Pairing cigarettes with another habit ups oral cancer risk by 624%

Smoking leaves more than just a bad taste in your mouth — it could be fueling your oral cancer risk.

Studies have consistently reported that cigarette users are five to 10 times more likely to develop oral cancer than non-smokers.

A new study out of UC San Diego suggests that a chronic weed habit carries a higher risk of oral cancer as well. Researchers determined that people who often smoke marijuana are 3.25 times more likely to contract the disease within five years compared to those without cannabis use disorder.

“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,” said Raphael Cuomo, an associate professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at UC San Diego School of Medicine and member of UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center.

“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.”

Oral cancer encompasses cancers of the lips, tongue, gums and the lining of the cheeks and mouth.

The American Cancer Society projects that there will be nearly 60,000 new US cases of oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer this year and about 12,800 deaths.

Known risk factors of oral cancer include tobacco use, chronic alcohol consumption and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

Cuomo’s team analyzed health data from over 45,000 oral cancer patients, including 949 who had been formally diagnosed with cannabis use disorder. They accounted for age, sex, body mass index and smoking status.

They calculated that tobacco smokers with a cannabis addiction are 624% more likely to contract oral cancer within five years compared to cigarette users not prone to smoking marijuana.

The researchers posited that the inhaled smoke is to blame because it can damage mouth tissues.

Edibles and beverages infused with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis, don’t seem to carry a similar oral cancer risk as smoking weed.

“Research is still evolving, so regular self-checks and dental exams remain wise for all cannabis users,” Cuomo told The Post.

His findings were published in the September edition of Preventive Medicine Reports.

The researchers emphasized that there should be more exploration of the long-term effects of cannabis, and oral health awareness should be highlighted in substance use disorder treatment and counseling.

The UCSD study is not the first to sound the alarm about cannabis use and cancer.

A 2024 study out of the University of Southern California linked daily marijuana use to a three to five-fold increase in the risk of head and neck cancers. Oral cancer is a type of head and neck cancer.

Cuomo suggests seeing a dentist or an ear, nose and throat specialist if you have a sore, ulcer or red or white patch in your mouth that has not healed after two weeks, especially if you have a lump, numbness, bleeding or pain when swallowing.

“Early evaluation is critical because oral cancers caught in the first stage are usually curable,” he said.