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.

this is great! I always knew weed wasn't the evil everyone made it out to be. I've been smoking off and on for years and I've got a MA in English, I'm well respected and of course, in control of myself. Science disproves Christians again!

[ronaldstark]

I wonder how the FDA will debunk this one. Good luck boys and girls. This time you have your work cut out for you. Hopefully this will open the eyes of the FEDS and stop them from going after good people in California who help the sick and are persecuted for following state laws which contradict federal laws.

[vithar-2009]

" Can you physiologically achieve what you want without causing unwanted effects, he tells WebMD. " What are these so called unwanted effects, if I had Cancer I would want to be blazed out of my mind...besides most cancer patients could use the munches and the giggles cant hurt...

[kansas1946]

Gosh, now in addition to MS patients and AIDS patients, maybe our wonderful government can lock up people with lung cancer that are getting some benifit from marijuana. I think also we should spend another trillion dollars on the failed drug war instead of channeling that money into cancer research. Americans are truly a messed up group of folks.

[jjp735i]

Beer, wine and whiskey kill more people that pot ever did. If a little pot helps those that are ill, then let tehm use it.

Smoking cigarettes and drinking kill more people every day, yet the one drug that help th most is banned, but has been tried by almost every kid and adult since the 60's. Go figure.

[luckygirl042]

Hmmm, let's see... alcohol can cause rages, aggression, and violent behavior toward others, it can make you horribly sick, push up your blood pressure and destroy your liver among many many other bad side-effects. Alcholism is a recognised disease, yet that which causes this usually fatal disease is legal and easy to get.
Pot has been shown to ease the symptoms of cancer and other diseases,and increase appetite in those who are ill, (I wish my mother could have had it when she was dying of cancer, the official cause of death was malnutrition). Most pot smokers just lay back, look for something to eat, and then go to sleep. Pot won't incite you to start a fight, batter your spouse, rob a gas station or go on a wild rampage. Now pot helps in deadly lung cancer,and yet remains illegal--"beam me up Scotty..."

[gkc99]

Of course we'll now have more pronouncements from Bill Bennett and the FDA about how marijuana has absolutely no medicinal value, none. The value of medicines is profits for big pharma, and no patent will be available. Hence, no medicinal value. This is how morality works for Bill Bennett.

[mitch0927]

PhD Quantum Mathematics, Masters in Applied Mathematics, Bachelors Degree in Electronic Engineering, Microsoft A+ Certified. That is my extent of education and am in the computer business and I even tutor mathematics to younger students to help them pass math. I have been in the electronic/computer business for almost 25 years and have a lot of people that look to me for advice and help. With that said, I have been doing the cannabis thing for over 30 years, so you people out there that have nothing but negative things to say about it, you tell me what you do for a living, because when it comes to my duties, my brain gets more of a work-out than yours will ever have.

[rochest]

stop the crazy drug war..... teach use of drugs not abuse .... there is only one legal substance that offers no benefits only addiction and illness- TOBACCO..... spend the money on medical research but what will we do with all the unemployed drug enforcement officers? Well the president wants to ramp up the military and there's two countries in the Middle East that need soldiers....but wait that would mean spreading war out to the populace where is it no longer would be able to ignore.

[aeasus]

Does this mean we should inhale? lmao

[huskerarmy]

As one who retired from a legal career, I've seen all kinds of crime and crime statistics. It is common for drunks to commit assault, cause deadly accidents, destroy property or comit other acts of agression. Crack and meth addicts are notorious for comitting property crime to support their habits. But the worst that can be attributed to marijuana is the assault on a bag of twinkies and falling asleep during American Idol.

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

[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.

[liberalgirl]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[susieq_13]

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

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]

Amen to that comment!

[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

[infidel_us]

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

[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!

[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...

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.