Smoking tobacco and marijuana have long been practiced in different parts of the world, but of the two, smoking tobacco is widely accepted while marijuana is yet to be legalized in some states.
Smoking is of great concern to different health organizations. It is not a hidden fact that cigarette smoking is the cause of several illnesses. Based on the World Health Organization’s data, as of May 2020, smoking tobacco kills 8 million every year.
Meanwhile, marijuana is becoming more known for its capabilities to treat certain ailments as more states legalize it for medicinal use. Despite this fact, smoking marijuana still has not gained the acceptance that the public has for tobacco.
Given that, to a certain extent, marijuana has healing properties whereas tobacco does not, one might ask: Is weed better than tobacco? If we are to compare smoking weed vs cigarettes, which is safer? Let us take a quick look at how these two differ.
The Composition
Tobacco is a plant containing alkaloid nicotine and harmala alkaloids. Nicotine is known to be a highly addictive stimulant that can be consumed through chewing, sniffing, and dipping.
Marijuana or weed is a psychoactive drug that comes from a cannabis plant. Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the compounds found in cannabis. THC causes the euphoric feeling or the feeling of being high, while CBD is the compound commonly used in medicinal treatments as it helps people feel more relaxed and less anxious.
The Health Risks
Smoking tobacco can cause lung cancer, bronchitis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, and stroke.
Smoking weed releases dopamine that heightens sensory perception, affecting one’s sense of balance. High levels of THC can alter how you process information. This could result in an impaired judgment. As for the respiratory system, smoking weed can cause lung irritation and bronchitis with excessive use.
The Health Benefits
Some claim that tobacco is helpful as a sedative, pain reliever, and antiseptic.
Weed can help manage chronic pain from arthritis, migraine, endometriosis, and fibromyalgia. The CBD component of weed helps in reducing inflammation. Its relaxing effect helps improve sleep disorders like insomnia, and it is known to be effective in treating certain types of epilepsy. Cannabis can stimulate appetite and reduce nausea and vomiting, making it suitable for those undergoing treatment for cancer.
Pot Smoking VS Cigarettes
Based on the given facts, one can infer that there are inherent benefits to marijuana vs tobacco, and tobacco causes more problems than marijuana.
Whether you are still caught in the middle of choosing between smoking weed vs cigarettes, there is just one thing for sure: Anything in excess can be hazardous to your health.
Should you want to explore the world of weed for what it can do to manage pain and other ailments, come over to Altitude Organic Cannabis at our dispensary near Silverthorne, Colorado. Our staff will be more than happy to take your questions. At Altitude Organic Cannabis, we believe that growing marijuana should be based on quality natural methods to produce the best results in flavor, aroma, safety, and effect, so you can be assured that you are getting quality marijuana. Should you need more information, please feel free to explore our website.
