Research confirms cannabis poses a serious health risk to the lungs

The British Lung Foundation welcomes research published in the journal Thorax highlighting the dangers cannabis poses to the lungs.

“This research confirms that cannabis poses a serious health risk to the lungs and smoking a joint can be more harmful to the lungs than smoking a cigarette”, says Dr Keith Prowse, Chairman of the British Lung Foundation. “It’s important to remember, though, that tobacco continues to be more harmful overall because it is typically smoked in much higher quantities than cannabis.”

One of the reasons a cannabis joint can be more dangerous than a cigarette is that people tend to inhale the smoke more deeply as well as then holding it in for longer.

The BLF are calling for:

• A public health campaign to make young people fully aware about the increased risk of lung infections and respiratory cancers
• Further research into potential links between cannabis smoking and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) - an umbrella term for conditions including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.