THC – mysteries, facts & myths

It's true that marijuana smoke, same as tobacco smoke, contains carcinogen.. But even hardcore pot smokers typically consume much less pot than tobacco smokers do cigarettes, probably not enough to cause cancer or other serious impact. It's possible to become dependent on cannabis, but this only happens in a minority of the already relatively small category of heavy users. Research suggests that about 9 percent of cannabis users became clinically dependent at some point, compared to 20 percent of cocaine users and 34 percent of heroin users. Heavy use is harmful. Since pot smoke is chemically very similar to tobacco smoke, heavy pot smokers are at risk for some of the same health effects as cigarette smokers, like bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses. Again the risks are from smoking, which isn't the only way to use cannabis. Another hazard: car accidents caused by driving while high, though the risk is lower than from drunk driving.