A new study from the University of Otago in New Zealand has revealed that both cannabis and tobacco can harm the lungs, but they do so in different ways.
This research is considered a major step forward, especially as more countries begin to allow cannabis use.
Professor Bob Hancox, one of the authors of the study, explained that people who smoke cannabis for a long time are more likely to have lungs that are over-inflated and have trouble letting air flow in and out.
This problem is even worse than what is usually seen in tobacco smokers. The study also found that cannabis lowers the lungs’ ability to take in oxygen. Until now, this issue was mostly linked to tobacco smoking, not cannabis.
The researchers used data from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, which followed over 1,000 people born in Dunedin in 1972 and 1973. These people have been tracked for their whole lives, up to age 45. This makes it one of the most complete studies ever done on how cannabis affects the lungs over time.
About 75% of the people in the study had used cannabis at least once. In the past, it has been hard to study the effects of cannabis on the lungs because the drug was illegal in many countries. Now, with more places making it legal, it’s easier to study its long-term effects.
Doctors have already noticed a type of serious lung damage in people who use cannabis heavily. It’s called “bong lung,” a severe form of lung disease known as emphysema. This new study shows that the lung problems seen in cannabis users could be early signs of bong lung.
The findings also match earlier research showing that cannabis and tobacco damage the lungs in different ways. Professor Hancox pointed out that people who smoke both cannabis and tobacco may face double the harm, since each substance causes its own kind of damage.
It is still not fully understood why cannabis affects the lungs differently than tobacco. But with cannabis becoming legal in more parts of the world, learning more about how it impacts health is very important.
This study gives doctors and health experts new information to help guide people in making safer choices. It also highlights the need for more education about the risks of smoking, especially for those who may believe cannabis is less harmful than tobacco.
If you are worried about your lung health, it’s helpful to know that other studies are exploring treatments. For example, some researchers found that a two-year course of immunotherapy could help treat lung cancer. Others are studying how special diets, like the keto diet, might help improve blood sugar and support cancer treatment.
The cannabis and lung study was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. As we continue to learn more, this kind of research plays an important role in shaping health advice and public policy.
If you care about lung health, please read studies about marijuana’s effects on lung health, and why some non-smokers get lung disease and some heavy smokers do not.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
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