Is Marijuana Good for You? The Answers May Surprise You

Now that recreational marijuana use is legal in some states, studies investigating the short- and long-term health effects of lighting a fatty are everywhere.

Here’s a roundup of some of the scientifically documented advantages:

• It can improve lung function. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2012 found that smoking marijuana may improve lung capacity and even reverse lung damage caused by tobacco.
• Small doses may ease anxiety. Marijuana can help to quell pain and nausea, but this study indicated that these effects may actually be a by-product of marijuana’s sedative effects. Higher doses can have the opposite effect on users.
• It may help epileptics to have fewer seizures. A study conducted in 2003 found that when epileptic rats were given synthetic marijuana and marijuana extract, they didn’t have seizures for 10 hours.
• It may prevent glaucoma. Red eyes? So what. When smoked, marijuana can decrease the pressure in the eyes, potentially preventing glaucoma, an eye disease that can cause blindness.
• Cannabidiol, a compound found in weed, may make cancer cells less likely to spread. Researchers found that cannabidiol turned off a gene that cancer cells make copies of to spread.
• THC may prevent Alzheimer’s disease. A study published in 2006 in Molecular Pharmaceutics reported that THC slows the formation of plaques related to Alzheimer’s disease.
• Marijuana may help to alleviate symptoms of arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s, Parkison’s and treatment-related side effects of diseases including cancer and hepatitis C. While marijuana isn’t a cure, it may help to ease pain-related symptoms.
• Harm reduction research suggests that marijuana may be a less harmful substitute for alcohol, prescription, and illegal drug addicts. Though marijuana is addictive, it doesn’t cause as much damage to the body as other addictive substances.

Sound too good to be true? Of course it is. As with any drug, there are risks associated with weed use. Here are a handful of the known ones, as indicated in a recent literature review:

• Marijuana can impair short-term memory. Yup, the forgetful stoner is a real thing.
• Impaired coordination. This is why you should never, ever drive while stoned. Smoking weed can increase your risk of injury.
• High doses can lead to anxiety, paranoia, and psychosis.
• Long-term and especially daily use can cause addiction. Approximately 9% of marijuana users become addicted.
• Marijuana is associated with increased likelihood of dropping out of school among adolescents. Adolescent use was also linked to altered brain development, and cognitive impairment and lower IQ.
• It can contribute to a diminished sense of achievement and overall life satisfaction.
• Marijuana use may increase your risk of mental health disorders such as schizophrenia in persons who are predisposed to those disorders.

So, will smoking a little pot every now and then cause you to keel over in your early fifties? Probably not. Can hitting a bong six times a day impact you in the long term? Unless you suffer from one of the health conditions listed above, it’s probably not the best idea ever.

Maybe there simply is no definitive answer as to whether pot is good or bad for you. The key is to weigh the advantages and disadvantages, and make a choice that makes sense for you.

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