Marijuana vs Menthol - The Racism Chasing Of Inhaled Agents

I just listened to a medical doctor taking the latest trends for the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes to task.

He pointed out the fact that there is no other pharmacological substance that is inhaled via smoking.   Those who stood against cigarette smoking because of the carcinogens that are taken in by the body are being quite dubious in their support for medical marijuana.

As I listened to his interesting angle I began to customize it toward the issues raised about Black folks.

On the one hand the California NAACP came out in support of legalizing marijuana because they claim that it is a vector by which police forces harass Black people and incarcerate us.  This, in my view, is a rather sly way to achieve the legalization of weed on the backs of claims of discrimination and "racism chasing".

As I thought about the issue further I recalled the present grievances against tobacco companies for making mentholated cigarettes.  These are considered "Black Cigarettes" because Blacks appear to favor the taste of menthol and thus the cigarette companies are conspiring to kill Blacks by rendering lung disease upon us - all through menthol - with a free bottle of Old English 800 malt liquor to boot.


From Drugpolicy.org

Myth: Marijuana is More Damaging to the Lungs Than Tobacco. Marijuana smokers are at a high risk of developing lung cancer, bronchitis, and emphysema.

(Bloggers note - notice the qualifications of "more" and "higher" as a means of setting up a straw man to tear it down)

Fact: Moderate smoking of marijuana appears to pose minimal danger to the lungs. Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains a number of irritants and carcinogens. But marijuana users typically smoke much less often than tobacco smokers, and over time, inhale much less smoke. As a result, the risk of serious lung damage should be lower in marijuana smokers. There have been no reports of lung cancer related solely to marijuana, and in a large study presented to the American Thoracic Society in 2006, even heavy users of smoked marijuana were found not to have any increased risk of lung cancer. Unlike heavy tobacco smokers, heavy marijuana smokers exhibit no obstruction of the lung's small airway. That indicates that people will not develop emphysema from smoking marijuana.