HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0990.003 1996-1998
i AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATh.iNe
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POSITION PAPER ON MARIJUANA SMOKING
• Mounting evidence by medical researchers indicates that marijuana smoking may
be even more harmful than cigarette smoking.
• It takes 10 to 20 years of heavy cigarette smoking to produce the same type of
sever sinusitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis or emphysema that less than a year of daily
marijuana smoking produces. (According to Nicolas A. Pace, M.D., Assistant
Professor of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine.)
• Marijuana smoke contains 50 percent more cancer-causing materials than tobacco
smoke. (According to Donald P. Tashkin, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine,
Pulmonary Division, University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine.)
• The manner of smoking, particularly the deep inhaling technique by marijuana
users, increases the exposure of dangerous elements to the lungs. The tobacco
smoker is more likely to purchase filtered cigarettes and will not puff the cigarette to
the end. On the other hand, marijuana users usually smoke their cigarettes to the
very end, enhancing and maximizing their exposure to tar and other respiratory
irritants. (According to Robert L. DuPont, M.D. , President, American Council on
Marijuana, former Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse; President,
Institute for Behavior and Health.)
• Because of the difference in smoking technique, one marijuana cigarette can deliver
as much tar as a dozen or more cigarettes. In addition, a single marijuana cigarette
smoked for 15 minutes produces as high a level of carbon monoxide in the blood of
the smoker as 10 to 20 tobacco cigarettes smoked during the course of the day.
(According to Robert L. DuPont, M.D.)
• Marjuana smoke is much like tobacco smoke with two exceptions. First, marijuana
does not contain nicotine. Second, it contains the psychoactive agent THC (delta-9
tectrahydrocannabinol); tobacco does not. (THC has mild bronchodilatory effects,
but it is not useful as a drug for bronchospasm.) (From Set. 1980 American Lung
Association Bulletin article "Marijuana Smoking-A National Epidemic" and Hawaii
Thoracic Society.)
Approved by the Hawaii Thoracic Society q
Revised 02/96 / d3
M10 Comm. No.
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