Cannabis has been a controversial topic for years, but it is now emerging as a potential treatment for cancer. This article will explore the evidence for cannabis as a cancer treatment, including the potential benefits, side effects, and risks. We will also discuss the current research and where it could lead in the future. Finally, we will look at the legal issues surrounding cannabis use and how this could affect access to the drug. By exploring the evidence, we can gain a better understanding of the potential of cannabis to treat cancer and the challenges that still remain.
What scientific evidence is there that suggests cannabis can cure cancer?
At this time, there is no scientific evidence that suggests cannabis can cure cancer. While some studies have explored the potential to use cannabis to treat cancer, the results have been inconclusive. More research is needed in order to determine if cannabis has any potential to be used as a cancer treatment.
Are there any proven medical benefits of using cannabis to treat cancer?
While there is evidence to suggest that cannabis may help alleviate some of the symptoms of cancer, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that it can actually cure cancer. However, there is ongoing research into the potential benefits of cannabis in treating cancer and its side effects, including pain, nausea, and appetite loss.
Has cannabis been used to successfully treat cancer in any clinical studies?
Although there is not enough evidence to definitively prove that cannabis can cure cancer, there are some studies that suggest that cannabis may be beneficial in treating certain types of cancer. In particular, one study found that certain cannabinoids in cannabis may be able to slow the growth of certain types of cancer cells and even kill them. However, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of cannabis as a cancer treatment.
Marijuana and individual cannabinoids compounds in the plant like tetrahydrocannabinol THC or cannabidiol CBD have been studied to manage the side effects of cancer and cancer therapies like chemotherapy. Findings suggest that certain cannabinoids can help relieve some of those side effects. However, studies have not shown that marijuana or individual cannabinoids can cure cancer. Avoiding or delaying conventional medical care for cancer or relying on marijuana alone to treat or manage the effects of cancer may have serious health consequences. Studies of the chemicals or cannabinoids found in the marijuana plant suggest that certain cannabinoids can be helpful in treating nausea and vomiting from cancer chemotherapy, 1 as well as in treating neuropathic pain pain caused by damaged nerves. S Food and Drug Administration external icon FDA has approved two specific drugs dronabinol name brands Marinol and Syndros and nabilone name brand Cesamet that are synthetic man-made forms of specific cannabinoids for use in cancer patients with chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting. More research is needed to understand the effects of marijuana as a treatment for cancer-related symptoms or side effects of cancer therapy. Smoked marijuana delivers THC and other cannabinoids to the body, but it also delivers harmful substances, including many of the same toxins and carcinogens cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke, 3 which are harmful to the lungs and cardiovascular system. However, limited evidence of an association between current, frequent, or chronic marijuana smoking and testicular cancer non-seminoma-type has been documented. Because marijuana can be used in different ways, with different levels of active compounds, it can affect each person differently. More research is needed to understand the full impact of marijuana use on cancer. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Marijuana and Public Health. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. Is there a link between marijuana and cancer? National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids the current state of evidence and recommendations for research. National Cancer Institute. A comparison of mainstream and sidestream marijuana and tobacco cigarette smoke produced under two machine smoking conditions. Chemical Research in Toxicology. A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA. Gurney, C. Shaw, J. Stanley, V. Signal, and D. Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. You will be subject to the destination websites privacy policy when you follow the link. CDC is not responsible for Section compliance accessibility on other federal or private website. Cancel Continue.
Marijuana is the name given to the dried buds and leaves of varieties of the Cannabis sativa plant, which can grow wild in warm and tropical climates throughout the world and be cultivated commercially. It goes by many names, including pot, grass, cannabis, weed, hemp, hash, marihuana, ganja, and dozens of others. Marijuana has been used in herbal remedies for centuries. Scientists have identified many biologically active components in marijuana. These are called cannabinoids. The two best studied components are the chemicals deltatetrahydrocannabinol often referred to as THC , and cannabidiol CBD. Other cannabinoids are being studied. This means that they cannot legally be prescribed, possessed, or sold under federal law. But the use of marijuana to treat some medical conditions is legal under state laws in many states. Dronabinol, a pharmaceutical form of THC, and a man-made cannabinoid drug called nabilone are approved by the FDA to treat some conditions. Different compounds in marijuana have different actions in the human body. For example, deltatetrahydrocannabinol THC seems to cause the high reported by marijuana users, and also can help relieve pain and nausea , reduce inflammation, and can act as an antioxidant. Cannabidiol CBD can help treat seizures, can reduce anxiety and paranoia, and can counteract the high caused by THC. Different cultivars strains or types and even different crops of marijuana plants can have varying amounts of these and other active compounds. This means that marijuana can have different effects based on the strain used. The effects of marijuana also vary depending on how marijuana compounds enter the body. The most common ways to use marijuana are in food edible marijuana and by smoking or vaping it inhaled marijuana . A number of small studies of smoked marijuana found that it can be helpful in treating nausea and vomiting from cancer chemotherapy.
