New Study Explains How Pot Kills Cancer Cells

Nov 6, 2003, Steve Kubby

A new study published in Nature Reviews-Cancer provides an historic and detailed explanation about how THC and natural cannabinoids counteract cancer, but preserve normal cells.

The study by Manuel Guzmán of Madrid Spain found that cannabinoids, the active components of marijuana, inhibit tumor growth in laboratory animals. They do so by modulating key cell-signalling pathways, thereby inducing direct growth arrest and death of tumor cells, as well as by inhibiting the growth of blood vessels that supply the tumor.

The Guzman study is very important according to Dr. Ethan Russo , a neurologist and world authority on medical cannabis: "Cancer occurs because cells become immortalized; they fail to heed normal signals to turn off growth. A normal function of remodelling in the body requires that cells die on cue. This is called apoptosis, or programmed cell death. That process fails to work in tumors. THC promotes its reappearance so that gliomas, leukemias, melanomas and other cell types will in fact heed the signals, stop dividing, and die."

"But, that is not all," explains Dr. Russo: "The other way that tumors grow is by ensuring that they are nourished: they send out signals to promote angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels. Cannabinoids turn off these signals as well. It is truly incredible, and elegant."

In other words, this article explains several ways in which cannabinoids might be used to fight cancer, and, as the article says, "Cannabinoids are usually well tolerated, and do not produce the generalized toxic effects of conventional chemotherapies.

Usually, any story that even suggests the possibility of a new treatment for cancer is greeted with headlines about a "cancer cure" - however remote in the future and improbable in fact it might be. But if marijuana is involved, don't expect any coverage from mainstream media, especially since mainstream editors have been quietly killing this story for the past thirty years.

That's right, news about the abilility of pot to shrink tumors first surfaced, way back in 1974. Researchers at the Medical College of Virginia, who had been funded by the National Institutes of Health to find evidence that marijuana damages the immune system, found instead that THC slowed the growth of three kinds of cancer in mice -- lung and breast cancer, and a virus-induced leukemia.

The Washington Post reported on the 1974 study -- in the "Local" section -- on Aug. 18, 1974. Under the headline, "Cancer Curb Is Studied," it read in part: "The active chemical agent in marijuana curbs the growth of three kinds of cancer in mice and may also suppress the immunity reaction that causes rejection of organ transplants, a Medical College of Virginia team has discovered." The researchers "found that THC slowed the growth of lung cancers, breast cancers, and a virus-induced leukemia in laboratory mice, and prolonged their lives by as much as 36 percent."

"News coverage of the Madrid discovery has been virtually nonexistent in this country. The news broke quietly on Feb. 29, 2000 with a story that ran once on the UPI wire about the Nature Medicine article," complained MarijuanaNews.com editor Richard Cowan, who said he was only able to find the article through a link that appeared briefly on the Drudge Report Web page. "The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times all ignored the story, even though its newsworthiness is indisputable: a benign substance occurring in nature destroys deadly brain tumors," added Cowan.

On March 29, 2001, the San Antonio Current printed a carefully researched, bombshell of a story by Raymond Cushing titled, "POT SHRINKS TUMORS; GOVERNMENT KNEW IN '74." Media coverage since then has been nonexistant, except for a copy of the story on Alternet .

It is hard to believe that the knowledge that cannabis can be used to fight cancer has been suppressed for almost thirty years , yet it seems likely that it will continue to be suppressed. Why?

According to Cowan, the answer is because it is a threat to cannabis prohibition . "If this article and its predecessors from 2000 and 1974 were the only evidence of the suppression of medical cannabis, then one might perhaps be able to rationalize it in some herniated way. However, there really is massive proof that the suppression of medical cannabis represents the greatest failure of the institutions of a free society, medicine, journalism, science, and our fundamental values," Cowan notes.

Millions of people have died horrible deaths and in many cases, familes exhausted their savings on dangerous, toxic and expensive drugs. Now we are just beginning to realize that while marijuana has never killed anyone, marijuana prohibition has killed millions.

http://www.sierratimes.com/03/11/07/article_kubby.htm

They should be able to light one up...Whats the dam harm!!!!!!!!!!!

waiting for the research on crack and other drugs.

They aleviate pain and mental duress - even if only temporary.

maybe they should all be made legal and taxed?

When my mother was diagnosed with lymphoma, her doctor unofficially recommended that she begin using marijuana. He couldn't do so "on the record", but he did tell her that it would help immensely, especially after her chemo sessions. This was back in the 80s, when treatments were devastating to the patients. She was hesitant, as she'd never used it before. The first few treatments were so hard, though, so she agreed to try. My aunt baked her brownies, and my mother would eat one prior to the treatments. As a result, she didn't have the same reaction to the chemo...she wasn't vomiting all day, didn't suffer the extreme body aches, etc.

I personally do not smoke it, but I have many friends who do. My father is a retired narcotics detective, and he used to grumble all the time about having to arrest someone for having a little pot in his/her possession. Said it was ridiculous to focus on such a harmless drug when there were far more dangerous things on the street.

The benefits of legalization far outweigh the negatives, and having witnessed first hand what it can do to alleviate the sufferings of chemo patients, I would support any effort to do so.

Glad it alleviated your mom's pain especially during chemo and her cancer battle.

Just my personal opinion, if you are going to make marijuana legal then legalize all drugs.

While under the influence of any drug I am certain that pain can take a backseat to the high, even if only briefly.

Last time I brought this info up, I was told it was B.S. and that pot causes cancer...

so which is it

Actually, it wasn't about the pain. It eliminated the nausea and body aches that are fairly common with chemo. The body aches aren't like those that occur with a fever or flu - they are bone jarring tremors that I can't even begin to describe (and I was just witnessing it, not the one experiencing them).

The difference between marijuana and other drugs is that marijuana is natural and used exactly as it is grown. Other drugs are mixed with chemicals and manufactured.

Not being a smoker of the stuff, I don't have a personal interest in the legalization from that standpoint. I do, however, strongly advocate legalization for people going through what my mother did.

You have seen first hand it's positive medicinal effects. I believe those same positive effects could have been gained thru other means not by use of an illegal substance. (jmo) I could be totally wrong, but this is from someone who has not witnessed a loved one go through anything close to what you have. This is why I am saying this is only my opinion nothing more.

While I can emphathize that most going thru such hardship will rather a quick relief than anything else - to help them thru their individual ailments, still think the same result could be gained thru any illegal drug. Temporary relief.

Oxycontin is legal and the worst drug on the market....They all offer only temporary relief.

Oh I understand that, and hope you don't think I was arguing with you personally...the best thing about free will is having individual opinions and the ability to express them.

I can't argue for or against any other drug in this instance, as I didn't observe their use. I can only speak to what I saw in my own case. It wasn't just temporary relief...there were *no* side effects from the chemo, other than loss of hair. She was tired for several hours after a treatment, but that was it. No other legal medication could do that for her, even temporarily.

Personally, I feel that legalization of this particular drug can do nothing but good for the economy.

Oh no didn't take it personally wanted to make sure you didn't think I was belittleling what your mom went through.

Personally I feel the govt should just leave us all alone. Those that wish to smoke - smoke. Smoke what you have, smoke what you like, chose your weapon of choice, just pay taxes on it, like the rest of us.

oxycontin is percocet without the over the counter additive usually acetaminophen

all so-called victimless crime should be legal thus making it truly victimless

if they are legal then there would not be turf wars to control the market area

but hey............

my twin brother broke his back"t3 brake,cut his spinal cord "and is now a paraplegic and when he fist went into hospital he had bad spasms in his legs and the nurses said get some pot that will sort it out and it did.we both smoked it for 20 years " gave it up just over 3months ago now" and since giving it up he saying his legs are hurting again and at night now he cant get comfortable.so yes i think myself they should make it legal as when we did smoke it,we never went out robbing,mugging old grannys or stuff like that"not like some yobs that will do anything 2 get their next fix off crack,heroin and worse drugs that are out there" and some people say that all potheads do is sit around being stoned all day and all that is bull.in the 20 years off me smoking it i have always had a job and only ever smoked it at home.maybe if they made it legal they could tax it and pay off all the debt that the uk has got now.more people die off alcohol each year and thats legal but then its the armchair warriors"goverment" that pass these silly laws..

Here's my thoughts on pot.

Too many people are sitting in jails for smoking weed.

Alcohol kills more people and destroys more lives every day than pot.

Pot has many medicinal properties.


The Government makes a ton of money each year off of alcohol sales. Hypocritical.

I've never gotten in a fight with someone who is high, but plenty of fights with drunks.

very true mate and also maybe the world would be a more chilled place 2 live

Actually it's neither.

It's becoming pretty obvious to anyone without some personal agenda, that pot can help people.

As for it causing cancer, it's only when you're burning it, if you use a vaporizer or eat it, no problem.

There would still be turf wars... They'd just be a bit more civilised.

But lets put some perspective on this. POT (in its most currently used form) has a myriad soup of cancer causing ingredients.

THC has some anti-cancer properties... Quite a dif between the two.

Exactly! Try to reason with a drinker vs a pot smoker. The smoker isn't going to get real worked up about a whole lot. The drinker will miss the point and spin out of control with anger and then...throw up.