Recent studies
By Julius Calasicas
Recent studies from New Zealand, Australia and Canada show that more chemicals and toxins are found in marijuana smoke than in cigarettes, suggesting that marijuana poses the greater health threat.
"I think smoking weed is better than cigarettes," said junior Olivia Tonjes, who smokes marijuana and tobacco. "(Marijuana) is natural. Cigarettes aren't."
Tonjes said the new research will probably not affect her marijuana usage.
In December, New Scientist magazine wrote that researchers from Health Canada, the country's federal department responsible for maintaining and improving Canadian health, simulated smoking cannabis and tobacco with machines to collect and analyze their content.
Health Canada found 20 times the amount of ammonia and five times the amount of hydrogen cyanide in marijuana smoke than tobacco smoke.
Similarly, ABC News reported that research from the Monash University in Victoria, Australia, had shown that regular pot smokers were more likely to develop earlier signs of emphysema than regular cigarette smokers.
The European Respiratory Journal published an article in which scientists from New Zealand equate one marijuana cigarette - or joint - to 20 tobacco cigarettes. Smoke from cannabis contains twice as much carcinogens, like polyaromatic hydrocarbons, than tobacco, according to the article.
The method of smoking marijuana is different than tobacco. Most joints are not affixed with filters and are usually smoked to the very end to maximize their effects. The smoke is hotter, inhaled more forcefully and held in the lungs longer than tobacco, meaning marijuana smoke can damage the respiratory system faster than cigarettes.
The researchers did not factor in alternative ways to use marijuana, like smoking with water filtration devices - such as "bongs" - or baking cannabis products, such as brownies and cookies.
Senior Aaron Snyder acknowledges that smoking substances has negative health consequences.
"My understanding is that long-term effects from cigarettes have been proven to be more detrimental than from marijuana smoke," Snyder said. "Not to say I haven't seen the effects of marijuana - it's just less."
Snyder used to smoke cigarettes but was motivated to quit when he began to notice differences in his ability to breathe. He climbed Mt. Fuji this summer with a non-smoker.
"The non-smoker led by at least 100 yards most of the way - I couldn't get the oxygen I needed," Snyder said. "Granted, it might have been the climate, but my lungs weren't that healthy."
Snyder hand-rolled his own cigarettes for three years, and since he has quit the habit, he feels that his muscles and body have an easier time doing everyday tasks. He thinks that students view cannabis smoke as less threatening than cigarettes.
"The addictive quality of cigarettes require more time investment versus marijuana experimentation," he said.
