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Marijuana Cancer
Marijuana and Cancer
Andrew Driscoll
Susanne Wood
HSC1100
November 30, 2010
Tallahassee Community College
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Many tend to claim that marijuana has no medical value in the treatment of
chronic illnesses so their for it must be a harmful drug. They also ignore the long history
of marijuanas medical use and its history that dates back thousands of years. Over the
past couple of decades the use of cannabis for medical reasons has been an issue of
controversial discussion. Which in fact has assisted many people in dealing with their
life-threatening diseases. The use of medical cannabis as a medicinal herb has allowed
those with life-threatening diseases to enjoy life and live normal life-styles. Marijuana
has been mistakenly taken as an addictive drug that causes psychological side effects that
cant be fixed. Although this condition may occur if marijuana is taken in heavy doses
and for recreational purposes, however that condition could occur with the abuse of any
drug. Whether a drug is legalized by the law or not, if abused it is being used in an
irregular manner leading to severe emotional reactions and personality changes.
Marijuana should not be classified as an addictive drug and should being legalized for
medical purposes. The use of marijuana under medical observation and through proper
doses will in fact not create a drug-addict and will enhance and increase the chances of a
better life style.
Throughout the different periods of worlds history the different types of
marijuana known as sativa, indica, and ruderalis has proven its medical powers. The most
active ingredient out of all the known compounds found in cannabis is Delta-9Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Its presence is usually in large amounts and is extremely
psychoactive when mixed with Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabinol (CBN). In China
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Marijuana and Cancer
around 2700 B.C. a Chinese emperor recommended marijuana for its aid in constipation,
aching pains, forgetfulness, malaria, and other illnesses. This was the first recorded use of
marijuana for medicinal purposes. After Chinas discovery, many cultures accepted the
emperors knowledge and the plants healing benefits as a medicinal plant. However it
wasnt until the late 1800s when physicians from the Ohio Medical Society began
researching the use of cannabis as a medicine. In there findings they noticed great uses of
the drug for painful chronic illnesses such as stomach pain, chronic cough, and phobias.
In America during the early 1900s the use of marijuana as recreational social use led to
the rejection of marijuana as a medicinal alternate. Beginning in 1978 the states began
responding to the request from seriously ill patients for the legalization of cannabis to aid
their painful bodies. The ill patients suffered in pain and ended up dying in extricating
pain waiting for the laws to pass. Many will continue to suffer and die as physicians still
fight in the courts of the United States. Trying to bring the legalization of marijuana for
medicinal purposes to their patients and end their chronic suffrage.
Marijuana has an abundant amount of ways and cases it can be used for, recently
it was discovered that placing marijuana in a test tube with herpes killed the virus.
Throughout the past years historical references and proven scientific research have aided
in accumulating a list of medical uses for marijuana. Marijuanas remarkable therapeutic
abilities have proven to be exceedingly useful for the medical patients undergoing
chemotherapy for cancer. Cancer chemotherapy can potentially completely heal the
patient of all cancerous cells if not it can extend the patients life for a numerous number
of years. Although the major drawback of this rehabilitative is agent that it has drastic and
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severe side effects, most common effect are vomiting and nausea. Of course medicines
are in the market with the purpose of controlling the effects. But have shown to be rather
useless and there side effects are sometimes so harsh that patients prefer to stop the
therapy. The researching of cannabis has shown that marijuana has the ability to reduce,
if not diminish all the terrible symptoms that proceed chemotherapy sessions.
Researchers have concluded that each patient is capable of tolerating chemotherapy
treatments and do not have to deal with the nauseating and vomiting side effects when
marijuana is given to the patient.
Marijuana is without a doubt a great aid in reducing nausea and vomiting in ill
patients. It has allowed for patients to retain normal eating habits and lifestyles, ending
their anorexic life styles they were stuck in. Their results proved that marijuana was very
helpful in controlling side effects to the patients undergoing chemotherapy. It clearly
surpassed any high dosage of any other conventional drug. The debate and research
continues to go a step farther in the medicinal powers of marijuana. THC is licensed as an
anti-emetic drug in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, and has shown significant
stimulation of appetite and increase of body weight in cancer patients (Kogan pg 949950). Also stated in concluding Kogans research We would like to allude to the antiemetic and appetite inducing properties of cannabinoids, as well as their pain- reducing
properties. Anorexia and cachexia are diagnosed in more than two-thirds of all cancer
patients with advanced disease, and are independent risk factors for morbidity and
mortality. Anorexia, nausea and vomiting often are described as more significant
inhibiting factors for quality of life of cancer patients than even intense pain (Kogan
949).
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Marijuana and Cancer
Aids patients also experience many symptoms as cancer patients. Legal powerful
drug such and new protease inhibitors to treat AIDS and other severe illnesses can cause
intense nausea, vomiting, and other stomach pains. Due to these terrible side effects, an
AIDS patient can easily become bulimic and starve to death. These conditions similar to
Cancer chemotherapy can easily hinder a patient physically and mentally easily forcing
them to lead very a life in pain and misery. Marijuana has proven countless times to help
in coping with the side effects from legal drugs and chemotherapy. All attempts have
failed to obtain legal marijuana cards for these suffering patients. Even with the law
against marijuana it stands to be a multi billion-dollar industry in America. The people
have shown their want for this harmless non-additive medicine and take other measures
to obtain their relief, which makes them a drug addict.
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References
Natalya M. Kogan. (2005). Cannabinoids and Cancer. Mini-Reviews in Medicinal
Chemistry, 2005, 5, 941-952. Retrieved from EBSCO host database.
Machado Rocha. (2007). Therapeutic use of Cannabis sativa on chemotherapy side
effects. European Journal of Cancer Care, 2008, 17, 431443. Retrieved
from
EBSCO host database
Amanda L.C. Chen, PhD. Thomas JH. Chen, PhD. Eric R. Bravemian, MD. Vanessa
Acuri, B .S. Malloiy Kemer, Michael Varshavskiy, Dasha Bravemian, P A.
William B. Downs, B .Sc. Seth H. Blum, B.A. Kimberly Cassel, Kenneth Blum,
Ph.D. (2008) Marijuana Smokers and Carcinogenicity. Journal of Psychoactive
Drugs Volume 40 (3), 263-273. Retrieved from EBSCO host database.
Patricia A. Weiss. (2008) Does Smoking Marijuana Contribute to the Risk of Developing
Lung Cancer? Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. Volume 12, Number 3,
Oncology Myths and Legends. 517-520. Retrieved from EBSCO host database.