Smoking weed poses cancer risks beyond the lungs.

John Brooks, a dentist and clinical professor at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry in Baltimore, recently cowrote an article in a major dentistry journal laying out the research for his colleagues — most recently a study published in 2024 of adults diagnosed with cannabis use disorder.

“The study established a strong link between smoking cannabis and the development of cancer of the head and neck, and corroborated the findings of smaller-sized studies,” says Dr. Brooks.

The study examines medical records of nearly 120,000 adults diagnosed with cannabis use disorder (refers to being unable to stop using marijuana).

Researchers who conducted that study found that the risk of head and neck cancer — particularly laryngeal, oropharyngeal, oral, and salivary cancers — was 2 to 8 times higher for people with cannabis use disorder compared with people without. 

Alcohol and tobacco use are the two biggest risk factors for head and neck cancers. But, as Brooks and his coauthors point out, cannabis use could be another risk factor.

About one-quarter of Americans report using cannabis every year. People use it recreationally (a practice that is legal in several states) and therapeutically as a treatment for anxiety, depression, insomnia, or chronic pain.

Full article: https://www.everydayhealth.com/cancer/marijuana-smoke-linked-to-head-and-neck-cancer/