The National Cancer Institute, the leading government authority on cancer treatment in the United States, has quietly admitted on their website that cannabis cures cancer. You read that right. A part of the US health department has formally stated that cannabis has cured cancer in animal trials. This is an admission that the cannabis community has been searching for a long time.
Under “Complementary and Alternative Medicine” cannabis is now listed. The NCI posts some interesting facts including: “Cannabis has been shown to kill cancer cells in the laboratory (see Question 6).” This information is taken from a study on mice and rats that found that cannabis helped “inhibit tumor growth by causing cell death, blocking cell growth, and blocking the development of blood vessels needed by tumors to grow.” In addition to this incredible new admission the NCI also lists the following information:
Cannabis and cannabinoids may have benefits in treating the symptoms of cancer or the side effects of cancer therapies.
Cannabis and cannabinoids have been studied in the laboratory and the clinic for relief of pain, nausea and vomiting, anxiety, and loss of appetite
The main active cannabinoid in Cannabis is delta-9-THC. Another active cannabinoid is cannabidiol (CBD), which may relieve pain, lower inflammation, and decrease anxiety without causing the “high” of delta-9-THC
For the United States government to come out and state what a lot of people in the cannabis community already knew is progress indeed. This public show of support for cannabis treatment will go far in helping end the stigma associated with cannabis use. Patients who may have otherwise never used this medicine to heal now have the information they need to make an educated decision about their care.
Shasta Nelson is a California Native and a cannabis connoisseur. She's been involved in the industry at every level since she was a teenager. Currently she provides content for Roottie, DOPE Magazine, and Terpenes and Testing. She's also a creative writer, with a graphic novel underway.