The Impact of Marijuana Legalization on Health: Exploring the Baby Stages of Research
Key Highlights :
With the recent legalization of recreational marijuana in Minnesota, the conversation about how to regulate it and its impacts on business is booming. But what about the impacts on our health? It turns out, there’s a lot we don’t know. That’s because federally funded research into marijuana is largely prohibited due to its legal status, leaving us in the “baby stages” of research.
Dr. Crystal Smith, an assistant research professor at the Washington State University College of Medicine, has been studying cannabis research for a few years now. She says there’s a clear difference between smoking cigarettes and smoking marijuana. “We don’t see the cancerous effects coming from smoking cannabis that we do see from smoking tobacco,” she said. “There’s a very, very clear line of research that links tobacco use, tobacco smoking to lung cancer. We don’t really see that in cannabis use.”
That’s not to say there aren’t any connections between marijuana use and other types of cancer. Dr. Smith notes that there are correlations between cannabis use and testicular cancer, especially when users consume high levels of THC or start using at a young age.
Dr. Charlene McEvoy, a physician and researcher at Health Partners, is a pulmonologist who specializes in the respiratory system. Her advice is clear: avoid smoking anything, no matter what it is. “We should all strive and work towards breathing clean air,” McEvoy said. The American Lung Association agrees, stating that smoking marijuana clearly damages the human lung and advises against it, while calling for more research.
Research does suggest that edibles are less harmful than smoking and vaping is less risky than smoking. However, Dr. Smith notes that vaping anything can still pose other risks, such as potential heavy metal consumption.
Another concern with marijuana use is for women of childbearing age. There’s a correlation between cannabis use and babies being born smaller or pre-term. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says marijuana use during pregnancy can be harmful to your baby’s health.
The CDC also notes that marijuana does affect brain development, and that children and teens are especially susceptible. The effects on things like attention and memory can be permanent.
It’s important to note that none of this information should replace medical advice from your own provider. That’s because how marijuana interacts with your medications, as well as your risk factors based on age, gender, race, occupation, and pre-existing conditions are all variable. If marijuana use is new to you, and if you want to truly understand your specific risk, it’s best to talk to your doctor or a specialist.
The bottom line is that everyone, from the CDC to the doctors WCCO spoke with, is calling for more research. With Minnesota joining 22 other states and Washington D.C. in legalizing recreational marijuana use, it’s important to understand the potential risks and benefits of using it.
