JUST AS BAD AS TOBACCO: STUDY

(CNS) - Smoking pot can cause as much damage to cells and DNA as
tobacco smoke, according to a group of Canadian researchers who are
challenging the belief that marijuana is less harmful than cigarettes.

Rebecca Maertens, a researcher from Health Canada and co-author of
the study, says many Canadians believe marijuana smoke is less toxic,
and causes less damage than tobacco because pot is "natural."

Despite several experiments that show marijuana use to have adverse
health effects, the prevalence of marijuana use in Canada has
increased over the past decade, while the incidence of tobacco use
has decreased.