Pot smoking not so harmful to the lungs, study finds

[Newsjock]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/10/BA6G1MNA0G.DTL&tsp=1

SAN FRANCISCO -- Smoking a joint or a bowl from time to time appears to cause no long-term damage to the lungs, according to a UCSF study that disproves one of the major concerns about marijuana use - that inhaling anything other than air on a regular basis must be harmful.

The study, results of which were published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that the lung capacity of people who smoked marijuana was not diminished by lighting up, even among those who smoked once or twice a week.

Smoking 20 or more joints a month did have a negative impact on the pulmonary system, but that level of marijuana use is unusual. For occasional users, smoking marijuana was actually associated with a small but statistically significant increase in lung capacity - perhaps caused by the deep-breathing pot smokers use to draw the drug into their lungs.

Researchers were reluctant to give the all clear to anyone who wants to smoke pot, but the results - and the fact that they were published in a major medical journal - should reassure doctors and patients who are tempted to use marijuana for treatment, primarily to ease pain and nausea, said Dr. Mark Pletcher, a UCSF epidemiologist and lead author of the study.

[MADem]

1. Oh, darn, gee and by golly! That'll put a snag in the argument that the stuff is WORSE than tobacco

because "those kids inhale and hold it in, doncha know!"

[EOTE]

7. More importantly, THC is a bronchodilator.

So rather than constricting your bronchioles as nicotine does, it actually opens them up, making it easier to breathe as well as allow the smoke to exit your lungs properly.

I'm convinced that one day THC or some full spectrum marijuana product will be used to cure bronchitis before it starts. It does an amazing job of clearing out one's lungs before anything nasty can get stuck in there.

[WingDinger]

2. Well, if a joint promotes deep breathing THERAPY, a bong is the olympics.

[AtomicKitten]

3. I have allergic asthma and I vaporize my weed.

Believe it or not, it actually helps my breathing.

[WingDinger]

6. Thats terrible. I got one of those, but direct lung contact has effects that I require.

To keep my lungs clear.

[RainDog]

8. there's this...

Tashkin et al. studied 14 asthmatic volunteers and compared smoked cannabis (2%THC), oral THC (15mg) and the drug isoprenaline (0.5%). They found that smoked cannabis and oral THC produced significant bronchodilatation of at least two hours duration. The effect of smoked cannabis was nearly equivalent to the clinical dose of isoprenaline.

Smoked cannabis was also capable of reversing experimentally induced bronchospasm in three asthmatic subjects. (…) Williams et al. compared a THC aerosol containing 0.2 mg THC with a salbutamol aerosol (0.1 mg) in 10 asthmatic subjects. Both drugs significantly improved respiratory function. The onset of effect was more rapid with salbutamol, but the effects of both drugs were equivalent at one hour. Tashkin et al. compared several doses of THC aerosol (5-20mg) with a standard dose of isoprenaline in 11 normal volunteers and five asthmatic subjects.

http://medicalcbd.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/asthma-treated-with-cannabis/

[AtomicKitten]

11. Interesting data.

I use a bronchodilator (Proventil) and inhaled steroid (Qvar), but I use them much, much less than what had been normal for me since I began utilizing vaporized MM. It performs what is called a "pulmonary toilet" or clearance of secretions from the trachea and bronchial tree. It's very interesting to read what I have found to be true for me personally. Thanks for posting this.

[RainDog]

12. I knew someone with asthma who used cannabis too

I thought he was joking until I learned it was a traditional medicine for asthma before it was illegal.

[T S Justly]

4. The Office of National Drug Control Strategy will counter with a non sequitur, and/or lie. K&R (nt)

[Blacksheep214]

5. 40 years

Still running, walking and playing tennis.

Now I need a job so ......

[sofa king]

9. Ahem. Patent Pending.

So don't try to horn in on my racket.

[TexasProgresive]

10. So did they contrast this to tobacco smokers who smoke one cigarette a week for 20 years?

I don't thinks so.

[RainDog]

13. this study was about moderate cannabis use over 20 years

with the largest number of participants ever.

and the purpose was to look at the effects of cannabis, not tobacco.

you can surely find studies of tobacco use, too, and ones that compare cannabis and tobacco.