Cannabis

Smoking 7: Tar in the lungs

Cannabis smoke also contains tar. The tar attaches itself to the inside of the windpipe (trachea) and the air sacs of the lungs (alveoli). This damages the air sacs, and they become inflamed. White blood cells are released from the blood to take away the tar and fight theinflammation.

In people who smoke a lot of cannabis or tobacco, the damaged cells die off. They are replaced by mucous cells. These produce large quantities of mucus, which have to be coughed up. This is a smokers’ cough. The frequent coughing can cause further damage to the air sacs in the lungs. The lungs will then function less efficiently.

Furthermore, the tar can alter the genetic makeup of the cells of the respiratory system and trigger the development of cancer.