PainRelief.com Interview with:
Beth Cohen, MD MAS
Professor of Medicine, UCSF
Co-Director, PRIME Internal Medicine Residency Program
Staff Physician, San Francisco VA Medical Center
PainRelief.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Though rates of tobacco use are declining, rates of cannabis use are increasing as it becomes more widely legal and available. Though there is not as much research on the long-term health effects of cannabis, cannabis and tobacco smoke contain many of the same carcinogens and toxins and both have particulate matter than is harmful when inhaled.
PainRelief.com: What are the main findings?
Response: We were interested in how people perceived the risks of exposure to tobacco versus cannabis smoke- either through direct use or secondhand exposure and whether this was changing over time. We found daily cannabis smoking or secondhand smoke exposure was perceived to be safer than tobacco. From 2017 to 2021, views increasingly favored cannabis.
PainRelief.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: People have a more favorable view of smoking cannabis than tobacco and a small number of people think secondhand smoke exposure to cannabis is completely safe. Though we have more research on the long-term health effects of tobacco than cannabis, Beth Cohen, MD MAS
Professor of Medicine, UCSF
Co-Director, PRIME Internal Medicine Residency Program
Staff Physician, San Francisco VA Medical Center
So, if people are smoking/vaping cannabis, they need to be aware that it isn’t risk free.
PainRelief.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: Due to federal regulations, it is very challenging to study cannabis in research settings. That needs to change. With increasing legalization and use, the public deserves to have accurate information on he potential benefits and risks of cannabis so they can make informed choices about use.
No disclosures
Chambers J, Keyhani S, Ling PM, et al. Perceptions of Safety of Daily Cannabis vs Tobacco Smoking and Secondhand Smoke Exposure, 2017-2021. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(8):e2328691. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.28691
Citation:
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Last Updated on August 11, 2023 by PainRelief.com