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Cannabis not cancer causer, study shows

Gary Storck

Wisconsin State Journal

Tuesday 22 Mar 2011

As a long-time medical cannabis patient/advocate, I question comments made by Dr. Michael Fiore, the UW Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention director, quoted in Friday's article about Ben Masel. Dr. Fiore stated "In terms of marijuana and lung cancer the jury is still out, but the answer is that it is probably a cause of lung cancer."

Dr. Fiore's should know the "jury" came back in 2005 and found cannabis innocent. UCLA medical school professor Dr. Donald Tashkin began searching for a cancer link to cannabis smoking in the 1970s. Tashkin's studies identified carcinogens in cannabis smoke. In 2002, the National Institute of Drug Abuse gave Dr. Tashkin a grant to pursue further research.

In 2005, Dr. Tashkin reported the results: increased cannabis use did not result in higher rates of lung and throat cancer. Tashkin also found the more tobacco smokers consumed, the greater the risk of developing cancers. Those tobacco smokers who also smoked cannabis were at slightly lower risk of getting lung cancer than tobacco-only smokers.

Dr. Tashkin's results were ignored by the media, so it's understandable the public may be unaware of them. However, as an expert, Dr. Fiore should be aware, and the State Journal owes it to readers to present the other side.

- Gary Storck, co-founder Madison chapter, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)


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