Smoking Weed is Bad, Too.

It is not well documented, but smoking marijuana is a common practice among a significant segment of the African American population. In my practice it is a problem for both younger and older patients. Physicians and health care providers believe that marijuana is the gateway drug for young people that develop into serious drug abuse. Marijuana is an illegal drug in the United States, but for a long time the health care profession believed that there were no adverse effects from smoking “weed.” Many people think the drug should be legalized since there are no apparent adverse effects.

Now, however, we have convincing evidence that one marijuana joint is equal to five cigarettes. Smoking marijuana can cause wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness - symptoms that can translate into asthma and bronchitis. Marijuana smokers also have twice the risk of chronic bronchitis and a 70% increased risk of asthma diagnosed after age 16. While there are medications to help with stopping cigarette smoking, the same is not the case for marijuana, making quitting marijuana much more difficult.

I am Dr. Thaddeus John Bell--- Closing the Gap in Health Disparities for African Americans.

Bell Update Volume 3, Chapter 3

Copyright January 2008