Is marijuana bad for you?

Answers and research from various Wikianswers contributors:

• The definitive study of the long-term health effects of marijuana to date was done by Kaiser Permanente. They surveyed the health records of 65,000 patients over a long period of time. They found no significant differences in the health records of marijuana smokers versus people who did not smoke marijuana. See link below. Conclusions: Marijuana use in a prepaid health care-based study cohort had little effect on non-AIDS mortality in men and on total mortality in women.

• This is consistent with the results of the health studies of every major government commission report on the drug laws from around the world since 1894. These reports can be found at the link below under Major Studies of Drugs and Drug Policy.

• It should be clear that smoking anything is bad for you considering the carcinogens inhaled-- that's a given. The thing is, there are many ways to get the active ingredient in Marijuana, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), out of the plant and into your body. I suppose the real question is,"Is THC bad for your health?" Anyways, I think that without the obvious negative health consequences of smoking, THC may be near as bad for you. It may not be dangerous at all! Honestly, I don't think enough research has been done on the subject to fully know.

• Let's be real here and take a look at what Medical Cannabis patients are doing, especially in California where there seems to be more data available to us on the benefits and dangers of cannabis usage. In other words, if you are authorized to use cannabis medically, use a vaporizer, cook with it, make oils or tinctures - never smoke cannabis, and don't use cigarettes. Be responsible and look and review thoughtfully all sides of the issue, including a recent 2004 study on the use and safety of vaporizers: see link below.

• Certain studies have shown that marijuana smoke does not cause lung caner nearly as fast as cigarettes because of some chemical that prevents something from doing something. We can't rely on any studies now because there is so much propaganda floating around. But there's one big point that makes all cancer arguments null and void. There are two ways to use marijuana that eliminates the smoke part. You can cook marijuana in butter and ingest it for much stronger effects with none of the bad side effect of cancer. And you can also vaporize it which doesn't burn any plant matter and only turns the THC to vapor form which also prevents the breathing of smoke.

• Medicinal marijuana has been found to have certain benefits. It can alleviate vascular pressure associated with glaucoma and lessen the effects of stress. It has a peristalsis effect on the digestive tract, meaning that it encourages movements of food through the digestive system. It is used in some spiritual and ritual practices because of the trance-like effects it can produce. There are probably other benefits not listed here. The issue is that medicinal, good quality, marijuana is very difficult to come by. Most street marijuana has been laced with other chemicals, like rat poison and other insecticides. These increase the feeling of intoxication. Obviously, if a chemical would kill another form of life, they would not be good for you. You need to suspect any street drug of containing harmful chemicals. Smoking, by itself, is a very efficient way to introduce any substance into your bloodstream. Smoking anything, whether it is crack cocaine, marijuana, cigarettes or oak leaves, kills the source of our life, oxygen. You'd have to add the perils of smoking on top of any inherent detriment the original substance contains to accurately determine the level of risk. Other factors to consider are the simple fact that marijuana is currently illegal. During prohibition, alcohol was consumed. But there was a lot more stress and risk involved in having a drink 80 years ago than having one today. If you smoke a joint and end up incarcerated, how good would that be for you? Sometimes, even if you might like to just fire one up, you have to be practical.

• I truly don't believe marijuana is bad for you it's a tool if one knows how to use it then it can be very beneficial but if one doesn't it can ruin their life. I have had amazing experiences that have made me a more peaceful, loving, open-minded person who enjoys life. It is not worse then cigarettes. It is just useful if used in a good, relaxing, mind escaping, and mind expanding way.
  

• I really think that marijuana is NOT that bad for you. In fact marijuana has never been proven to have killed someone just on it's own. Compare that to alcohol and it makes you wonder how one thing so dangerous can be legal and another that has proven to be a lot less dangerous to your life.

• Marijuana is better for you than lighting up a cigarette. Cigarettes have things like tar and other unnatural things that will turn your lungs black and give you cancer, while marijuana doesn't. The difference is a) marijuana affects you more, b) cigarettes are legal (go figure), and c) there are no deaths recorded that have come from Marijuana alone.
  

• Marijuana is a depressant, like alcohol, but with different effects. People high on weed do not have the motivation or desire to do anything illegal--quite the contrary all they want is peace and harmony. These people are NOT going to be found in prison as Marijuana decreases violent thoughts and activities. Harmful effects are the same as smoking cigarettes.

• A lot of people think marijuana is better than cigarettes, but one joint has the same amount of harmful affects (tar buildup in lungs etc.) as five cigarettes. Marijuana has other bad affects like irritability, stress and what-not that cigarettes don't always have. But weed is marijuana harmful than other drugs that you can overdose and die from.

• Marijuana may lead to other harder drugs. But if often does--research shows this. About 90% of those addicted to hard drugs began their drug use with marijuana.

• Marijuana causes short term affects like distorted perception, problems with memory and learning, loss of coordination, trouble with thinking and learning, increase in heart rates, and reduce blood pressure. It also causes hallucination, delusions, impaired memory, and disorientation. Marijuana causes the heart to beat 20-50 beats per min. and lowers the blood pressure. Smoking marijuana daily causes you to cough, phlegm productuin, chest illness, lung infection, obstructing airways, and is three times more likely to develop cancer to the head or the neck.

• Yes smoking Marijuana is very unhealthy. It's just as bad as smoking cigarettes and it can lead to other bad habits like taking other drugs.

No It offers neuroprotection, meaning it protects nerves and brain cells. There is also some evidence that it may facilitate brain cell development. The US DHS confirms the scientific research that marijuana can be used as a neuroprotectant and antioxidant, it hold the patent to these uses patent no. 6630507


Only if abused. It has many accepted medical uses and those uses are quite effective in the safe treatment of many debilitating medical conditions.