They claim cannabis use increases the chance of getting testicular cancer by 70%, but the initial chance of getting testicular cancer is well under 1% to begin with. Even if the premise is completely true, it is interesting only for academic purposes.
Here's the breakdown of the article: Cannabis use is up and the testicular cancer rates are proportional. However, only the fast growing form is proportionally up with cannabis use, the more common form of testicular cancer isn't up.
To me, this suggest that something other than drug use is causing an increase in testicular cancer and that the fast growing form of cancer increases the attraction to cannabis. It's the simplest explanation.
It's already been shown that testicular cancer is related to adultery and high sex drive due to the elevated levels of testosterone and this high level of testosterone causes the cancer. It's also shown that high testosterone levels increase risk taking behavior, like extreme sports but also drug taking. So Occam's razor suggests high testosterone rates will encourage drug use.
Honestly, the results are pathetic. You have a twofold increase in testicular cancer prevalence if your mother contracts lung cancer! This was the previous thing they linked with the 'testicular cancer plague' in the UK, now that that's got boring they're interested in cannabis. Next it'll be poor diet, perhaps standing in front of the microwave or cell phones will come after that!
All these things have the same things in common: correlation and not causation.
Please, can we stop seeing articles like this. The last one was masturbation and testicular cancer and again that article was flawed by the exact same thing. The precursors to testicular cancer cause all these behaviors, not the behaviors causing cancer!
Oh, here we go. Hacker News degenerating into reddit...
I seriously hope that the reddit-style "news" will not start to dominate Hacker News. I am not interested in marijuana laws in the US, abuse of power by the police in the US, Obama getting elected (we're done with that, fortunately), or other things which are not Hacker News. I come here for cool geeky stuff.
This is also the only time I will post a comment like that. Otherwise, I will make it a point to ignore "news" like these. It's a pity I can't downmod those or at least hide them like on reddit.
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[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 30.5 ms ] threadTo me, this suggest that something other than drug use is causing an increase in testicular cancer and that the fast growing form of cancer increases the attraction to cannabis. It's the simplest explanation.
It's already been shown that testicular cancer is related to adultery and high sex drive due to the elevated levels of testosterone and this high level of testosterone causes the cancer. It's also shown that high testosterone levels increase risk taking behavior, like extreme sports but also drug taking. So Occam's razor suggests high testosterone rates will encourage drug use.
Honestly, the results are pathetic. You have a twofold increase in testicular cancer prevalence if your mother contracts lung cancer! This was the previous thing they linked with the 'testicular cancer plague' in the UK, now that that's got boring they're interested in cannabis. Next it'll be poor diet, perhaps standing in front of the microwave or cell phones will come after that!
All these things have the same things in common: correlation and not causation.
Please, can we stop seeing articles like this. The last one was masturbation and testicular cancer and again that article was flawed by the exact same thing. The precursors to testicular cancer cause all these behaviors, not the behaviors causing cancer!
I seriously hope that the reddit-style "news" will not start to dominate Hacker News. I am not interested in marijuana laws in the US, abuse of power by the police in the US, Obama getting elected (we're done with that, fortunately), or other things which are not Hacker News. I come here for cool geeky stuff.
This is also the only time I will post a comment like that. Otherwise, I will make it a point to ignore "news" like these. It's a pity I can't downmod those or at least hide them like on reddit.