Is weed worse than cigarettes for your health?

Jason Cabot- Physician, Professor

Don’t write off marijuana as innocuous compared to cigarettes. Cigarettes are harmful at any level and most smokers consume 10–20+ per day. Heavy marijuana smokers are very likely at the same risk, the difference being the amount smoked. I have seen heavy marijuana users with the same respiratory conditions one would see in a cigarette smoker of similar use. There have also been studies that show a definite carcinogenic effect of marijuana….the most notable a valid study from New Zealand.

Simon Kunze- knowledgeable on the subject, but not a scientist

Cannabis is in itself relatively non-toxic, so if it is consumed by eating or vaporization there is little to no physical health risk involved. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eff...

If cannabis is smoked in joints, on a pipe, bong etc., it will be damaging to some extend, but only for the simple reason that getting smoke into your lungs isn't healthy. Smoke is bad, no matter if it is tobacco, cannabis or oregano.
There seem to be little or no link between cannabis use and physical health risks - if you don’t smoke it. Several recent studies suggest that cannabis can have great medicinal value for several conditions, or at least help alleviate some of the symptoms. See Inhibition of Cancer Cell Invasion by Cannabinoids via Increased Expression of Tissue Inhibitor of Matrix Metalloproteinases-1

Cannabis is most often smoked without a filter, which results in a larger amount of particles in the smoke that is inhaled, compared to typical cigarettes with a filter. However adding a filter to cigarettes might involve health risks too, due to fibers from the filter entering the lungs. See Fibers released from cigarette filters: an additi... [Cancer Res. 1995]

If you compare two people, one being a cigarette smoker and the other a joint smoker, you will have to take into account that the number of joints smoked per day is probably a lot less than the number of cigarettes smoked. So while one joint might provide the same amount of tar and particles as three cigarettes, it is unlikely that our joint smoker in this example will smoke as many joints as the cigarette smoker will smoke cigarettes. But of course, this will vary.

Some studies suggest that cannabis can have several health benefits, some even suggest that it can help to prevent illnesses such as Alzheimer because of its neuroprotective and anti-oxidative capabilities. See Neuroprotective effect of cannabidiol, a non-psy... [J Neurochem. 2004]
I don't recall when I last saw a study suggesting that smoking tobacco provided any potential health benefits.

Cannabis will impact certain functions, such as short-term memory and in particular immediate-memory. No studies seem to suggest that these effects are anything but temporary.
However if cannabis is used by children or adolescents there seems to be a direct link between the use of cannabis and problems with memory and the ability to learn new stuff later in life. So as with any other drug it should only be used by adults. The developing brain and body doesn't tolerate interference very well.

Cannabis alone and in moderation will not lead to psychosis or other mental problems, only if it is abused rather than used by someone who is predisposed.
The same is true for most other substances - using them is fine, abusing them is not. I recall a Dutch expert on cannabis use saying that people who are predisposed for a psychosis will double their risk of developing a psychosis if they smoke cannabis on a daily basis for several years. This seems to be the consensus among experts, that cannabis doesn't directly result in any problems, however it may over time elevate already existing problems.

Er Digvijay Sharma- Works at Chelsea F.C.

If smoked regularly, yes indeed they are… But occasionally no… First of all, let me clarify one thing, weed is magical… Its Heaven on earth… And as u have asked the question i believe u might have smoked… So u know how it feels… But if u have not and u really wanna try i say go for it… Its not gonna meake u addicted… That's the magic of it…. cigarettes are pure tobacco.. but the weed/cannabis are a plant… They are extracted from plants… And the plant is not just an ordinary plant… It was used in ancient times to cure people…. Its a medicinal drug…There are many reasons why marijuana is not worse for you than smoking cigarettes. You may have heard that “one joint is equal to ten cigarettes” but this is exaggerated and misleading. Marijuana does contain more tar than tobacco — but low tar cigarettes cause just as much cancer, so what is that supposed to mean? Scientists have shown that smoking any plant is bad for your lungs, because it increases the number of ‘lesions’ in your small airways.This usually does not threaten your life, but there is a chance it'll lead to infections. Marijuana users who are worried about this can find less harmful ways of taking marijuana like eating or vaporizing. (Be careful —marijuana is safe to eat — but tobacco is not, you might!) Marijuana does not cause cancer the way cigarettes does, though. FACT: Studies have shown that smoking marijuana does NOT increase your chance of getting cancer and may even lower it slightly! Of course, vaping or eating cannabis are still considered the safest methods of ingestion especially for daily consumers. For most of human existence, cannabis has been considered a medicine. Queen Victoria used it to alleviate her menstrual cramps.

So go on and live ur life… Enjoy the magical entrance to the magical land of narnia… Weed rocks…

And thank you Nidhi for asking… Best wishes