabis to lung cancer. This is most likely because marijuana cigarettes aren’t consumed by an individual daily to the same degree as tobacco cigarettes. However, with all the alternatives to smoking available, there are options that can help provide the medical benefits of cannabis without the potential for lung damage.