Experts Give Assessment On Marijuana And Higher Cancer Risk

• More people are using marijuana for recreation and health reasons
• There is a growing concern whether it increases cancer risk
• Health experts gave invaluable opinion on marijuana and cancer risk

Many people are now using marijuana. Basically, they use this as part of their treatment of certain diseases. In the US alone, it is regarded as among the most widely used drugs. However, there is a growing concern among users whether the use of marijuana can put them at a higher risk for cancer.

According to Medical News Today, the sales of cannabis between 2014 to 2020 reach $11,670 million. This was for recreational purposes only. This would include those who are smoking in joints for recreation purposes.

Health experts have come to establish that smoking tobacco cigarettes put a person at risk of cancer. However, it isn’t clear when it comes to marijuana. Can it also increase the risk of developing cancer?

Northern California Institute of Research and Education conducted a review of the studies that assessed the potential relationship between recreational marijuana and cancer risk. According to the result of the study, which appeared in JAMA Network, both marijuana and tobacco cigarettes share substances that are considered as potential carcinogens.

As per the study’s author, Dr. Mehrnaz Gasemiesfe,

“Marijuana smoke and tobacco smoke share carcinogens, including toxic gases, reactive oxygen species, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, such as benzo[alpha]pyrene and phenols, which are 20 times higher in unfiltered marijuana than in cigarette smoke.”

The doctor further stated that given that in the United States, cancer is the second leading cause of death. In addition, Dr. Gasemiesfe also said that the largest preventable death from cancer remains to be smoking. Due to the similarity between the substances, they said that it could have health implications.

Around 25 studies were identified by the doctor and his team, where they assessed the use of marijuana and cancer risk. According to the study, there was a low risk in head and neck cancer, albeit, their evidence was low. For other types of cancer like oral cancer, laryngeal cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, the evidence was insufficient to link the drug to a possible risk.

There was one though, those who used marijuana for more than 10 years were found to have a higher risk for testicular cancer. However, their evidence was still low.

Due to the low evidence available, the doctor and his team stated that there is a need for better quality studies in assessing the potential relationship between cancer and marijuana.