Despite marijuana use being pretty common in the US, with just under a quarter of young people smoking regularly, there are still many myths about the devil’s lettuce. Some of these are benign while others can cause actual harm.
In this guide, we’re going to bust some of the most common myths about smoking cannabis and the cannabis industry at large.
Are you ready to learn the truth about weed? Then read on and let’s get started!
1. Does Smoking Cannabis Cause Cancer?
This one is a little tricky: smoking marijuana does release carcinogens and it isn’t good for you. In general, breathing in smoke is bad for your body.
However, cannabis smoking can’t be compared to smoking cigarettes. Most people smoke far fewer joints than they smoke cigarettes, which lowers their risk, even if it’s still there.
If you want to be safer, it’s better to eat or vaporize cannabis instead of smoking it.
2. Is Marijuana Addictive?
In a chemical sense, marijuana is not addictive. It’s not going to hook you in the same way that alcohol or heroin would.
It’s worth noting that you can become dependent on marijuana, but this is very different from being addicted. It’s also still rare for marijuana smokers to become dependent on the drug when compared to other common drugs like cocaine or alcohol.
3. Is Smoking Marijuana a Gateway to Other Drugs?
This is a very common myth and it’s a case of correlation, rather than causation. While those who smoke marijuana are more likely to go on to use other drugs, it’s not the case that marijuana itself causes drug use.
Instead, people who smoke marijuana are more likely to fall into other statistical groups that also use other drugs. People who use other drugs often use marijuana, but marijuana itself isn’t going to turn someone into a heroin addict.
4. Marijuana Is Useless
This is another common myth. Many people seem to think that if you smoke marijuana, you’re going to spend all day doing nothing of importance and contributing nothing to society.
This is rooted in Reefer Madness nonsense. Many people smoke marijuana while living very productive lives, while others use it to deal with medical conditions. Just look at the best weed for pain and you’ll see that many people use marijuana to live fuller lives than they would otherwise be able to.
5. Is Marijuana Dangerous?
Marijuana is one of the safest drugs around. Many studies have demonstrated that it’s safer than alcohol, a far more common drug with worse social effects.
Tainted marijuana that’s been cut with other substances or synthetic cannabinoids can both be dangerous, but weed itself is a very safe way to alter your consciousness.
Marijuana Myths: Busted
We hope that you’ve enjoyed this look at common myths about smoking cannabis and that you now feel more confident having a smoke, vape, or enjoying your edibles! For more great content like this, be sure to check out the rest of our blog.
