Top 10 Health Problems From Smoking Too Much Marijuana

Despite its advantages, did you know that smoking marijuana can lead to health problems? In many states, marijuana use is considered as drug abuse although there are other states that allow its use. Recently, society has become more open to accepting and legalizing it. However, recreational marijuana smoke is entirely different from medical marijuana and this is something you should thoroughly understand. Read on and find out.

What Is Marijuana?

To better understand this topic, let’s find out first what marijuana is. Marijuana has been present for over a thousand years. This plant containing hallucinogenic substances has been gaining popularity in terms of being a debatable topic as to whether or not it should be legalized. Public consciousness is continuously growing making society more interested in what it is and what it actually does when taken.

Forms Of Marijuana Use

Did you know that there are actually a lot of forms to use marijuana? You might be surprised to know that marijuana isn’t just about “marijuana smoke” or a rolled blunt lit for recreation. Here are some of the common marijuana types that are prevalent among marijuana users today:

Traditional Leaves

People who are looking to smoke marijuana traditionally will opt for this one. This will include sticking to the plant’s leaves, buds, and stems to smoke pot or inhaling the vapor. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, even bits and pieces coming from marijuana leaves can be rolled and smoked. This is because every part of the plant contains active chemicals that latch easily on brain receptors resulting in that “high.”

Powdered Leaves

Those who are smoking pot would always want to keep the parts of the marijuana intact, otherwise, it will be a waste. This is when the process of milling or grinding leaves to their powdered form is put into use. As milling or grinding produces a fine powder, it becomes an additive to food recipes including ice cream, cakes, brownies, and cookies.

Tea Or Juice

Marijuana smoke does not only have effects on the lungs; it can also affect the stomach and the other parts of the digestive system. This is why some users who do not want to get their lungs irritated would opt to use marijuana tea or juice.

Tincture

This involves marijuana leaves and glycerin. People who use marijuana for their medical condition think this is a better option compared to smoking pot and puffing out secondhand marijuana smoke to those around them. It is also a good option for those users who prefer not to eat food containing the substance.

Honey Butane Oil

You may think this contains honey but it actually doesn’t. The name comes from the yellow appearance of the substance that resembles much like honey. This is actually the effect of evaporating butane through a screen of marijuana.

Wax

As there are a lot of marijuana forms that pot smokers have been inclined to use, making the substance in wax form is actually possible. However, the National Institute on Drug Abuse published information saying that since this product contains solvent byproducts. Because of this, it can really cause damaging effects to the brain.

Marijuana has been considered a popular drug available in the market today. It is even thought to be a gateway drug that leads to exploring more substances that can eventually get you addicted. St. Johns Recovery Place offers help to those battling with substance abuse, especially among young people who have been hooked on drug use. Now that you’ve read through the forms of marijuana, I’m pretty sure you already have an idea of what it is. Next, let’s talk about what it does to your body.

The Effects of Smoking Marijuana

Did you know that smoking marijuana brings about similar effects to tobacco smoke? With that being said, there are also several health effects that can be experienced by your body. This includes the notorious lung cancer and other lung infections in the respiratory system, mental health issues, increased risk of weakened immune systems, and other adverse effects.

High potency marijuana or simply smoking regular weed can lead to long-term marijuana use. This means a person’s life can be highly dependent on this illegal drug without knowing its harmful effects. Studies show that about 1 in every 12 marijuana smokers became addicted to it. Some people can even go living what they think is a normal life until they come to such a point where they seek help from St. Johns Recovery Place.

Let’s discuss the top 10 adverse health effects of smoking marijuana.

1. Cognitive Issues

According to research, smoking marijuana can cause chronic learning effects on the brain. This effect is widely seen in young adults with marijuana addiction. Marijuana contains an active ingredient called THC that influences memory, pleasure, appetite, learning, and coordination. Compared to non-users, those who have been smoking marijuana showed significant change in their hippocampus. This resulted in poor long-term memory and other cognitive functions.

Expectant mothers who are also marijuana users can also put babies at potential risk as cannabis toxins can be present in their breast milk. This can be passed onto their babies during breastfeeding. Studies show that there are long-term and dangerous effects on overall brain development.

2. Breathing Problems

It is obvious that tobacco and marijuana are two different things. However, did you know that both have similar effects on the lungs? Pot smokers are also at increased risk just like cigarette smokers. This is because marijuana smoke poses similar effects on the lungs including breathing problems caused by various lung infections. If you are fond of smoking marijuana, you also increase your risk of developing chronic bronchitis, chest colds, and even lung cancer.

Previously, it was thought that marijuana use through vaping is a safer route. But studies show that this type of marijuana use can cause vaping product use-associated lung injury, otherwise known as EVALI. This condition limits the lung’s capacity to work leading you to have breathing difficulties. This can lead to getting hospitalized and in worst-case scenarios, even death.

3. Depression, Schizophrenia And Other Mental Health Effects

The effects of marijuana use are not only limited to what it does to the body. It also affects your mental health and marijuana smokers can attest to feeling depression at some point in their marijuana use. Marijuana smokers who started smoking pot earlier in their childhood have been found to have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. This is also increased especially when there is a family history linked to it.

Another known mental issue as the effect of marijuana is developing psychosis. This marijuana use disorder is associated with younger people who started smoking regular marijuana in their teenage years as well as those who started smoking during their early twenties. On the other hand, adolescents who have been smoking pot heavily, especially girls, are known to suppress anxiety and depression later in their adult life.

4. Lower Dopamine Production

Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter that allows people to feel satisfaction, pleasure, and motivation. However, those who smoke pot may have lowered dopamine production levels which triggers mood swings, fatigue, and attention deficiency. Studies also show harmful health effects of marijuana especially when it comes to a person’s brain.

Nevertheless, it is suggested that more studies should be done to better understand the effects of marijuana on the human body. According to a previous president of the American Psychiatric Association, growing evidence has been found to link the youth’s problems in their adult life that is associated with marijuana abuse.

5. Lung Damage

It is very clear that the human lung is affected whether you smoke or you inhale secondhand marijuana smoke. Lung health studies have shown that cell linings in the large airways are injured in people who smoke pot compared to those who don’t. This is why wheezing and chronic bronchitis are also found among those who have found marijuana addictive and have substance use disorder.

Meanwhile, The American Lung Association has encouraged more studies about the use, effects, as well as marijuana benefits and risks. Scientists have been researching marijuana to find out more suitable ways to use it medically other than just smoking it.

6. Cancer

While it is known that when you smoke tobacco, you will have increased chances of getting cancer; an increased risk to your lung health is also possible with smoking marijuana. It can be annoying and inconvenient to be coughing or experiencing constant colds but this can also be an indication that your immune system has weakened. Take note that marijuana smoke has some compounds that cause cancer similar to that found in tobacco, according to research findings cited by The American Lung Association.

Can you imagine why marijuana has the same toxins when you smoke cigarettes? Basically, when you smoke marijuana, you inhale it and hold it in before buffing it out. This is why risks of lung cancer or damage to lung health problems are increased. Meanwhile, other drugs that are smoked can have the same harmful effects.

8. Bone Health Effects

It may sound surprising but did you know that prolonged smoking pot can also affect your bone health? There has been a lot of mixed studies regarding the impact of marijuana on human bones. However, one thing has been certain: people who regularly smoke pot are at increased risk of low bone density. This means your chances of having bone fractures are also increased.

9. Testicular Cancer

Younger men who smoke marijuana are in more danger. There have been established studies linking a specific type of testicular cancer developed from frequent or prolonged marijuana smoking. In 2015, a peer-reviewed journal was published by BMC Cancer saying that using cannabis once a week in the span of 10 years or more can increase risks of developing testicular germ cell tumors.

10. Persistent Cough

The health effects of marijuana can be seen according to how it is consumed. For those who smoke it, persistent coughing has been observed. You may know someone who is a heavy marijuana smoker and has been coughing persistently. This is due to damage caused in the lung’s airway linings causing chronic cough and phlegm.

If you are looking into marijuana treatment, it is best that you consult with an internal medicine doctor to know marijuana health risks. The American Lung Association has strongly warned society’s population health in terms of public health practice against smoking marijuana and other tobacco products as these are known to compromise lung health.

Conclusion

As it may seem relaxing and simply recreational, the National Institute on Drug Abuse has been strongly cautioning the public against marijuana abuse as well as other drug use. The American Lung Association has also been active in citing health concerns brought about by marijuana smoking. Nevertheless, if you are already looking for help such as treatment facilities to help ease withdrawal symptoms, SJRP can help administer addiction treatment.