It has been known for over 40 years in many of the hundreds of laboratory studies completed in vivo (in animals) and in vitro (in cells), that cannabinoids (compounds found in cannabis) have a positive impact on cancer, yet a large clinical trial (in humans) with natural cannabinoids has still not even begun. This is admitted on the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) science blog. [1] That tells you all you need to know about the race for the cure.
There are actually over 100 cannabinoids, although most of the focus for cancer research has been on the two most well-known: THC and CBD. “Over the past couple of decades scientists have found that endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors are involved in a vast array of functions in our bodies, including helping to control brain and nerve activity (including memory and pain), energy metabolism, heart function, the immune system and even reproduction. Because of this molecular multitasking, they’re implicated in a huge range of illnesses, from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases.” [1]
Up until recently only results from one tiny clinical trial had been published. Nine people with an advanced, aggressive brain tumour were given highly purified THC. Eight people responded well, but they all died within a year, which was to be expected considering the type of cancer.
CRUK are very quick to point out limitations and negative effects in some of the laboratory studies as a reason cannabinoids may not be suitable treatment, yet chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been approved despite the contribution of chemotherapy being shown to be only 2% effective overall to 5-year survival in adults, meaning many people will be surviving cancer despite chemotherapy, not because of it. [2] Chemotherapy also causes difficult-to-treat leukemia. [3] Chemotherapy was the result of the effects of mustard gas on soldiers being noted after Wold War 1. Treatment hasn’t advanced very much.
“Radiotherapy has also been shown to make cancer stem cells 30-fold more able to form tumors compared to non-irradiated breast cancer cells. Breast cancer stem cells are thought to be the sole source of tumor recurrence and are known to be resistant to radiation therapy and don’t respond well to chemotherapy. Researchers report for the first time that radiation treatment — despite killing half of all tumor cells during every treatment — transforms other cancer cells into treatment-resistant breast cancer stem cells. ” [4]
Despite popular assumption, natural cannabinoids have been patented with Sativex, which is an oral spray containing CBD and THC mixed with other ingredients, so it can be patented. Presently it is only approved for MS spasticity. So THC is illegal in many countries, but it is legal for a drug company to put it in a product, patent it and put a price tag on it.
CRUK recently funded a clinical trial on Sativex combined with chemotherapy for the most aggressive brain cancer. Six people were enrolled on the study. CRUK say the study on nine people was too small to infer anything from, yet here they were funding a study on six people, who also had a very advanced cancer. [5]
The second part of the study was comparing Sativex to placebo on 21 people, with both sets of patients also receiving chemotherapy. [6] This is because they will say it is unethical to not provide standard treatment — unethical not to simultaneously poison people.
The maximum dose of THC delivered per day was 324 mg. The dose contains more THC than the one currently prescribed for MS. It is commonly thought among those treating their own cancer with THC that the optimally therapeutic dose is gradually built up to 1 gram per day (1000 mg). Even if you add in the CBD at 300 mg that is still only a total of 624 mg. Although it was not what is considered an optimally therapeutic dose, it did still seem to confer a positive effect.
The same old story; they dismiss cannabinoids as treatment because there is not enough clinical evidence and that is because the drug companies will not do proper studies. All they do is a few substandard trials to make it appear as if they are taking action, otherwise the truth would be far too obvious to those aware of the wealth of laboratory research, yet when they want to claim a vaccine is “safe” they can have a large clinical trial started in no time.
CRUK dismiss anecdotal reports of people being cured by cannabis oil, but when the science is being hindered due to the entire industry being corrupt, this is all we have to go on. However, people are documenting their results on the internet in detail and this is quickly becoming the science of the people.
In the CRUK blog with regards to the pharmaceutical companies not being interested in cannabinoids because they can not be patented, they say the pharmaceutical companies are not stupid and can work out how to develop synthetic compounds so they can be patented.
So they are admitting cures are only studied if they can be patented. The truth ironically admitted in their blog that denies anything is amiss. Cures should not be monopolised with patents. If future large clinical trials are positive cannabis oil should be made legal and available from health stores via a free market, which keeps prices down, or people should be free to make their own if they so wish. Making it legal would also ensure people know exactly what they are receiving. There have been reports of people being sold toxic substances including petrol when they thought they were purchasing THC oil.
Rick Simpson was making and freely giving away cannabis oil until he was shut down by the government. His documentary exposing the corruption, Run from the Cure is taking the world by storm, despite it being removed from YouTube many times. [7]
In an ideal world we would have a non-corrupt government funding not-for-profit companies to run independent studies to test high-dose, pure cannabinoids as a stand-alone (no chemotherapy), first-line treatment (second-line treatments are all there have been thus far, i.e. people who have already had recurring cancer and have a low life expectancy) on people whose cancer is not so far advanced that they could stand a chance. Hundreds of people would be willing to be guinea pigs because so many people are already illegally treating themselves with THC oil as a stand-alone treatment.
When medicine is run by for-profit pharmaceutical companies it is in their interest to keep us sick. They will only fund studies if they can recoup the costs plus extra from drug sales. They cannot have people being well and profits increasing simultaneously. It is like a see-saw; when one goes up the other goes down. They want returning customers, which chemotherapy and radiotherapy provide. Both directly make cancers reoccur.
We need to push for a change to the entire system. Usually only the drug companies have the funds to conduct large studies, but where does their money come from? Us! We need to stop funneling money through the corrupt system by cutting down on using their products and redirecting those funds to independent studies.
[1] http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2012/07/25/cannabis-cannabinoids-and-cancer-the-evidence-so-far
[2] http://www.burtongoldberg.com/home/burtongoldberg/contribution-of-chemotherapy-to-five-year-survival-rate-morgan.pdf
[3] https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/second-cancers-in-adults.html
[4] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185115.htm