[Cannabis and the lung - chill or kill?].

Cannabis is the most widely consumed illicit drug in the western world. Cannabis and tobacco smoke contain a similar mix of irritant and toxic chemicals. Therefore, there are reasons to suspect, that cannabis and tobacco have similar side effects. However, the pulmonary effects of smoking cannabis have not been extensively researched and the few findings are contradictory. Among the reasons for this uncertainty are its illegal status and the common practice of combining cannabis with tobacco. Separating the effects of the two substances is therefore difficult.