Let's start with two simple facts:
Fact number 1: In the United States alone, 550,000 to 600,000 people die from cancer every year. That is 1,600 people per day.
Fact number 2:
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), cannabinoids may have the ability to stop the growth of tumors by disrupting the development of tumor cells and the blood vessels that nourish them.
What are Cannabinoids and how can they help Humans against Cancer?
Cannabinoids are active components with healing properties contained not only in the plant of Cannabis but also in other plants like Echinacea. There are more than 100 cannabinoids discovered to date. CBD and CBN are two of the more well-known ones.
All humans have in their own body a system called the endocannabinoid system, which produces its own cannabinoids. The human body includes special receptors in the brain, the nervous system, and the immune system that interacts with these chemical substances. Cannabinoids, produced internally or from external sources, interact with specific receptors in our body to produce pharmacologic effects, in the central nervous system and the immune system with impressively positive results for human health.
Recent research has shown that CBD can help cancer patients in several ways. Once an issue that was never discussed, even between oncologist and patient, now it is widely known that many people suffering from cancer smoke cannabis, with remarkable results.
It seems that certain cannabis compounds have the ability to kill cancer cells and limit the growth of tumors, stopping their growth and even shrinking them in size.
Another benefit for cancer patients is the consumption of Cannabis improves sleep, which is a natural way our bodies heal themselves.
Additionally, Cannabis helps with the symptoms of nausea and vomiting problems and enhances appetite, slowly bringing back some strength and some quality to everyday life.
CBD has been proven to work very well with chemotherapy. One of the many famous cases is that of the small boy who was diagnosed with cancer and was saved by Cannabis.
For many years Cannabis was for the huge majority of doctors a demonized plant. This is a factor that prevented them from getting to know the facts about cannabis, cannabinoids, and the endocannabinoid system. It is still difficult for them to propose a treatment with substances that have been demonized for so many decades. It is often the case that either the doctor or the patient is afraid of being stigmatized.
Not only Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, it has also been used as preventative medicine.
There are numerous studies that one can read about this issue. Click here to read a few of them.
Now that the stigma for those who use Cannabis is slowly fading, and the failure of the once famous “War on Drugs” becomes history, there is more space for open discussion, research, and new thinking about Cannabis and its useful effects on human health. Let us hope that what now seems promising in cancer treatment soon becomes the standard of care.