Can smoking cannabis harm your lungs? Pulmonologists weigh

In the United States, smoking is the main cause of a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (MPOC), an incurable pulmonary condition that can make it difficult to breathe.

Although cannabis has been much more popular in recent years, researchers are still learning if smoking damages the lungs in the same way as tobacco.

“While Marijuana’s smoke also contains harmful chemicals, including certain carcinogens, the overall risk of developing mpoc by smoking marijuana is not as high as smoking tobacco,” said Jonathan Parsons, MD, a pulmonologist at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, in an email.

“However, any form of smoke inhalation can damage the lungs,” added Parsons.

Cannabis and tobacco can both cause pulmonary damage

Unlike tobacco cigarettes, cannabis smokers often inhale more deeply and hold smoke longer, exposing their lungs to more harmful chemicals.

Many people also smoke both tobacco and cannabis, which can put them at a greater risk of pulmonary damage. A study in 2023 suggested that smoking people both have suffered more damage to small respiratory tract in their lungs than those who smoke only tobacco.

“This suggests that there are pulmonary damage by smoking the two compounds which exceed that of tobacco which smokes only tobacco, but that we do not know how it affects pulmonary function over time,” said Russell G. Buhr, MD, PHD, co-author of the study and a pulmonary doctor and critical care in UCLA Health, said in a e-mail.

However, people who smoked both tobacco and cannabis had no increased risk of developing MPOC compared to those who smoked tobacco, according to the study.

“We found that there was a similar prevalence of symptoms such as cough and shortness of breath in those who smoked tobacco alone or smoked the two compounds,” said Buhr.

Can the lungs get smoked cannabis?

The most common council to slow down the progression of the MPOC is to quit smoking.

It is not known whether the same advice applies to cannabis, but many experts advise MPOC patients to avoid any form of vaping or smoking.

“I would certainly recommend that if they vapoted, or smoke, or inhale marijuana by all means, that if they have an early diagnosis of Mpoc, they should stop,” said E. Neil Schachter, MD, a pulmonologist and professor of medicine at the Icahn Medicine School at Mount Sinai, told very well.

It is best to find ways that do not imply smoking or vaping if you choose to use cannabis, according to Parsons.

Limits to the study of cannabis

Due to federal and state regulations, it is often difficult to conduct cannabis studies. While experts suspect that smoking cannabis could contribute to MPOC, additional research is necessary.

“We know from experience with other products that inhale any residue or any product that derives from combustion, or vaporization of organic matter, can be and is generally deleterious to long -term health,” said Schachter.

The link between smoking and Mpoc has not been proven overnight either, he added.

“In terms of smoking in any form, I have great suspicions and fears [cannabis] becomes more popular and that more people use it in greater quantity, we will see results similar to those of smoking, namely the development of MPOC, “said Schachter.