Feb 25, 2009
From time to time we hear dubious claims that marijuana is carcinogenic, even though there's abundant evidence that marijuana's active components are actually pretty potent anti-cancer drugs.
That alcohol is a far more serious cancer risk is underlined by this Washington Post story about a massive new British study -- involving 1.3 million women -- indicating that even a single drink per day can increase the risk of many types of cancers. The researchers estimate that booze could account for as much as 5 percent of all cancers among women in the U.S.
No, that does not mean we should arrest and jail people for drinking. It does mean that discussions of the health risks of marijuana are often wildly out of balance, skewed by the stigma attached to an illegal substance.