1 joint = 5 cigarettes

by Jonathon Morgan (Subscribe to Jonathon Morgan's posts)
Jul 31st 2007 5:03PM

New research from New Zealand brings bad news for pot smokers. A recent study of 25-49 year-olds found that those who don't smoke cigarettes, but do smoke marijuana, still reported wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and phlegm.

In fact, because pot smokers generally inhale more deeply, forgo filters, and smoke to a shorter butt length, it's estimated that their habit is even more damaging than those who use nicotine -- with every joint doing the same amount of damage as up to 5 cigarettes.

However, it's not all bad news for marijuana enthusiasts. The study also found that users of the drug were significantly less likely to develop emphysema than their cigarette smoking counterparts (presumably because pot smokers tend to light up less frequently).

All of that aside, it's worth noting that the best thing for your health would be to avoid smoking anything -- marijuana or otherwise.

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Comments (7)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Chris A 7-31-2007 @ 5:20PM

If you are just getting high every few weeks, 5 cigarettes doesn't seem that bad to me. Also, unless you are the anti-social, recluse (video game enthusiast) stoner, you are probably sharing the joint with someone else, making it only 2.5 cigarettes. But then Herpes comes into play.......

coyurtney 7-31-2007 @ 6:19PM

just smoke from pipes and not joints.

Yayaja 7-31-2007 @ 6:39PM

Can't we all just get a bong? They filter out the majority of the carcinogens.

Patty 7-31-2007 @ 7:54PM

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It seems that stuff's bad one day and not so bad the next. Who can keep up? Hit a lil something and chill out folks. :)

lekatisback 8-04-2007 @ 11:44PM

Come on, who smokes weed alone? Just hit the bong with friends and you should be alright, ha ha. Or make some pot brownies- no smoking involved.

Computica 8-07-2007 @ 2:35PM

Well I'm glad I don't smoke :}

DC 10-14-2007 @ 2:05PM

I have seen this theory proven and disproven many times in the past few years. I believe marijuana is safer. It doesn't have all the additives like cigarettes have. Cigarettes have chemicals to make it continue burning and many other pointless ones. It's also been proven that the natural chemicals in marijuana that contribute to its effects are absorbed almost instantly, so there is no need to hold it in for longer than a couple seconds.