Pulmonary Effects of Marijuana Inhalation

Megan L Howden; Matthew T Naughton

Expert Rev Resp Med. 2011;5(1):87-92.

Five-year View

The use of marijuana has remained reasonably stable over recent years. The aim of the medical system should be to reduce marijuana smoking through increased education about the potential adverse effects. Harm minimization should be the aim, with constructive advice about methods to reduce the inhalation of toxic components in those patients unwilling to consider quitting. In particular, alternative methods of consumption or reduced depth and length of inhalation may reduce the potential for lung damage. While further studies would add to the weight of evidence about these adverse effects, the problems associated with obtaining accurate data will remain.

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Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Cite this: Pulmonary Effects of Marijuana Inhalation - Medscape - Feb 01, 2011.

Table 1. Respiratory function tests showing preserved forced expiratory volume in 1 s but elevated forced vital capacity.
Respiratory function test	Absolute value	Predicted	Normal range
FEV₁	3.18 l	104	>2.43 l
FVC	4.64 l	122	>2.98 l
FER	69%	84	>70%
VA	5.4 l	104	>4.4 l
TLCO	19.3 ml/min/mmHg	76	>20.7 ml/min/mmHg
TLCO (Hb)^†	19.4 ml/min/mmHg	76	>20.7 ml/min/mmHg
KCO	3.6 ml/min/mmHg/l	77	3.4–6.0 ml/min/mmHg
KCO (Hb)^†	3.6 ml/min/mmHg/l	77	3.4–6.0 ml/min/mmHg
FRC	4.27 l	124	2.5–4.4 l
TLC	6.63 l	109	5.0–7.1 l
RV	2.14 l	98	1.5–2.9 l
RV/TLC	32%	<44%

^†(Hb) represents values corrected for hemoglobin.
TLCO is mildly reduced although within normal limits when corrected for alveolar volume. Other lung volumes are normal.
FER: Forced expiratory ratio; FEV₁: Forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FRC: Functional residual capacity; FVC: Forced vital capacity; KCO: Carbon monoxide diffusion capacity corrected for alveolar volumes; RV: Residual volume; TLC: Total lung capacity; TLCO: Carbon monoxide diffusion capacity; VA: Alveolar volume.

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