Heavy cannabis use linked to oral cancer risk
Heads up: A new study says people with cannabis use disorder (CUD) are over three times more likely to get oral cancer within five years than those without it.
Researchers looked at health records from 45,000+ adults—none had oral cancer when the study started.
Out of those with CUD, 0.74% developed oral cancer, compared to just 0.23% for everyone else.
Tobacco + cannabis = trouble
If you smoke tobacco and have CUD, your risk jumps even higher—over six times that of tobacco users without CUD.
The study suggests cannabis and tobacco together might seriously raise your chances of getting oral cancer.
What you can do
The researchers recommend regular mouth checks for heavy cannabis users, especially if you also smoke.
While the study didn't look at edibles or vapes specifically, it points out that cannabis smoke has some of the same harmful stuff as tobacco—and THC might weaken your immune system too.