The Dangers Of Smoking
Did You Know?
Lungs don't discriminate: both marijuana and tobacco smoke damage lungs:
Studies show that someone who smokes one joint may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes four
cigarettes.
Regardless of THC content, the amount of tar and carbon monoxide delivered to the lungs is approximately three to five times greater for marijuana smoke than tobacco
smoke. This is largely due to differences in the method of smoking tobacco and marijuana, such as larger puff volumes and longer durations of inhalation with
marijuana. Cigarette smoking among youth may reduce the rate of lung growth and the level of maximum lung function that can be
achieved.
Tobacco and marijuana can also both be addictive, especially among adolescents:
While nicotine is more addictive than marijuana, it's important to understand that more teens are in treatment for marijuana dependence than for all other illicit drugs
combined. A recent study found that when abstaining from marijuana for just three days, regular users experienced withdrawal symptoms, including drug cravings, decreased appetite, sleep difficulty and weight loss, along with increased aggression, anger, irritability and
restlessness.
Teens are especially at risk for addiction because they generally become addicted to substances faster than adults and rarely receive early intervention because signs of their drug use are frequently passed off as typical teenage behavior. Research shows that marijuana use is three times more likely to lead to dependence among adolescents than among adults.
