Marijuana May Fight Lung Tumors

Cannabis Compound Slows Cancer Spread In Mice, Researchers Say

(WebMD)  Cannabis may be bad for the lungs, but the active ingredient in marijuana may help combat lung cancer, new research suggests.

In lab and mouse studies, the compound, known as THC, cut lung tumor growth in half and helped prevent the cancer from spreading, says Anju Preet, PhD, a Harvard University researcher in Boston who tested the chemical.

While a lot more work needs to be done, the results suggest THC has therapeutic potential, she tells WebMD.

Moreover, other early research suggests the cannabis compound could help fight brain, prostate, and skin cancers as well, Preet says.

The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

The finding builds on the recent discovery of the body's own cannabinoid system, Preet says. Known as endocannabinoids, the natural cannabinoids stimulate appetite and control pain and inflammation.

THC seeks out, attaches to, and activates two specific endocannabinoids that are present in high amounts on lung cancer cells, Preet says. This revs up their natural anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation can promote the growth and spread of cancer.

In the new study, the researchers first demonstrated that THC inhibited the growth and spread of cells from two different lung cancer cell lines and from patient lung tumors. Then, they injected THC into mice that had been implanted with human lung cancer cells. After three weeks, tumors shrank by about 50 percent, compared with tumors in untreated mice.

Preet notes that animals injected with THC seem to get high, showing signs of clumsiness and getting the munchies. You would expect to see the same thing in humans, so if this work does pan out, getting the dose right is going to be all important, she says.

Paul B. Fisher, PhD, a professor of clinical pathology at Columbia University, says that though the work is interesting, it's still very early.

The issue with using a drug of this type becomes the window of
concentration that will be effective. Can you physiologically achieve what you want without causing unwanted effects, he tells WebMD.

[kiddo88]

clevercandi, the reason bottled water is marketed is because it can just be bottled and sold. It doesnt need to be patented. The patent laws for medicinal compounds and research state that natural compounds cannot be patented, and only reason researchers patent a compound is to make money, because whenever another researcher uses the patented compound they have to pay for the licensure. Thus, it's just not economical to funnel the hundreds of millions of dollars necessary into a compound you cannot even make a return off of. Water is marketed to the consumer, and we dont pay licensure to drink it.

[kiddo88]

Congress should take a history lesson from the Prohibition. They're inhibiting a substance that is addictive and can be dangerous, but the demand is there and so there will always be a supplier. Prohibition was ended during the Depression so that there would be jobs and the government could tax the breweries, among other things. Congress imposes taxes on ciggs and booze even tho -how- many people are killed each year as direct result of either product. It's foolish to keep trying to fight the country. And if weed is legalized, the govt can regulate it and drug cartels would have a leg cut from beneath them.

as for the idea that potheads are bad, etc. Queen Victoria, the Prude with a P, smoked weed regularly for medicinal purposes.

[kansas1946]

Isn't it interesting that every post on this string is for legalizing marijuana, and yet we allow our government to spend billions of dollars keeping illegal. The damage the drug war has done to our country is beyond description. Check out DRCnet's website and volunteer or send money.

[sclaires]

I wish I had know of this study when my mother had surgery for lung cancer which eventually killed her. Perhaps she would have lived a few more years if the study is correct. I know I would have done what I could to have ensured that she had a pain free life after the surgery which was not the case.

[mrassekh]

Well, too bad for anyone suffering from lung cancer. Marijuana is BAD BAD BAD, much worse than cancer any day. At least that's what the Feds would have us believe.

[huskerarmy]

"Groovy......was this study funded by "High Times" or "Rolling Stone"?"
No infidel, but you've already demonstrated your taste for propaganda. If it isn't funded by FOX news, you're not buying...

[jinxkity]

Legalize them all! Just think of all the money that could be diverted to the real criminals like child molestors and murders. Not to mention the reduction of over crowded prisons with non-violent drug offences where those child molestors and murders could do their full time instead of early release. Teach children, as we are doing with tobacco, the effects of abuse because it's quite evident that those who will, will. Oh, but how silly of me, that would elminiate all the kick backs going to the polictians!

[infidel_us]

Groovy......was this study funded by "High Times" or "Rolling Stone"? :)

[clevercandi]

"One reason there is almost no research into natural cures from natural products is for the most part they can't be patented or owned because the source is natural."

Posted by talkingham at 11:30 AM : Apr 18, 2007

Water is a natural source and it is bottled and sold by the gallons every day.

If it's (marijuana) natural, it came from GOD! How can it be bad???

With that said, I too am a daily user for the past 30 years. My boss gives me rave reviews every year with a top-of-the-line pay increase. No, I do NOT smoke before work, only after arriving at home. I also pay my taxes and bills on time.

The best way to get government to change it's policies, is to change the government. Vote LIBERTARIAN! They WANT to change marijuana laws to allow citizens the right to personal use.

Check it out for yourself at www.lp.org

[susieq_13]

Amen to that comment!

Look, the fact is pot has been here for a very long time, it has been used for years by the Indian's and still is. They are only beginning to realize all it's beneficial uses for people that can use it for there suffering. If it helps these people then why not let them have it. There are far worse things out there that are legal.

[susieq_13]

Legalize it! It doesn't cause harm to anyone.

[talkingham]

One reason there is almost no research into natural cures from natural products is for the most part they can't be patented or owned because the source is natural. No money in it for the big drug company pushers and their network of doctor pushers. Just watch any network news cast and almost all of the commercials tell you how bad you feel and how your heart or internal plumbing doesn't work and man they've got a drug for you to discuss with your doctor.

The last thing they needs is another natural cure to eat into their profits and I agree now that the prison systme is farmed out to private industry in many states the profit is keeping as many people in jail as possible. They've driven most of the rural population in to meth and are glad they've done so.

This is all from the same med community that advised heart patients to consume margarine laced with 35% trans fat for the last 25 years.

[usedrugs]

The Cops, courts and lawyers make too much money for it to be legal ever. The prisons love potheads in there jails, they are non violent.

Prosecuting marijauan users, dealers and growers make the money. They will not allow their money flow to be stopped. No matter the cost to our civil liberties.

[rainbowbrew]

What is really sick is that the US government has suppressed research into cannabis for many many years and they are still making it hard to conduct research. heck they want to keep the guy in Mississippi as the grower of cannabis and he knows nothing about the plant. That is why he is the preferred government supplier to the IND program. Our government is not good when it comes to caring a tinker's *** about the populace. BTW that holds for democrats and republicans.

[anndoty]

Oh yeah. Legalization would also require more farm workers, opening up jobs for more illegal aliens. Taxing would, of course, wipe out our countries deficit problem forever and imagine the consequences of keeping all that cash flow within our borders.

[anndoty]

JH6379 says "Why don't they legalize this already?

Heck...they could easily balance the budget and reduce crime in no time at all"

Shhhhhhhh..then we would have to pay taxes on it and share all these healthy benefits with everyone.

[liberalgirl]

Make Pot Legal already!!!!!!!!!!! I love the stuff.

[mitch0927]

Not sure of the number, but I will use my wife as an example. She is prescribed a lot of things that say on the bottle, "do not use heavy machinery while taking this." I informed her that when she takes one of the pills not to drive. Her attitude WAS that it didn't say not to drive. I had to convince her that a car or van is considered "HEAVY MACHINERY." So with hat said, the same should be for POT, because it slows the reflexes down and reaction time is almost gone. Of course most pot heads don't get pulled over for speeding or reckless driving, more like receding traffic because 7 MPH in a 35 is unacceptable. More people take and carry prescription drugs that are given out like candy from the doctors these days, just like in the 60's and these same people will preach against something that isn't chemically processed, packaged and condoned by the food and drug administration. WHICH ALL HAVE SIDE EFFECTS. The side effect of pot is raiding the frig for some food.

It's sure a lot better then useing a bunch of pain pill's that are real hard on your system.