HHS HealthBeat (March 19, 2009)

Marijuana, Men and Cancer

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From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Researchers have found a link between marijuana and more aggressive forms of testicular cancer. Stephen Schwartz of Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center bases that on data on men in western Washington – some of whom had testicular cancer and some who did not.

Long-term use, for instance:

[Stephen Schwartz speaks] ``Men who said that they had started using marijuana when they were in the adolescent years – before they were 18 – were at about 80 percent increased risk.’’

And Schwartz says men who used marijuana more frequently – at least once a week – had about double the risk.

The study also indicates that these marijuana users were more at risk of a faster-growing form of cancer, which strikes men at younger ages.

The study in the journal Cancer was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: March, 19 2009