RE:RE:Hard to believe we still smoke, Ammonia, Urea, benzene! For the issue of marijuana smoke vs. tobacco, the evidence shows that there are many similarities between the two, but some differences as well. For example, both marijuana smoke and tobacco smoke contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, but in marijuana smoke levels are lower in “mainstream” smoke (which is inhaled and exhaled by users) but higher in “sidestream” smoke (which rises from the tip of the marijuana cigarette). The picture for other chemicals is similar: some are higher in marijuana smoke, some are higher in cigarette smoke. At least 50 of the carcinogens in tobacco smoke are also present in marijuana smoke.
The simple truth is that burning plant matter produces a lot of harmful chemicals, regardless of which plant it is. There are some differences between marijuana and tobacco smoke, but on the whole they’re very similar.