CANNABINOIDS: POTENTIAL ANTICANCER AGENTS

When I was searching on the net for the use of drugs in medical applications, I bumped into an interessing paper that have proven positive clinical effects of cannabis. Here they prove that cannabinoids, active components of Cannabis sativa,  offer the potential as anticancer agents as well as palliative effects.

Quote: “Cannabinoids have been shown to inhibit the growth of tumour cells in culture and animal models by modulating key cell-signalling pathways. Cannabinoids are usually well tolerated, and do not produce the generalized toxic effects of conventional chemotherapies. So, could cannabinoids be used to develop new anticancer therapies?”

“Regarding toxicity, cannabinoids not only show a good safety profile but also have palliative effects in patients with cancer, indicating that clinical trials with cannabinoids in cancer therapy are feasible”

Although there are good clinical outcomes in animals, this is not been tested on humans.
Quote: “Regarding effectiveness, cannabinoids exert notable antitumour activity in animal models of cancer, but their possible antitumour effect in humans have not been established”

Make sure that you visit the link below if you want to know more about it

>> http://americanmarijuana.org/Guzman-Cancer.pdf

So further research on cannabinoids is required to ensure that cannabinoids can be useful in anticancer therapies. When further research  can prove good results, I believe that this can lead to a breakthrough in medical legalization of this drug.

 

 

What about the problems that full legalization entail?

Medical Cannabis refers to the use of the drug cannabis as a physician-recommended herbal therapy, most notably as an antiemetic. Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for approximately 4,000 years. Writings from ancient India confirm that its psychoactive properties were recognized, and doctors used it for a variety of illnesses and ailments. These included a whole host of gastrointestinal disorders, insomnia, headaches and as a pain reliever frequently used in childbirth.

But why is it not legal anymore? Is Cannabis really so bad as they say? These and many other questions are answered in the following documentary of the Union:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9077214414651731007#

After seeing this documentary I really think that Cannabis is definitely a better alternative to heavy chemical drugs, but I’m still not sure that total legalization is the solution. Complete legalization will certainly bring many problems, and one of these will be: What about the children of patients?

After 5 minutes surfing the Internet I already found examples of misconduct by parents:

http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/960/Buitenland/article/detail/1158462/2010/09/16/Moeder-filmt-2-jarige-dochter-die-marihuana-rookt.dhtml

http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/959/Bizar/article/detail/1156991/2010/09/13/Peuter-2-bewusteloos-door-marihuana.dhtml

http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/959/Bizar/article/detail/1144570/2010/08/13/Fiere-mama-zet-foto-van-baby-aan-de-waterpijp-op-Facebook.dhtml

http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/959/Bizar/article/detail/1091350/2010/04/11/Vader-laat-zoon-vertrekken-met-marihuana-in-boekentas.dhtml

So medical marijuana yes, but we certainly must think for solutions to the problems that will arise!

Medical marijuana: point of view

Scientist have already proven that medical marijuana can help people, as a pain reliever and relaxant. The use of marijuana in medical applications is tested in various trials. Depending on the government and laws of the country, cannabis is illegal, decriminalized or legalized for its recreational and/or medicinal use .

Searching on the net, I found an interesting document, published by Ned Wicker (link beneath). He says that the debate about medicinal marijuana continues, suggesting potential problems:

Quote: “The medical or limited use of marijuana is just the tip of the iceberg, because the exceptions to the rule quickly expand. What starts out as a controlled activity ends up as either pseudo legalization, or a kind of tacit consent. Laws concerning medicinal marijuana are a veil. Secondly, and more importantly, if marijuana can be grown so easily, and is so common, how can a physician prescribe marijuana with any sense that the drug will be used according to the prescription? Other drug groups such as opiates and barbiturates have strict controls, but even with those controls, the abuse is rampant. Any notion of controlling marijuana is a joke.”

Quote: “It’s a slippery slope we try to stand on when we take anything illegal and try to “pretty it up” to look legitimate. Are there legal and effective ways of helping chemotherapy patients deal with the side effects of their treatments? If chronic pain is an issue, is there no other way than marijuana for that condition? There are excellent arguments on both sides. I invite you to look at the postings on ProCon.org. There’s a lot there to read and ponder.”

 

Read more: http://www.disabled-world.com/medical/pharmaceutical/marijuana/medical-marijuana-view.php#ixzz15daWO6GO

I can agree with his point of view towards medicinal marijuana. Some people will take advantage of laws concerning medicinal use of marijuana. They can become a dealer, by selling their drugs, that they ‘ve obtained on prescription. On the other hand, if this drug really helps those people who are in pain and need it, why not? Marijuana can be grown easily and it’s probably healthier than some other “real” medication, because it is a herb, so no chemical mixture.

As Ned Wicker already mentioned, there are arguments on both sides. I’ld say, take a look on the net and let us know what you think about it!