is smoking weed bad for your health?

Question

please tell me why and how???

can weed make you better healt wise

Answer 1

Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States. A dry, shredded green/brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, it usually is smoked as a cigarette (joint, nail), or in a pipe (bong). It also is smoked in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with marijuana, often in combination with another drug. It might also be mixed in food or brewed as a tea. As a more concentrated, resinous form it is called hashish and, as a sticky black liquid, hash oil. Marijuana smoke has a pungent and distinctive, usually sweet-and-sour odor. There are countless street terms for marijuana including pot, herb, weed, grass, widow, ganja, and hash, as well as terms derived from trademarked varieties of cannabis, such as Bubble Gum, Northern Lights, Fruity Juice, Afghani #1, and a number of Skunk varieties.

The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). The membranes of certain nerve cells in the brain contain protein receptors that bind to THC. Once securely in place, THC kicks off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately lead to the high that users experience when they smoke marijuana.

Extent of Use

In 2004, 14.6 million Americans age 12 and older used marijuana at least once in the month prior to being surveyed. About 6,000 people a day in 2004 used marijuana for the first time—2.1 million Americans. Of these, 63.8 percent were under age 181. In the last half of 2003, marijuana was the third most commonly abused drug mentioned in drug-related hospital emergency department (ED) visits in the continental United States, at 12.6 percent, following cocaine (20 percent) and alcohol (48.7 percent)2.

Prevalence of lifetime,* annual, and use within the last 30 days for marijuana remained stable among 10th- and 12th-graders surveyed between 2003 and 2004. However, 8th-graders reported a significant decline in 30-day use and a significant increase in perceived harmfulness of smoking marijuana once or twice and regularly3. Trends in disapproval of using marijuana once or twice and occasionally rose among 8th-graders as well, and 10th-graders reported an increase in disapproval of occasional and regular use for the same period3.


Percentage of 8th-Graders Who Have Used Marijuana:
Monitoring the Future Study, 2005

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Lifetime 16.7% 19.9% 23.1% 22.6% 22.2% 22.0%
Annual 13.0 15.8 18.3 17.7 16.9 16.5
30-day 7.8 9.1 11.3 10.2 9.7 9.7
Daily 0.7 0.8 1.5 1.1 1.1 1.4


2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Lifetime 20.3% 20.4% 19.2% 17.5% 16.3% 16.5%
Annual 15.6 15.4 14.6 12.8 11.8 12.2
30-day 9.1 9.2 8.3 7.5 6.4 6.6
Daily 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.0 0.8 1.0




Percentage of 10th-Graders Who Have Used Marijuana:
Monitoring the Future Study, 2005

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Lifetime 30.4% 34.1% 39.8% 42.3% 39.6% 40.9%
Annual 25.2 28.7 33.6 34.8 31.1 32.1
30-day 15.8 17.2 20.4 20.5 18.7 19.4
Daily 2.2 2.8 3.5 3.7 3.6 3.8


2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Lifetime 40.3% 40.1% 38.7% 36.4% 35.1% 34.1%
Annual 32.2 32.7 30.3 28.2 27.5 26.6
30-day 19.7 19.8 17.8 17.0 15.9 15.2
Daily 3.8 4.5 3.9 3.6 3.2 3.1




Percentage of 12th-Graders Who Have Used Marijuana
Monitoring the Future Study, 2005

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Lifetime 38.2% 41.7% 44.9% 49.6% 49.1% 49.7%
Annual 30.7 34.7 35.8 38.5 37.5 37.8
30-day 19.0 21.2 21.9 23.7 22.8 23.1
Daily 3.6 4.6 4.9 5.8 5.6 6.0


2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Lifetime 48.8% 49.0% 47.8% 46.1% 45.7% 44.8%
Annual 36.5 37.0 36.2 34.9 34.3 33.6
30-day 21.6 22.4 21.5 21.2 19.9 19.8
Daily 6.0 5.8 6.0 6.0 5.6 5.0


* "Lifetime" refers to use at least once during a respondent’s lifetime. "Annual" refers to use at least once during the year preceding an individual's response to the survey. "30-day" refers to use at least once during the 30 days preceding an individual’s response to the survey.



Effects on the Brain

Scientists have learned a great deal about how THC acts in the brain to produce its many effects. When someone smokes marijuana, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to organs throughout the body, including the brain.

In the brain, THC connects to specific sites called cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells and influences the activity of those cells. Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors; others have few or none. Many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thought, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement4.

The short-term effects of marijuana can include problems with memory and learning; distorted perception; difficulty in thinking and problem solving; loss of coordination; and increased heart rate. Research findings for long-term marijuana abuse indicate some changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term abuse of other major drugs. For example, cannabinoid (THC or synthetic forms of THC) withdrawal in chronically exposed animals leads to an increase in the activation of the stress-response system5 and changes in the activity of nerve cells containing dopamine6. Dopamine neurons are involved in the regulation of motivation and reward, and are directly or indirectly affected by all drugs of abuse.


Effects on the Heart

One study has indicated that an abuser's risk of heart attack more than quadruples in the first hour after smoking marijuana7. The researchers suggest that such an effect might occur from marijuana's effects on blood pressure and heart rate and reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of blood.


Effects on the Lungs

A study of 450 individuals found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than nonsmokers8. Many of the extra sick days among the marijuana smokers in the study were for respiratory illnesses.

Even infrequent abuse can cause burning and stinging of the mouth and throat, often accompanied by a heavy cough. Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory problems that tobacco smokers do, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute chest illness, a heightened risk of lung infections, and a greater tendency to obstructed airways9. Smoking marijuana possibly increases the likelihood of developing cancer of the head or neck. A study comparing 173 cancer patients and 176 healthy individuals produced evidence that marijuana smoking doubled or tripled the risk of these cancers10.

Marijuana abuse also has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract because it contains irritants and carcinogens9,11. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50 to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke12. It also induces high levels of an enzyme that converts certain hydrocarbons into their carcinogenic form—levels that may accelerate the changes that ultimately produce malignant cells13. Marijuana users usually inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which increases the lungs' exposure to carcinogenic smoke. These facts suggest that, puff for puff, smoking marijuana may be more harmful to the lungs than smoking tobacco.


Other Health Effects

Some of marijuana's adverse health effects may occur because THC impairs the immune system's ability to fight disease. In laboratory experiments that exposed animal and human cells to THC or other marijuana ingredients, the normal disease-preventing reactions of many of the key types of immune cells were inhibited14. In other studies, mice exposed to THC or related substances were more likely than unexposed mice to develop bacterial infections and tumors15,16.


Effects of Heavy Marijuana Use on Learning and Social Behavior

Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana has the potential to cause problems in daily life or make a person's existing problems worse. Depression17, anxiety17, and personality disturbances18 have been associated with chronic marijuana use. Because marijuana compromises the ability to learn and remember information, the more a person uses marijuana the more he or she is likely to fall behind in accumulating intellectual, job, or social skills. Moreover, research has shown that marijuana’s adverse impact on memory and learning can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off19,20,25.

Students who smoke marijuana get lower grades and are less likely to graduate from high school, compared with their nonsmoking peers21,22,23,24. A study of 129 college students found that, among those who smoked the drug at least 27 of the 30 days prior to being surveyed, critical skills related to attention, memory, and learning were significantly impaired, even after the students had not taken the drug for at least 24 hours20. These "heavy" marijuana abusers had more trouble sustaining and shifting their attention and in registering, organizing, and using information than did the study participants who had abused marijuana no more than 3 of the previous 30 days. As a result, someone who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a reduced intellectual level all of the time.

More recently, the same researchers showed that the ability of a group of long-term heavy marijuana abusers to recall words from a list remained impaired for a week after quitting, but returned to normal within 4 weeks25. Thus, some cognitive abilities may be restored in individuals who quit smoking marijuana, even after long-term heavy use.

Workers who smoke marijuana are more likely than their coworkers to have problems on the job. Several studies associate workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers' compensation claims, and job turnover. A study among postal workers found that employees who tested positive for marijuana on a pre-employment urine drug test had 55 percent more industrial accidents, 85 percent more injuries, and a 75-percent increase in absenteeism compared with those who tested negative for marijuana use26. In another study, heavy marijuana abusers reported that the drug impaired several important measures of life achievement including cognitive abilities, career status, social life, and physical and mental health27.


Effects of Exposure During Pregnancy

Research has shown that some babies born to women who abused marijuana during their pregnancies display altered responses to visual stimuli28, increased tremulousness, and a high-pitched cry, which may indicate neurological problems in development29. During the preschool years, marijuana-exposed children have been observed to perform tasks involving sustained attention and memory more poorly than nonexposed children do30,31. In the school years, these children are more likely to exhibit deficits in problem-solving skills, memory, and the ability to remain attentive30.


Addictive Potential

Long-term marijuana abuse can lead to addiction for some people; that is, they abuse the drug compulsively even though it interferes with family, school, work, and recreational activities. Drug craving and withdrawal symptoms can make it hard for long-term marijuana smokers to stop abusing the drug. People trying to quit report irritability, sleeplessness, and anxiety32. They also display increased aggression on psychological tests, peaking approximately one week after the last use of the drug33.


Genetic Vulnerability

Scientists have found that whether an individual has positive or negative sensations after smoking marijuana can be influenced by heredity. A 1997 study demonstrated that identical male twins were more likely than nonidentical male twins to report similar responses to marijuana abuse, indicating a genetic basis for their response to the drug34. (Identical twins share all of their genes.)

It also was discovered that the twins' shared or family environment before age 18 had no detectable influence on their response to marijuana. Certain environmental factors, however, such as the availability of marijuana, expectations about how the drug would affect them, the influence of friends and social contacts, and other factors that differentiate experiences of identical twins were found to have an important effect.34


Treating Marijuana Problems

The latest treatment data indicate that, in 2002, marijuana was the primary drug of abuse in about 15 percent (289,532) of all admissions to treatment facilities in the United States. Marijuana admissions were primarily male (75 percent), White (55 percent), and young (40 percent were in the 15-–19 age range). Those in treatment for primary marijuana abuse had begun use at an early age; 56 percent had abused it by age 14 and 92 percent had abused it by 1835.

One study of adult marijuana abusers found comparable benefits from a 14-session cognitive-behavioral group treatment and a 2-session individual treatment that included motivational interviewing and advice on ways to reduce marijuana use. Participants were mostly men in their early thirties who had smoked marijuana daily for more than 10 years. By increasing patients' awareness of what triggers their marijuana abuse, both treatments sought to help patients devise avoidance strategies. Abuse, dependence symptoms, and psychosocial problems decreased for at least 1 year following both treatments; about 30 percent of the patients were abstinent during the last 3-month followup period36.

Another study suggests that giving patients vouchers that they can redeem for goods—such as movie passes, sporting equipment, or vocational training—may further improve outcomes37.

Although no medications are currently available for treating marijuana abuse, recent discoveries about the workings of the THC receptors have raised the possibility of eventually developing a medication that will block the intoxicating effects of THC. Such a medication might be used to prevent relapse to marijuana abuse by lessening or eliminating its appeal.

Answer 2

I don't think it's as bad as it's made out to be, but it does have some health risks, mainly from the smoke itself (there are no filters, so it goes right to your lungs and does all the bad things cigarette smoke does and more--cancer, heart attacks, strokes, etc--same as cigarettes).

Then there's the THC, which can make you feel pretty mentally dull. Obviously that's not a good way to feel all the time, as you can lose motivation to get stuff done that you need to get done and miss out on important opportunities.

Feeling "munchy" can also cause health effects by making you eat more and gain weight, which is unhealthy for tons of reasons (almost every disease has two risk factors in common--smoking and obesity).

At high doses, you may have other problems like paranoia.

Some people claim it's a "gateway drug" too, meaning that if you smoke pot you'll want other drugs, but I don't think that is always the case. I know tons of people who smoke pot and nothing else.

So in short, it has some bad effects, but its probably not the worst thing in the world if it's occasional.

The biggest problem is that it's illegal, so obviously you'll get in trouble if you're caught, and you can also get a DUI for smoking it and driving.

Because of the illegality, nobody in the health care world is going to give you the "green light" to use it. Even in places where medicinal marijuana is legal (California), health care workers put their license on the line for it, because the feds can bust them even when the state can't.

Answer 3

On the contrary to popular belief smoking weed is not really harmful (unlike cigarettes yet they are legal), however it can be in these few instances:

1. It was processed (dried) in wrong conditions causing marijuana to have fungi (fungus).
2. It comes from a contaminated plantation
3. It has been inhaled in excess.

Bottom line is - if you want to smoke weed for whatever reasons make sure it comes from a reliable source, it is clean and free of fungus or bacteria.

Many resources show studies that marijuana has medicinal value for many diseases, however people with bronchitis, COPD or Asthma should not smoke it.

And last advice: Anything that is done in excess will eventually be harmful to your health.

Answer 4

It's not smoking weed that is bad for your health, though it is a time-waster (go into the dumb zone and learn!)

It's smoking anything that is bad for your health. It cooks the proteins in your cells, especially in your toungue and throat, lungs too, just like frying an egg. The cells only have so many times that they can replicate before a mistake in the DNA strands allows an unhealthy cell to live abnormally long, and reproduce (cancer).

If you must recreationally use dope (I wonder why they call it that? Hmm?), at least eat the stuff in a brownie.

Answer 5

It's bad for your brain. It also has an effect on your lungs though most people don't realize that. I am not against marijuana. Only the legality of it is an issue for me. If it becomes legal the government would tax it so high you couldn't afford it anyway!!

But you asked about the damage to your health. The bad effects are in your thinking processes, long-term as well as short-term, and if you are a student of any kind, you don't need to damage your memory. All Things In Moderation!! Good Luck!! Good Question!! @8-) Finally, a good question on here today!! Sheesh!! Stick Around!!

Answer 6

Scientifically, weed has NOT been linked to anything. It has not been proven to be physically addictive. It has not been proven to cause any ill effects. It has been scientifically proven to positively treat symptoms of bigger medical issues. It has been used to reduce pain in mygraine patients. To reduce suffering of terminal cancer and aids patients. It can be prescribed to treat glaucoma and serves to stimulate appetite.

The conservative right would like you to believe it will cause you to have no drive whatsoever and can cause a bit of laziness - what doesn't? They would also like you to believe that it can cause cancer.

However, the fact is that there are no carcinogens that have been successfully linked to the use of Marijuana. Cigarettes contain over 800 known carcinogens (cancer causing agents). A joint of marijuana contains 7. Not because of the pot itself - but because of the adhesive in the rolling paper.

Check out Norml on the web. Do a search for Marijuana facts. There is a ton of information available.

I will say that I think it should be legalized for about a billion reasons. However, not all people should use marijuana. There is a lot of truth to the latest string of anti-drug advertising. Especially the commercial where the kid says, "I smoked marijuana. It didn't make me kill anyone. In fact, it didn't make me do anything. We just sat on my buddy's couch for 12 hours watching TV."

A lot of people have no drive and motivation to accomplish anything in life to begin with. If you couple that with marijuana use, you get people who won't work. You get people who are a drain on society in general.

However, let's say hypothetically of course - that you are a good student and a motivated employee. That you are in charge of your life and ambitious. You would likely enjoy some weed.

ALL THINGS IN MODERATION. If you're responsible as a human, you'd probably not experience any ill-effects. Make sure to have some munchies near-by and don't be a dumbass. It's not fair to take someone elses life because you want to be high.

Answer 7

Some of the effects of marijuana use include increased heart rate, dryness of the mouth, reddening of the eyes (congestion of the conjunctival blood vessels), a reduction in intra-ocular pressure, mild impairment of motor skills and concentration, and increased hunger. Electroencephalography shows somewhat more persistent alpha waves of slightly lower frequency than usual.[2] Cannabis also produces many subjective effects, such as greater enjoyment of food's taste and aroma and an enhanced enjoyment of music and comedy. At higher doses, cannabis can cause marked distortions in time and space perception, altered body image, auditory and/or visual (more like daydreams) hallucinations, ataxia from selective impairment of polysynaptic reflexes, and depersonalization. Marijuana generally relieves tension and provides a sense of euphoria. There is a more complete list of effects at cannabis (drug).

Answer 8

UMMMM!!! YES!!!
IT KILLS BRAIN CELLS & makes the user even more stupid than they were before.
People get high & then drive. Risking the lives of others. Personally I don't care if they kill themselves, but unfortunately it is the other people who end up dying.
Smoking weed does & has led to the use of other, heavier drugs. This being because the users are STUPID from losing brain cells.

Smoke in the lungs is NO different from cigarette smoke in the lungs. Lung cancer, emphazema & other breathing disorders, etc. etc. etc.
You look & smell like a loser & the only people who want to be around you are other druggies. You lose your job because you can't pass a pee test or because you got too stoned to get your butt out of bed. You go to jail for possession. You are an embarrassment to your friends & family.
ETC. ETC. ETC.
ONLY pathetic loser use drugs or abuse alcohol. You will go NOWHERE in life if you start doing either one.....

Answer 9

It's definitely bad for your lungs, throat, and esophagus. It has been linked to low sperm counts in men. It can negatively effect your immune system, your respiratory system, your cognitive ability and mental health. http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/evidence99/marijuana/Health_1.html

Additional Information for additional question: No, it can't make you healthier, BUT it can be used to treat some symptoms. Your doctor needs to make the assessment as to whether or not the side-effects are less severe than the symptoms that it treats. I know that it gives some pain relief to cancer treatments and has some benefit it treating glaucoma. Some say that it helps anxiety, but I haven't actually seen any legitimate studies that support that.

Answer 10

Depends on who you ask as to how much damage it will do. Is it healthy for you, no. Will it kill you, no. It has been proved that there is no lethal dose of hemp. But if it's smoked it will cause residue to build up on the lungs.

It is emotionally addictive, for people with an addictive personality, but it is NOT physically addictive.

What I suggest is doing a google on marijuana and read the pros and cons for yourself. Chances are you are going to get a lot of answers that are biased, one way or the other.

Answer 11

Smoking weed can be hazardous to your health if you have asthma.... Also, there are various studies about carcinogens and other hazardous things being laced into weed these days, so that could also be bad for you.....