Tar may be great for paving roads, but it’s not something you want to be putting in your body.
Unfortunately, if you’re a fan of smoking cannabis, then there’s a high chance you’ve been exposed to this sinister sticky compound.
While tar isn’t present in raw cannabis flowers, it’s a natural byproduct of combustion. So, if you light your herb in a bong or paper joint, those burning buds will produce tar and its associated carcinogens.
Yes, tar can be hazardous for your health, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up smoking weed. Instead, you have to learn how to smoke smarter.
However, recent data out of the CDC suggested the average amount of tar per cigarette is between 6.8 - 21.6 mg. While cannabis joints aren’t the same as tobacco cigarettes, these figures are worth keeping in mind.
Also, most studies suggest tar concentrations increase the longer a person smokes. So, if you’re breathing in from a tiny roach, you could be inhaling two times more tar than your first hit.
How Long Does Tar Stay In Your System?
Because tar is notoriously sticky, it takes a long time to clear out of your body. Most researchers evaluate tar’s half-life by examining the tiny cilia along the throat. These hair-like structures help keep toxic chemicals from entering the lungs, but they will get damaged after repeated tar exposure.
Generally speaking, it takes one year for tar to leave your body if you’ve regularly smoked for six years. Of course, this estimate could fluctuate depending on how often you smoked and your overall health profile. While your body could recover after you stop smoking, please remember it will take time to heal fully.
What’s The Best Way To Decrease Tar In Cannabis Smoke?
Thankfully, there’s an easy way you could enjoy the effects of smoking cannabis without increasing your tar exposure: Invest in ahigh-quality filter! We carry filters for bongs and for joints and blunts, you can check out the full selection here.