The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: smoking

  • Connecting Cannabis and Cancer

    Connecting Cannabis and Cancer

    New study links smoking cannabis with testicular cancer

    Those attending Humboldt State University who smoke marijuana regularly may want to rethink their habit.

    Marijuana is the most widely used drug in the United States, and a large part of its popularity as a recreational narcotic comes from the perception that it has very few, if any, long-term health effects. There are, in fact, several positives that are associated with the drug, such as help with depression or anxiety, easing of muscle soreness and a reducing of the number of seizures experienced by people with epilepsy.

    “When you combust any plant, you’re creating significantly more carcinogens.”

    Dr. Jeffrey Chen

    However, despite its positive effects, a recent study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association has identified a link between marijuana use in people with male reproductive organs and an increased risk of testicular cancer. The study explained that burning marijuana (which is necessary to smoke it), like burning any plant, triggers the release of carcinogens, which, in this case, may lead to testicular germ cell tumor.

    “When you combust any plant, you’re creating significantly more carcinogens,” Dr. Jeffrey Chen explained to Science Alert.

    The study also analyzed potential connections between recreational marijuana use and lung cancer, oral cancer and head and neck cancer. However, JAMA did not find any connections to any of those cancers.

    The meta-analysis in the data collected by JAMA is specific to white men, leaving out a large part of the global population. Many of their findings also date back as far as 1973.

    There also isn’t a direct causality from marijuana to cancer over a wide range of the population. The American Association for Cancer Research has identified many of the victims of cancer as having used marijuana heavily. However, there is still no evidence of other variables, who else might be at risk or other drugs that might increase or minimize said risk.

    These studies so far are limited in the information they provide, and should not be taken as the final word on any and all links between cannabis and cancer. However, it does contribute to the ongoing discussion of the health effects of the drug, and those who do use it may want to sit up a little straighter and take some notice.

  • Smoking Ban at HSU

    Smoking Ban at HSU

    By Danny Dunn

    This fall Humboldt State University will officially become a tobacco and smoke free campus. This ban includes all tobacco products such as, but not limited to cigarettes, tobacco pipes, and cigars along with electronic smoking devices like vape pens and box mods.

    Several California State Universities have already enforced this rule, and all 23 CSUs will eventually become smoke free.

    There are some exceptions to this ban, though not very many. According to the Executive Order 1108 exceptions include: smoking in a university sponsored theater, as well as ceremonial campus events may be authorized by the President or designee only when a required part of a specific performance. This includes smoking and tobacco use for traditional ceremonial activities of recognized cultural and religious groups.

    The use of nicotine cessation products such as Nicorette products are permitted under the order.

    This order will help to create a safer and more healthy environment on campus, but not everyone is onboard with this new smoke free campus.

    HSU student Jason Henkle believes that this new order treads on his rights as a smoker on campus and that it will give smokers a bad look among their fellow classmates.

    “There will be a stigma now for smokers at CSUs,” Henkle said. “This ban is going to isolate smokers from the non smokers.”

    Henkle went on to say that if he had not already planned on living off campus next fall, that this order would have made that decision for him.

    HSU student Joseph Keith also believes that smokers and even some non smokers social lives will take a hit from this new ban, because of the connections that people make throughout the gazebos on campus, most notably the gazebo at the bottom of campus apartments.

    “What are people going to do, we are not going to hang out our tiny ass living rooms all day,” Keith said. “I have friends now that I would have never had, not just through smoking, but me having a friend that I smoked with that introduced me to their friends.”

    HSU student Oscar Arzate admits that he is relieved that HSU is becoming a smoke free campus.

    “Honestly I am glad people will not be smoking or vaping on campus,” Arzate said. “The smell is very irritating to me.”