New Study: More Evidence That Marijuana Doesn’t Cause Cancer
A 1999 study showed a modestly increased risk of certain types of head and neck cancer among marijuana smokers. Due to methodological limitations, the researchers warned that their “results need to be interpreted with some caution in drawing causal inferences.” But warnings about this alleged risk have shown up from time to time in materials put out by prohibitionist types, including the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
A new study, just published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention, suggests this may have been a false alarm.
Researchers pooled data from five studies, totaling over 9,000 participants (nearly 30 times the number in the 1999 study) and found that the risk of head and neck cancer “was not elevated” among those who had ever smoked marijuana compared to those who hadn’t. Notably, “there was no increasing risk associated with increasing frequency, duration, or cumulative consumption of marijuana …”
The researchers note that, due to the small number of long-term, very heavy marijuana users in the studies, they can’t rule out increased risk from such very heavy use. But it is striking that the overall cancer risk among marijuana smokers was slightly lower than nonsmokers, though not enough to be statistically significant. That was also the case in a major lung cancer study a few years ago. In the new study, there were some subcategories in which the lowered risk among marijuana smokers came close to statistical significance.
But don’t expect mere data to put an end to hysterical claims that marijuana is more carcinogenic than tobacco.
17 comments
Marijuana cures blindness. Ive been smokin’ for over 40 years and I can spot bullshit from MILES away. That’s what the powers that be fear most of all.
Great article Bruce. Sorry to get off topic here but I just found this article searching around the net. Apparently some Iowa City Councilman was recently arrested for cannabis and paraphernalia. It seems that we can make another ally in this ridiculous WOD. Here’s the link. http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/44883177.html
Its good that there are new studies come up. Debunking the claims of MJ being very bad for your health Will really help,we all know cigarettes,alcohol are VERY VERY bad for health.Let’s keep proving cannibis is much less a health risk than our two legal drugs,then get over it.
I’ve said it many times. Legalize Marijuana,de-crim hard drugs. Put our officers guarding our borders(all borders,not just our southern border). Give them jobs looking for terrorist or searching for suit case nuke devices. We all know there are those that will stop at nothing to kill us and ruin our great nation. Hows these drug warriors going to feel if we get hit again, while they are going through our trash looking for a seed or a bagging with residue to bust us with. Drugs and cannibis are a national health problem, not a national saftey problem.We can deal with the health issues with out law enforcement,we can’t deal with terrorist acts without law enforcement.Focus on the serious problems .If our way of life is gone ,it won’t matter if drugs and cannibis is illegal.
im glad that there are new studys comin up good about it, but our goverment is to stupid enough to still say its bad for us, i guess our goverment want us to use non healthie shit so they can kill us.
This doesn’t surprise me in the slightest, considering that certain (if not all) cannabinoids protect the body against cancer. But hey, what does yet one more study hurt to help back up our efforts for reform.
Awesome work. I just wish there was someway to spread out this new research to the masses so we can end once and for all the hysteria of ‘reefer madness’.
Bruce – this may be of interest to everyone:
“Former Mexican president calls for legalizing marijuana”
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/05/13/mexico.fox.marijuana/index.html
HAHA. Love the comment on seeing bullshit from a mile away…. funny stuff…
Basically, another lie spread without any way of demanding accountability for misleading the American public.
**I’m telling you someday in the near future someone will figure out a way to prosecute those who spread incorrect data!
It called WAR CRIMES.
Drug warriors are always saying cannibis makes you lazy .Well so what! It’s my buisness if I go home after work and get lazy. I like relaxing. Its not illegal! It seems to me our government expect us to WORK WORK WORK, right into an early grave just for them. Maybe its just me ,but really. Being lazy ISN’T ILLEGAL:!
Ya know…what did people expect….yesterday i was told of the fact that Carbon Monoxide (the stuff coming from your big expensive gas guzler) is no longer a POLLUTANT!!! and before that it was the global warming! isnt global warming what people feared would kill all of us and they even made movies about what would happen if we didnt change our ways. Guess what, we arent getting much warmer! the south pole ice has increased by 112 miles of ice. So, now back to the main point, if the government is willing to let people in this country be “terrorists” wouldnt they be calling the ones putting fear into our minds the actual terrorist? We as pot smokers have been called terrorists!!! Why? we just wanna feel good…and make our lifes experiences better. We dont want to fear anything, especially losing our kids because we have bad backs, bad arthritis, HIV/AIDS, and even worse, cancer. FEAR is what got pot illegal. FEAR is why gas went to 5$ a gallon. FEAR is why we are in IRAQ. FEAR is not going to be fear much longer. I think the next study to have would be to de-bunk the article that came out after Micheal Phelps got caught smoking, about the testicler cancer targeting young men pot smokers!
oh…and another myth de-bunked…why is pot being used medically if it is still ranked at the highest risk drug in the country? I think its called a schedule 1 drug? something like that…anyways it says that it has NO medical use….thats funny cause i has a step dad that has testical cancer…since he was 22…been smokin pot since..hasnt gotten bigger…hasnt gotten smaller…its called the pot put it into resession..or something like that…
RE: JJ – Here’s some info to show whoever told you that about CO and a bit about the difference of CO and CO2 – http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/progress/co2.html
Also – YES Marijuana is in the Schedule 1 status which = NO MEDICINAL VALUE – HIGHLY DANGEROUS AND ADDICTIVE!
This must be addressed ASAP or all the progress that was just made will become a nightmare for those involved. It is a HUGE issue that all organizations ( as far as I know) seem to be side-stepping. I believe it will, in the end, always be the deciding factor for Prohibitionists. WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS!
[...] increased risk, particularly among subgroups without exposure to tobacco and alcohol.” |MPP| by Bucky Turco on May 14, 2009 at 12:02 [...]
Folks, it *cures* cancer. Quickly.
http://www.phoenixtearsmovie.com
I knew an archeologist. While working on a Native American village dig, a large number of clay pipes were uncovered. Testing found that about 85% of these pipes contained marijuana. Later in our conversation, a theory was advanced. Is it possible that early European settlers were given tobacco by the natives because it was known to cause a disease that would eliminate the invading white man?
Jim, Could be, but I think the white man did more damage with blankets laced with disease! And the fact we took everything from them and we killed about 90% of them and so on and so on!
But I am supprised about the lack of support we get from Native Americans. Seems to me they would want to see Cannabis everywhere .
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