Smoking Marijuana and Cigarettes

Because marijuana is becoming more and more popular, many government officials, researchers, and other people are worried about people smoking it.

It might be a double-edged sword for them, as many nations have been trying to suppress cigarette smoking. Many people think that smoking marijuana is safer than smoking cigarettes, but you might need to rethink that statement.

Can smoking marijuana can be as unhealthy as smoking cigarettes? Yes, smoking marijuana is as unhealthy as smoking cigarettes. Regardless of whether you are smoking tobacco or marijuana, the danger of smoking is still there. You will experience a lot of respiratory issues if you keep smoking.

This article will discuss the dangers of smoking to the human body, regardless of whether it’s a marijuana joint or a common cigarette.

It is crucial to know all the physical and mental risks so that you can determine whether to stop completely.

Smoking Cigarettes Compared to Marijuana

Many people will say that smoking marijuana is less dangerous than smoking tobacco cigarettes.

However, this is a false claim for many reasons. As you know, marijuana and tobacco are very different substances.

They have different effects on your body and mind, and the process of smoking a drug can have similar effects on the body.

This includes your lungs and circulatory system. That means you might need to rethink your statement about marijuana smoking.

According to studies, modern teenagers are very well informed about the dangers of tobacco cigarettes. In addition, they have received a bit of misinformation about the effects of marijuana.

It is most often perceived to be safer than it is. To clear up the misinformation and confusion, it is a good idea to compare the two regarding how they will affect your body and their health effects.

The Damages of Smoking

Before comparing and contrasting the two substances, it is important to understand the drug delivery method that is smoking and the damage of this particular method.

According to studies, smoking is an efficient way to deliver drugs into your brain.

For cigarettes, smoking can deliver nicotine to the brain instantly. The same is true of any drugs that are used through the smoking method.

According to the American Lung Association, smoking is always harmful to the lungs, no matter what the smoke source is.

Whether it is from wood, tobacco, or marijuana, smoke contains different toxins and carcinogens that can result in long-term breathing issues. Here is a bit of a comparison between cigarettes and marijuana:

Cigarettes

Cigarettes are part of a billion-dollar industry, and they are focused mainly on smoking tobacco.

This is a plant that the Palo Alto Medical Foundation describes as a popular and legal drug that contains psychoactive substances like nicotine.

Tobacco use, just like alcohol use, is restricted in many places based on the user’s age. Cigarettes, along with other forms of tobacco use, have been part of the social culture for many centuries.

As a result, tobacco is one of the most heavily used addictive drugs in the United States and worldwide.

When it comes to its bad effects on the human body, any type of inhaled smoke can deliver toxins and carcinogens to your lungs.

This is why the American Cancer Society reports that people who smoke are about 25.7 times more susceptible to lung cancer than people who have never smoked.

Marijuana

Marijuana or weed is the most popular and most used illicit drug. While several states have legalized its medical and recreational use, it is still considered to be illegal at a federal level.

Nevertheless, there is still a perception that marijuana is considered as safe as alcohol and cigarettes.

Many people think it is safer and that it should be legal for use, similar to other substances. 

People consider marijuana to be useful in terms of medical needs. It can be used as a pain reliever for people who are experiencing illnesses.

Research about this is still underway, and there might be some validity to these claims.

Meanwhile, it is important to know the effects and risks of marijuana use, especially if you smoke it.

According to the American Lung Association, smoking marijuana can be just as harmful to the lungs as smoking cigarettes, if not more so.

This is because marijuana smokers tend to inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer.

As a result, they have more exposure to tar, a toxin from the smoke.

Physical and Mental Health Risks of Smoking

Smoking can have physical and mental health risks to your body. You might not be aware of them at first, but they will show up eventually. At that point, it might be too late for you to take action.

Cigarettes

According to studies, lung cancer is not the only health risk of smoking. Addiction also has multiple physical and mental risks.

Some physical effects include an inability to achieve sexual arousal, an inability to get pregnant, and lower infant birth.

Cigarettes can also cause other lung diseases, like asthma and emphysema, as well as decreased immunity and lower general health levels.

For mental effects, you can expect to experience a higher potential of developing mental issues, anxiety, and depression, and a higher potential of developing other addictions.

Marijuana

Marijuana smoking can lead to different lung cancers. Some people even having chronic or acute bronchitis, immune system suppression, and an increased risk of opportunistic infections.

Smoking marijuana can have several mental effects as well, like impaired memory and cognitive function.

Some people even experience delayed brain development, potential development of psychosis, anxiety, and depression.

Conclusion

Overall, any form of smoking—whether tobacco or marijuana—is not good for your health.

You should know that smoking, in general, won’t do any good for your body, so as much as possible, try not to smoke.

Some people have developed an addiction to it, and it has been a struggle for them to stop.