The Cannabis Link to Cancer
We’ve all heard of the addict who claims they got off heroin using cannabis and while I’m sure that’s possible, I think that people will use such a claim as an excuse to continue consuming cannabis. It doesn’t benefit anyone to replace one addiction with another.
It is true that when cannabis is broken down into its component parts, it can be successfully used to treat a range of ailments and symptoms. However, I look forward to the day when complete research is conducted so our politicians can be educated enough on the subject to legislate cannabis with an FDA-approved dosage that is well-regulated to treat the symptoms a person has. At the same time, this needs to be balanced against the dangerous risks of cannabis side effects such as lung cancer, as well as other side effects including increased anxiety and paranoia, along with problems with attention, memory, and coordination.
Cannabis might not be the scary “gateway” drug that it was once believed to be, but it does cause people to believe that drugs are not a big deal and also gives a person a sense of curiosity about other drugs, including heroin, meth, and even pill popping. In my experience, I’ve found very few people that say their addiction cycle didn’t start with cannabis; one doesn’t need a full-blown research study to do a quick survey on the matter.
And, can we stop saying “nobody ever died from smoking cannabis?” In fact, people have died from smoking cannabis; it has 4 times the number of known carcinogenic (cancer-causing) properties as tobacco has. Sure, research does show that THC which is an active component of cannabis does reduce the effects of the carcinogens in the lungs, however, it can still cause lung cancer when smoked—some studies even suggest the risk is 20 times as often as with tobacco use. Sure, nobody has ever overdosed on cannabis, but the same could be said about tobacco and yet we still consider tobacco as one of the leading causes of lung cancer and therefore deaths in America.
Armed with that knowledge, I’m convinced that once cannabis is legal and we can do more in-depth research studies on the health effects of smoking cannabis, we’ll discover that the high level of lung cancer rates in America is actually caused by the consumption of cannabis smoke.
Should you or someone you know suffer from drug or alcohol addiction, please contact Narconon Arrowhead and speak with an intake coordinator about getting into the Narconon program. The Narconon Arrowhead Rehab Center uses clean water, vitamins, and long hours in a hot sauna as part of the program and we’re not replacing one addiction for another; no drugs are required. Our rehab program has proven time and again that when you understand the underlying reason for your addiction you can regain a drug-free life with self-respect and self-control.
