Healthcare experts do not fully understand the connection between marijuana and lung health. Changes in marijuana laws have led to increased use. In 2021, about 53.5 million people used marijuana, according to Mayo Clinic Health Systems, prompting people to consider how marijuana might impact their bodies.

Although cannabis smoke and tobacco smoke contain many of the same potent carcinogens, it is unknown whether marijuana promotes the development of lung cancer. The Mayo Clinic states that cigarettes contain more obvious cancer-causing substances, but marijuana is not free of chemicals. Marijuana smoke can contain tar, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, cyanide, benzene, and many other substances. Some of these chemicals have been linked to lung diseases, including cancer.

However, smoking marijuana can cause acute bronchospasm, which is a sudden narrowing of the airways that can make breathing difficult. Regular marijuana use can also raise the risk of developing chronic bronchitis, and vaping does not necessarily make it safer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found vaping products containing marijuana were linked to a 2019 outbreak of E-Cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). Continued vaping of high-potency marijuana concentrates may also increase the risk of mental health problems.

Researchers have long been interested in a potential link between marijuana and lung cancer. The main finding of a 2013 study published in Cancer Causes & Control provided initial long-term evidence that cannabis use might increase lung cancer risk. More research is needed to fully understand the risks of smoking marijuana, including whether it causes lung cancer. Until then, people might want to consider alternative methods of consumption, such as edibles or gummies, which could be safer for the lungs.