Though cannabis is less dangerous than other types of heavy drugs, it has a variety of side effects that users and parents of users should be aware of. While some effects are short term, there is some evidence that regular marijuana use may have long-term risks. Speak with a health-care provider if you fear that your use---or your child's use---of marijuana may be adversely affecting your health or his health.
Lung Health
Cannabis smoke, like all types of inhaled smoke, may have both short- and long-term effects on the user's lung health. Smoking cannabis can lead to respiratory irritation, including pain or inflammation in the lungs, throat and mouth. Long-term use of cannabis may make these problems more severe, and in some cases irreversible. Regular cannabis smokers exhibit the same lung damage seen in regular cigarette smokers. Additionally, long-term exposure to cannabis smoke may increase the individual's susceptibility to lung cancer. Because cannabis smokers tend to hold the smoke in their lungs for prolonged periods before exhaling, the lungs receive a greater exposure to carcinogens per inhalation, compared with cigarette smokers.
Brain Health
When cannabis smoke is inhaled, the lungs absorb a chemical in the cannabis called tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. The THC travels through the bloodstream and to the brain, where it binds with cannabinoid receptors. This produces the sensation typically associated with cannabis use. The effects of the high are most pronounced in the individual's ability to think, concentrate, perceive time and move with coordination, as there is a greater number of cannabinoid receptors in the areas of the brain associated with these activities. These mental effects may cause individuals to engage in risky behavior or be less suited to dealing with dangerous situations than an individual who is not under the effects of cannabis. Additionally, the effects of cannabis on learning and memory may be long term, according to a study published in the "Archives of General Psychiatry."
Heart Health
Cannabis use increases heart rate, with the user's heart beating between 20 percent and 100 percent faster immediately after consuming the drug. Some studies have shown that a user's risk for heart attack more than quadruples in the hour following cannabis consumption. Cannabis may also cause irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, in some individuals, further exacerbating the risk of heart damage or heart attack. The effects are most pronounced in individuals with some history of heart damage, or in individuals who are at a greater risk of heart disease, such as the elderly or individuals with a family history of heart problems.
Reproductive Health
Both men and women suffer from a temporary reduction in fertility after smoking cannabis. In males, there is a temporary reduction in the levels of testosterone, which may have additional hormonal implications outside of reproduction. Additionally, women who consume cannabis during pregnancy may be exposing their fetuses to risks later in life. For instance, women who smoke during their pregnancy may produce a child who has difficulty with memory or problem-solving tasks.
