Medical Marijuana

U.S. Government Finally Admits Cannabis Can Kill Cancer Cells, Source: http://i0.wp.com/stuffstonerslike.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/How-to-Transplant-Flowering-Cannabis-Plants-2.jpgThe National Institute on Drug Abuse sent shock waves through the media recently when they quietly revised a section of their website titled, “How might cannabinoids be useful as medicine?”

The revision cites a new study by scientists at St. George’s University in London, that was published in the Molecular Cancer Therapeutics journal at the end of last year. The study reported that cannabis assists in “dramatically reducing” growth of brain cancer cells.

Specifically, the NIDA government website now states, “Recent animal studies have shown that marijuana extracts may help kill certain cancer cells and reduce the size of others,” the NIDA report stated, adding that evidence from “one cell culture study suggests that purified extracts from whole-plant marijuana can slow the growth of cancer cells from one of the most serious types of brain tumors.”

Many are screaming “hypocrisy,” and with good reason. How can the U.S. government continue to classify cannabis as a Schedule I drug while simultaneously admitting, at last, to its medicinal benefits?

From the DEA website itself, a Schedule I substance is described as follows: “Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” It goes on to list cannabis in the examples of Schedule I drugs, right there on the DEA website.

Meanwhile, on the NIDA website, not only is it written that cannabis has medicinal properties for fighting cancer, but it also goes on to list many other conditions which scientists are exploring the benefits of cannabis for — such as HIV/AIDS, MS, Alzheimer’s disease, general pain, seizures, and more.

So which is it? Is cannabis a dangerous drug with no accepted medical use? Or is it a medicine which can combat cancer and many other ailments?

We know the answer – the debate is over. Cannabis is medicine, and the U.S. government knows it too. The question that now remains is: does this change to the NIDA website foreshadow a larger change soon to come to U.S. cannabis drug policy?

I am inclined to believe so. Time will tell, but we can be sure of one thing — we are making progress, and we will win this war.