Could smoking pot cut risk of head, neck cancer?

[The Straight Story]

Could smoking pot cut risk of head, neck cancer?

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - You've heard about using marijuana and drugs derived from it to keep some of the side effects of toxic cancer chemotherapy in check. But what if smoking marijuana for 10 to 20 years could actually protect against certain tumors?

In a study, researchers have found that long-term pot smokers were roughly 62 percent less likely to develop head and neck cancers than people who did not smoke pot.

The new study featured 434 patients with head and neck cancers, which include tumors in the mouth, tongue, nose, sinuses, throat and lymph nodes in the neck, and 547 individuals without these cancers seen in the Greater Boston area from December 1999 to December 2003.

After factoring out the impact of smoking, drinking, and other factors that might influence the results, smoking marijuana from once every two weeks to three times every two weeks, on average, was associated with about half the risk of head and neck cancer, compared with less frequent use.

Those who took up pot smoking at an older age appeared to have less risk of these cancers than those who started it at a younger age.

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE57O5DC20090825

I don't smoke pot, or own a gun - but have no issue with those who do either.

[mike_c]

1. "Remember what the dormouse said...."

"Keep your head!"

[LeftHander]

2. but incedences of "Cement Head" increase greatly.

"dude...I am so high I can't lift my head"

[redqueen]

3. IIRC it was found 30 years ago...

that cannabinoids induce apoptosis of some cancer cells.

So... it's nice that this is finally hitting the M$M.

[redqueen]

4. Still not so interesting to most, I guess.

:P

[HopeHoops]

5. Wow, man, so like crashing on the couch all day is good for your head an neck?

:hippie: :smoke: