I. Marijuana and Cancer
A. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. One of every four deaths in the U.S is from cancer.
B. I am here to discuss the benefits of marijuana use for cancer patients.
C. I will explain how marijuana affects a cancer patient’s body, overall health, and how marijuana improves a cancer patient quality of life.
D. I have done a lot of research for the past few years on this topic, including academic and medical journals, many opinions from physicians, and have seen the benefits in my mother firsthand.
E. Marijuana can dramatically improve the life of a cancer patient.
First off, Cancer can be diagnosed at any age and it can affect any organ in your body.
II.
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As mentioned above numerous studies have shown the viability of cannabis as a potential cancer treatment. Studies have not only shown how marijuana inhibits tumor growth, cell death, and blocking the development of blood vessels needed by tumors to grow but it also can dramatically improve the quality of life of a cancer
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) are funding many researcher to further the research and benefits of cannabinoids, THC and CBD in medical marijuana. It is believed that THC and CBD can help with killing cancer cell with radiation.
Because of the copious amount of medical data on the benefits of Cannabis, its low addiction rate and its lack of negative side effects make Cannabis fit the schedule 2 substance instead of the schedule 1 ranking.The earliest uses for cannabis date back to ancient China. It was used for medical remedies. Currently there is scientific evidence to back up the claim that it can help fight illness, including cancer. This has been hypothesized by many in the scientific community. But not until recently have studies been completed ranging from large-scale case studies to testing on animals. The evidence is becoming increasingly common that cannabis reduces tumors in animals as well as in humans. A study done by Harvard Medical shows that it reduced the tumors. "Cumulatively, these studies indicate that THC has anti-tumorigenic and anti-metastatic effects against lung cancer." This was an experiment that used cannabis to treat cancer in mice. The results were that there was a significant reduction of lung cancer in mice. Harvard Medical concluded that the two anti-tumor properties of cannabis, anti-proliferative and anti-androgenic, have beneficial effects in the cure of lung cancer. When used in treatment, the substance, THC, does not compromise human cells. "THC (5mg/kg body wt.) was administered once daily through intraperitoneal injections for 21 days. The mice were analyzed for tumor growth and lung metastasis. A significant reduction (approximately 50%) in tumor weight and
The two main cannabinoids in Cannabis are THC and CBD and both have been scientifically proven as well as FDA approved to provide several medical benefits that assist in the argument in legalizing medical marijuana. According to an article on drugabuse.gov, “THC increases appetite and reduces nausea and may also decrease pain, inflammation, and muscle control problems. CBD is a cannabinoid that may be useful in reducing pain and inflammation, controlling epileptic seizures, and possibly even treating mental illness and addictions.” These two main cannabinoids have been proven to provide patients with several medical benefits that other drugs cannot provide and that may not be safe or have safe side-effects. Since medical marijuana has so many medical benefits that it can provide as a benefit to so many patients, including cancer patients, by killing certain cancer cells and slowing its growth down then it would only be fair to legalize it throughout the United States for the sake of every patient’s health (drugabuse.gov). As stated before, medical marijuana is also a safer alternative to a variety of other drugs which is another reason as to why it should be
The process by which ∆^9–Tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC, a major component of Cannabis sativa, has been found to possess anti-tumor properties of many cancer types. However, the use of THC is limited; particularly its usage during chemotherapy due to its psychotropic activity, the ability to affect mental activity, behavior, or perception. In addition, the exact mechanism in which THC produces this activity is not fully known. For these reasons, there has been debate about its incorporation as a common treatment for cancer. There is growing evidence that some pharmacological effects of marijuana are due to Cannabis components other than THC. C. sativa contains at least 400 chemical components, 66 of which have been
Marijuana is not as harmful as people seem to think. The United States has been searching for a cure for cancer for several years and we have finally found enough information and research to cure it. Marijuana has given researchers a new medical breakthrough. Not only does it help with the symptoms of cancer, but also kills the cell growth. There are many types of cancer, three were discussed today: breast cancer, brain cancer, and lung cancer; although every type of cancer is serious, these three seem to be more and more common. It’s a sad tragedy when we have a simple cure to all types of cancers and nothing is being done about it. The FDA approves medical prescriptions all the time when they can cause serious side effects and sometimes even death; marijuana has zero scientifically proven serious side effects. With this being said, medical marijuana is more than an acceptable way to cure cancer and to help with the
As stated earlier in this paper the strain CBD is the most important ingredient for medical marijuana purposes. A study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics stated that CBD can help stop cancer by turning off a gene called Id-1. More research on CBD stopping cancer, has shown that marijuana slows tumor growth in the brain, breasts, and lungs by a considerable amount. THC can also serve medical purposes but it a lot less commonly used for medical reasons compared to CBD. One instance where THC does help medically is in preventing Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s happens when an enzyme in our brain begins to divide improperly, creating a form called beta amyloid which is toxic to the neurons in our brain. THC has been proven to help
Cannabis has cured some Cancer symptoms for many patients, “A number of studies of smoked marijuana found that it can be helpful in treating nausea and vomiting from cancer chemotherapy...studies have found that inhaled (smoked or vaporized) marijuana can be helpful treatment of neuropathic pain (pain caused by damaged nerves)” ("Marijuana and Cancer." Marijuana and Cancer. Web. 13 Nov. 2015) meaning that inhaling medical marijuana can actually help you with some symptoms that cancer does on your body. “More recently, scientists reported that THC and other cannabinoids such as CBD slow growth and/or cause death in certain types of cancer cells growing in laboratory
There are many other health benefits that most people overlook. For example, according to Arias, marijuana has been shown to suppress tumor growth in cancer patients. She goes on to say, researchers have found that THC targets cannabinoid receptors which are related to the endocannabinoids which are naturally produced in the human body. THC from marijuana activates these receptors, which can be used to treat several types of cancer.
Marijuana is a drug that divides people. Some people claim it as the wonder drug of the '90s, capable of relieving the symptoms of many serious illnesses. Others curse the day the cannabis plant was ever discovered. From pain relief to stimulating the appetites of patients on chemotherapy, marijuana seems to have plenty going for it as a medicine. The legalization of marijuana is a large controversy in many parts of the world today, but the obvious negative effects that the drug induces has kept it from being legalized. Many researchers have a strong positive attitude towards marijuana. It has been said that the drug is “worth investigating and even providing as a medicine for pain relief, severe
Additionally, medical marijuana could also cure cancer, a vigorous disease that kills many people daily. Research shows that THC is the main cannabinoid associated with marijuana and has been recognized to contain a strong anti-cancer effect. Wai Liu, a researcher discovered that there are numerous less known cannabinoids that may decrease the growth of cancer cells in Leukemia. Liu also found out that because the cannabinoids are not psychoactive, a patient could have the anti-cancer benefits without having the high feeling associated with THC (Bekiempis 1). Thus, marijuana does not target all rapidly dividing cells like the way chemotherapy or radiation does – which leads to weight and hair loss. Rather, the marijuana attacks the cancer (Bekiempis 1). Additionally, medical marijuana has many therapeutic uses. For example, research proves that
Marijuana has many positive effects it makes the side effects from chemotherapy subside. Some may argue that there are many drugs that can help with these symptoms. However,since the legalization of medicinal marijuana in California, many patients have said that marijuana is the only thing that helps achieve symptom relief. Some patients have said that it improves the use of other prescribed drugs such as dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a medication used to treat blood
Marijuana is one of the most debatable considerations to contemplate by Canadian societies that impacts us in our everyday lives. For instance, the most significant element to consider when debating about marijuana is the health issues: the pros and cons of marijuana’s influence on our health. Followers of marijuana dispute that, marijuana has beneficial influences on health, which conveys the support of legalization of marijuana. For example, marijuana reduces levels of depression symptoms as it causes individuals to feel relaxed after a long day of work or school. It also promotes creativity due to the increase of psychotomimetic symptoms when inhaled by individuals, resulting in marijuana users to imagine and visualize innovative thoughts. Moreover, medical research implies that marijuana has a positive effect in treating cancer patients. For example, marijuana is inhaled by cancer patients since it aids in treating nausea and queasiness symptoms by minimizing the agony initiated by impaired nerves. Based on these arguments, marijuana could factor in treating cancer or improving creativity in individuals that result in it to be beneficial towards everyday
It is hard to imagine the day-to-day pain that a cancer patient endures, but one can imagine that any type of relief would be invited from the victim and their families. These poor individuals suffer throughout the day, and unfortunately are in so much discomfort that attempting to live an ordinary life is virtually impossible. Providing people in these conditions with something that will help is almost a no brainer to people looking from the outside in. This is where marijuana can be an effective substitute for the treatments they are already taking. On this drug, many of those going through unbearable pain can function, and begin to appreciate life as they might have before the pain began.
Cancer comes in several types, lung, colon, prostate, brain, etc. and these patients have a tough battle as do all of the patients that have to endure the pain of the disorders and diseases mentioned. But Marijuana produces the best results for individuals with Cancer in my opinion. The most extraordinary result possible for Cancer patients is the result of tumor reduction caused by Marijuana. Regular use of this drug has also been found to reduce pain and nausea related to chemotherapy and radiation. Recent studies reported by AmericansforSafeAccess.org (an organization that supports legalization of medical marijuana) have proven that the “munchies” associated with marijuana helps to control appetite-stimulation properties that help combat Cachexia, or wasting syndrome.