Researcher Finds No Link Between Marijuana And Head, Neck or Lung Cancer

May 25, 2000

Baltimore, MD: A researcher from Johns Hopkins Medical School hasfound evidence that marijuana smoking does not increase the risk of head,neck or lung cancers, and based on his findings, says cancer preventionefforts should "remain focused on tobacco and alcohol, two knowncarcinogens."

Daniel E. Ford, M.D., who conducted the study, said he was trying todiscover if cancer patients were more likely to smoke marijuana or tobacco,or to drink alcohol as opposed to healthy, 'control' patients. Ford said hethought "[T]he association (between marijuana smoking and cancer) would fallaway when we corrected for tobacco use. That was not the case. Theassociation was never there."

Ford also found that "daily marijuana use for a month or more wasnot associated with increased risk, even among those who never usedtobacco."

This study has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. "It's puzzling why scientific studies which contradict erroneousgovernment assertions about marijuana garner virtually no major mediaattention," said Allen St. Pierre, NORML Foundation Executive Director.

"Yet, similarly non peer-reviewed reports such as a recent one concerningthe effects of marijuana use as it relates to potential heart attacks makefor splashy news leads on television and lurid headlines in newspapers. Ifmarijuana is, as it appears to be, a product that is safer than nearly anydrug humans consume -- the public should be duly informed."

For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORMLFoundation Executive Director at (202) 483-8751.