Cannabis Use Disorder Linked to Increased Risk for Oral Cancer

FRIDAY, Aug. 1, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is associated with an increased risk for oral cancer, according to a study published in the September issue of Preventive Medicine Reports.

Raphael E. Cuomo, Ph.D., from the University of California in San Diego, examined associations between CUD and five-year oral cancer risk in a retrospective cohort study. Adults screened for drug use disorders between January 2012 and December 2019 who had no prior oral cancer diagnosis were included. Participants were followed for oral cancer diagnoses for five years.

Cuomo found that 949 (2.1 percent) of 45,129 eligible patients developed CUD. The incidence of oral cancer was 0.74 and 0.23 percent in the CUD and non-CUD groups, respectively. A significantly increased risk for oral cancer was seen in association with CUD (unadjusted odds ratio, 3.24). After adjustment, the association remained significant (adjusted odds ratio, 3.25).

“Cannabis smoke contains many of the same carcinogenic compounds found in tobacco smoke, which have known damaging effects on the epithelial tissue that lines the mouth,” Cuomo said in a statement. “These findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that chronic or problematic cannabis use may contribute to cancer risk in tissues exposed to combustion products.”

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