Cannabis and cancer, what is the situation? The fact that cannabis can be used as a medication is nothing new. In fact, people have been using cannabis as medicine for various types of conditions for 5000 years. For example, cannabis is one of the most important medicinal plants in traditional Chinese medicine. 

Cannabis can reduce symptoms such as chronic pain, nausea and muscle aches. There are also increasing rumors that cannabis can also be beneficial for people with cancer. 

The effects of cancer can be life-threatening. So it is not surprising that people are searching for a remedy. A few years back, the U.S. government even added a page to its official cancer advisory website, discussing the effects of medicinal cannabis and cannabinoids on cancer, based on scientific research. The page states in black and white that cannabis may inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

If so, why isn’t cannabis being distributed en masse to cancer patients? What exactly is the story about cannabis use in cancer? We figured it out for you. 

Does cannabis cure people with cancer? 

Let’s get right to the point: cannabis does not yet cure cancer. That does not mean that there are no indications that cannabis may help cure cancer in the future. In fact, it has already been seen in laboratories that cannabis can slow the growth of cancer cells. Good news!

The bad news is that a laboratory is not a human being. A lot more research is needed to find out if cannabis has the same effect on cancer cells in humans. 

A complex plant

If we have been using cannabis as medicine for 5,000 years and we have now also found out that the plant inhibits the growth of cancer cells, why do these studies take so long? Can’t it be done a little faster? Unfortunately. Cannabis is a very complex plant. Many components have never been studied for their potential medicinal effects. That medicinal effect depends on the composition of active substances present in the sticky resin in glandular hairs of the flower buds. Researchers believe that cannabinoids and terpenes are important substances in this respect. 

Cannabinoids and terpenes

Cannabinoids are not found anywhere else in nature. There are currently 100 known cannabinoids, of which THC is one. Terpenes are found everywhere in nature; for example, it is the main component of pine resin. Terpenes cause the effects of cannabinoids to be refined. For example, a particular terpene can cause a particular cannabinoid to be better absorbed into the body. Because there are many different types of terpenes and cannabinoids, a huge number of combinations can be achieved. 

Drawbacks of cannabis studied more often than benefits 

More than 10,000 scientific articles on the effects of cannabis have already been published. New components of the plant continue to be discovered. In the past, most studies have focused on the health drawbacks of cannabis rather than its benefits. There is some real catching up to do to bring out the truth about the effects of cannabis on cancer. 

To use or not to use cannabis when treating cancer

Based on the studies conducted so far, it can be concluded that cannabis could reduce the side effects of treating diseases such as a form of cancer, and conditions such as AIDS and hepatitis C. It could relieve nausea in chemo patients and reduce vomiting. In addition, medicinal cannabis could induce appetite in some and improve the quality of sleep.

A joint is different to medicinal weed

If you know someone undergoing chemotherapy you cannot help them with a joint from the local coffee shop. Such a joint unfortunately does more harm than good. Partly because of the extra added tobacco and the effects of THC. Those who want to use cannabis to alleviate the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy will need a prescription for pharmacy cannabis oil from their GP. In practice, of course, patients often use cannabis on their own accord. This has the advantage that the user can decide for himself what quantity works best for him. ‘Normally’ the general practitioner determines the dosage. Furthermore, a special inhaler can help inhale cannabis without the addition of tobacco.  

More and more people recognize the medicinal benefits of cannabis

Although it is already clear that cannabis can slow the growth of cancer cells in a laboratory setting, much more (clinical) research is needed. More research may enable the cannabis plant to be used as a cure for cancer. 

Fortunately, more and more research has been conducted recently on the medicinal power of cannabis and its beneficial effects, rather than the negative effects of the plant. The idea of using cannabis as medicine is gaining traction in the medical community. And that means more and more research can be accomplished. Want to know more? Check out the website of the Scientific Information Center on Cannabis.

Our coffee shop in Amsterdam

Of course, we hope you read this article in good health so we can welcome you to our coffeeshop in Amsterdam. We are easily accessible for those who live in Amsterdam, Amstelveen or Amsterdam Airport Schiphol region. Or if you are visiting the Amsterdam Forest or Schiphol Airport. We are your go-to coffee shop in Amsterdam. See you soon!