Pubdate: Thu, 06 Aug 2009
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2009 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Canwest News Service

POT, TOBACCO FOUND EQUALLY HARMFUL

Research - Smoking pot can cause as much damage to cells and dna as 
tobacco smoke, according to a group of Canadian researchers who are 
challenging the belief that marijuana is less harmful than cigarettes.

Rebecca Maertens, a researcher from health Canada and coauthor of the 
study, says many Canadians believe marijuana smoke is less toxic and 
causes less damage than tobacco because pot is "natural."

Neither marijuana nor the main psychoactive component of the plant, 
thC, has been shown to cause cancer. negative health effects induced 
by smoking marijuana, such as chronic bronchitis, have been well 
documented, as have other negative health effects.

Although marijuana smoke caused significantly more damage to cells 
and dna than tobacco, according to the study, only tobacco smoke 
caused chromosome damage.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart