National Cancer Institute Acknowledges CBD Oil May Be Helpful In Fighting Cancer

person Larry Ostrovsky
calendar_today Oct 05, 2015

In April 2017, the NCI (National Cancer Institute, the U.S. government’s principal agency for cancer research) created a ruckus by publishing that molecules found in (synthetic) cannabinoids trigger cancer cell death in lab tests. Marijuana remains a federally illegal, schedule one drug with “no medical use” and “a high potential for abuse”, so the NCI was pressured to take down the statement. But the evidence is clear.

Recently, a press release falsely attributed to NBC News said that the NCI’s statement was new. But it’s not. It’s worth repeating: substances contained in weed helps in the fight against cancer. So why is the federal government still arresting hundreds of medical cannabis patients and providers across the country?

Here’s some of the NCI statement:

“Studies in mice and rats have shown that cannabinoids may inhibit tumor growth by causing cell death, blocking cell growth, and blocking the development of blood vessels needed by tumors to grow. Laboratory and animal studies have shown that cannabinoids may be able to kill cancer cells while protecting normal cells.

A study in mice showed that cannabinoids may protect against inflammation of the colon and may have potential in reducing the risk of colon cancer, and possibly in its treatment.

A laboratory study of delta-9-THC in hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) cells showed that it damaged or killed the cancer cells. The same study of delta-9-THC in mouse models of liver cancer showed that it had antitumor effects. Delta-9-THC has been shown to cause these effects by acting on molecules that may also be found in non-small-cell lung cancer cells and breast cancer cells.

A laboratory study of cannabidiol in estrogen receptor positive and estrogen receptor negative breast cancer cells showed that it caused cancer cell death while having little effect on normal breast cells.”

How many people has weed prohibition killed, in terms of cancer patients not treated and the research not done? Marijuana: Gateway to Health author Clint Werner says... potentially tens of thousands:

“These federal policies hurt people. That’s one reason I get angry. When you know these compounds block the progression of cancer and you do research to promote the idea that it doesn’t work, when it really does — this is evil. It’s a moral evil to keep people from having these remedies.”

CBD Oil and Cancer: How it Works

CBD OIL FOR CANCER TREATMENT: how it works Not only has cannabis been shown to help fight cancer, but CBD as well. CBD, present in CBD oil, is the non-psychoactive cannabinoid present in hemp and cannabis plants. Like THC, it works with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a widespread regulatory system comprised of a multitude of receptors located throughout the body.

CBD primarily works with two receptors: CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are primarily located within the brain and nervous system, while CB2 receptors are primarily located within the immune system. While THC directly activates these receptors, causing psychological effects, CBD simply stimulates the body’s naturally occurring cannabinoids to activate the receptors.

Numerous studies have shown that CBD has many powerful medicinal benefits. Initial studies have found CBD to offer the following properties: [1]

Antiemetic (reduces nausea and vomiting)
Anti-inflammatory
Antioxidant
Antipsychotic
Anticonvulsant (suppresses seizure activity)
Anti-tumoral/anti-cancer
Antidepressant
Anxiolytic (combats anxiety)
Analgesic (relieves pain)

Perhaps the most well known property of CBD is its anti-cancer and anti-tumoral properties. In addition to other studies showing its ability to kill breast and lung cancer, some studies have found that CBD has the following effects:

Triggering cell death through apoptosis
Stopping malignant cells from dividing and reproducing
Preventing new blood vessels from growing into tumors
Reducing the chances of cancer cells spreading throughout the body by stopping cells from moving and invading neighboring tissues
Speeding up the cell autophagy, which is the internal waste disposal mechanism

This preliminary research, while not yet scientifically proven, is incredibly promising.

CBD OIL FOR CANCER TREATMENT: CBD Oil treatments

CBD Oil Treatments

Many individuals suffering from cancer symptoms have been turning to CBD oil for its natural medicinal benefits, without the adverse side effects often experienced with pharmaceutical treatments. In fact, many people have been using CBD oil to combat the side effects of cancer treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy.

With natural alternatives on the rise in popularity, CBD oil is certainly leading the way in terms of alternative treatment. There are also two cannabinoids, dronabinol and nabilone, that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy related nausea and vomiting.

Several health professionals have come out in support of CBD as an alternative therapy for cancer treatments. In fact, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon, medical professor, and Emmy award-winning chief medical correspondent for CNN, has recently come out in support of cannabis and CBD as an effective cancer treatment.

He stated: “We have been terribly and systematically misled for nearly 70 years in the United States.” He recently wrote an essay entitled “Why I Changed My Mind on Weed” that garnered a lot of attention due to his previous anti-marijuana stance. However, after spending a year doing intensive research and filming a documentary, he changed his mind. In fact, his initial statement was simply: “I am here to apologize.”

“Not only can it be of benefit, but sometimes it can be the only thing that is of benefit as we saw with the very refractory epilepsy and, maybe, even some of these cases of neuropathic pain. That’s powerful, that’s really really powerful to me. And forget that I am doctor, it’s probably immoral to not allow people to have relief from something — especially when they can’t find it in any of the existing modalities that are being prescribed to them. I think it probably borders on immoral, or maybe it just is immoral” - Dr. Sanjay Gupta

RELATED: CBD Oil Cancer Dosage

Conclusion

CBD has shown incredibly promising evidence in its ability to assist in the treatment of several types of cancer. Initial studies have found CBD to offer numerous medicinal properties which help reduce tumor growth and cancer cells, as well as mitigate nausea and vomiting from traditional cancer treatments.

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