Marijuana use does not seem to be a risk factor for head and neck cancer (HNC) suggests a meta-analysis including nine case-control studies.
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The chance of developing head and neck cancer in individuals who had smoked marijuana in their lifetime was estimated using an odds ratio, and controlling for age, sex, race, and tobacco consumption.
Approximately 12.6% of the patients who developed HNC and 14.3% of the controls were marijuana users. No association was found between exposure to marijuana and HNC (odds ratio = 1.021).
“Despite several inferences that have made to date, there is currently insufficient epidemiological evidence to support a positive or negative association in marijuana use and the development of HNC,” the researchers said.
Future studies on the long-term effects of marijuana use and “the mechanism of action of cannabinoids in specific tissues in animal models and humans” are needed, according to the researchers.
Read the full study in Archives of Oral Biology (doi: 10.1016/j.archoralbi.2015.09.009).