A new study has found that the breathing of smoke from second-hand marijuana could badly damage the heart and blood vessels in the similar manner as done by the second-hand cigarette smoke.
Scientists said that the damages to the blood vessel will reduce its proper functioning and may raise the risk of developing atherosclerosis that would finally trigger a heart attack.
Atherosclerosis is the health condition or a heart disease causing process, which triggers the build-up of plaque in the arteries, making them narrower and finally leading to a restricted blood flow.
Making the people aware about the harmful effects of marijuana and traditional cigarettes, senior study author Matthew Springer, said, “If you’re hanging out in a room where people are smoking a lot of marijuana, you may be harming your blood vessels. It’s foolish to think marijuana smoke is better as compared to tobacco smoke. All you need to do is avoid them both.”
Springer is an associate professor of Medicine at the University of California in the United States.
The researchers conducted study on the lab rats to find out the effect of second hand marijuana smoke and the misconceptions related to it like they are better than cigarette smokes. During the study, the researchers found that the functioning of the blood vessel in lab rats declined to 70 percent 30 minutes after they were exposed to second-hand marijuana smoke.
The researchers further said that the marijuana continued to be dangerous as it held the ability to impair blood vessel functioning even in the absence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – intoxication producing compound found in marijuana.
Scientists concluded that even if the smoke of marijuana and tobacco are chemically and physically similar, marijuana continue to be more harmful than the traditional cigarettes.
They also expressed concern over the government’s decision of legalizing marijuana for medical purpose in the United States.
The details of the study were presented at the ongoing Scientific Sessions 2014 of the American Heart Association in Chicago, Illinois.
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