Marijuana respiratory effects

Cannabis (eg, marijuana, hashish) Impaired motor coordination, anxiety, slowed reaction time, impaired judgment, conjunctival injection, dry mouth, increased appetite( JWluCin Kwa None Inhibitory G protein, GABA, increased serotonin Abstinence and support Respiratory effects, amotivational syndrome, increased inddence of mental illness... 

Vachon L, Fitzerald MX, Solliday NH, Gould IA, Gaensler EA. Singledose effect of marijuana smoke bronchial dynamics and respiratory-center sensitivity in normal subjects. N Engl J Med 1973 288 985-989. 

Hypersensitivity reactions are rare, but a few have been reported after inhalation. Delayed hypersensitivity reactions, particularly affecting vascular tissue, have been recorded with chronic systemic administration. Tumor-inducing effects are difficult to attribute to cannabis alone. Animal studies have shown neoplastic pulmonary lesions superimposed on chronic inflammation, but such pathology may be primarily associated with the tar produced by burning marijuana. The most serious potential adverse effects of cannabis use come from the inhalation of the same carcinogenic hydrocarbons that are present in tobacco, and some data suggest that heavy cannabis users are at risk of chronic respiratory diseases and lung cancer. 

Data on the longer-term effects of marijuana unfortunately arc sparse and difficult to interpret. The research that has been conducted has focused on four central systems respiratory, cardiovascular, immune, and reproductive. 

It appears the majority of effects associated with marijuana use are more acute than chronic and that longer-term effects tend to be reversible with the termination of drug use. Significant exceptions may occur, however. Smoking marijuana may be found to be linked to various respiratory disorders, including cancer. Most of the negative effects found arc correlated with higher doses and frequency of use than those described by most cannabis smokers in this country. Nevertheless, these indications arc tentative and await confirmation from more systematic and controlled research. 

Known as special K, jet, green, and other names on the street, ketamine is sometimes injected, but can be evaporated to solid crystals, powdered, and smoked, snorted, or swallowed. Marijuana cigarettes are sometimes soaked in the ketamine solution, allowed to dry, and then smoked. Ketamine has become popular as a rave club drug. Side effects include signiflcant transient increases in blood pressure and heart rate, respiratory depression, airway obstruction, apnea, muscular hypertonia, psychomotor and psychotomimetic effects, and acute dystonic reactions. Following overdose, seizures, polyneuropathy, increased intracranial pressure, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest may occur. 

Other studies conducted by government and other research facilities contend that the only proven long-term effects of marijuana use are all related to risks posed by smoking. Users usually inhale marijuana smoke deeply and hold the smoke in their lungs for at least several seconds. Marijuana smoke contains tar, carbon monoxide, and many complex chemicals, almost all of which are respiratory irritants and potential cancer-causing agents. In fact, according to the lOM report, each inhalation of marijuana smoke contains three to five times more tar and carbon monoxide than an equal amount of tobacco smoke. Therefore, a person who smokes marijuana daily for... 

In view of the cardiovascular effects of marijuana, including tachycardia and a tendency to orthostatic hypotension, the use of cannabis by patients with cardiovascular disease is most certainly inadvisable. The older the individual, the greater the risk of unpleasant effects, including toxic psychoses. It would also seem better to avoid the use of marijuana in respiratory disease, in which it is likely to have some of the deleterious effects of tobacco smoking (SED VIII, p. 53). Finally, since cannabis passes the placental barrier, and in view of the many unanswered questions as to its basic effects, it would seem very unwise to take the material during pregnancy. The separate data on this topic have been reviewed very recently by Nis-himura and Tanimura (21 ). 

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