Chemotherapy and Cannabis Treatment

Chemotherapy and Cannabis Treatment

Cancer affects almost 40% of the population.

Chemotherapy is a part of many peoples lives, including children. A 2014 study estimated that 15,780 children and teens learned what it means to have cancer that year. That same study found that 1,960 also died from the disease. The remaining 13,820 children had to receive treatment. Most elect for some form of radiation or chemotherapy if surgery isn’t an option.
Anecdotal (evidence based on personal observations and experience) evidence about the effectiveness of cannabis in treating cancer is strong. So strong that there are many studies trying to disprove their claims. Yet the studies consistently (for many types of cancer) show concrete evidence supporting the claims.
It is through these scientific studies that we have learned that cannabis is a powerful phytonutrient and antiseptic. Studies also prove that cannabis is linked to tumor reduction and apoptosis. Specifically in breast, lung, prostate, colon cancer but a variety of others are under consideration as well.

Thousands of people use cannabis in conjunction with chemotherapy.opioid treatment

Not everyone uses it the same way though. There are a variety of ways canna-consumers incorporate it into their treatment. From Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) to edibles and micro-dosing, the world of cannabis does not require a pipe or patchouli oil. If cannabis is a treatment you decide to use, it doesn’t mean you have to be a stereotypical stoner.
Every cancer journey is unique. After diagnosis, it is up to YOU to determine the path you take. Traditional cancer therapy (chemo, radiation or surgery) is part of standard protocol. But certain cancers may require a combination of methods to properly remove.
Cannabis can play many roles in treatment. Research shows that cannabis is a great adjunct for system relief and healing after invasive procedures. While a typical course of chemotherapy significantly reduces overall immune system function, using cannabis supports quick recovery.

Cannabis provides verifiable symptom relief.

Multiple studies prove that cannabis provides symptom relief of chemotherapy. An Israeli study recently followed 200 traditionally-treated cancer patients. They found that cannabis use led to “significant improvements” in symptoms overall, including the symptoms and immediate side effects of  chemotherapy.
According to the National Cancer Society (NCS), cannabis may help relieve a myriad of side-effects from chemo. These include: nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, itchiness and rash, nerve damage and pain associated with neuropathy. Not to mention their positive effects on generalized pain, and emotional imbalance and mood issues, including anxiety and depression.
In addition to whole plant or natural extracts, the FDA approved Dronabinol to treat “some conditions.” Known by the drug name Marinol, this synthetic cannabinoid treatment is considered less effective than organic cannabis. It also has certain ‘unique’ side effects like neurologic issues and possible seizures.

Cannabis rarely interferes with treatment.landrace 2

Traditional oncologists may discourage using cannabis while on chemo or radiation treatments. They may claim it could interfere with the treatment and suggest abstaining. It is important to listen to healthcare professionals but treatment is a personal choice.
It is important to remember that thousands of people use cannabis in conjunction with other treatments. Most individuals experience no negative side effects on their treatment. In fact, physicians in medical marijuana states often recommend using cannabis.
In a recent article for Newsweek, Dr. Donald Abrams, Chief of Hematology-oncology at San Francisco General Hospital said “I could write six different prescriptions, all of which may interact with each other or the chemotherapy that the patient has been prescribed,” He followed up by saying “Or I could just recommend trying one medicine.” referring to medical marijuana.

Marijuana acts synergistically with our bodies to promote healing.

The hardest part about chemotherapy is the toll it takes on the body. The majority of people who undergo treatment experience reductions in immune system function. This reduction can last anywhere from months to years after treatment finishes.
A 2016 article in the journal Breast Cancer Research reported that chemotherapy led to long-term changes in the immune system. These changes included lower than average levels of lymphocytes and natural killer cells (also known as NK cells, K cells and killer cells). These are main elements of the immune system and it’s their job to destroy pathogens like cancer cells.
Modern science has revealed that humans have a special element in our immune system. Called the endocannabinoid system, it helps the body achieve homeostasis and balance. Animals without this system (like insects or birds) don’t process THC or other cannabinoids so gain no benefit from using them.

How does the endocannabinoid system interact with cancer?Landrace Strain 1

In addition to providing a boost to recovery and immune system health, cannabinoids interact with the body in many ways. Cannabinoid receptors in the nervous system (called CB1 and CB2 cells) effect everything from hunger to tumor production.
A decrease in endocannabinoids may increase cancer cell tumor production. Researches in a 2008 preclinical trial conducted tests with colon cancer cells at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. Their research indicates that cannabinoids have a preventative effect on certain types of cancer.
In addition to reducing cancer cell development, cannabinoids seem to calm the immune system and offer anti-inflammatory properties. This is a key part of healing under any circumstances but is especially important when dealing with cancer. Cannabinoid interactions also show increases in immune-system function.

Oncologists see the benefits of medical marijuana.

Medical marijuana is gaining ground nationally. Oncologists and patients can see the benefits and challenges of integrating cannabis into treatment. Over a fifteen years ago, Harvard conducted a study where 44% of traditional oncologists advised marijuana use. A more recent study found almost half of the physicians surveyed supported medical marijuana.
These studies combine to show that patients have more options than ever. While many hospitals still ban doctors from prescribing/recommending  medical marijuana, that number is decreasing. Thanks to scientific studies proving the efficacy of medical marijuana and the ceaseless efforts of the community, there are more options than ever.

Do you use cannabis during chemotherapy?

Did your doctor advise against it? What is your story and how did cannabis fit into it? let us know in the comments below and help others draw strength. Thanks for reading.

msweed

MS and Weed: Treating Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic degenerative disease.

It affects the central nervous system and causes inflammation, muscular weakness and a loss of motor coordination. As MS progresses, the patients typically become permanently disabled. In extreme cases this can be so severe that it causes patient death.
The US National Multiple Sclerosis Society estimates that 200 people are diagnosed with the disease each week. MS most often strikes individuals between 20 and 40 years old but has been seen appearing across the age spectrum. Because of the symptoms of MS, it is recognized by all states as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana.

Efforts have been made to protect medical patients from federal punishment.

Although marijuana is still federally illegal, legislation passed in 2015 clarified that the federal government would no longer use federal funds to enforce federal marijuana laws. This included states that permit medical marijuana use. The legislation was an effort to reduce confusion about federal intervention in states that legalized use.
The directive effectively overturned the Supreme Court’s 2005 ruling which said the federal government could prohibit and prosecute the possession and the medical use of marijuana. The court also ruled that state laws did not protect medical users from prosecution. The legislation was careful to ensure that if White House later chooses to reverse the federal directive, it can.

Cannabis isn’t the only treatment out there but it is one of the best.

Most agree that better therapies are needed to treat the symptoms of MS (since there is no cure) which include pain, tremors and spasticity. Current pharmaceutical options may not sufficiently treat the symptoms of MS but there are about the benefits of marijuana relative to its side effects.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is one of the biggest non-profit names in MS. Over the years, they have proven to be allies of patients as they fought to help promote awareness and access to new and alternative treatments.
On their website the Society claim to support:
“the rights of people with MS to work with their MS health care providers to access marijuana for medical purposes in accordance with legal regulations in those states where such use has been approved. In addition, the Society supports advancing research to better understand the benefits and potential risks of marijuana and its derivatives as a treatment for MS.”

We know a lot about treating MS with cannabis.

There have been tons of studies on effects of cannabis on cognition / cognitive function in people with MS. Two of which stand out as examples of the common outcomes for treatment with cannabis. While both were published in the journal Neurology, the first was in 2012 and the second was 2014.
In the 2012 study, 25 MS patients who regularly smoked or ingested street cannabis were tested and results compared to 25 MS patients who didn’t use cannabis. The users were tested at least 12 hours after last using to minimize intoxication.

The 2014 study used 20 MS patients who smoked cannabis and 19 who didn’t.

They matched them based on demographics and neurological variables before undergoing magnetic resonance imagining(fMRI). The scan revealed brain activity while performing tasks and tested their working memory. As memory tasks became more demanding, cannabis users performed increasingly worse than their non-using counterparts.
Cannabis users performed significantly worse on measures of information processing speed, working memory, executive functions and other cognitive functions than non-users. In addition, they were twice as likely as nonusers to be considered cognitively impaired. The study showed that cannabis can worsen cognitive problems in MS.

Cannabis doesn’t have to be smoked to be medically beneficial.

Participants in another study with stable MS were randomly assigned to receive oral cannabis extract.  The test group consisted of 144 using cannabis and 135 on a placebo. Participants reported their perceptions of changes in muscle stiffness.
The administrators tested participants both before and after 12 weeks of treatment. They found that muscle stiffness had improved almost twofold in the group taking cannabis compared to placebo. Patients also reported improvements in body pain, spasms and sleep quality.
Contrary to popular belief, using cannabis did come with some negative side effects. While only a percentage of the population, the study noted increased risk/frequency of urinary tract infections, dizziness, dry mouth and headache. These side effects should not be news to anyone who has used cannabis before and the team reported observing no new safety concerns.

No discussion would be complete without mentioning Nabiximols.

Nabiximol is an oral spray derived from cannabis marketed as Sativex by GW Pharmaceuticals. Available in 15 countries and approved in 12 more (excluding the US), Sativex is used to treat MS-related spacity. It significantly improved spasticity in a proportion of the population with MS who had been identified as likely to respond to the therapy.
The Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry reported on a long term study on the safety of cannabinoids in MS. The study used 630 subjects with stable MS and muscle spasticity from 33 centers around the UK and randomly assigned some to receive oral THC, cannabis extract or a placebo.
Over the course of 15 weeks, the oral derivatives did not provide objective improvement to the subjects according to a standardized assessment tool. When it came to subjective improvement though, there were significant improvements in spasticity and pain. Even though the tremor and bladder control symptoms did not seem to respond to the treatment, people felt better.

A study has to be ready for some complications.

Basically, when participants report feeling improvements that cannot be confirmed by the physicians, there is a problem. This could be dealt with normally but the Nabiximol study became unblinded. The side effects of THC made it clear to patients they were receiving the active drug rather than the placebo.
In another study published by Lancet Neurology during 2013, they tested orally administered dronabinol. The test group consisted of 493 patients with 329 receiving at least one dose while 164 received at least one dose of placebo. The results showed that dronabinol had no overall effect on MS progression.

What has your experience been?

Do you have MS and treat with cannabis or know someone who does? What have your experiences been? Do you prefer using a natural flower or synthetic pharmaceuticals?  Let us hear about your struggles and triumphs in the comments below. Thanks for reading.
 

25childenda

25 Child Endangerment Charges for Cannabis

The Tucker Family Face Child Endangerment Charges?

The Tucker Family is charged with 25 child endangerment charges for Cannabis. Erica Tucker didn’t want the harmful pharmaceuticals she was prescribed for her ailments. So she decided to try a holistic medicinal approach: cannabis. Eventually, Erica weaned herself away from all pharmaceuticals and found herself 100% on marijuana.
Erica has five children, including a newborn she breastfeeds. She was told that the man-made pharmaceuticals she used to take were harmful to her children. Mainly because the drugs would transfer to the children through breastfeeding and possibly interfere with their development. So she decided to treat herself with marijuana instead.
Unfortunately, not all treatments (pharmaceutical or all natural) are perfect. Erica had a mal seizure that put her in the ER. And that is when the rug was pulled out from beneath her feet. The Tuckers received numerous child endangerment charges on May 8th, 2017 because of Erica’s cannabis use.

What was the problem?

When the doctors found out she was breastfeeding while on marijuana, all five of her children were immediately taken away from her and her husband. The baby (at 22 months) tested positive for marijuana because she was breastfeeding while on cannabis. The children were sent to foster care, but eventually, Erica got her children back. Erica and her husband are facing a host of child endangerment charges. In fact, they received five charges for each child. The public is outraged because this is one more example of how the war on drugs is tearing families apart.

Is Marijuana Less Invasive than Harm-aceuticals?

According to societies mores, it would’ve been preferable for Erica to continue taking the harmful pharmaceuticals with terrible side effects. Even though those pharmaceuticals cause more damage to infants than cannabis. If she had opted for the more damaging treatment, her children wouldn’t have been taken away and the Tucker’s wouldn’t be facing child endangerment charges.
Erica choose the less physically harmful approach to her treatment and now the Tucker parents are being treated as horrible parents by their peers. Yet now their family is suffering the consequences of taking the road less traveled. This story is another example on the terrible effects on the war on drugs and the damaging impact it has on normal families looking for healthier alternatives to treatment.

cancer marijuana

Cancer Treatments: Now With Marijuana

Marijuana is an old remedy.

Modern cancer patients aren’t the only people to understand the healing power of marijuana. Marijuana is the name given to the cannabis plant during 20th century prohibition. Cannabis grows wild in warm and tropical climates throughout the world and has been cultivated commercially for eons. Prohibition has given cannabis many other aliases as people developed code. Names like pot, grass, cannabis, weed, hemp, hash, hydro, ganja, and dozens of others all describe the same plant.
Records show marijuana has been used in herbal remedies dating back to the Chin Dynasty in China. Ancient doctors could see the effects of using cannabis as well as today and prescribed it for many maladies. The herb was so powerful that even the Romans put it in their medical texts.
Scientists have identified many biologically active components in marijuana that are the main reason it is so useful medically. These compounds are called cannabinoids. The two most studied of the hundred or so cannabinoids are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and cannabidiol (CBD). Other cannabinoids are being studied but haven’t had the same amount of press or research put into them.

Is marijuana a legal treatment?

cancer treatmentAt this time, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lists marijuana and cannabinoids as Schedule I controlled substances that cannot legally be prescribed, possessed, or sold under federal law. Whole or crude marijuana (including marijuana oil or hemp oil) are also not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for medical use whatsoever.
State laws have a little bit more play in them and diverge from the federal stance to different degrees. The use of marijuana to treat some medical conditions is legal in many states even though it remains federally banned. Each state has individual rules about how they deal with marijuana so it is important to research the specific rules for your state.
Dronabinol (pharmaceutical THC) and some synthetic cannabinoid drugs like Marinol are approved by the FDA. Marinol is used to relieve nausea and vomiting for chemotherapy patients in addition to being prescribed to AIDS patients for appetite stimulation.

Marijuana is more than THC.

Different compounds found in marijuana have affect the human body in different ways. For example, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) causes the mental high and can also relieve pain and nausea. At the same time it can reduce inflammation and act as an antioxidant. Cannabidiol (CBD) can help treat seizures, can reduce anxiety and paranoia, and can counteract the “high” caused by THC according to the American Cancer Society.
Different cultivars (strains or types) of marijuana can have varying amounts of the different cannabinoids. The specific ratio of cannabinoids produced by a plant is known as it’s strain profile and can be used to better judge what effects to expect from a specific strain.
The effects of marijuana also change depending on how it enters the body:

  • When inactivated or raw cannabis is eaten, the THC is absorbed poorly by the body. Once absorbed, it’s processed by the liver into a second psychoactive compound. The second substance acts on the brain to change mood and/or consciousness differently than THC.
  • When marijuana is smoked or vaporized, THC enters the bloodstream quickly, bypassing the liver at first. It is transported to the brain before the liver can convert a large amount of it into the second chemical. Because there is so much less of the second chemical, the high is stronger but fades quicker.

What can marijuana treat?

A number of studies using small groups of marijuana users found that cannabis can be helpful for treating nausea and vomiting from cancer chemotherapy. A few studies have found that smoked or vaped cannabis can be helpful in the treatment of neuropathic pain as well.
Smoked marijuana has also helped improve food intake in certain HIV patients during some studies. Clinical trials have also been shown marijuana extract users tended to need less pain medication than others. The pain relieving effects seem to be even better in the non-psychoactive cannabinoid CBD than with THC.

How does marijuana affect cancer?

According to the American Cancer Society, “…THC and other cannabinoids such as CBD slow growth and/or cause death in certain types of cancer cells growing in lab dishes. Some animal studies also suggest certain cannabinoids may slow growth and reduce spread of some forms of cancer.” While there have been some early clinical trials of cannabinoids in treating cancer, future studies are inevitable.
Most studies show cannabinoids can be safe in treating cancer. They do not however seem to help control or cure the disease. Relying on marijuana alone as treatment while avoiding or delaying conventional medical care for any issue (including cancer) may have serious health consequences.

What are the possible harms of marijuana?

While many insist marijuana can pose no harm to users, it is not true. The most common effect of marijuana is a feeling of euphoria. Yet the complex chemistry of the brain and cannabinoids indicates that there is a lot going on under the hood. Cannabis can lower the user’s control over movement, cause disorientation, and sometimes cause unpleasant thoughts or feelings of anxiety and paranoia. While the majority of users do not experience these negative effects, they are more common in new users who don’t understand their dosing requirements.
Smoked marijuana delivers THC and other cannabinoids to the body along with harmful substances. Tar is one of the substances found in both tobacco and cannabis smoke. Heavy users (more than one gram a day) of smoked cannabis also commonly report chronic bronchitis.

Make sure to do research.

Because marijuana plants come in different strains with different levels of active compounds, it can make each experience different. Even with good data from a state certified lab, the effects of a specific strain on a specific user can be very hard to predict. It can take time and experimentation to find the best treatment plan or strain for a specific issue.
Even though cannabis is not chemically addictive (like caffeine or an opioid) people can still become psychologically dependant. Users will not receive the life threatening withdraws like they do from cocaine but they may still feel the conditioned desire to use.  Treatments and attitudes toward addiction vary widely across countries and the globe. If you struggle with addiction or are interested in treating any malady, it is best to seek a spectrum of qualified professional help before committing to any treatment plan. Make sure to get more than your own opinion before you make potentially life altering decisions. Thanks for reading.

thc

What Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC is used for

Dozens of years of research indicate many restorative uses for THC.

Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, is often the most desired chemical found in cannabis. It is best known for bringing on the high that weed is known for. As one of the few compounds found in cannabis that is psychoactive, doctors and scientists have discovered many ways to utilize THC.
The extraction of pure Tetrahydrocannabinol was perfected by an Israeli physicist named Raphael Mechoulam. In 1964, Mechoulam separated and blended THC from Lebanese hashish, denoting the start of cannabis research that would prompt to the revelation of various different cannabinoids and how they interact with the body.
While the discoveries have been many and inspiring, they are not without their doubters. The federal government has classified cannabis as a schedule 1 drug meaning it has no medical benefit. This is in addition to the government obtaining patents for the neuro-protective capabilities of cannabis.
Be that as it may, while chemicals like cannabidiol (CBD) have begun to pick up support because of their absence of psychoactivity, many years of research have uncovered various health advantages one of a kind to THC. Here are a few of the most common uses.

Tetrahydrocannabinol relieves some types of pain.

A standout amongst the most common uses of therapeutic weed is for pain treatment. Upon closer examination, evidence has shown that Tetrahydrocannabinol interacts with the central nervous system to prevent the transmission of certain types of pain. Moreover, cannabis has been appeared to be particularly successful against neuropathic agony, or nerve-related pain.
The nerve signals that our brains sense as pain come from special cells with receptors on them. They become activated by temperature, touch, movement, or chemical changes in their environment. Pain signals arise and travel to the brain by one of three main pathways, each of which produces different pain sensations: somatic, visceral, and neuropathic.

There are three types of pain in general.

is the feeling most people recognize when they think about pain: a message sent by receptors located throughout the body whenever injury occurs. Somatic pain signals travel to the brain through nerves bundles and are typically experienced as a constant, dull ache. THC is able to reduce swelling and other contributing factors to somatic pain but in general is not very effective treatment.

 

occurs when skin or organs in the abdomen become stretched or otherwise disturbed from disease or injury. Pain signals issue from a special class of receptors present in the gut, producing feelings of pressure deep inside the body. Visceral pain can seem to be coming from different parts of the body than its actual source. THC is able to counteract feelings of nausea and many elements of chronic visceral pain.

 

occurs when the nerves are injured. It is often experienced as a burning sensation that can occur in response to even a gentle touch. Neuropathic pain usually doesn’t respond to narcotic painkillers making it stand out from the other types of pain. Antidepressant or anticonvulsant drugs, along with surgical procedures normally treat this type of pain but THC has also been found to be highly effective.

 
Cannabis is an excellent plant that has shown surprisingly positive results as a neuropathic treatment. The Tetrahydrocannabinol within that cannabis is able to work on a level that crosses many typical treatment boundaries. Pain treated by THC may be acute or chronic, blindingly intense or mind-numbingly dull. The pain can be momentary or have persisted for days to years.
However long it takes before a patient tries cannabis, it doesn’t take long for them to finally find relief. For acute pain, such as the discomfort that follows surgery, doctors typically prescribe opiates: narcotic drugs derived from, or chemically similar to, opium.

THC is better at dealing with some types of pain than opiates.

During the short-term treatment of intense pain, opiates offer significantly stronger relief for most patients. For chronic pain however, the tables turn in favor of Tetrahydrocannabinol. Treating chronic pain with opiates rarely brings relief.
Chemical dependence also becomes an issue with opiates as usage continues. Cannabinoids like THC have been proven to be non-addictive and highly effective for chronic pain. These differences combine to show that cannabinoids have significant promise in neuroscience and fundamental understandings of pain.
Peripheral nerves that detect pain sensations contain abundant receptors. Many of these receptors are tailor made for cannabinoids. According to research, cannabinoids appear to block peripheral nerve pain in experimental animals. Even more encouraging, some initial studies suggest that opiates and cannabinoids suppress pain differently.
If that is the case, marijuana-based medicines could combine with opiates to boost pain-relieving power while limiting the side effects. There are real hurdles to overcome if the initial Tetrahydrocannabinol research holds up. With the exponential expansion of scientific frontiers in recent decades and the recent deregulation of cannabis in over 26 states, we should have a significantly better understanding in the next decade.

Some people even use Tetrahydrocannabinol to treat PTSD.

Post traumatic stress disorder has only recently been classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) compared to other psychosomatic issues. PTSD is tied to traumatic memories and affects people from every walk of life. Soldiers, doctors, librarians and children can all have PTSD. Finding a safe treatment for so many different demographics is almost impossible.
Discovery of the endocannabinoid system by Dr. Mechoulam made safe treatment of PTSD, along with Parkinson’s and Cerebral Palsy a possibility. Since its discovery in the 1950’s, science has learned that Tetrahydrocannabinol is pharmacologically plastic. By manipulating the endocannabinoid system with THC and other cannabinoids, doctors are able to offer relief to patients that would otherwise have none.

We need more research to discover all that THC has to offer.

With the federal government classifying cannabis as a schedule 1 narcotic, it makes research in America almost impossible. There are some states like Oregon, Washington, California and many others that have taken steps to end Tetrahydrocannabinol prohibition but the fight is far from over.
Scientists can’t study cannabis if government continues to demonize it. As more states join the green revolution, it puts pressure on federal legislators to rethink their stance on legalization. If the community is able to enact declassification of cannabis it will remove the final argument against full legalization.
Once cannabis is removed from the scheduled substance list, we will finally put the whole scientific community to work, not just one Israeli scientist. No disrespect to Isreal, it’s just that cannabis is grown in other places to. We shouldn’t be stopping the Jamaican, American or Ukrainian scientific communities from contributing to THC research.
Thanks for reading.