More and more Americans know that smoking cannabis is less harmful than smoking tobacco cigarettes, but you wouldn’t know it from reading the recent slew of media headlines.
Several recent news articles have been misleading regarding the health risks of cannabis smoke exposure compared to tobacco smoking. These articles deliberately disregard several scientific studies that have compared the two substances.
A 2006 UCLA study investigated the lifetime risk of lung cancer among non-smokers, long-term marijuana smokers, and tobacco smokers. The findings revealed that daily tobacco smokers had a 20 times higher chance of developing lung cancer than non-smokers. In contrast, marijuana smokers did not have a similar risk, and there was even some indication that their cannabis use had a protective effect.
Numerous studies have yielded similar results, concluding that any potential toxicity associated with marijuana use is minimal compared to tobacco.
While tobacco is the greatest legalized killer in the world, there is a long list of health benefits associated with smoking marijuana.
Medical marijuana use is associated with improved quality of life—including better job performance, sleep, appetite, and energy.
Most respondents (58%) in a recent study by the University of West Attica said medical cannabis is an effective treatment for their condition.
Among that group:
- 96% reported a decrease in their symptoms with marijuana usage.
- 88% claimed it improved their ability to perform professional duties.
- 79% said it enhanced their sleep quality.
- 71% reported an improvement in their appetite.
- 68% said it brought an increase in their energy and vitality.
Marijuana’s benefits aren’t just limited to health alone: States that legalize medical marijuana also witness significant reductions in health insurance premiums.
A study found that in the years following a state’s legalization of medical cannabis, premiums dropped dramatically.
Although the reductions were modest at the beginning of implementation, after seven years, the annual premiums fell by $1,663 compared to the states in the control group. Thanks to the insurance pooling and community rating system, cannabis users and non-users can benefit from these savings.
The study focused on individual private health insurance plans, which comprise a significant percentage of the average U.S. household budget (16-34%).
