Smoking cannabis

Is smoking cannabis bad for your health?

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Smoking cannabis

Advantages

  • Its effects are beneficial to patients suffering from various medical conditions including HIV, multiple sclerosis and cancer.
  • Unlike harder drugs, a government report has suggested that high use of cannabis is not associated with major health or sociological problems.
  • Cannabis is less addictive that amphetamines, tobacco or alcohol, and does less harm to the body.

Disadvantages

  • Cannabis has a higher concentration of cancer-causing substances (carcinogens) than tobacco.
  • It has a higher tar content than tobacco so can lead to bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer.
  • It can increase the risk of fainting since it disrupts the control of blood pressure.
  • It can lead to mental illness
  • It contains more than 400 chemicals. The main one that affects the brain is known as THC.
  • People with heart circulation disorders or mental illness can be adversely affected by it.
  • It may be psychologically addictive.

Evaluation

Cannabis may be a 'gateway' drug to more addictive and harmful substances such as heroin and cocaine. Although many cannabis smokers never use any harder drugs.

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