Harshing Your Mellow

Note to self: getting stoned in New Zealand may be a bummer.

Smoking a joint is equivalent to 20 cigarettes in terms of lung cancer risk, scientists there have found, warning of an epidemic of lung cancers that could be linked to cannabis.

Past studies have demonstrated that cannabis can cause cancer, but few have established a strong link between cannabis use and the actual incidence of lung cancer.

In an recent article, the scientists said cannabis could be expected to harm the airways as its smoke contained twice the level of carcinogens than tobacco cigarettes. The method of smoking also increases the risk, since joints are typically smoked without a proper filter and almost to the very tip, which increases the amount of smoke inhaled. The cannabis smoker inhales more deeply and for longer, facilitating the deposition of carcinogens in the airways.

The researchers interviewed 79 lung cancer patients and sought to identify the main risk factors for the disease, such as smoking, family history and cannabis consumption. In this high-exposure group, lung cancer risk rose by almost 600% for patients who smoked more than a joint a day for 10 years, or two joints a day for 5 years.

For those who toke, I suggest you bong it up, and switch to a higher grade dope so you can take less hits and still get baked. And for those smoking the herb to combat chemo effects, well, don't sweat this - you've already got cancer.