This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on October 17, 2013.
You may have heard of Rick Simpson’s famous hemp oil, which he likes to call “Phoenix Tears”. Rick is a Canadian marijuana patient that has made a name for himself by proclaiming that hemp oil cured his cancer. Naturally, many people are skeptical of his claims, but it still leaves us wondering whether there is actually any truth behind this matter.
Before we get into curing cancer, it’s important to mention that there are a number of marijuana-based drugs available for cancer patients. For example, Marinol is a pure THC pill that can be prescribed as an alternative to medical marijuana. Although doctors have never suggested using Marinol to treat cancer itself, it is still useful for treating the side-effects of chemotherapy such as nausea and vomiting.
Still, there have been many studies over the years which show that marijuana actually has strong cancer-fighting properties. While these studies have not been conducted on humans yet, research has shown that THC reduces tumor growth and cancer spreading in animals with cancer.
On top of that, the effects of THC are not limited to a single type of cancer. Rather, research has confirmed its cancer-fighting effects in a variety of different cancer models such as lung cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer and many more.
But once again, research has never been done on humans so it is impossible to say for certain whether medical marijuana can actually be used to fight cancer.
It’s unfortunate that our current prohibition laws prevent not only patients from accessing medical marijuana, but researchers as well. In the US, the federal government is the only source of marijuana for research and they continue to prevent many studies from taking place.
Just ask the non-profit research organization MAPS, who are all too familiar with these restrictions. MAPS has been attempting to conduct a study on medical marijuana and PTSD for the past few years with little success. Things looked hopeful when their proposal was approved by the FDA in 2011, only to be shot down by another federal agency a few months later. Their study still hasn’t been approved as of today.
Back to the topic of medical marijuana and cancer. It seems that only time will tell whether research can confirm its benefits in humans. Till then, we can only fight to raise awareness of medical marijuana research and hope that one day the feds will start to accept it as the medicine it truly is.
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I believe the government already knows the benefits of medical marijuana and cancer. They just don’t want the public to know. It’s called population control. The government is fully aware of the benefits. That’s why they won’t legalize it.
I agree it’s all about the money! I have had leukemia for 6 years and take a medication called Sprycel. One pill a day, a month Rx cost $10,401.55! I use medical marijuana to control the side affects, mostly bone pain and loss of appetite. However, I feel the marijuana has helped keep the leukemia under control more than the meds. The truth about medical marijuana will never be fully disclosed, I.e. different strains help different conditions and medical marijuana is completely different from street weed, because the Government makes too much money from drug companies and fighting their ” war on weed”. The movement must continue!!!!
If pot cured cancer it would be used in medicine today. It gets you high. Maybe cocain has properties to stop heart attacks. Oh wait they deliver heart attacks. Get over it, it is a useless drug that endangers the world.
Grandmama, it is sad that you have allowed yourself to become so misinformed and misled by the governments anti-marijuana propaganda. I’ve been involved in the field for over 45 years now, and while I won’t claim that cannabis cures cancer, it does kill cancer cells. I’ve been directly involved in several cancer cases where the patient used cannabis derivatives to knock out the disease. Sometimes it is gone forever, sometimes the cancer reoccurs. The former occurs more often than not. Now, I don’t want to shake your confidence in our esteemed government, they would not, above all, lie to the people in order to keep the pharmaceutical money pouring into their coffers, now would they? You also seem to have forgotten that until about 75 years ago, when the country changed the laws concerning cannabis in order to arrest Mexicans and Blacks and put white folks to work, cannabis was considered medicine by doctors throughout the world for over 4,500 years of history.
Your a fucking idiot. Get the fuck out of here you old bitch. Why the hell are you even here? I pray you get Cancer and need it.
OMG Go play in traffic with that BS! Go educate yourself dummy
my wife has been suffering from thyroid cancer which was confirmed to be stage four, the doctor told me there was little she could do since she wasn’t responding to treatment but my brother in law came to our rescue by ordering this hemp oil from doctor Barry by name which he said has been helping some patient fight against cancer of various types so we decided to give it a chance, so far my wife is improving perfectly very well and presently she can walk around the house all by herself. I felt its necessary i let others who are suffering from this acute disease that once you have a good hemp oil it can really give one a sound second chance of living.
My name is Mrs. Kerry Daniel from Florida,2014 testimony . It is with pleasure that i thank Dr. rick simpson for saving my dying husband with his cannabis oil.
We already lost hope for a better life when the report came that my husband cannot go for more Chemo anymore. But after so many research online, I gained a lot about the cannabis oil that i bought from the Dr. rick simpson whose contact I got online on reading a testimony about his past works and glory, The medication was delivered to me within 24 hours by the UPS delivery service after procurement. My husband has completed his treatment, unquenchable joy to all as my husband is cured of his stage 4 lungs cancer within 90 days of treatment. Thanks to all, today i acknowledge the greatness of cannabis oil.
Kerry Daniel.
To Grandma
While you are entitled to your opinion, you should know, it is not a useless drug……….It increases appetite for those who suffer from nausea etc and are losing weight from not being able to keep down their food as in Cancer and for AIDS patients etc. Everything has its place…..Chances are your front door matt is made of hemp……..While I don’t suggest you go smoke it, I would say hemp and hemp products have uses……..Hemp seed (without the THC) is sold in health food stores and is full of Omega fatty acids very nutritious and tasty, they can be sprinkled on salads etc, and don’t get you stoned or high etc. I think you are entitled to your opinion however you should at least try to make an educated one; otherwise you just sound like an opinionated old biddy!!!! By the way if you have ever had a root canal chances are considering your age as a Grandma that you have had to use a derivative of cocaine to numb your gums but, perhaps you’d prefer to suffer? I’m not saying I agree with using cocaine to get high, because I don’t! But much of modern medicine is based on these, what you call “pointless drugs”! Heroin is another that converts into Morphine which is important in suppressing pain in sick and dying people. As someone in the medical field I see the importance of such drugs as I DO NOT WISH TO SEE ANYONE SUFFER!!!! I also feel if science is investigating this drug now there is obviously good reason for it and anything that could cure CANCER has my support having lost my father and aunt to it, as well as a brother in law and a mother who had a battle but is one of the only family members I have who survived so far!!! Lets not be so quick to judge, hey…….I believe everything has its place…….sorry if I seemed harsh, but so did you!
Who is this Dr Barry? Perhaps I can contact him for my husband. Thanks
I have seen the power of CBD. Unfortunately I am not able to experience the same benefits. I am a CDL truck driver. The department of transportation is very strict about medical Marijuana use. I have not been able to get CBD oil or food products without THC. The THC. is the problem due to random drug testing. I have degenerative joint disease and diabetes. My wife is a provider. I have seen first hand the quality of life restored to people who were depending on pills and such. Now living life pain free and out of the cloud of opiates. I would love to hear from anyone who can help me live pill free, not only for my pain but the diabetes as well. It’s funny that legally I can drive messed up on pills prescribed by my doctor but I will lose my lively hood using MM….hoping for help
Big C.
Suck it!!!!!