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Internet photos of swimming phenomenon Michael Phelps, 23, possibly indulging in an Olympian lungful of marijuana smoke scandalized many and may have caused him to lose face and the faith of some of his fans -- not to mention a lucrative sponsorship from Kellogg.
But according to new research, if Phelps makes a habit of smoking up, he could stand to loose more than a fan base.
For the first time, researchers have linked frequent marijuana use to an increased risk of testicular cancer, according to an article published today in the journal Cancer.
"There's been very little research done on marijuana use and its association with cancer risk," said Janet Daling, the senior author of the article and an epidemiologist and member of the Public Health Sciences Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) in Seattle. "This is the first time this association has been shown."
Using a population-based, case-control study, Daling surveyed 369 men diagnosed with testicular cancer and 979 healthy men between ages 18-44 about their history with marijuana use.
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