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In quantity, cannabis smoking can cause several of the same health problems as tobacco smokers, such as bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma. It is to be noted, however, that while a habitual tobacco smoker may consume twenty to forty cigarettes (one to two packs) in a day, a habitual marijuana cigarette (joint) smoker consumes far fewer. It should also be noted, however, that marijuana users usually inhale much deeper breaths (hits) and hold them in for much longer in order to absorb as much of the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the smoke as possible.
Many marijuana users wishing to minimize risks of lung damage instead choose to either eat their dosages or use water pipes or vaporizers, which are known to seriously reduce and perhaps, in the case of vaporizers, eliminate lung damage. Although very limited research has been conducted on the effects of cannabis when consumed orally, it is commonly theorized that its harm is negligible, undoubtedly far less harmful than oral consumption of alcohol. Water pipes, while they do filter out many impurities, may also reduce the concentration of THC, necessitating inhalation of a greater quantity of smoke in order to receive the same amount of THC as that in an unfiltered marijuana cigarette; this may lead to a greater amount of lung damage. Inhalation of any amount of smoke is widely considered to be unhealthy, as smoke nearly always contains known toxins.
The THC molecule and related compounds are usually detectable in drug tests for approximately one month after using cannabis. This detection is possible because THC metabolites are stored for long periods of time in fat cells, although the harmfulness of that phenomenon has not yet been well-researched. The long-term metabolites are nonidentical to THC, and are not considered psychoactive.
Some of the effects of marijuana use include increased heart rate, dryness of the mouth, reddening of the eyes, impaired motor skills and concentration, and frequently hunger which is often accompanied by greater enjoyment of food's taste and aroma.
Although it is commonly stated as fact that marijuana use suppresses the immune system, this effect has not been confirmed by studies on humans using typical recreational doses. Occasionally, hallucinations, fantasies and paranoiaParanoid redirects here. For the Black Sabbath album Paranoid see Paranoid (album). For the role playing game, see Paranoia (RPG). In popular culture, the term paranoia is usually used to describe excessive concern about one's own well-being, sometimes su are reported, typically with inexperienced users under the influence of high-potency cannabis.
One highly controversial aspect of cannabis use is its effect on one's ability to drive an automobileAn automobile usually called a car (an old word for carriage) or a truck is a wheeled vehicle that carries its own engine. Older terms include horseless carriage and motor car with "motor" referring to what is now usually called the engine. The act of ope. Studies on the subject have been limited, and generally have not taken into account relevant factors such as age and alcohol intoxication. Most studies that have taken these factors into account have concluded that cannabis' effect on driving ability is negligible, and may be more positive than negative, due to the tendency of intoxicated individuals to drive slower and more cautiously.
The United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a state in Western Europe, usually known simply as the United Kingdom the UK Britain or less accurately as Great Britain . The UK was formed by a series of Acts of Union which united the formerly's Transit Research Laboratory (TRL) concluded in a 2001 study cannabis intoxication plays a relatively insignificant role in vehicular accidents. Specifically, intoxicated individuals had a lowered "tracking time" (ability to control the steering wheel) but were otherwise normal and, unlike alcohol (which reduces activity in the part of the brain that recognizes and responds to risks), participants were aware of the effects and compensated by driving more slowly and cautiously.
Similar conclusions have been reached by studies maintained by the federal governments of AustraliaAustralia is the sixth-largest country in the world (geographically), the only one to occupy an entire continent, and the largest in the region of Australasia. Australia includes the island of Tasmania, which is an Australian State. Its neighbouring count, United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a state in Western Europe, usually known simply as the United Kingdom the UK Britain or less accurately as Great Britain . The UK was formed by a series of Acts of Union which united the formerly, New ZealandFor alternative meanings, see New Zealand (disambiguation). New Zealand is a country formed of two major islands and a number of smaller islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. A common Mori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa popularly translated as Land and the United StatesThe United States of America also referred to as the United States U. America ¹ or the States is a federal republic in central North America, stretching from the Atlantic in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. It shares land borders with Canada in (see here for a list of studies). Those studies that have concluded that cannabis has a significant negative effect on driving ability generally involve the use of roadside sobriety tests as an indicator of reduced ability. For example, see this NIDA report.