NEWS: Sunday Times - 27/12/07 'Cannabis smoke contains more chemicals'

[lil angel15]

Cannabis smoke contains more chemicals
Narelle Towie
December 27, 2007 01:38pm

CANNABIS smokers inhale far more toxic chemicals than those who puff on cigarettes new research shows.

When inhaled directly, marijuana smoke contains 20 times more lung-damaging ammonia and five times as much hydrogen cyanide and nitrogen oxides than cigarette smoke, a team led by David Moir at Health Canada reports.

In WA around 235,000 people use cannabis and it is the most widely used illicit drug nationwide, according to a survey by the Australian Governments Institute of Criminology.

Scientists began their research after discovering that although 4000 toxic chemicals are listed in tobacco smoke, no such record exists for cannabis.

With the help of a smoke machine, which 'inhaled' and measured ingredients in smoke, researchers found nearly 20 harmful chemicals in the cannabis samples. Almost all of the cannabis toxins were found in higher concentrations than in cigarette smoke.

They also measured smoke given off from the top of a joint and found that about 85 per cent of this ‘sidestream smoke’ had the same dangerous toxins.

"Cannabis contains similar carcinogens to tobacco, in particular volatile organic compounds," Stephen Spiro of the British Lung Foundation told New Scientist magazine.

"That these exist in similar or even higher proportions to tobacco smoke is a great worry."

Sunday Times

 

[BingoBango]

4000-odd toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke, so how many in cannabis? or did the scientists forget why they were researching? :D

 

[lil angel15]

Cannabis smoke contains more chemicals

4000 toxic chemicals are listed in tobacco smoke

researchers found nearly 20 harmful chemicals in the cannabis samples

Maybe I'm missing something but I always thought 4000 was more than 20......

 

[peaked]

Here's another article from the front page about the Canadian study. I can't say I'm entirely convinced about their findings either 8) It doesn't take a genius to realize that tobacco is causing far more harm, despite how they try and portray things.

 

[Mr Blonde]

And it's all about the amount of usage as well; there probably aren't many cannabis smokers who would use the same amounts as a pack-a-day smoker.

 

[elafunt_tracks]

Thi is not new news (it's an olds, lol)

http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_info3.shtml

inhaling burnt stuff is never going to be healthy, better to vaporize all love no poison.