Safe Use of Cannabis In Cancer Treatment

Cannabis Nature has always given the best of cancer treatments that are often safe to the users. Integrative cancer doctors, cancer researchers and other nutritionists have recommended the use of natures given herbs and fruits to help in cancer treatment as they are free from chemicals that may cause collateral damage. Most greens are packed with antioxidants that are useful in fighting cancer. Most of the greens are also very good in boosting the immune system and help in fighting disease causing pathogens. Some of the proposed cancer treatment alternatives are not very welcomed by many states and even the cancer patients are afraid to try them. But cancer is a disease that can render anyone helpless and even ready to try the formidable. Use of narcotics in cancer treatments has been met with lots of controversy. It is not only narcotics that have been met with controversy in cancer treatments but even the safe use of marijuana in cancer treatment has been attracting lots of controversy. This is because in most federal states the use of marijuana has been prohibited- even for medical purposes.

Marijuana also known as Cannabis sativa is plant that grows widely in warm tropical climates. This plant has been used in the past for its medicinal value. Due to its ready market and wide use for non medical purposes, this plant has been produced in large scale for commercial purposes. There are 66 biologically active components of marijuana that has been identified by doctors. These are called cannabinoids. However the most noted component as potent is known as the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol often shortened as THC. The potency of this delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol has been discovered to be useful in fighting cancer.

However potent these components are, there has been lots of problems with research on marijuana as the legislators classified marijuana as a narcotic drug denying access to marijuana even for medicinal purpose. This restriction came in 1970 thereby barring reasonable research to be done on the medicinal abilities of this plant.

The use of marijuana in cancer treatment began long ago even before most states allowed it to be used strictly for medicinal purposes. In a research that was done by Harvard Medical School in 1991discovered that nearly 50 percent of doctors in the United States recommended cannabis sativa to their cancer patients as a means of easing their pain and to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and other conventional cancer therapies.

Use marijuana in cancer treatment got a thumb up after the favorable review of the Institute of medicine that stated that marijuana can be used effectively as an alternative to conventional cancer treatments. . The review reasoned that in some cancer patients that are already experiencing such side effects as nausea and vomiting swallowing pills becomes a problem thereby making it hard to continue with medication.

The release of the Institute of Medicine report seemingly opened ways for many research works to be published on the effectiveness of marijuana as an alternative cancer treatment. A review of clinical studies that was conducted in several states in 2001 found out that in 768 cancer patients marijuana was very effective anti-emetic in chemotherapy. Other studies that have also been done on the effectiveness of cannabis as cancer treatment found that the biologically active components in marijuana helped in preventing nausea, vomiting and pain in cancer patients. These studies also found that it helped improved the appetite of cancer patients.

Through numerous laboratory tests, scientists have been able to prove the tumor-fighting properties of cannabinoids. Researchers have discovered that the cannabinoids inhibit growth of tumors in animal models by modulating key cell-signaling pathways. However there have never been tests on humans. The researchers also reported that the cannabinoids are very well tolerated by the patients and their use do not produce the life threatening side effects that conventional cancer treatments are known for.

Today several studies have revealed that the active components of marijuana inhibit the growth of cancer cells and promote apoptosis; which is the programmed cell death in tumors. These components are able to accomplish all this by inhibiting angiogenesis. Without angiogenesis it becomes impossible for cancer metastasis. Researchers also noticed that unlike the haphazard chemotherapy that works by producing toxic free radicals, the active marijuana components work better by targeting the cancerous cells thereby evading the grave side effects.

Possible Danger

Cannabis is a drug that when used without observation of a qualified doctor can result in serious health problems. Smoking cannabis can result in such problems as irritating throat while increased exposure to such smoke can result in development of many cancers. To avoid the danger of smoke other ingestion methods such as capsules, food products and tinctures should be used.

Marijuana also increases the rate of heart beat which may beckon other diseases. Other complications that may arise from unsafe use of cannabis include; mental confusion, lack of concentration, anxiety, paranoia, panic, fear of loss of control, alienation or detachment, dry mouth, and reddened eyes. Excessive use of marijuana may also cause loss of memory and other grave complications. It is therefore advisable that no patient should try using marijuana as an alternative cancer treatment without the help of a doctor.

Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced integrative cancer doctor that has helped many cancer patients in their fight against the disease. She has worked hard not only in treating the disease but also in availing informational support to cancer patients at Awaremed which has become a place called home for many cancer patients. Call on her now and get help on cancer.