‘Marijuana: Breaking Down the Buzz’ Helps Clear Up the Confusion

Do you know how long it took for tobacco smoking rates to significantly drop after researchers first linked smoking cigarettes to cancer? 40 years. In the 1920s, when the link to cancer was discovered, smoking was normal---in fact, ads for cigarettes even featured doctors saying it relieved stress! For years, people smoked in their homes and offices, in restaurants and stores, on planes and on trains. Wherever they went…they smoked.  In 1957, the nation’s top doctor—the U.S. Surgeon General—warned that cigarette smoking could cause lung cancer. Other government doctors began to speak out.   Still, people continued to smoke. Overtime, laws to protect the public’s health limiting where people could smoke, increases in the cost of cigarettes, and the growing body of evidence that smoking was directly linked to lung cancer helped lead turn the tide.   Now, it’s surprising to find people smoking inside—it’s the norm for people to have to go outside.                                                           Today, it is marijuana that people, especially younger people, are beginning to view as ‘okay’ or ‘less dangerous’ or ‘normal.’ It reminds us of tobacco nearly 100 years ago—and not in a good way. A big difference, though, is for teens —we already know that using marijuana comes with some serious risks. Evidence is strong that smoking marijuana on a regular basis can harm the developing teen brain.  And long-term...
Source: NIDA Drugs and Health Blog - Category: Addiction Authors: Source Type: blogs