Public is not aware of the dangers linked to smoking cannabis and the impact is being underestimated, experts are warning.

A survey of about 1000 adults was conducted by the British Lung Foundation and it was seen that about a third did not feel that cannabis was harmful for health.

It was also seen that tobacco cigarettes were taken to be more harmful by about 88 per cent people whereas, the risk of lung cancer due to cannabis was 20 times more.

According to the BLF this unawareness was a cause of severe concern.

Figures also state that in their lifetime about 30 per cent of people who are 16-59 year olds use cannabis in England and Wales.

Cannabis has also been linked with lung cancer, tuberculosis and acute bronchitis, according to a new report from the BLF.

Mental problems like schizophrenia can also be developed by cannabis as the chances of this go up with cannabis.

Experts state that the reason for this is that while smoking cannabis, people take deeper puffs and hold them for longer than when smoking tobacco cigarettes.

This leads to inhaling four times as much tar as from a tobacco cigarette and when it comes to carbon monoxide, it is five times more.

Its chief executive, Dame Helena Shovelton, said, “It is alarming that, while new research continues to reveal the multiple health consequences of smoking cannabis, there is still a dangerous lack of public awareness of quite how harmful this drug can be.”