Sleep & stress · Guide 03
What does smoking ganja do to your body?
What smoking cannabis does to the lungs, heart, mind and daily life, in plain words, and the signs that need urgent care.
Dr. D.K. Sharma, BAMS5 min read
What does smoking ganja do to the body?
About 65 seconds to readSmoking ganja or charas affects the body within minutes: the heart beats faster, the eyes redden, the mouth gets dry, and thinking, memory and reaction time slow down.13 Over months and years, the side effects of regular smoking can include irritated lungs and, for some people, changes in mood, sleep and motivation.23
Urgent signs: Chest pain, a racing or irregular heartbeat that does not settle, fainting, trouble breathing, severe confusion, or seeing or hearing things that are not there need emergency care now. The full list is under "When it can't wait".14
Key points
- The heart rate rises for a few hours after smoking.1
- Cannabis smoke carries many of the same harmful substances as tobacco smoke.2
- Mixing it with tobacco, as many smokers do, adds the risks of tobacco.
- Regular use can lead to dependence: finding it hard to cut down even when you want to.3
We don't sell cannabis, and this page is not a guide to using it.
Key points from this guide
Each line is quoted word for word from the section it links to.
Contents 11 parts · 5 min
- The short answer
- What does it do to the lungs and breathing?
- What does it do to the heart and blood pressure?
- What does it do to the mind, memory and mood?
- What happens to daily life with regular use?
- Is ganja safe for the lungs because it is herbal?
- When it can't wait
- When reading is not enough
- What to note before you go
- Questions people ask
- Sources
What does it do to the lungs and breathing?
Cannabis smoke contains many of the same toxins and irritants found in tobacco smoke.2 People who smoke it regularly are more likely to have a cough, more phlegm and episodes of bronchitis-like symptoms, which often ease after stopping.2
What does it do to the heart and blood pressure?
Within minutes of smoking, the heart beats faster, and this can last for a few hours.1 For most young, healthy people this passes. For someone with heart disease, high blood pressure or chest pain, it is a real strain.1
What does it do to the mind, memory and mood?
In the short term, cannabis affects attention, memory and coordination, which is why driving after smoking is dangerous.3 Some people feel relaxed, while others feel anxious or paranoid, and a few have frightening experiences.4 For more on this, see cannabis, anxiety, paranoia and sleep.
What happens to daily life with regular use?
Regular, heavy use can leave people feeling flat, foggy or unmotivated, with poor sleep when they try to stop. Some find it has quietly become something they need rather than choose.3 If that sounds familiar, read stopping cannabis: the first weeks.
Is ganja safe for the lungs because it is herbal?
No. Burning any plant produces smoke that irritates the airways, and cannabis smoke contains many of the same harmful substances as tobacco smoke.2
When it can't wait
When reading is not enough
Dr. D.K. Sharma (BAMS) asks what you use and how often, how you sleep, eat and feel, and what you would like to change, without judgement. Consultations are in person in Ludhiana or by video.
To book, send a booking request. The clinic checks that your concern is one it should handle and offers a time. You pay ₹500 and receive written confirmation, and then you consult. Your personalised Dinacharya (daily-routine) guide follows the consultation.
What to note before you go
- What you smoke, how often, and whether you mix it with tobacco.
- Any cough, phlegm or breathlessness.
- Palpitations or chest discomfort, and when they happen.
- Your sleep, mood and memory lately.
- Alcohol and every medicine you take.
Questions people ask
Does ganja damage the lungs?
It can. Regular smokers are more likely to have a cough, phlegm and bronchitis-like symptoms, because the smoke irritates the airways.2
Why does my heart race after smoking?
THC raises the heart rate, usually for a few hours.1 If it comes with chest pain, fainting or breathlessness, or you have a heart condition, get urgent care.
Is it safer to eat it than smoke it?
Eating it avoids smoke in the lungs, but it acts slowly and unpredictably, and people often take too much.1 Neither way is free of risk.
Sources
- CDC. Cannabis and heart health. cdc.gov.
- CDC. Cannabis and lung health. cdc.gov.
- NIDA (NIH). Cannabis (marijuana) DrugFacts. nida.nih.gov.
- CDC. Cannabis and mental health. cdc.gov.
A source list shows what informed the guide. It is not a sentence-by-sentence review.
Written by Dr. D.K. Sharma, BAMS.
About this guide
- Written by
- Dr. D.K. Sharma, BAMS
- Reading time
- 5 minutes · 873 words
- How we review
- BharatClinic editorial policy
The author link goes to /sexologist-in-ludhiana/, as on the live page. A neutral author profile URL would suit guides on piles and digestion better.
Questions or corrections: drdksharma@bharatclinic.com
