Washington, Mar 5 (ANI): A study by researchers from New Zealand and Britain has revealed that smoking marijuana does not increase head and neck cancer risk.

For the study, the researchers scrutinized 75 cases of head and neck cancer.

The findings revealed that the relative risk associated with smoking cannabis and head and neck cancer in marijuana users was the same (1.0) as in those who had never smoked cannabis.

These results differ from the relative risk associated with cigarettes smoking and cancer at 2.1 and heavy alcohol intake at 5.7.

However, the authors said that a larger study is needed for clear understanding.

The head and neck cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer with 500,000 new cases diagnosed each year globally.

The study is published in the March 2008 issue of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. (ANI)