You likely know that there’s tar in cigarettes. As a cannabis user, though, you might be wondering, is there tar in marijuana?
And does weed put tar in your lungs?
The answer to this question is yes: there is tar in marijuana, and like cigarettes, it can be harmful to your health.
You don’t have to be too worried about tar from weed if you do something about it.
In this article, we’re going to introduce you to just the solution you need to protect your lungs from potential harm you might experience from marijuana tar.
IS TAR FROM WEED FATAL? ONLY IF SMOKED WRONG
Tar in marijuana can be concerning, especially if you don’t do anything about it.
The tar marijuana contains can lead to health issues in the long term.
Not only can it damage your lungs, but it may also cause other complications throughout your body, including an increased risk of heart problems, poor immune health, and more.
Fortunately, with the proper tools, you can reduce the amount of tar you breathe in.
BEST WAY TO LIMIT TAR FROM SMOKING WEED
Does weed put tar in your lungs? Yes, but that doesn’t mean you can help prevent it from happening.
Just because you asked, is there tar in marijuana? And found out there is.
Doesn’t mean you have to give up smoking as your preferred method of cannabis consumption.
The best way (and one of only a few) to limit tar and resin in your lungs is to use a filter on your joint, pipe, or bong.
The problem is that there aren’t really many great filters on the market. Most of them make promises they don’t deliver on.
I’ve used a few over the years, and some of the ones I’ve tried get clogged a lot, don’t fit well, or plain don’t work.
The best filters I’ve found by far are the MouthPeace filters from MooseLabs.
The brand has an incredible reputation, and users trust them and their products.
The filter itself consists of biodegradable and recycled materials. It’s a triple-layered activated carbon that sanitizes your smoke by removing the tar from weed, while also removing the resin and other harmful contaminants.
By essentially “cleaning” the smoke, it makes every hit more flavorful and enjoyable.
I won’t smoke without it anymore. And I’ve recommended it to everyone I know who smokes, too.
The MouthPeace comes in a wide range of color options, so you can select the one (or ones!) that best fits your personal style and aesthetic.
I’m a fan of the green one, but I do enjoy using the glow-in-the-dark one from time to time, too.
It adds a fun touch to a nighttime smoke sesh.
Then there’s the MouthPeace Mini, which I personally love. It’s a more discreet, slimmed-down version of the original that’s perfect for joints and vaporizers.
While the Mini is naturally smaller than the original, it still provides exceptional filtration.
And again, multiple color options mean that you can choose the MouthPeace Minis that suit your personal tastes.
If you like to accessorize (I do!)I would recommend buying a few in your favorite colors so you can coordinate with your outfit or for the occasion.
You’ll help protect your lung health and look well put together and stylish, too!
WHAT CAN TAR BUILDUP IN LUNGS DO TO YOU?
Tar buildup in lungs can cause some rather significant problems. The toxin sticks to the walls of your lungs.
The longer you smoke (especially without a filter), the more it accumulates, increasing your risk of developing health issues like emphysema, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other lung-related complications.
That’s not all weed tar can do to you. It destroys the cilia in your trachea.
Cilia are tiny hair-like structures that trap contaminants and keep them from entering your lungs.
Without them, any contaminants you breathe in (whether from smoking or just breathing normally) can get inside and wreak havoc on your lungs, increasing your risk of breathing-related issues.
Breathing weed smoke (and therefore weed tar) into your lungs also means that it passes through your mouth and throat, thus increasing your risk of developing oral and throat cancer.
Toxins from the marijuana tar can pass through your lung tissue and into your bloodstream.
From there, those toxins can then travel throughout your body, increasing your risk of complications such as heart disease, gum disease, diabetes, and infertility.
In other words, tar isn’t something you really want in your body.
That’s why, if smoking is your go-to method of weed consumption, a high-quality filter is a must.
Ever since I found the MouthPeace, I won’t take a hit from a joint, pipe, or bong without it. While that’s partly due to the filter providing tastier hits (that’s definitely a plus in my book), it’s also because I'm fairly health-conscious.
I like knowing what’s going on in my body.
I want the fast-acting relief that smoking cannabis provides. I don’t want the marijuana tar and other toxins, though.
The filter allows me to enjoy the benefits my favorite strains of weed have to offer while giving me peace of mind that I’m limiting the amount of bad stuff I breathe in.
At the end of the day, finding out if there is tar in marijuana is just the first step into helping your lungs.
HOW LONG DOES TAR IN MARIJUANA STAY IN YOU?
If you were to quit smoking, it would take anywhere from one to nine months for the cilia in your body to heal.
How long it takes marijuana tar to leave your body also depends on how long you smoked.
In general, it can take about one year for every six years you smoked for tar from smoking weed to be removed.
So, if you smoked for twelve years, it can take around two years for your lungs to become clear again.
Keep in mind that these figures are only estimates.
With a filter, you avoid the tar from weed building up in your lungs that smoking can cause.
You also avoid breathing in resin and other harmful contaminants.
You keep your lungs cleaner and healthier, and you get a better overall experience every time you take a hit. It’s a win-win for sure.
WHAT IS TAR FOUND IN THAT MAKES IT LETHAL?
Have you ever wondered what tar is found in?
It’s a very common question after asking yourself is there tar in marijuana?
It’s not just something that occurs from smoking weed.
It’s a thick, viscous dark liquid that happens as a result of “destructive” processes such as burning.
Just because it’s natural, though, that doesn’t make it healthy to consume in any way.
So Where Does Tar Come From?
You’ll find that there’s tar in a variety of other substances and products that you certainly wouldn’t put in your body willingly.
Tar occurs from the production of things like petroleum, coal, wood, and peat.
You’ll find it in asphalt. And (you’ve probably heard this one before) it occurs from smoking tobacco and plant products.
It has a wide range of uses, including as a base in coatings and paint. It also has uses in roofing and paving products.
You wouldn’t consume any of these products, and you very likely wouldn’t smoke them.
But there are many benefits that come with smoking weed.
Unfortunately, tar is a substance that occurs when you ignite weed. You can’t stop it.
But you can stop it from getting in your lungs.
That’s why a filter is so critical for cannabis smokers.
Tar doesn’t belong in your lungs.
Using a filter helps to keep it out of your body and reduces your risk of developing smoking-related health issues.
HOW MUCH TAR IS IN WEED?
A common question is how much tar marijuana has.
Here’s the thing.
Cannabis on its own doesn’t have any tar in it.
It’s something that develops naturally when you light your joint or bowl.
Some of your buds might not burn completely. As a result, tar forms.
In essence, there’s no precise way to say, or even guess, how much tar marijuana contains, since it’s not directly there.
Using a weed filter, however, means you don’t have to worry about it.
Since the triple-layer activated carbon materials trap tar before it enters your mouth, you don’t have to worry about it destroying the cilia in your throat or building up in your lungs.
You can smoke more safely and confidently without having to wonder how much marijuana tar you’re breathing in at the same time.
Final Thoughts on if There is Tar in Marijuana
Tar in marijuana might be a naturally occurring substance that develops when you ignite your weed, but that doesn’t make it healthy.
Plenty of research shows that breathing in tar can increase your risk of developing several significant health problems, which is one of the last things you want.
You’re smoking cannabis to obtain the benefits of cannabinoids, not harm your lungs or the rest of your body.
So, is there tar in marijuana? While it technically doesn’t exist in the plant as it is, it does happen when you light up.
Just because there’s tar from smoking weed, though, that doesn’t mean you have to inhale it.
Using a filter (the filters from MooseLabs in particular) allows you to stop tar and other toxins before they get into your mouth and body.
You can find the MouthPeace, MouthPeace Mini, replacement filters, and more by visiting MooseLabs and checking out their products.
Check them out and see for yourself just how amazing they are. You might find that you never go back!