Is Marijuana Harmful?

Marijuana is legal in 23 states as a recreational drug, and in 40 for medical reasons. About 88% of Americans believe it should be perfectly legal in some form. Reputable universities like the University of Alabama, Cornell, the University of Mississippi, and others are conducting research, while scientists continue to discover the benefits and harms of cannabis.

People still wonder if marijuana is harmful. The answer isn’t really if you consume in moderation. As with most things (sugar, drinking, etc.), overconsumption can lead to a variety of problems.

RELATED: Science says medical marijuana improves quality of life

A popular argument for legalizing cannabis for adults is its harmful health effects, which are minor compared to other legal (alcohol and tobacco) and illegal drugs. Research has shown that marijuana is better and gentler on the body than alcohol. More than 33,000 North Americans die each year from alcohol-related causes. 0 deaths were documented from marijuana use alone.

Scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder conducted a review of existing imagery examining the effects of alcohol and marijuana/cannabis on the brain.

Their findings linked alcohol consumption to long-term changes in the structure of white and gray matter in the brain. However, marijuana use did not appear to have any significant long-term effects on brain structure.

Study leader Rachel Thayer from the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder and colleagues recently reported their findingsTrusted Source in Addiction magazine.

Cigarettes are more harmful to the body and each year over 500,000 people die in the United States and Canada as a result of smoking. But smoking cannabis isn’t the best either. Smoking puts strain on the lungs. Cigarette smokers tend to use a pack or more per day while marijuana smokers use less, but both damage the lungs. If you want to use it, there are alternatives other than a joint.

Photo by Cappi Thompson/Getty Images

Medical marijuana is considered important for cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, and more.

The FDA has not approved the cannabis plant for medical use. However, they have approved several drugs containing individual cannabinoids. Epidiolex has been approved for the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome, two rare and severe forms of epilepsy. Dronabinol and nabilone are used to treat nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy. Dronabinol is also used to treat loss of appetite and weight loss in people living with HIV/AIDS.

There are studies showing how it could help with Alzheimer’s, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma and more. Most of the evidence supporting the therapeutic effects of cannabis relates to its ability to relieve chronic pain, nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, and spasticity [tight or stiff muscles] from MS.

RELATED: Nausea? Marijuana could provide instant relief

Consistent with numerous other studies, researchers report that patients who use medicinal cannabis report improvements in health-related quality of life, most of which last over time. Adverse events were rarely serious.

So the answer is, if you use alcohol, cigarettes, or marijuana, marijuana is most likely best for your body.