It's a quiet Saturday night. It's been a hectic week at work. You are sitting comfortably in your own living room in your favorite La-Z-Boy recliner rocker feet propped up, relaxing and playing with your children.
Suddenly, a strange aroma catches your immediate attention. The mysterious scent wafts easily into your apartment or condominium through the spaces and gaps in your front door. The intruder is colorless but invasive.
You recognize the source of the invisible intruder and smile knowingly to yourself. Your children then ask you , "Daddy, what's that smell?". You immediately answer them , "It's only pot kids. Someone's partying. Nothing to worry about." Or is there?
Many folks believe that marijuana is less harmful than cigarettes. They believe the smoke is less toxic because after all they were told that tobacco is processed and filled with contaminants and carcinogenic materials while pot is "natural".
Rebecca Maerens, a researcher from Health Canada, recently wrote, "second hand smoke from pot can cause as much damage to cells and DNA as tobacco smoke".
In Canada the use of cannabis among the 15 to 24 year old group has increased while tobacco use has appreciably declined. Many of these young people smoke pot on a daily basis under the illusion that it's safer then cigarettes.
It should be pointed out that neither marijuana nor the main psychoactive ingredient in the plant, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) , has been shown to cause cancer. However, substances found in marijuana can cause health problems such as chronic bronchitis.
One study found that marijuana smoke compromised lung efficiency between 2.5 and five times more than tobacco smoke. Researchers still lack the knowledge about the plant's potential to cause lung cancer.
In a 2007 New Zealand study researchers exposed animal cells and bacteria to smoke from marijuana and tobacco. They discovered that the smoke from the marijuana caused "significantly more damage to cells and DNA then tobacco".
So, what can you personally do to protect yourself and loved ones? Be proactive. Talk with offending neighbors and tell them your concerns. At the very least ask them to place towels at the base of their apartment door to contain the smoke in their own residence. Suggest that perhaps they open a few windows to vent the smoke filled air outside. Speak with your landlord. Express your views and concerns on the issue.
I realize that many folks consider pot to be a recreational drug. Some folks smoke it to alleviate medical aches and pains and ease the physical torments and traumas caused by certain cancers. But these same folks should also realize their responsibility to their neighbors and the health of their neighbors' children.
The beneficial and the negative effects of both tobacco and marijuana will probably be researched for many years to come. The negative effects of both drugs seem to crop up daily. The number of young people falling prey to both drugs is a concern as their ill health affects our health care costs down the road. Education and research is the only way to educate those folks swayed by myths and beliefs in both drugs.
I was once at a "party" where all but one did not get into any drugs (I had never met him before). Well, I was sitting talking to him and he seemed pretty normal. Then he took two bits of cigarette paper and rolled them together. Just before he filled it I asked him to move away as I hate people smoking tobacco beside me.
However, it was not tobacco it was Cannabis and there were young children around. I immediately demanded that he get rid of it or leave at once. Others supported me and he when home to have a smoke and drop it off before returning an hour latter.
Thank you Connor for your comments and real life experience.
The typical weekend drill for many people I know who live in apartments and or condominiums involves putting towels under their front doors and masking tape around the door jams to protect their youngsters.
At times it is not very productive to chat with the resident property manager about these incidents. But , hopefully, neighbors can be swayed to be more attuned to concerns of other neighbors if someone speaks up and addresses this situation.
I am glad you enjoyed the article and congratulate you for having the courage of your convictions to speak up when faced with such a situation. Good for you!
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