Serenity Warns About Drug-Related Respiratory Disease During Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Marne, Michigan (PRWEB) November 09, 2016 -- Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, for both men and women. If that comes as news to you, it may be because lung cancer is often thought of as a “smokers’ disease,” as if somehow those who choose to smoke consent to getting cancer. While, of course, that is untrue, cigarette smoke is the single most preventable risk factor. As part of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Serenity Recovery Center in Marne, MI seeks to warn our community about the risks of drug-related respiratory disease, an often over-looked preventable risk factor.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics, about 200,000 people each year in the US find out they have lung cancer and more than 150,000 people die from the disease. The connection to cigarettes is unavoidable: 80 to 90% of lung cancers likely stem from direct cigarette smoking and an additional 7,300 non-smokers develop lung cancer from secondhand smoke each year (about 4% of all cases). Thanks to awareness campaigns and increased awareness of these risks, lung cancer rates from cigarette smoke have decreased nationally in recent years.
What is lesser known is that cigarette smoke isn’t the only harmful inhalant when it comes to lung cancer. In fact, smoke of any kind may increase the risk of lung cancer: even breathing the smoke from burning firewood, overtime, may cause lung cancer. Given that fact, it should come as no surprise that marijuana use may also cause lung cancer. Though few studies exist, at this time, stateside, recent research from New Zealand found that cannabis use increases the risk of lung cancer, particularly in young adults. Correspondingly, inhaling opiates, crack/cocaine or any other drug poses similar risks.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about 12% of Americans over age 12 have used marijuana in the past year. While marijuana can be ingested in many different ways, smoking cannabis continues to be the most popular method and poses the greatest risk to lung health. Marijuana use can also cause chronic bronchitis, cough and wheezing, in addition to the neurological and cognitive effects of cannabis use.
Serenity Recovery Center is committed to drug-related education and prevention.
To learn more or to get help for yourself or a loved one, call 1-855-218-3775 or visit the Serenity Recovery website: http://www.serenityrehab.org
Derry Hallmark, Serenity Point Rehab, http://www.serenityrehab.org/, +1 616-209-0600, [email protected]
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