Pubdate: Tue, 01 Nov 2005
Source: Wall Street Journal (US)
Section: Pg D05
Copyright: 2005 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.wsj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487
Author: Tara Parker-Pope
Note: Title by newshawk

MARIJUANA SMOKE AND CANCER RISK

Health Mailbox Columnist Tara Parker-Pope answers readers' questions.

Q: Your recent article about lung cancer in people who have never 
smoked begs the simple question: who never smoked what? One might 
assume you are referring to tobacco. May I remind you that marijuana 
is well into a third generation of mainstream population users.

- --H.B.

A: It's true that marijuana smoke contains several of the same 
carcinogens as the tar from tobacco, but two recent reviews of the 
scientific research have concluded that smoking marijuana probably 
doesn't pose the same lung-cancer risk as smoking tobacco. This 
month, the scientific journal Harm Reduction reported that although 
tobacco and marijuana smoke have similar chemical properties, they 
interact with the body in different ways. While the nicotine in 
tobacco is known to promote lung and other cancers, the active 
ingredient in marijuana, THC, appears to counter the cancer-causing 
chemicals in marijuana smoke. The complete report in Harm Reduction 
is available free at www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/2/1/21.

This doesn't mean marijuana smoke is risk-free. In April, the medical 
journal Alcohol reviewed 16 studies of marijuana and cancer risk. The 
research showed that marijuana smoke doesn't appear to increase risk 
of lung, colon or oral cancers, but it may increase risk for prostate 
and cervical cancers and head and neck cancers. Marijuana use during 
pregnancy was linked with increased risks of childhood leukemia and 
other diseases. However, the report noted that most of the studies 
weren't sufficient to adequately evaluate the impact of marijuana on 
cancer risk.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman