Marijuana in Pennsylvania Should Remain Illegal: Marijuana is Bad for Your Physical Health

Marijuana should remain illegal in Pennsylvania because marijuana use is terrible for your physical health. It is even more toxic than cigarette smoke. According to Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, smoking a single marijuana joint is equivalent to smoking 2.5 to 5 cigarettes in terms of damage to the lungs, largely due to differences in how pot and cigarette users smoke. The Guardian reported July 31 of a study done by researchers at the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand. The study consisted of 339 adult volunteers dived into four groups: marijuana-only smokers, tobacco-only smokers, marijuana and tobacco smokers, and nonsmokers. The researchers found that the deep drag taken by marijuana users, along with their preference for holding smoke in before exhaling can cause problems in the lungs. These problems consist of obstructed airways and hyperinflation of the lungs. The lack of filters on marijuana joints also contributes to lung problems. Regular users are hit with devastating lung problems as much as 20 years earlier than cigarette smokers.. Even small amounts of marijuana can cause temporary sterility and it has a terrible impact on the babies of women who smoke including: birth defects, mental abnormalities and increased risk of leukemia in children.