Strangely, neither the public nor some members of Congress recognize the parallels to marijuana. Tobacco is responsible for over 400,000 deaths every year from cancers, lung, heart and other vascular diseases. It contains higher concentrations of cancer causing agents than tobacco. Marijuana and tobacco cause at least the same amount of injury to the airways, pulmonary function, and lung immunity. Recent studies have demonstrated increased health care utilization among heavy marijuana smokers for respiratory problems.
Tobacco is addictive.
Many physicians, including this writer, consider tobacco one of the hardest drugs to quit using. Marijuana is addictive, and is also one of the hardest drugs for addicts to quit. They often return to marijuana first if they relapse. The nicotine content of cigarettes varies. Tobacco is associated with birth abnormalities.