“It is a widely accepted fact that cannabis (…and other great hallucinogens) have been linked numerous times to allowing people everywhere; from writers, to artists, and even amongst the most advent doodlers as being a smooth gateway to better and more insightful pieces of art. So take your brush of choice and blow some minds… this is Stoner Art.”

One of the most common misconceptions still portrayed by the general, misinformed public is that marijuana has similar effects to tobacco inhalation on the human lungs. I am sure we all have heard someone stupendously try to say one joint of marijuana is equivalent to the effects of a cigar or five cigarettes on the lungs in terms of damage. However, numerous peer-reviewed, scholarly studies have disproved this nonsense, while many have actually found the medicinal benefits of cannabis to be quite spectacular for people experiencing asthma and even lung cancer. In a study by Donald P Tashkin called, “Effects of Marijuana Smoking on the Lung,” he concludes “habitual use of marijuana alone does not appear to lead to significant abnormalities in lung function.” In addition, Tashkin dismisses the possibility of cannabis causing more severe lung diseases by saying there is “no clear link to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.” The following video actually shows the residue left over from smoking marijuana, and many of you might find it quite surprising.

I mean seriously, when is the last time you have ever heard of someone contracting emphysema from smoking too much pot? It simply is not possible, because marijuana is not overly processed in the same ways that modern day cigarettes are. In fact, cigarettes today are less tobacco and more paper, chemicals, and waste. The American Lung Association takes note of over 16 different poisons present in cigarettes including, lead (found in batteries and paint), acetone (used as nail polisher remover), and ammonia (utilized for household cleaning), among others. That being said, the carcinogens and inherent properties of smoke can damage the lungs from smoking marijuana in harsher forms. Therefore, the list of danger associated with inhalation is as follows: blunts, joints, bowls, water pipes, bongs, and finally, the best for you, vaporizers. Essentially, vaporizers attempt to bypass the harmful effects by only heating the cannabis up to a temperature where only the cannabinoids vaporize, around 430 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of the main components creating the “high” associated with marijuana, only needs to be heated up to a temperature of 315 degrees Fahrenheit. With this in mind, most standard BIC lighters are capable of burning at around 1200-3500 degree’s Fahrenheit, which torches the cannabis, thus releasing all of the harmful components of the dried plant, alongside the cannabinoids. Usually, this leaves the typical user with a lack of clarity, feeling heavy, and generally experiencing couch lock for prolonged periods of time. In order to avoid this phenomenon, stoners should rely on cleaner methods of cannabis absorption, such as vaporizing or even experimenting with edibles, which fuse the active ingredients of cannabis to the fat cells of butter or oil for cooking purposes.

Rather than going down to the corner store to pick up a week’s worth of Zig Zags so that you can roll blunts for every smoke session, consider changing it up a little. Bring some diversity into your sesh and you might be surprised by the alteration it makes to your high due to the consumption of different chemicals. Although, who could turn down a perfectly rolled L?