Wacky Tobacc-y saner than we thought
Published by punkass marc May 24th, 2006 in DrugsGentle/wo/men, light your fat ones.
It’s been a long-held belief by many avid users, but Metafilter posted the results of a study reported on WebMD that indicates marijuana smokers show no increased risk of lung cancer.
Despite this:
“We know that there are as many or more carcinogens and co-carcinogens in marijuana smoke as in cigarettes,” researcher Donald Tashkin, MD, of UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine tells WebMD.
They found this:
“But we did not find any evidence for an increase in cancer risk for even heavy marijuana smoking.” Carcinogens are substances that cause cancer.
And they’re surmising this:
The answer isn’t clear, but the experts say it might have something to do with tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is a chemical found in marijuana smoke.
Cellular studies and even some studies in animal models suggest that THC has antitumor properties, either by encouraging the death of genetically damaged cells that can become cancerous or by restricting the development of the blood supply that feeds tumors, Tashkin tells WebMD.
In a review of the research published last fall, University of Colorado molecular biologist Robert Melamede, PhD, concluded that the THC in cannabis seems to lessen the tumor-promoting properties of marijuana smoke.
The nicotine in tobacco has been shown to inhibit the destruction of cancer-causing cells, Melamede tells WebMD. THC does not appear to do this and may even do the opposite.
So, uh, why isn’t pot legal again?
Any does anyone else think it’s odd there’s a David Geffen school of medicine in this world?
I always thought it was odd that alcohol is legal and weed is not. I mean, how many men got high off marijuana and went and beat their wives? I’m just sayin’.
One, we’re puritans; feeling good is wrong.
Two, it does kinda make me stupid if I smoke it.
Three, it’s very cheap and easy to grow, and there are medicines that would not sell as well if it were legal.
Four, there are a lot of people making their living from the war on drugs.
Scott, those are good reasons now, but I was under the impression that the initial push to criminalize weed stemmed from a good old-fashioned bout of Mexican-fearing. Don’t look now! Mexicans! Ahhhh!