Study: Smoking Pot Not Linked With COPD

Marijuana smoking is not associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. According to a newly published study.

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles surveyed participants who smoked or had ever smoked cigarettes, whether they were current smokers, previous smokers, or never smokers. divided into three groups.

“Limited data are available regarding the effects of smoking marijuana on the development or progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in middle-aged and older adults with varying smoking histories,” the study authors said. rice field.

“I compared [current marijuana smokers], [former marijuana smokers] and [never marijuana smokers], and lifetime marijuana use varies. Mixed-effects linear regression models were used to analyze changes in spirometry, symptoms, health status, and radiographic indices. A zero-inflation negative binomial model was used for exacerbation rates,” the researchers said. I have written.

Most participants were followed for more than four years, according to the researchers, and “incidence of COPD, respiratory symptoms, health status, radiographic extent of emphysema or air traps, total or severe There was no difference between them,” he said. [current marijuana smokers] again [former marijuana smokers] versus [never marijuana smokers] Or between people who have used marijuana in their lifetime [never marijuana smokers]”

In their final analysis, the researchers wrote:: “In a cohort of ≥20 pack-years of smoking history with established COPD or at risk of developing COPD, cumulative lifetime current and/or former marijuana smoking history was followed for an average of ≥4 years. No dose was found to be associated with a significant adverse effect on COPD progression. Previous concomitant marijuana smoking (including heavy marijuana smoking) was not found to be associated with an increased risk of developing subsequent COPD.However, limitations of our study and our results Given previously published findings that contradict with , a better understanding of the potential prolongation potential would require a larger sample size and a longer duration, specifically designed to assess this issue. Additional studies with follow-up are needed – Long-term effects of smoking marijuana in people with COPD or at risk of developing COPD.”

NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano advertised the discovery From a UCLA study published this month Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

“These results are consistent with decades of data showing that cannabis smoke exposure is not associated with the same adverse lung effects as tobacco smoke exposure.” Armentano said. Said. “They should be reassuring to cannabis consumers and health professionals alike, and should help guide future policy regarding the creation of evidence-based public health messages and related regulations.”

normal The results are “consistent with previous studies that have concluded that cannabis inhalation, even over the long term, is not positively associated with COPD, lung cancer, or irreversible airway damage,” he said. It further points out that “the use of heated vaporization technology has shown that keeping herbal cannabis at a set temperature below its burning point reduces exposure to toxic fumes, making cannabis ‘safe and effective’ in a clinical trial setting.” Accepted as a delivery device. ”

In one of the studies cited by NORML, in 2018, British researchers found that “the available literature does not link exposure to cannabis smoke with the development of COPD, emphysema, lung cancer, shortness of breath, or irreversible airway damage. It fails to support the relevance of Nonetheless, they “identified associations between marijuana inhalation and more frequent coughing, sputum production, wheezing, and chronic bronchitis, but found that these symptoms largely disappeared after smoking cessation.”

“The long-term respiratory effects of cannabis differ from conventional smoking,” the researchers wrote. normal. “[C]Smoking anabis does not appear to be carcinogenic. ”