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California health board declares marijuana smoke a carcinogen
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If you've visited California in the past twenty years or so, then you've probably seen your fair share of carcinogen warning signs.
Under the statues of Proposition 65, state laws require businesses and that have been known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. If any trace of said harmful chemicals exist in a building in California, you're bound to know about it. Warning signs must be placed in highly-visible areas near entrances and exits. The penalties for non-cooperation are severe.
Each year, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), a subsidiary of the California Environmental Protection Agency, publishes a revised list of all the chemicals deemed to put the Californian public at potential risk.
Guess what substance made the list this year?
That's right, good old medical marijuana. More specifically, marijuana smoke.
On June 19th, the jolly green giant joined an illustrious collection of death-dealing chemicals, amongst them asbestos, carbon monoxide, isoprene, mustard gas, vaporized unleaded gasoline and tobacco smoke.
It's no secret that smoking marijuana could be a potential cause of cancer- but then again, it could be argued that smoking anything can give you cancer. So here's a solution, straight up:
Don't smoke pot.
These days, medical marijuana can consumed in a myriad of forms. Vaporizers, candies, canned drinks, even topical sprays are all very excellent ways to medicate- and all infinitely healthier than sparking up that big fatty.
Marijuana smoke, you see contains up to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke. Users of marijuana almost invariably inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco fiends, which results in an extended exposure to the harmful chemicals inherent in the smoke.
However, there is no rock-solid evidence linking smoking marijuana with lung, upper respiratory or upper digestive tract cancers- at least, not yet. Of course, that doesn't stop the OEHHA from putting pot in the crosshairs.
This decision is going to provide some serious ammo for the (mostly Republican) detractors of the medical marijuana movement. With state-by-state decriminalization and even full-on legalization finally within tangible grasp, it's really going to hurt when said detractors start throwing the 'C' word around.
And believe me, they will.
As a result of Friday's designation, dispensaries across California will now have to display warning signs, as well as separate warning labels on packaging used to store and sell medical marijuana.
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