Has anyone died from lung cancer soley from smoking marijuana?

Factual Questions
1

Has anyone died from lung cancer soley from smoking marijuana?

Hey all, I was gettin in an agrument w/ my ex-girlfriend about how Bob Marley died, and she claimed that he died from lung cancer from just smoking maaaaary jane, but I beg to differ, going by Cecil’s article on the long-term side effects of pot.

Still, as of 1982, there had never been a case of lung cancer attributable soley to dope smoking–possibly, according…
Cecil Adams

Has this allegation been defied!?

2

Oh, silly me, he died in 1981… :rolleyes:

3

You have to understand what we mean when we say “No one has died from lung cancer from smoking marijuana”.

First of all, there is no way to prove how any individual contracts cancer. Lots of people have died of lung cancer who never smoked anything at all. So if a person smokes pot and then dies of lung cancer, that in itself is meaningless.

So how do we tell if Marijuana causes cancer? Well, you do a study. You look at cancer deaths, and try to control for all variables except for marijuana smoking. Then you try to see if there is a correlation between marijuana smoking and lung cancer. To date, there are no studies that have shown such a correlation. That is the basis of the statement that “no one dies of cancer because of marijuana smoking”.

4

So is there a study that shows a lack of correlation? Or just a lack of studies, which would mean nothing.

5

It is difficult to tell the cause of cancer. In certain cancer cases related to asbestos, doctors are able to form an opinion that it was caused by asbestos by taking slides samples of the cancer and finding asbestos bodies in them. This is very convincing evidence that asbestos contributed to the cause. Other cancer types (such as mesothelioma) occur in people who have had asbestos exposure, upwards of 80% are related.

6

possibly the first.
I think from my reading that marijuana increases respiratory illnesses such as emphasymia, and throat cancers, but not necessarily lung cancers. Unfortunately, most of the stuff on the net is biased in one way or another. for prodope and cancer links see
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/mjfaq1.htm
http://chronicle.com/colloquy/2000/marijuana/11.htm

http://www.sfu.ca/~wwwpsyb/issues/1996/spring/ramachandran.htm
“The most intriguing physical effect of marijuana is its effects on the pulmonary system. Smoking narrows and inflames the air passages and reduces breathing capacity (Wu et al., 1988). It is found in some studies that heavy marijuana smokers seemed to have damaged bronchial cells (Wu et al., 1988). As marijuana contains 3 times more tar and 5 times more carbon dioxide than tobacco smoke, the effects on the lungs are potentially more dramatic (Wu et al., 1988). However, research reviewing literature over many years found that not a single case of lung cancer, emphysema or other pathology is attributed to cannabis use (Grinspoon & Bakalar (1993). Marijuana: The forbidden medicine. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press)”

However, the Grinspoon and Bakalar study are from two quite pro dope doctors http://www.rxmarihuana.com/

7

just thought I would link an opposing view as well

http://www.fmr.no/eng/ecad-medicine.html

take your pick

8

sorry for this third but last posting. According to one interesting theory, most lung cancers in smokers is caused by radioactive polonium in the tobacco, caused by fertiliser application

http://www.acsa2000.net/HealthAlert/lungcancer.html

good news for marijuana smokers? Howver on the same page it now notes that the same fertiliser is being applied to dope plants as well. Campaign for “organic” dope anyone?

9

Couldn’t tell you. Actually, ignore this; it’s a test of my web browser. Sorry.