As more U.S. states legalize cannabis, many people have started to believe that smoking it is safer than smoking cigarettes.
But is this really true? A new study suggests that public opinion might be drifting away from science.
According to a report published in JAMA Network Open, more than 44% of adults think smoking cannabis every day is less harmful than smoking tobacco daily. This number has grown in recent years.
Back in 2017, only 37% of people thought this way. Now, even the belief that secondhand cannabis smoke is safer has gone up—from 35% to 40%.
However, medical experts are warning people not to be fooled. Dr. Beth Cohen, from the University of California, San Francisco, says both cannabis and tobacco smoke contain toxins and cancer-causing substances.
She explains that the harm doesn’t just come from the specific chemicals in the smoke, but also from the act of burning something and breathing in the smoke. This can damage the lungs over time, no matter what you’re smoking.
So why are more people now thinking cannabis smoke is safer? The study didn’t ask that directly, but there are a few likely reasons.
One is that tobacco has been studied for a long time, and we have had decades of public health warnings about its dangers. Cannabis, on the other hand, hasn’t been studied as much because federal laws have made it harder to research.
Another reason could be the wave of cannabis legalization across the country. More and more states are making it legal to use cannabis for medical or recreational reasons, while tobacco use is becoming more restricted. Because of this, people might assume that cannabis is the “healthier” option.
Some people also believe that cannabis has health benefits, such as helping with anxiety or pain, which might lead them to think it’s safer overall.
The study also found that younger adults (ages 18 to 29) were more likely to say cannabis smoke is safer than tobacco smoke. Older adults, especially those over 60, were less likely to believe that. Things like marital status and employment also influenced people’s views.
Dr. Albert Rizzo from the American Lung Association says that just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s safe. He warns that breathing in smoke of any kind can harm your lungs and lead to inflammation.
He adds that it took many years to understand the full health risks of tobacco, and it may take just as long to see the long-term effects of smoking cannabis.
To help people make better choices, experts say that public health messages need to be clearer. Young people, in particular, need to know the possible risks of smoking cannabis, just like they were taught about cigarettes.
Dr. Cohen agrees that more research is needed, but even with the limited studies we have now, there are signs of health problems linked to cannabis smoke. Animal studies show that both cannabis and tobacco smoke can affect the heart and blood vessels.
In the end, experts believe that adults should be given all the facts so they can make smart choices about their health. As cannabis use becomes more common, knowing the real risks will be important for everyone.
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