The door has been closed on the debate about the possibility of inhibiting the cancer cells growth by cannabinoids!
August 2015 can be considered as a new milestone in the history of the medical fight against oncology. There have been accumulated so many researches directly proving that the use of marijuana in the treatment of cancer helps not only to relieve the symptoms of the disease, but also to prevent the development of new cancer cells, that it was impossible not to notice them. After four decades of fierce discussions, the National Cancer Institute of the USA (NCI) bent under the weight of irrefutable evidence of successful use of cannabis in the fight against cancer and noted the following:
“Studies in mice and rats have shown that cannabinoids may inhibit tumor growth by causing cell death, blocking cell growth, and blocking the development of blood vessels needed by tumors to grow. Laboratory and animal studies have shown that cannabinoids may be able to kill cancer cells while protecting normal cells.”
In particular, the NCI has noticed the successful results of studies concerning the cannabinoids effect on the cancer cells destruction in the following malignant tumors:
– Breast cancer: “A laboratory study of cannabidiol (CBD) in breast cancer cells showed that cannabidiol led to death of cancer cells not affecting normal breast cells. Studies of metastatic breast cancer in mouse models have shown that cannabinoids can reduce growth, as well as the rate of spread of cancer cells”;
Link to study.
– Brain cancer and glioma: “A laboratory study of cannabidiol (CBD) in human glioma cells showed that when given along with chemotherapy, CBD may make chemotherapy more effective and increase cancer cell death without harming normal cells. Studies in mouse models of cancer showed that CBD together with delta-9-THC may make chemotherapy such as temozolomide more effective”;
Link to study.
– Liver cancer and lung cancer: “A laboratory study of delta-9-THC in hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) cells showed that it damaged or killed the cancer cells. The same study of delta-9-THC in mouse models of liver cancer showed that it had antitumor effects”;
Link to study.
– Colon cancer.
Link to study.
Besides, the world’s leading experts of the institute noted other positive effects of cannabinoid used in treating terrible diseases, such as stimulating the appetite, fighting nausea and vomiting, and, of course, the anesthetic properties! However, this has unofficially been known to everyone in the medicine world since 1971.
Thus, it can be said that in 2015 the National Cancer Institute officially recognized the healing properties of marijuana in the fight against malignant tumors. At last, they marked a decisive end to disputes surrounding the cannabis positive properties in the cancer treatment. Just imagine what great breakthroughs in the fight against both cancer and other dangerous diseases could be achieved during this time if medical cannabis was permitted. Would cancer have been defeated by today? Maybe. In any case, nowadays we have a unique opportunity to test this out. And for some reason it seems that the answer would be yes!
However, this is not the final finish; it’s only intermediate because the public health service has to cope with the time-consuming and lengthy process of legalizing medical marijuana throughout Europe. The process has already been launched, and now it’s clear that there is neither force capable of stopping it, nor to prevent the brisk promotion of progress.