Chronic marijuana and its impact have long been diagnosed with severe physical and mental health deterioration. With every puff session, you potentially expose yourself to a series of intrinsic bodily harms that may bring you down after the high has subsided.
This article will take you through the physical health impact of chronic marijuana usage. So, the next time you roll that blunt, these are some of the consequences you may suffer down the road.
Respiratory Health
Marijuana Smoke and Lung Health
Much like tobacco, marijuana smoke carries within its misty veil a host of chemicals and carcinogens that are not exactly welcome in your lungs.
Chronic Bronchitis Symptoms
Regular usage of pot could cause chronic bronchitis: a persistent cough, a wheezing ensemble, and a phlegm production on overdrive.
Airway Obstruction
The inflammation plying across your large airways is more dangerous than you think.
Potential Lung Cancer Risk
While the experts have not yet confirmed any direct link between cannabis and lung cancer, the carcinogens present in the smoke are dangerously harmful. And when you pair Mary Jane with tobacco it may result in lung cancer.
Impaired Lung Function
With chronic marijuana use, it’s not just a fleeting high; it’s also a series of potential lung function impairments with long-term dangerous consequences.
Tar Deposition
As the smoke of the pot makes its way through the respiratory tract, it deposits more tar tobacco. This tar deposition is for a long-term stay, potentially collecting and destroying the lungs for years.
Alveolar Macrophage Alteration
Alveolar macrophages are vigilant guardians, always on the lookout to evict dust and other unwelcome particles.
Cannabis could potentially throw them off their game, impairing their function and opening the gates for lung infections to trespass.
It’s about making informed choices, like knowing when it’s time to reduce and remove the smoking habit and seek a new chapter of marijuana addiction treatment.
DO YOU KNOW
Marijuana contains more than 100 substances, called cannabinoids. The two most well-understood are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which causes high and cannabidiol (CBD) often used for medicinal purposes.
Cardiovascular Health
Every time you light up the pot, it’s like triggering an alarm in your heart, kicking it into a higher gear.
Elevated Heart Rate
Cannabis has a knack for getting your heart pounding faster, often keeping the beat going for up to three hours post-session.
Increased Blood Pressure
Some studies have shown the deadly leaf’s impact and found that it tends to pump up blood pressure. What this transient surge implies is still undergoing research, awaiting a clearer understanding.
Heart Disease Risk
Combine the sprinting heart rate and the blood pressure on the rise, and you might be spreading an unhealthy environment for your pre-existing cardiovascular conditions. Chronic marijuana not only triggers but aggravates any symptoms.
Arrhythmias
The offbeat rhythms, medically known as tachycardia and atrial fibrillation, could be dangerous, especially if you have pre-existing heart conditions.
Vascular Health
Cannabis might be scattering debris along the highways of arteries, contributing to plaque buildup. As your usage and its impact grows, it creates a roadblock resulting in a dreaded heart disease.
Myocardial Infarction
Some studies hint at the pot being an ominous disease, potentially tying its regular use to heart attacks. It’s even worse for the elderly who may already have shrunk their lung size.
Immune System
Mary Jane not only breaks your heart but has a way of messing up your health, too:
Impact on Immune Response
When you use the weed, it mingles with your immune system’s response. Some studies suggest that compounds in the pot could potentially reduce your immune system’s reaction, which is bad news if you are already fighting infections.
Impact on Inflammatory Processes
Some components of this deadly leaf have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. While this might sound promising, dialing down inflammation too much could potentially throw off your body’s ability to defend itself.
Metabolic Effects
The chronic dalliances with Mary Jane affect your metabolic system in the following way:
Insulin Resistance
Chronic usage may lead to insulin resistance which lets sugar into the cells—a precursor to the dreaded Type 2 diabetes and a host of other metabolic mayhem.
Metabolic Syndrome
Chronic use could result in an increased risk of this syndrome, especially with poor lifestyle choices. It further deteriorates health by causing heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Lipid Profile Alterations
The green weed in regards to cardiovascular health increases lipid levels in your blood. The LDL (bad cholesterol) replaces the HDL (good cholesterol).
Appetite Stimulation And Weight Gain
While some studies show chronic users in a slender light, the appetite-stoking aria could lead to overeating and weight gain, especially for those prone to binge eating.
Impact on Liver Function
The liver, your body’s detoxifier, will work ten times harder which could spiral into severe metabolic fluctuations and a higher risk of liver-linked diseases.
Endocrine Disruption
In your body, chronic marijuana use throws off the endocrine and leaves hormone levels and metabolic processes with reduced functionalities. It results in disrupted physical health and a ruptured metabolism.
The graph below shows cardiopulmonary and cerebrovascular diseases impact young adults who frequently use cannabis.
Musculoskeletal Health
Bone Density
Your bones are like the sturdy framework of a house, holding everything together. When you smoke weed frequently, it might bring along a potential risk to your bone density.
Some studies suggest chronic use could thin out this sturdy framework, making bones more susceptible to fractures.
Muscle Mass
The muscle mass is your body’s powerhouse, helping you move, lift, and live life. Medical research hints that chronic marijuana use might play a part in reducing muscle mass and strength.
Treatments And Interventions For Chronic Marijuana Usage
Mixed Treatments
Mixed treatments are a good start for overcoming Marijuana intake habits. That’s a marriage between talking therapies and behavior-changing techniques to ensure long-term health benefits.
Mental Health Care
Tending to mental health can also mean reducing cannabis usage in a big way. By practicing mindful habits and meditation, you can limit the triggers ultimately resulting in getting rid of the habit altogether.
Specialized Medical Care
The weed’s harmful impact on chronic pain or sleep troubles can be limited with multidisciplinary specialists working together.
Addiction Treatment
If you are unable to control your addiction, then there are a lot of effective treatments like counseling and medication with regular checkups that will help you.
Behavioral Therapies
Think of behavioral therapies as your personal trainers but for the mind. They help flex and stretch your thought patterns and behaviors away from Mary Jane’s allure.
Educational Programs
Through educational programs you will be able to understand the addictive patterns of weed, showing you deathly results, and teaching you how to avoid those habits.
Physical Activity and Healthy Living
Combining regular physical activity, balanced nourishment, and healthy living is your daily dose of armor against the pot-smoking habit. Besides strengthening your body, they help maintain peace amidst stress and anxiety.
Medication
Medication reduces withdrawal symptoms and other health hiccups Mary Jane induces.
Get Help Today
Marijuana is one addictive drug, and you may find yourself caught up in it. Continually educate yourself on the effects of chronic use, and if you wish to quit, don’t hesitate.
Reach out to experts in the addiction scene, and they’ll gladly take you through the process. You’ve got only one body, so take charge of your life and your health.
