6
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 7, 2008
Study links cannabis, disease
BY LAURA MARCINEK
STAff WRITER
Young people who are heavy
smokers of cannabis, a substance
found in marijuana, could be at a sig
nificant risk for gum disease, accord
ing to a study released Tuesday.
The study found that partici
pants who used cannabis between
the ages of 18 and 32 were more
likely to have mild and severe peri
odontal disease than those who
never used the substance.
“What we found out is that
marijuana does pose a risk above
smoking cigarettes,” said James
Beck, professor of dental ecology at
the UNC School of Dentistry, who
helped author the study.
Periodontal disease is the loss
of gum support around the tooth
caused by microorganisms in plaque
under the teeth and gums. Some
people have the genetic ability to
fight the disease more effectively
than others. If untreated, the disease
can sometimes lead to tooth loss.
The two major risk factors for
gum disease are diabetes and using
tobacco products.
But typically, people younger than
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“The rule of thumb is you don’t
start talking about periodontal dis
ease until after the age of 35,” Beck
said.
Natalie Tiimer. a junior journal
ism major, was not surprised by
the study's findings. But she said
she does not believe the data will
change people's habits.
“I don't think people think about
gum disease until they actually
have it," Turner said.
Eric Smith, a health educator
with Campus Health Services' sub
stance abuse prevention program,
said marijuana use can affect a
student's memory retention and
problem-solving abilities.
“It's not just the impact on your
health, but also it's the effects on
your life as a student," Smith said.
“From the academic perspective,
the effect marijuana can have on
your brain is huge."
The study started more than
30 years ago when Dr. W. Murray
Thomson, professor of dental pub
lic health at the University of Otago
in New Zealand, began following
participants born between 1972
News
and 1973.
The participants reported on
their cannabis and tobacco use four
times between the ages of 18 and
32 and were examined for signs of
dental disease at ages 26 and 32.
“They’re pretty trustful of these
investigators, and they would prob
ably get a valid response," Beck said.
“It’s one of the few studies that would
have information like that’
Addiction varies by person and
depends on frequency of use.
‘Long-term marijuana abuse can
lead to addictions," Smith said.
In 2000, the rate of marijuana
usage among college students was
33.6 percent a 9 percent increase
from 1990.
Students interested in quitting
should consider meeting with
health professionals at Counseling
and Wellness Services, Smith said.
“Much like smoking, cold turkey
might not be the best way to go,"
he said. “Between the health and
legal reasons, that should be good
motivation to quit."
Contact the University Editor
at udesk(wunc.edu.
VINCE VAUGHN
FROM PAGE 3
Northern Illinois University in
Dekalb.
Maniscalco was recommended
to be on Vaughn's tour by a mutual
friend. Ahmed Ahmed, who is also
one of the comedians featured in
the film.
"Getting on the tour was a dream
come true for me." said Maniscalco,
who has been a fan of Vaughn's
work since watching the comic's
performance in “Swingers."
“You felt like a rock star. It was
like traveling with Elvis Presley."
Maniscalco said all of the fea
tured comics' styles of comedy
are different and describes his
own material as observational
sketches that comment on what
people are doing in contemporary
society.
“I could have done 60 days, it
was that great. Being on this tour
dwarfed any kinds of complaints
you might have," Maniscalco
said.
“It w-as a little ambitious, 30
shows, 30 nights, but I'm proud of
the film and what we’ve done."
Contact the Arts Editor
at a rtsdesk@ unc.edu.
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DONATIONS
| FROM PAGE 3
short of its $1.5 million goal, said
Nitin Sekar, another MVP co-coor
dinator at UNC.
Snider said the campaign is hop
ing to be finished with its fundrais
ing efforts by the end of this aca
demic year.
“It’s about students coming
together that can show enthusi
asm and inspire donors to match
the enthusiasm with the money
that students don’t have," he
said.
Contact the University Editor
at udesk@unc.edu.
TUITION
FROM PAGE 3
plans to speak to board members
about the need for a clearer policy
toward out-of-state tuition, one
that would allow families to plan
in advance for tuition increases.
“We want to make sure predict
ability and accountability are still
important parts of the conversa
tion," she said.
Contact the State a National
Editor at stntde.sk@unc.edu.
cThr Daily (Ear Hrrl
LILES
FROM PAGE 3
“He’s got a much larger cam
paign than 1 did,' Matt Liles said.
“I tried to do a lot of it myself"
He said Logan maintains his
light-hearted personality under
pressure, citing Logan's partici
pation in an earlier competitive
endeavor, WRAL's Brain Game, a
quiz-bowl style game show for high
schoolers.
Matt Liles had introduced Logan
to Frank Sinatra on the way to the
competition, and after correctly
responding to several consecu
tive history questions. Logan got a
question about Sinatra.
He hit the buzzer, looked into
the audience and locked eyes
with Matt. Then he winked, and
answered the question correctly.
“When it comes to being who we
are, I think Logan has the strength
to be him." Matt Liles said.
Matt stopped short of endorsing
his brother because of his position
on the Student Supreme Court,
but said that he answered Logan's
questions about running.
“I said he was crazy. Running
takes a lot out of you. but there’s
nothing more exhilarating than
going around to students and
groups and finding out what they
care about."
Friends said Logan Liles' cam
paign is exciting, noting his per
sonal approach.
“He was definitely personable
and hard-working," said Anthony
Palermo, a junior who served on
the Carolina Advocacy commit
tee with Liles last year. “Those
two don't necessarily go hand-in
hand and for him it worked really
well."
Liles has cultivated “grass
roots-oriented" interests, such as
his environmental emphasis, said
Frank Sturges, Liles' friend and
current campaign adviser.
Sturges was the chairman for the
Carolina Advocacy committee last
year, for which Liles also served as
vice chairman. The committee is a
student government effort to influ
ence state legislators on behalf of
UNC.
Liles has put together a plat
form with a personal impact at
every turn, from Pit office hours to
permanent field space at Carolina
North.
“It’s about the students," Liles
said. “That's not a philosophy, that’s
how it should be."
Contact the University Editoi
at udesk@unc.edu