Grasscity - Cyber Week Sale - up to 50% Discount
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Disclosure:

The statements in this forum have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are generated by non-professional writers. Any products described are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Website Disclosure:

This forum contains general information about diet, health and nutrition. The information is not advice and is not a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional.

Barrett's Esophagus and Marijuana

Discussion in 'Medical Marijuana Usage and Applications' started by Serpent, May 28, 2010.

  1. #1 Serpent, May 28, 2010
    I'm going to ask my doctor, but I don't trust him in the marijuana department, I feel like he would tell me to quit regardless of whether it was true or necessary.

    I have Barrett's Esophagus, which isn't too serious with my lifestyle, I don't drink and I'm not addicted to anything. But I'm not sure about smoking or THC. I smoke about 1 gram a day out of a bong. Is a Vaporizer necessary? Would it help? Would smoking hurt or increase risk of cancer associated with Barrett's? Is food/tinctures/edibles/drinkables necessary? I love actually smoking the marijuana, or at least vaporizing it, and I like the high better. I'd like to know o what degree smoking is a danger for this diagnosis, because again, I love to smoke. If I can't smoke every day, how about a blunt/joint/bong 1-3 times a week?


    I figured this forum section would know best.
     
  2. #2 Storm Crow, May 28, 2010
    These may help-

    Marijuana Unlikely to Cause Head, Neck, or Lung Cancer (news - 2000)
    Marijuana Unlikely to Cause Cancer

    Marijuana Use and Risk of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (full - 2004)
    http://science.iowamedicalmarijuana.org/pdfs/cancer/Rosenblatt 2004.pdf

    Cannabis use and cancer of the head and neck: Case-control study (full -2008)
    Cannabis use and cancer of the head and neck: Case-control study

    Marijuana Less Harmful to Lungs than Cigarettes (news - 1994)
    Marijuana Less Harmful to Lungs than Cigarettes

    Marijuana Unlikely to Cause Head, Neck, or Lung Cancer (news - 2000)
    Marijuana Unlikely to Cause Cancer

    Anti-Tumor Effects (news - 2001?)
    http://www.ukcia.org/research/AntiTumorEffects.htm

    Smoking Cannabis Does Not Cause Cancer of Lung or Upper Airways
    (news - 2005)
    CCRMG

    Marijuana Use and the Risk of Lung and Upper Aerodigestive Tract Cancers: Results of a Population-Based Case-Control Study (full - 2006)
    http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/15/10/1829.full

    Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows (news - 2007)
    Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows



    Now for the rest of the studies, click the MMJ link in my sig! :D Hon, you are in for a real education!
     
  3. #3 Serpent, May 31, 2010
    Barrett's Esophagus is very different though. Are there any studies with specifics on that? My esophagus is damaged, and all FAQs about my diagnosis I read say "If you smoke, quit, smoke inflames the esophagus and makes barrett's worse" or something like that. So really I want to know if a vaporizer would kill that risk, or if there is a study that says smoke truly is fine from marijuana with barrett's. OR if neither are fine, do I need to resort to oral THC administration. I appreciate the links, but I'm fairly educated in that area.

    Also, did your second link contradict the others? I don't have the time or know-how to decipher all of the pdf, but that's what I got from it.
     
  4. #4 Serpent, Jun 17, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 19, 2010
    I guess I shouldn't have made an assumption about my doctor. He's middle aged and middle eastern immigrant, so I assumed he'd tell me to lay off the pot. His response was amazing (not word-for-word, but close to):

    "There is no medical reason to stop smoking marijuana with Barrett's Esophagus (which is result of acid reflux, I don't feel symptoms of acid reflux though). If anything, it will help, especially with your eating."

    This was in response to me asking what I can and can't do. I asked him if I could drink alcohol, he said "no, only on some occasions with your buddies" but I basically could never become a frequent drinker or wine drinker or anything. Which is probably a good thing. I then told him I smoked every day, "can I still do that?" He said "absolutely not, somoking cigarettes..." I cut him off saying I didn't smoke cigarettes. He said still, cigars, absolutely n... I kind of shook my head a little, to which he said "ahh, Marijuana." Then he put the good news on the table. :)

    I'm still going to get a vaporizer so the smoke doesn't bother my condition at all, but hopefully that will help and Grasscity folk's with Barrett's (probably very few), or someone who comes across this on a Google search. Apparently I am his youngest Barrett's diagnosis. Anyways, enjoy the burn.

    EDIT - I'm in a state where it is illegal to smoke marijuana. Not that I do... ;) But interesting that a doctor would be so positive about marijuana here.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  5. #5 Apropos, Aug 27, 2011
    This is extremely satisfying news for me as I also have Barretts esophagus since i was 12 :) I'll light one up for you. :smoke::hello:
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
  6. #6 Creekstar, Feb 11, 2015
    Thank for this Information, I was really worried about that. I live in a state where it is legal for medical use.
     
  7. #7 Das_bucket, Jan 4, 2018
    Thanks for this.
     
  8. #8 Digital Veil, Jan 4, 2018
    Pretty random coming across this, thanks for the bump. Good info, although I was diagnosed ~5 years ago and havent slow down a bit in regards to smoking. A little extra piece of mind never hurts.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
  9. #9 Misskaboom, May 3, 2023
    Hey serpent- any updates to your Barrett’s? I recently was diagnosed myself- 37 year old female, don’t fit any of the checkboxes for someone who would have this diagnosis- I am not overweight, I’m young, and I am not a white male, nor do i have any acid reflux symptoms. The only thing I can think that would cause my Barrett’s is smoking weed. I’ve been a daily smoker for 20 years- about a blunt per day. I was thinking maybe if I switch to joint paper instead it would help instead of using the blunts (I only use the leaf part but it probably still has some chemicals in it). There are very few studies on marijuana and Barrett’s. Cigarettes are for sure a cause. But smoking is smoking and inflaming the esophagus is my thoughts? I too really like the act of smoking- it’s relaxing to me. I don’t like edibles, don’t get the same high, just doesn’t do it for me. Was curious if you had any updates to your case or lifestyle changes. Currently doctor recommends I take PPI medication for life (ugh) despite not having gerd issues, have to get another endoscopy in a year and hopefully my Barrett’s heals. Otherwise I have to get regular endos. No thanks! Doctor told me there is not supplement alternative to heal my Barrett’s. The internet tells me otherwise and that I can take chewable calcium or digestive enzymes before meals that might help which is rather try before being on PPI meds for life. I am currently stressing about having to possibly quit smoking- you’re one of few similar cases to mine so was hoping you had some updates to share! Thanks!
     
  10. #10 Dr Cannatonic, May 3, 2023
    Smoking nicotine is harmful for many things including Barrett's esophagus because it is a vasoconstrictor and reduces blood flow.

    In my opinion smoking cannabis would be a net positive when you have metaplasia of the lower esophagus (aka Barrett's). Even better would be to consume cannabis tincture.
     
  11. #11 Duft, May 4, 2023
    Actually it's only partially caused by AR, my brother was diagnosed as an infant with Barretts, 65 years later he still has to have his esophagus dilated twice a year.
     

Share This Page