For those who smoke marijuana and cigarettes, the risk of emphysema increases

The smoking of marijuana associated with that of cigarettes can lead to more lung damage than consuming either substance alone, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. The authors' premise that there is much research identifying the harms of cigarette smoking, on the contrary Very little is known about the effects of smoking marijuana and even fewer investigations have been conducted on the combined effects of smoking marijuana and cigarettes.

Effects of smoking marijuana

Marijuana is the most widespread illicit psychoactive substance in the world its use increased after the legalization of non-medical marijuana — said study co-author Jessie Kang, cardiothoracic radiologist and professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada —. Currently There isn't much research on the effects of smoking marijuana on the lungs. To determine the consequences of marijuana and cigarette smoking, researchers examined chest CT (computed tomography) images from four groups of people: nonsmokers, cigarette smokers, marijuana smokers, and combined marijuana and cigarette smokers. The marijuana smokers included in the study had used the substance at least four times a month for two years. Patients who ingested marijuana via edibles or oral drops were excluded from the study.

Centrilobular emphysema

Researchers found that people who combine marijuana and cigarettes are 12 times more likely to have a
centrilobular emphysema (or centroacinous) compared to non-smokers. This is a type of emphysema in which the air sacs inside the lungs become damaged. This can lead to difficulty breathing and other serious symptoms. The average number of years of marijuana smoking in the participants was lower than in cigarette smokers and in marijuana and cigarette smokers, Kang said. However Smoked marijuana is often unfiltered, so very harmful particles enter the airways and lungs. Marijuana and cigarette smokers are three to four times more likely to have a thickening of the walls of the airways, which can lead to infections, injuries and other damage. The association between marijuana alone or smoking alone with bronchial wall thickening was not equally significant. Similar findings have been observed with centrilobular and paraseptal emphysema.

More studies are needed

With our study we demonstrate that There are physical effects of smoking marijuana on the lungs and that cigarette smoking and marijuana smoke can have a combined harmful effect, concluded Kang, underlining that More research is needed to identify the long-term effects of smoking marijuana. Public opinion is often convinced that smoking marijuana is not harmful – the expert clarified -. It is necessary to conduct further research in this area, so that people can make informed decisions about recreational use of the substance.

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