Is It Worse for Teens to Smoke Pot or Cigarettes?

by SodaHead Living Posted 2012/06/11 18:00:00

Related Topics: Teens, Pot, Cigarettes, smoking, High School, Student, Smoke Pot, School, students, Marijuana, Alcohol, Drinking, Binge Drinking, News, Bad, Smoke

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1,724 votes
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	Pot	407 votes	24%
	Cigarettes	1,317 votes	76%

Here's the good news: Fewer teens are smoking cigarettes. Here's the bad news: More of them are smoking pot. A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that only 18 percent of teens said they smoked a cigarette in the past 30 days, but 23 percent said they smoked marijuana in the same time frame.

So why are adolescents choosing pot over cigarettes? A study from the University of Michigan found that teens have gotten the message that cigarettes are bad for you, but seem to believe marijuana is less harmful.

Alcohol, however, is still teens' top drug of choice. More than 1 in 3 high school students reported current alcohol use in 2011, and 1 in 5 high school students reported binge drinking, CBS reports. Do you think it's more dangerous for teens to smoke pot? Or cigarettes?

+53

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Stoner 2012/06/11 18:08:41

Cigarettes

+40
All causes of death per year 2,436,652

Cardiovascular diseases 779,367
Malignant neoplasms 568,668
Lack of Health Insurance3 44,789
Drug induced2 37,485
Suicide 36,547
Motor vehicle accidents 36,284
Septicemia (infections) 35,587
by Firearms 31,224
Accidental poisoning 30,504
Alcohol induced 23,199
Homicide 16,591
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 9,424
Viral hepatitis 7,652
Cannabis (Marijuana) 0
Major marijuana myth: pot use use can be a cause of death. So say many anti-drug warriors, such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who recently wrote to a constituent that "marijuana and other narcotics" can lead to death.

PotleafAccording to Time magazine, "No one has ever died of THC [marijuana] poisoning, mostly because a 160-pound person would have to smoke roughly 900 joints in a sitting to reach a lethal dose."

In 1988, DEA Administrative Judge Francis Young concluded, "In order to induce death, a smoker would have to consume 20,000 to 40,000 times as much marijuana as is contained in one marijuana cigarette."
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More polls by SodaHead Living

MrNoodle 2012/06/12 16:32:55

Cigarettes

No contest. Cigarettes are just a drug delivery system-nicotine- as stated in tobacco company memos. Nicotine is a very addictive drug with none of the benefits of marijuana, and none of the healing properties. Pot is not addictive.

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ilikewater to MrNoodle 2012/06/12 16:48:59 (edited)

Pot is "mildly" addictive (in the physical sense). I say mildly because the withdrawals do not compare or come close to that of the hard drugs, it's more like caffeine withdrawal. And it is definitely addictive mentally. Some people may not feel the pull, but some people who smoke crack or try H also don't feel that pull...

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Jessica 2012/06/12 16:32:18

Pot

+2
I only say this because it is illegal. With the random drug testing that occurs in schools, pot can potentially destroy a teen's record (at least for a while IF it gets revoked as an adult). Aside from the legal perspective, health wise I think cigarettes are probably worse which means it would of course be worse for teens in that case.

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Lisa 2012/06/12 16:32:00 (edited)

Cigarettes

+1
Everyone here seems to assume smoking pot is illegal. It's not where I live - California. Also, I've never seen a contemporary or historical medicinal use for cigarettes.

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shadowcat_2 2012/06/12 16:31:44

Pot

+2
Better smoking NEITHER t

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zarah 2012/06/12 16:29:47

Cigarettes

I think they're more addictive.

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john doe 2012/06/12 16:28:39

Cigarettes

Cigarettes have 600 known additives that combine into over 4000 when burned. Alot of the additives are there to make cigarettes even more physically addictive, pot however is only mentally addictive.

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Shae 2012/06/12 16:25:51

Cigarettes

Is it really better to choose the one that gives 1 out of 3 cancer? Ill stick with pot.

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CMfan1012 2012/06/12 16:23:07 (edited)

Pot

+2
Both. Had to pick one to comment but to me I think there both bad they both bring cancer any tobacco brings cancer and weed gets you want to try other drugs they are illegal for a reason I think cigarettes should be illegal as well

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gjennin... to CMfan1012 2012/06/12 16:28:58

+3
pot dosn't cause cancer no more than the food you eat.It dosn't lead you to other drugs either. You have your own mind whether you want something different.The media made you haters and never triers scared. pot has proven to never kill anyone. Its what you take with it like alcohol that messes you up.Willie is pretty damn healthy ,and he is stll smoking pot.

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alex to CMfan1012 2012/06/12 17:41:12

hemp oil cures cancer. look it up.

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gjennin... to alex 2012/06/19 19:36:52

what do you think pot has.its a hemp.

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JD1980 2012/06/12 16:20:19

Pot

+3
The reason being...pot alters the thought process, whereas cigarettes do not! It also works the memory loss...take from a long time ex-toker from the 70's

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gjennin... to JD1980 2012/06/12 16:32:44

+1
Iam also an ole toker from the 60s and 70;s and age is what loses your mind ,not pot.The government has got everybody so scared because they havn't found a way to make profit,only reason it isn't legal.If it was legal we could grow and they couldn't make money, though most likley over half of the government etc. smoke it.

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JD1980 to gjennin... 2012/06/13 20:46:29

Are you saying that you think your reflex or response time are the same when your baked???

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f*cker to JD1980 2012/06/12 16:37:32

+1
Cigarettes create addiction, that is thought altering. Experiencing addiction of any kind carries plenty of dangerous potentialities. From what I understand the idea of pot causing brain damage and memory loss is unclear also. In some studies pot shows to increase neuron development in the brain. The reason that chronic pot smokers have memory loss might not be because of brain damage, but because they are too high all the time to properly develop memories. Memories develop best where there is increased emotional affect, such as pain, pleasure, happiness, etc. When you're high you're not experiencing the regular emotions you do when you're sober, therefore moderating emotions' effects on increasing memory.

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gjennin... to f*cker 2012/06/19 19:45:06

lol . stress and percribe drugs make your memory lost.if you have never smoke it ,than you cant condem it. Its a natural herb which grows like the grass you walk on. dandelions can be a food or a drink.Its when you screw with natural herbs and put chemicals with it like everything in the world now, that 's what hurts you. Why would professers,lawyers, law officials smoke it if it harmed you.

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Eyes Se... to JD1980 2012/06/12 17:11:38

+1
Cigarettes alter your life expectancy and can make a 25 year old look and feel like a 50 year old. Nicotine = Heroin , Crack.

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gjennin... to Eyes Se... 2012/06/19 19:45:30

that is a fact.

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~gothique 2012/06/12 16:18:57

Cigarettes

+3
When my late son smoked pot, he was fine to be around. When he got drunk, he was terrible to be around. He had been drinking the night he aspirated some vomit, lost control of his car and crashed, sustaining injuries which eventually took his life. Had he been high, he wouldn't have been driving fast, as he always told me when driving high, he was hyper-careful. I will always come down on the side of pot being the better choice, and I damn sure know pot is better than a cigarette.

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gjennin... to ~gothique 2012/06/19 19:46:06

thats a fact too.

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Laura 2012/06/12 16:18:34

Cigarettes

While pot is not good for you, most pot smokers do t smoke anywhere near what a cig smoker smokes. Plus cig smoking is an absolutely disgusting and addictive habit. My friends who smoke cigs seem to need a minimum of one cigarette an hour, often more. They ate constantly smoking. It's actually pretty sad to watch.

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boneman1 2012/06/12 16:15:54

Cigarettes

It's not good that they're smoking either one of them, but in most cases I think cigarettes are worse because most people will smoke many more cigarettes. This might not be the case for people that smoke pot on a regular basis though. A New Zealand study showed that one joint was equivalent to twenty cigarettes when looking at the risk of cancer, so when it comes down to it they're both bad for you.

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john doe to boneman1 2012/06/12 16:31:52

That study was done comparing a filtered cigarette to a filterless joint. Other studies have shown the exact opposite saying the thc resin breaks down easily and quickly in the lungs, tabacco tar takes years and years.

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boneman1 to john doe 2012/06/12 16:50:18

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana smoke contains 50-70% more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke, and that pot smokers usually inhale more deeply and hold their breath, which can lead to an even larger increase in exposure to the smoke.

There aren't alot of studies on marijuana and cancer, but this article implies that not only is there a possibility that it can cause cancer, it may also damage DNA.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/r...

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john doe to boneman1 2012/06/12 18:09:03 (edited)

Just the hydrocarbons, that's it, some aren't even considered that bad and are in your everyday food. Smoking anything is bad for you I'm sure, just sick of all the hypocrisy with drugs, only the government can tell you what drugs you can use. Cigarettes contain about 600 know additives, I'm sure they are worse than the few hydrocarbons found in the pot. Was the study done with plain tobacco or one of Philip Morris cancer sticks? I am interested to know what is considered "damage" to DNA.

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gjennin... to boneman1 2012/06/19 19:54:53

I have seen a show yrs. ago where London has a cure for cancer, but our screwed up country dont want to try.I believe its a population control from the government .There are other countries can cure different diseases . When a Dr. in London has 30 patients taking pills he perscribed for his patients with cancer and all of them got cured, there's a problem with our country.

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gjennin... to john doe 2012/06/19 19:50:52

you know you eat a peck of dirt in your life. thats not good for you.keep listening to the media and all of your statistics. If I listen do half of the crap said I wouldn't be here to reply to you.

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john doe to gjennin... 2012/06/20 02:52:57

What is your point?

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gjennin... to boneman1 2012/06/19 19:48:18

its not good to take asprins a lot either. half of the food you eat isn't good for you, some of the air you breath isn't either. you can go on and on whats not good for you.nowdays what really is good for you.

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Tigger Too 2012/06/12 16:15:15
KajaWay 2012/06/12 16:14:24

Cigarettes

id still say pot is better , even tho every drug that involves smoke blurs your mind and makes you kinda dumb.

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gjennin... to KajaWay 2012/06/12 16:35:18

It is better. The asprin you take is worst .the man ( GOD) isn't going to put anything on earth that will hurt you.Man hurts himself.

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shazam 2012/06/12 16:13:32

Pot

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I meant to click cigarettes! How do I undo my atrocious error?

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cowboy to shazam 2012/06/12 16:27:54

+1
By quitting pot! LOL!

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shazam to cowboy 2012/06/12 16:43:25

+1
Hilarious! :D

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Adrian1265 2012/06/12 16:13:25

Cigarettes

Who cares..... They are both extremely bad for your health. Why would anyone want to know which is worse when you can avoid them altogether. Saying that one is 'less bad' isn't an excuse for you to consume either of them

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gjennin... to Adrian1265 2012/06/12 16:37:18

might as well avoid eatting too ,because the food nowdays are worst for you than any kind of joint. More health issues cancer, dietbetics etc. is caused by the food we eat.

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Adrian1265 to gjennin... 2012/06/12 16:40:10

That's stupid. If you don't eat, you starve. If you don't smoke... you avoid all the negative effects of smoking

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gjennin... to Adrian1265 2012/06/19 19:57:14

Thats right you do starve if you dont eat, but most of the food nowdays are the problem ,not pot.all the chemicals that are put in our food.

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