Using a highly sensitive new test, scientists are reporting in Europe"compelling evidence"that marijuana cigarette smoke damages the genetic material DNA in a way that could increase the risk of cancer.
Scientists note that the toxins in tobacco smoke can damage DNA and increase the risk of lung and other cancers. However, has been uncertainty about whether marijuana cigarette smoke has the same effect. Scientists are particularly concerned about the toxicity of acetaldehyde, the both tobacco and marijuana cigarette. However, it has been difficult to assess DNA damage by acetaldehyde with conventional tests.
The study was led by Rajinder Singh, Jatinderpal Sandhu, Balvinder Kaur, Tina Juren, William P. Steward, Dan Segel Back and Peter B. A farmer from the Cancer Biomarkers and Prevention Group, Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine and Karolinska Institute, Sweden.
Raj Singh said:"parts of plants Cannabis sativa, Also known as marijuana, ganja, and various street names, are commonly smoked as a recreational drug, although its use in such purposes is illegal in many countries.
The scientists describe development and use of the modified mass spectroscopy method showed clear evidence that marijuana cigarette smoking damaged DNA.
"There have been many studies on the toxicity of tobacco smoke. It is known that tobacco smoke are 4000 substances of which 60 are classed as carcinogens. Cannabis receive has not been so well studied. It is less combustible than tobacco and is often mixed with tobacco in use. Marijuana cigarette smoke contains 400 compounds including 60 cannabinoids. However, because of lower combustibility that it contains 50% more carcinogenic aromatic hydrocarbons of naphthalene, benzanthracene and benzopyrene, but tobacco smoke."
Contributors to:"It is well known that toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke can damage DNA and increase the risk of lung and other cancers. Scientists were not sure though whether marijuana cigarette smoking would have the same effect. Our study has focused on the toxicity of acetaldehyde, which is present in both tobacco and cannabis."
The researchers add that the ability of cannabis smoke to damage DNA has significant human health implications especially where users tend to inhale more deeply than cigarette smokers, which increases the respiratory burden."The smoking 3-4 marijuana cigarettes a day is associated with the same degree of damage to the bronchial mucous membrane such as 20 or more tobacco cigarettes a day,"the team adds.
"Finally, these results provide evidence of DNA damage potential marijuana cigarette smoke, indicating that consumption of marijuana cigarettes can be harmful to human health with the opportunity to initiate cancer development,"the article states."The data obtained from this study suggests that the DNA-damaging potential cannabis smoke emphasize the need for strict rules on the consumption of marijuana cigarettes, thereby limiting the development of health effects like cancer. "
