The war against cancer: Bringing a knife to a gun fight

This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on February 16, 2014.

Over 40 years ago President Nixon declares a War on Drugs, and subsequently rescheduled marijuana to a schedule 1 drug (no medical value). One year later, with the support of the Nixon administration, Congress declared a War against Cancer.

Odd since medical evidence of the healing and therapeutic benefits of marijuana was known before the rescheduling of the drug. The Nixon administration ignored provisions that would have distinguished between medical and recreational cannabis and “all” marijuana was labeled “the devil’s lettuce”.

Congress stated in 1971, just before declaring the war on cancer, “There is broad agreement that cancer research has advanced to the stage where a substantial increase in resources and effort could be very productive. There seems to be a consensus among cancer researcher that they are within striking distance of achieving the basic understanding of cancer cells which has eluded the most brilliant medical minds in the world. While it is true that breakthroughs in science are often serendipitous, and cannot be forced, the committee feels that a substantial increase in resources, along with increased organization efficiency will shorten the time necessary to achieve them.”

Since the war on drugs was declared the number of cancer deaths per 100,000 individuals has risen every year since 1970.

Declaring a war on the cure will never result in a win against cancer, it is like going to war against Canada for example without effective weaponry. Bringing a knife to a gun fight.