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| Health and medical information for consumers, quality assured by the Victorian government (Australia). |
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Ask the experts
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Q: I have been a heavy user of cannabis for two years. Have there been any studies on marijuana use and lung disease? (Male, 38)
A: There are a few studies, mostly done in the 1970s, that looked at the effect of smoking marijuana on lung function and/or responses to exercise. There was a range of findings such as decreased exercise tolerance with increased heart rate, decreased lung capacity and increase in blood pressure relative to control (non marijuana-smoking) subjects.
More recent studies have shown significant decrease in lung capacity - the quantity of air you can inhale - in regular daily smokers. In addition, especially with deep inhalation and holding the smoke in your lungs for a prolonged time, the smoke itself can cause bronchial irritation. Studies have also shown that people who smoke marijuana and tobacco are not as good at clearing carbon monoxide out of their system as people who only smoke tobacco. This would affect the capacity of your blood to carry oxygen, which is one of the components of fitness.
In general, the more you smoke the more harm done.
For more information call the drug and alcohol telephone advice line, DirectLine, on 1800 888 236 (24-hours, 7 days).
Last reviewed: 09/01/2006
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