# Marijuana causing cancer

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-causing-cancer/253809>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [July 6, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-causing-cancer/253809 "2004-07-06T17:28:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![emkman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@emkman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emkman)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-causing-cancer/253809/41 "2005-07-15T04:30:54Z")

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> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> But the highest category was 60 joints/year (it appears) or 5 joints a month. I am not sure that smoking cigs is really all that dangerous at one or two a week (in an otherwise healthy person).
> 
> So-since the highest dosage they list is about a joint a week, rather than 2 packs a day (140 time the usage)- it IS possible that at cig usage levels there may be danger?

from the article:

> [@](#):
>
> Exposure to marijuana was measured in joint years ( joints per day x years that number smoked ).

People in the highest category were smoking multiple joints per day, not 5 per month. If the person had been smoking for 10 years, thats 6 joints per day for a period of 10 years to make 60 joint-years. Some people in this group probably smoked half a pack to 2 packs worth of joints a day.

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**Author:** ![toonbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toonbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toonbat)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-causing-cancer/253809/42 "2005-07-17T00:48:09Z")

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> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> In general- inhaling smoke from burning plants is NOT good for your lungs.

Come to think of it, how much incense can you burn inside a normal apartment or room before the smoke poses a health risk? Or would other factors, such as oxygen consumption become a problem first?

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-causing-cancer/253809/43 "2005-07-17T01:32:18Z")

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> [@toonbat](#):
>
> Come to think of it, how much incense can you burn inside a normal apartment or room before the smoke poses a health risk?

Breathing ANY smoke is a “health risk”- now, how much incense before it becomes a _significant_ risk is another thing- one that I doubt has been studied.

I certainly wouldn’t burn incense around small children, in any case.

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**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2005, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marijuana-causing-cancer/253809/44 "2005-07-17T10:58:52Z")

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> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> Breathing ANY smoke is a “health risk”- now, how much incense before it becomes a _significant_ risk is another thing- one that I doubt has been studied.
> 
> I certainly wouldn’t burn incense around small children, in any case.

One that I doubted _hadn’t_ been studied. [Google is your friend.](http://www.mst.dk/chemi/01083411.htm) There’s more, but I’m sure everyone can use google here.  
Hasn’t this thread been revived enough?

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