Cannabis smoke more harmful than tobacco smoke

Researchers from Health Canada have found that cannabis smokers are at an increased risk than tobacco smokers because the former contains more toxic chemicals. Cannabis smoke contains 20 times the amount of ammonia found in tobacco, the research said. Ammonia is a known cancer causing substance or a carcinogen.

Cannabis smoke is also more harmful to lungs when compared to tobacco smoke because it contains five times the amount of nitrogen oxides found in the latter. Additional toxins with a high level in cannabis smoke included hydrogen cyanide, which is lethal for the heart.

Researchers from Health Canada also analyzed sidestream smoke in addition to using a smoking machine to assess the harmful effects of 20 chemicals in inhaled smoke. Sidestream smoke is the smoke that is spewed off from the burning tip of cigarettes and is thought to be implicated in 85 percent of passive smoking.

Only one chemical called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon was present in higher level in tobacco smoke, the Canadian government research wing said. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are known to cause infertility.

"The consumption of marijuana through smoking remains a reality and among the young seems to be increasing," said lead researcher David Moir. "The confirmation of the presence of known carcinogens and other chemical is important information for public health."

However the study showed that there was little or no difference in the concentrations of other dangerous chemicals like chromium, nickel, arsenic and selenium in cannabis as well as tobacco smoke.

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