Marijuana smoke has toxic chemicals, finds study

Marijuana smoke has harmful chemicals like those found in tobacco and could be detrimental to your health, a study has shown.

The study published by Lancet’s EClinical Medicine journal established that smoke related toxicants such as naphthalene, acrylamide, andacrylonitrile were found in the plasma and urine of marijuana smokers.

The toxic chemicals for exclusive marijuana users were at lower levels compared to those who abused both marijuana and tobacco, or tobacco only.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in its toxicological profile, warned that exposure to naphthalene could lead to haemolytic anaemia.

“Exposure to a large amount of naphthalene may damage or destroy some of your red blood cells. This could cause you to have too few red blood cells until your body replaces the destroyed cells,” said the CDC.

The study revealed that Acrolein levels were higher in tobacco smokers than in marijuana users.

“High acrolein levels were associated with cardiovascular disease after adjusting for tobacco smoking and other risk factors,” the researchers said. “High acrolein levels may identify adults with increased cardiovascular risk, and reducing exposure may be a preventive strategy."

A World Health Organization Concise International Chemical Assessment pointed out the effects of acrylonitrile based on studies conducted in animals that could affect humans as well.

Abuse cannabis

“Available data from studies in animals indicate that acrylonitrile is a skin, respiratory and severe eye irritant. Acrylonitrile may cause allergic contact dermatitis,” said the report. “Based on studies in animals, cancer is the critical end-point for effects of acrylonitrile on human health."

The result of the study was also dependent on the HIV status of the individuals and the researchers were keen to study a population of HIV positive people.

“These issues have particular relevance for HIV positive individuals given high rates of smoking and heightened risk of cardiovascular disease in this population,” they explained.

This study comes as netizens in the country still have hope for legalisation of cannabis, arguing for its medicinal benefits and its decriminalisation in other parts of the world.

Yvonne Olando, a director at the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada), says cannabis in Kenya is still illegal because people abuse it yet it has Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the addictive component in marijuana.

WHO move

In 2019, WHO made a recommendation to review the classification of cannabis and its related substances. In December 2020, a vote by the United Nations Commission for Narcotic Drugs removed cannabis from the list of ‘deadly, addictive opiods’ where it had been classified for about 59 years.

With the findings of the study, users are advised to reduce exposure to the chemicals found in the smoke.

“These findings identify potentially toxic combustion of by-products associated with marijuana and tobacco smoking and suggest the need for further studies on health effects of acrolein and other smoke-related exposures that include participants more representative of the general population,” said the researchers.