Strangelove -
I see, the absence of proof is proof. Yes, let us rely on pie in the sky theoretical predictions since reality doesn't support our contentions.
In the news recently a public health official extrapolating the relative carcinogenicity of marijuana, and taking into account the number of marijuana users believed to be in the country and the amount they're believed to smoke, estimated some 30,000 deaths/year. But wait, that was in Great Britain. The US has a popuklation four times greater, so the number for the US would be in the ballpark of 120,000.
The problem with this health official's off the cough estimate is that it doesn't take into account that marijuana is still largely a young person's drug. Most people who used it in their youth stop doing so in their twenties or thirties. The fact that it is illegal is probably the major reason why people stop. Since exposure is generally relatively brief the number of lung cancers that can be clearly attributed to just marijuana is probably much smaller than his estimate. of course, if marijuana were to beome legal that could change.
The problem with this health official's off the cough estimate is that it doesn't take into account that marijuana is still largely a young person's drug. Most people who used it in their youth stop doing so in their twenties or thirties. The fact that it is illegal is probably the major reason why people stop. Since exposure is generally relatively brief the number of lung cancers that can be clearly attributed to just marijuana is probably much smaller than his estimate. of course, if marijuana were to beome legal that could change.
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