The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

  • Recent Posts

  • Recent Comments

    Marijuana use not associated with lung cancer

    People who smoked marijuana in their youth are getting to the age when cancers are seen. Therefore, we’re probably on the verge of seeing many studies on the effects marijuana’s long-term health consequences.

    Among more than 2000 people living in Los Angeles County, long-term marijuana users who smoked more than 22,000 joints over a lifetime showed no greater risk than infrequent marijuana users or nonusers.

    How could this be?

    It might have something to do with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is a chemical found in marijuana smoke. THC seems to lessen the tumor-promoting properties of marijuana smoke.

    While nicotine in tobacco inhibits the destruction of cancer-causing cells, THC does not appear to do this — it might even do the opposite.

    No, you should not conclude from these findings that smoking marijuana is a way to protect yourself from lung cancer.

    9/8/06 10:46 JR

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