methods of consuming cannabis

Last reviewed 01/2018

  • cannabis can be eaten
    • it can be baked into cakes or biscuits
  • cannabis is usually consumed via smoking
    • when compared with tobacco smoking, cannabis smoking is associated with a nearly five times greater increase in blood carboxyhaemoglobin levels and about a threefold increase in the amount of tar inhaled
    • one-third more of this inhaled tar is retained in the respiratory tract than in cigarette smoking
    • cannabis smoke contains the same constituents (apart from nicotine) as tobacco smoke, including bronchial irritants, tumour initiators (mutagens), tumour promoters and carcinogens
      • cellular dysplasia has also been observed, suggesting that, like tobacco smoke, cannabis exposure has the potential to cause malignancy (1)
    • tar from cannabis smoke also contains greater concentrations of benzanthracenes and benzpyrenes, both of which are carcinogens, than the tar in tobacco smoke

Reference:

  1. Intern Med J. 2003 Jul;33(7):310-3