Legalize Marijuana Without the Smoke

Abstract

Smoking cigarettes is, without question, bad for your health. But can we say for certain that smoking marijuana is as harmful? Perhaps not for certain, but it is a safe bet according to the available evidence. Studies have shown that smoking marijuana is associated with cancer, respiratory problems and cardiovascular disease. Like many countries, Canada has worked for decades to decrease tobacco smoking. However, the positive effects of this effort may be undone, if the act of smoking in public becomes socially acceptable again after the recreational use of marijuana becomes legal.