The Long-Term Health Effects of Marijuana

The Long-Term Health Effects of Marijuana Addiction Drug Use Marijuana Print Long-Term Health Affects of Smoking Marijuana By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Updated on November 23, 2019 David Sutherland Collection/Photographers Choice/Getty Images More in Addiction Drug Use Marijuana Cocaine Heroin Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Hallucinogens Opioids Prescription Medications Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery We’ve come a long way from the days when smoking marijuana was strictly a hush-hush activity. From increasing acceptance of recreational products made from pot to the use of medical marijuana to treat symptoms such as pain and nausea from chemotherapy, more and more people are being open about the role marijuana plays in their lives. But although theres less secrecy around marijuana use, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safeâ€"at least not for folks who smoke pot for fun. Scientists  don’t how long-term pot puffing affects the body, but there are studies that suggest it can cause several health problems over time. For instance, preliminary animal and human studies suggest smoking marijuana can put a damper on the  immune system. Here are three other health problems that may be linked to using pot. Breathing Problems Although marijuana and tobacco are two entirely different substances, smoking either has similar effects on the lungs. These can be more severe for pot smokers because they tend to inhale more deeply. Whats more, in order to bring about a high, they tend to hold the smoke in their lungs for as long as possible. This increases the amount of smoke the lungs are exposed to, putting them at even greater risk of certain respiratory problems  than tobacco smokers. For example, they may have increased production of phlegm leading to frequent coughing, and they may be especially prone to obstructed airways. Pot smokers also are at greater risk of chest colds and lung infections. When researchers in California analyzed the health records of 450 people who smoked marijuana (but not tobacco) daily, they found the  marijuana smokers  took more sick days off from work and had more doctor visits than did a similar group of subjects who did not smoke either tobacco or pot. Lung Cancer While coughing and colds are at the most annoying and inconvenient side effects of smoking marijuana, an increased risk of lung cancer is a life-threatening one. Marijuana smoke  contains some of the same cancer-causing compounds as tobaccoâ€"sometimes in higher concentrations. Given the way pot smokers hold in smoke after inhaling it, it’s easy to see why, puff for puff,  smoking marijuana  may increase  the risk of cancer more than  smoking tobacco  does. Studies show that someone who smokes five joints per day may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day. The important word here is “may.” Its a challenge for researchers to figure out whether cannabis alone causes cancer because many people who smoke pot also smoke cigarettes and use other drugs.  Tobacco smoke and marijuana smoke  may work together to change the tissues lining the respiratory tract. Testicular Cancer Smoking marijuana may  be particularly dangerous for men in the long term. A number of studies suggest a link between an increased risk of testicular cancer, the most common cancer among males under 45. In one such study, published in 2012, men who smoked marijuana were two times as likely to develop testicular cancer as were those who didnt use pot. A 2015 study in  the peer-reviewed journal BMC Cancer  concluded that using cannabis once a week or for more than ten years was associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer (particularly  testicular germ cell tumors, or TGCTs).