The U.S. government funded a study to prove that cannabis has "no accepted medical use". Metro UK reports that results of the study actually prove otherwise - cannabis actually kills cancer cells.
According to the Department of Health's National Cancer Institute, "cannabinoids may be useful in treating the side effects of cancer and cancer treatment" through smoking, eating and drinking cannabis-infused products, and tongue sprays. Now, there are actually two cannabis medications approved by the FDA.
Benefits of this medicinal herb include anti-inflammatory activities, preventing cancer cell growth, blocking the growing blood vessels that develop tumours, and muscle spasm relief.
The research commissioned by the government was conducted by scientists at London's St. George's University. Study shows that two cannabinoids found in marijuana - tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) weakened cancer cells, making cannabis an effective cure for cancer aside from radiation treatment.
According to NIDA, "recent animal studies have shown that marijuana can kill certain cells and reduce the size of others."
"Evidence from one animal study suggests that extracts from whole-plant marijuana can shrink one of the most serious types of brain tumours. Research in mice showed that these extracts, when used with radiation, increased the cancer-killing effects of the radiation."
The NIDA report was surprising, considering its opposition to the recent proposal to the Congress and the House of Representatives requesting for legalization of cannabis in all states.
The CARERS Act bill aims to downgrade the Schedule I drug status of the herb to Schedule II - making it an accepted form of medication.
Marijuana was labelled as a Schedule I drug through the Controlled Substances Act in 1970. Like other drugs such as Heroin, LSD, Mescaline, MDMA, and Ecstasy, Cannabis is considered to have no medical usage, high potential for abuse and unsafe.
