cannabisnews.com: A Downer for Aging Marijuana Users A Downer for Aging Marijuana Users Posted by FoM on December 28, 1999 at 14:59:06 PT At Risk Source: New York Times Smoking marijuana significantly increases the risk of head and neck cancers, according to a new study, which also predicts more cases as baby boomers age. The researchers, led by Dr. Zuo-Feng Zhang, a professor of epidemiology at the Jonsson Cancer Center at the University of California at Los Angeles, found that marijuana was almost as damaging as tobacco in terms of respiratory tract cancer, despite the fact that the drug was generally regarded as safer. The study, published last week in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, compared the use of marijuana, tobacco and alcohol by 173 patients suffering from head or neck cancers to the habits of a control group of 176 cancer-free patients. Dr. Zhang said that marijuana users faced 2.5 times the risk of cancer as nonusers. Tobacco increased the risk 3.5 times, he said, and people who smoked both tobacco and marijuana raised their risk 36 times. A larger study now under way,is needed to confirm the results, he said. Meanwhile, he said that people who smoked marijuana in their youth should have regular examinations for the early warning signs of throat, tongue or other cancers. "If you consider the latency time, about 30 years, we could well have an increase in the next 5 or 10 years," he said. "But many of these cancers are easy to treat if they are caught early." Published: December 28, 1999Copyright 1999 The New York Times CompanyRelated Article:Smoking Marijuana Can Cause Cancer, Study Finds - 12/17/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4033.shtmlBut It Helps:Cannabinoids' Role In Retinal Function Described - 12/08/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3925.shtmlMarijuana Plugs Into Eye Cells, US Study Finds - 12/6/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3898.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by FoM on December 29, 1999 at 09:11:42 PT I don't have any banner headlines Hi Freedom,I'm lost about banner headline stories. I post articles and as I find new articles to post it pushes each article down on the front page. I left that one up there so long because I couldn't find any news for many hours so it had to sit there til I did! Lots of news today! It's been too slow for me until today!Peace, FoM! [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Freedom on December 29, 1999 at 07:47:08 PT I agree FoM. Don't get me wrong, it is a staple of our side to be open and honest, to want the truth.I just wish it was not your number one, banner headline story. That's all. Prohibitionists will not even post works with our views, must we provide them with the top spot?Freedom has nothing to fear from the truth.I see you have been busy... more reading to do. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by mike on December 28, 1999 at 18:05:07 PT: Aging marijuana users Marijuana doesn't have to be smoked, or did they forget to mention that?If I'm smoking a cigarette, does that mean I'm a cirarette user? Oh my! Is it me or does the article sound like it's coming from a prohibitionist? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on December 28, 1999 at 17:14:54 PT Freedom!!! Hi Freedom,Yes it is an article I didn't want to post but I felt I needed too. If you take any kind of substance including antibiotics and even aspirin it can kill you. The effects should be weighed. What happened to wanting quality of life? What if a person wants to do something extremely dangerous in sports? Why is that legal? Quantity isn't always the best. There is risk in all we do. It shouldn't be an issue at all I agree.Peace, FoM! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Freedom on December 28, 1999 at 16:40:38 PT FoM! Y'know, 2.5 X what? From 5 in 10,000, to 12 in 10,000?Big deal. Funny how the NYTs left out this part:The researchers note that the blood donors, the comparison group in the study, may have been less likely than the cancer patients to have used marijuana. Or it is possible that the cancer patients were more likely than the blood donors to remember and report marijuana use. Either factor could bias the study, which should be confirmed with more research, the research team says. I discussed this here:http://www.cnsnews.org/forum/GetMessage.asp?Forum=WarOnDrugs&ID=4387FoM, you really would brighten my day if you did not give slanted reefer madness top billing on your site. Let them be at the bottom. It is sad to see Dr. Tashkin was involved in this work too.No one says chronic marijuana use is harmless. I personally think being arrested is far more of a concern. What they need to do is a longitudinal study that follows a large group of individuals throughout their lives, such that they can control for environmental factors properly. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on December 28, 1999 at 15:39:54 PT And mother's milk causes lip cancer in babies Yeah, right.I haven't trusted any government pronouncements since Watergate; why should I trust the tame intellectuals of the Drug Warriors? They've lied more often than not, and continue to do so even *when their own IoM study proves them liars*.It's bad enough that they are liars; it's worse when they prove themselves to be *stupid* liars. Or they think that it is *we* who are stupid.Thank God for the Internet! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: