Marijuana is all over the news today in reference to legalizing it. Marijuana has often been deemed one of the safest recreational substances. This may perhaps be true considering many studies support the conclusion that cocaine, heroine, alcohol, and even cigarettes are more dangerous. In addition, the pharmacological properties of cannabis have led 36 states to permit its use as a therapeutic drug for those suffering from AIDS, chemotherapy patients, glaucoma, and other painful, debilitating illnesses. Nonetheless, there are still dangerous side effects to marijuana use.

Immune System The strongest argument against the use of medical marijuana is that it may cause the acceleration or aggravation of the very disorders it is used to treat. Smoking marijuana regularly can damage the cells in the bronchial passages, which protect the body against inhaled microorganisms, decreasing the ability of the immune cells in the lungs to fight off fungi, bacteria, and tumor cells. For patients with immune systems that are weakened, this means an increase in the possibility of dangerous pulmonary infections like pneumonia.

Also, marijuana is an “immunosuppressant” whose degenerative influence extends beyond the respiratory system. Regular smoking has been shown to materially affect the body’s ability to defend itself against infection by weakening many natural immune mechanisms such as macrophages (“killer cells”) and T-cells. Marijuana can be extremely harmful to the immune system, especially to those whose immune systems have already been weakened.

Respiratory Illness The main respiratory effects of smoking marijuana are pulmonary infections and respiratory cancer. Other effects are chronic bronchitis, impairment in the function of the smaller air passages, inflammation of the lung, and development of potentially pre-cancerous abnormalities in the bronchial lining and lungs. Marijuana smoke and cigarette smoke contain many of the same toxins, one of which is a key factor in the promotion of lung cancer. It should be noted that one joint has four times more tar than a cigarette, which means the lungs are exposed to four-fold of this toxin. This implies that smoking marijuana may lead to some of the same results as smoking cigarettes. Mental Health, Brain Function, and Memory There are many studies that suggest marijuana is the root of numerous mental disorders, including acute toxic psychosis, panic attacks, flashbacks, delusions, depersonalization, hallucinations, paranoia, depression, and uncontrollable aggressiveness. It has also long been known to trigger attacks of mental illness, such as bipolar psychosis and schizophrenia. In the short term, the use of marijuana impairs perception, judgment, thinking, memory, and learning. Mental disorders connected with marijuana use have merited their own category in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is published by the American Psychiatric Association. These disorders include Cannabis Intoxication (causes impaired motor coordination, anxiety, impaired judgment, sensation of slowed time, social withdrawal, and perceptual disturbances), Cannabis Intoxication Delirium (memory deficit, disorientation), Cannabis Induced Psychotic Disorder Delusions and Hallucinations, and Cannabis Induced Anxiety Disorder.

Although marijuana is an effective pain-reliever, it does have very dangerous side effects, which should not be ignored when considering using medical marijuana. For more information about drug addiction help in Dallas follow Solace Counseling on Facebook or Twitter.