Thank you for your perspective on medical marijuana as a safer option to narcotics for immunocompromised patients.1 As respirologists, we would like to bring to the attention of all health care workers and administrators the other effects of inhaled marijuana on the respiratory system, whether irradiated for Aspergillus spores or not.
We are seeing a growing number of patients being assessed by bronchoscopy who are marijuana smokers, including one young adult with a cavitating lesion in the right upper lobe associated with hemoptysis for which no other cause was found. As well, some of our most difficult-to-treat patients with asthma have used inhaled forms of marijuana before.
Apart from the adverse medical consequences of inhaling marijuana, health care costs are likely going to rise owing to Health Canada’s approval of medical marijuana in an inhalant form. A review of the current and proposed policies on medical marijuana is needed to avoid unnecessary extraneous costs to the health care system over the next decade. If legalization does occur, a strong case should be made for legalizing only noninhaled forms.