A Couple Of Recent Studies The Mainstream Media Forgot To Mention
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July 6, 2010
Investigators and pundits alike are fond of calling for ‘more research’ into the safety and efficacy of marijuana and its active compounds. Ironically, when such calls are heeded and new research is published, nobody wants to talk about it.For example, researchers at the State University of New York (SUNY), Upstate Medical University in Syracuse published data in the June issue of the journal Pharmacology concluding that the administration of the plant cannabinoids delta-8-THC and delta-9-THC halted cellular respiration and tumor growth in human oral cancer cells. Specifically, investigators reported that cannabinoids were a “potent inhibitor” of Tu183 human cancer cells, a notoriously difficult to treat type of oral cancer.
Of course, this is hardly the first time that pot’s compounds have been demonstrated to possess anti-cancer properties. As has been widely reported here and elsewhere, US government researchers were first aware of this finding over 35 years ago, and today there exist published scientific studies demonstrating that cannabinoids can inhibit the proliferation of a wide range of cancers — including brain cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer, pancreatic cancer, biliary tract cancer, and lymphoma. Nonetheless, abstract prohibitionist concerns regarding marijuana’s supposed cancer risk continue to dominate the headlines while actual scientific studies debunking these allegations tend to go unnoticed.
Similarly, preclinical data published online last week in the journal Cell Communication and Signaling reported that the administration of the non-psychoactive cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) increases adult neurogenesis (the active production of new neurons) in laboratory animals. Authors speculated that cannabis’ pro-neurogenic effects may explain why the plant appears to be useful in the treatment of certain neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease or ALS.
As I wrote last week, to date there are now over 20,000 published studies or reviews in the scientific literature pertaining to marijuana and its active compounds — making marijuana the most studied plant on Earth. But what’s the point in further research if nobody even bothers to pay attention to the research that’s already been done?
95 Responses to “A Couple Of Recent Studies The Mainstream Media Forgot To Mention”
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I am 54 years old and have been smoking pot since I was about 16. I have no mental or health problems. In fact, in spite of drinking a bit too much alcohol from time to time, I’d say that my physical and mental abilities are probably comparable to the average straight 30 to 35 year old. I just can’t fathom why our Govt continues to choose prohibition; assuming that is, that they have our best interest at heart!
they can’t handle the truth!!!
Hmm.. If delta-8 and 9 seem to be so beneficial, I wonder how good delta-420 is?
They will continue to deny any factual evidence regarding Cannabis. Nobody in power wants to give people free medicine, because they would all lose money, and their authority would be meaningless because of their false justifications for the so called “War on Drugs”. They will deny everything it has to offer until people finally get sick and tired of the hypocrisy, and start fighting the DEA and the government for keeping us controlled for 70+ years.
This war will go on until WE end it OURSELVES.
Thank you for this :]
If we could pass information like this along to people who are misinformed, we could do great damage to the prohibition laws.
My handle says it all.
all that matters is corruption.
Within 10 years after the legalization of marijuana and its return to our medicine cabinets and recreational menu,our countries rate of cancer will drop from 1 chance in 3 too 1 chance in 7 or more.
I sent the Prez a copy of the studies summary,not that it will do any good,his “follow the science” quotes have just been more political hot air,so far.
Having lost more than one relative to Cancer I find it VERY disturbing to know that our government continues to treat Cannabis as Public Enemy #1. All politicians who resist further studies or otherwise suppress results, should be found guilty of MURDER for each and every dead Cancer victim that possibly could have been saved or given extra time on Earth.
Can you substantiate the claim that marijuana is the most studied plant on earth? If this is true, what are the next most studied plants?
Billy Bean, if we pass this information onto the misinformed they will not believe it. You also have to get past big pharmacuetical companies. They have money for lobbyist that actually pay senators and others to keep marijuana from becoming legal. There is a lot of money in treating illness rather than curing. We could grow our own if it was legal and they would lose money. However, not everybody would grown their own but greed and politics go hand in hand. I personally do not smoke marijuana but I do believe it would be a very good tax baase to help boost the economy.
This never gets old having a new study out that continues the tradition of blowing holes in the prohibitionist’s arguments!
I followed the link and read the study results and I can see why nobody picked up on it. The “results” leave a lot of questions unanswered. At what stage was the cancer they treated? What was the dosage amount? How much would it take to treat the average tumor? Is the treatment toxic to humans? Will it slow our respiratory system or have any type of affect on our central nervous system?
It would be hard to justify releasing an actual story on this study without some of these questions be addressed. One thing is for sure, the study did not say that smoking pot will cure cancer. Based on most of the responses to date, that is the perception (wishful thinking I would bet).
I will say this though, if they can show how it can be safely administered and it can cure cancer, I am all for it.
[Paul Armentano responds: You read the abstract, not the full study. Peruse the methods, results, discussion, etc. to review more detailed information. Further, cannabinoids are nontoxic to healthy cells, and they are not CNS depressants so those questions fall into the 'asked and answer' category. I did not write that the study says that smoking cannabis cures cancer. This study, and many of the others like it that I cited are preclinical and the route of administration is not inhalation so it is difficult, if not impossible, to extrapolate their results to clinical conditions. But it is clear that cannabinoid exposure to various cancer cell lines selectively trigger apoptosis (chemotherapy, by contrast, is not selective) and inhibit angiogenesis -- two very significant findings with profound implications.]
Please check out my article. I wrote an editorial from an recent article from the Wall Street Journal.
“Why Most Police Forces Support Cannabis Prohibition”
[...] oh, and cannabinoids inhibit cancer cells… A Couple Of Recent Studies The Mainstream Media Forgot To Mention by NORML’s Paul Armentano. As I wrote last week, to date there are now over 20,000 published [...]
Prohibitionists think the scientific studies are all made up. If the prohibitionists would just stop and think, and just fantasize about giving the scientific studies the benefit of the doubt, it would hit them like a ton of bricks that we’ve been lied to for 35 years, and it makes one wonder about what else are we being lied to about. Those special interests are so greedy, a disease in and of itself.
So many benefits for us humans, AND STILL Illegal What a Shame
Go Cali!!! Vote Yes
@#15 – Wow – Fantastic article you wrote! I encourage everyone reading this blog to check it out. At first I wasn’t sure how to get to your editorial but I figured it out; just click on your Killer Bud link… Duh!
The law enforcement agencies that would ruin someone’s life just to get more money are completely pathetic. Even worse is that our Federal Govt apparently encourages it – all the while continuing to ignore the studies that show marijuana to be relatively benign.
Its time all us who KNOW THE TRUTH to stand up and be accounted for. They don’t want us to have free “god given herb” for any frigging reason. HELLO
Paul Armentano,
You know all the possible answers to your final question, ” But what’s the point in further research if nobody even bothers to pay attention to the research that’s already been done?” Political Party loyalties don’t require brains, a middle to higher level IQ or any level of personal caring. Political Parties simply vote as they’re told to do so and follow up with acts of blind obedience to support their Senators and Congressmen.
In short, no one highlights the studies conducted on MJ because it’s the indisputable truth in it’s purest form. Avoidance is a weak practice of the losers, they will fall soon. Re-directed thinking works on the weak minded only, the facts will be in place for eternity and time is on our side. Nice work on this blog, pushes people to think and act! : )
All The Best,
Mr. Rick Seymour
Seeeeeee???????
Cannabis prohibition is a masterpiece in the art of brainwashing.
Can you imagine the day when Cannabis is hailed as the Cure for Cancer plant. Ingesting it will cure you of over 10 forms of cancer and other diseases. When asked, the government says we knew this 40 years ago but (lies, lies, and more lies) had to test it.
What can we say to the families of all those people who suffered and died from a disease when we had a free cure for it? What can we say to all those people jailed for consuming a plant to treat their illness, when other forms of treatment don’t exist or proved too expensive? What about all those who died as a direct result of the violence prohibition?
Our government has been catering to the Rich since Bonzo was elected (I voted against him) and cut the taxes the richest pay from 90% to 30%. It’s time to give back to the people they have taken so much from since cannabis was declared one of the safest plants on earth, 42 years ago (That leaves FDR through LBJ off the hook). I’d say 50 years of no taxation, a memorial in DC (a 20 ft leaf sound right) to remind future generations of Americans of the Great Lie, and a renaming of all public buildings: no politician who supported prohibition deserves anything named after them. Did you ever see a Benedict Arnold Airport?
I know NORML will disagree with me but I love history and believe prohibiton to be a Great Travesty. More than ending prohibition must be done. We must honor the victims, vilify those that knew better, and to our uneducated fellow citizens who were tricked into supporting prohibition, they need a wakeup call that this memorial will provide: be an educated voter.
The sheeple MUST BELIEVE because to question or not believe would cast all their understandings and assumptions into question. The sheeple are unable to think on their feet, so they absolutely NEED those incorrect assumptions and misunderstandings to underpin their sad little lives. If they lose these they have nothing else to replace them with, and that is an intolerable thought to them. Better to just keep on with the bad ideas than to have to look for good ideas. Additional to that is their peer group, all of whom share the same characteristics, and keep each other in the same rut.
After the first article saying how many studies there were in the scientific literature about marijuana, I decided to do a bit of searching myself. Here’s what I found out:
A search for the term ‘Marijuana’ on pubmed yields around 16000 results. A search for acetaminophen – the active ingredient in Tylenol – yields only about 15000. And a search for ibuprofen (Advil and others) gives only about 9000.
Yet you can buy Tylenol and Advil in any supermarket, pharmacy, or gas station.
I still think the best chance we have of changing this situation is to support Prop 19 in California. Once they can prove that it’s a net positive for society to repeal prohibition, the other states will follow suit.
see….i kenw it…it just big business trying to get richer….if every knew this information the world would be a better place……big business cant figure out how to fuck you out of your money in this matter that is why its not in the news…..
The crime of the century. Letting law enforcemennt handle health care issues. We could have cured cancer by now. I’m with you #10. Makes you wish cancer on all the people who have perpetuated the lies about this plant. This herb should never have been unjustly classified as a narcotic.
I believe tobacco is the most studied plant,but am not sure. The amazing thing is that nearly every study done on tobacco has shown possible harm whereas cannabis
has shown negligible harm,even though most of the studies done on cannabis were looking for harm from the gate.
The study that caught my eye was the study done in Spain last year. It was not a clinical study but a statistical one,where cannabis users were 65% less likely to have had cancer in the first place. The researchers did not try to find out why or know the reason but they just crunched the numbers and came up with the figure.
For the government to ignore that type of study in the light of our country having a 1 in 3 chance of contracting cancer showed me that the only way cannabis will be legalized is by taking the right from the bought and paid for politicians in the District of Corruption.
“Jury nullification is when members of a jury vote not guilty even though the accused clearly broke the law. Juries do this when they believe the law itself is morally wrong or is being unfairly applied,” he added, reading from his notes. “As a jury member you have more authority than the judge.”
http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/crime/3966-former-drug-warrior-persecuted-for-activism-uses-arrest-to-push-jury-nullification
John Stossel, Sting, And George Soros Unite Against The War On Drugs
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/john-stossel-sting-and-george-soros-unite-against-the-war-on-drugs/
marijuana stores in fat soluble cells and if you have kidney or liver problems it is a good idea not to use marijuana…so the media is right about one thing….I know I know marijuana has other good effects that outweigh the bad and I love the thought of hemp use, however, I am clearly saying do not use marijuana if you have a kidney condition or liver condition!!!
[Paul Armentano responds: THC per se does not have a particularly long half-life. Carboxy THC, a breakdown product of THC, can be detectable in urine for longer periods of time. However, this substance is inert and does not pose any known risks to health. RE: cannabinoids’ impact on the liver, a handful of clinical reviews have reported a positive association between daily cannabis use and the progression of liver fibrosis (excessive tissue build up) and steatosis (excessive fat build up) in select hepatitis C patients. I discuss this issue in greater detail here: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7010.
the mainstream is owned by people who have a very specific agenda. its not just marijuana that they “forget” to report on. there are many important things happening in the world today, including the details about our foreign wars, the gulf oil spill, obama’s relationship with big bankers, pharmaceutical corruption, the efficacy of chemotherapy, global warming, etc., etc.
the media stopped doing its job a long time ago.
Love how ya’ll water the truth down. Headline should have read: “…The MSM Neglected To Mention,”
but we sell alcohol which has almost no regard for a healthy life. Something that has medicinal quality is illegal…our gov’t is joke.
Until the states and politicians figure out a way to make large profits on marijuana, we’ll be dealing with these issues for another 50 yrs
We the (American) people are getting screwed from all angles.You would think the health of OUR citizens would be more important to OUR government.
Why has N O B O D Y put 2+2 together?
Cancer was not a problem before the early 1900′s.
Cancer has escellated heavily since.
Kind of funny that Cannabis was outlawed in the early 1900′s and we are discovering cannabis’ anti-cancer abilities now that laws are being diluted enough to allow for research.
God, I wish I had the resources to prove the link between, prohibition and the cancer epidemic of the last 100 years.
Also funny that Pharmasudicals were also intoduced at the same time.
Hmmm…
Let’s recap:
Early 1900′s
1)Pharmasudical Co’s are on the rise, home remedies are slandered.
2)Cannabis prohibition is started.
3)Cancer of all types grows rapidly every year since with no cure in site, only maintnance meds are available..
Hmmm….
Thank you for your article Mr. Armentano.
As a post-surgical Stage 3 Oral Cancer Patient, who has chosen to forego Radiation/Chemo therapy to better keep his mandible intact, these studies are of great interest to me.
As a patient with a 50/50- 5 year survival prognosis, this study being given little to no airplay in the midst of the nations current debates regarding MMJ use is a shinning example of why I am forced by prudence to consider all prohibitionists and those who support them as hostile opponets of both life and liberty.
Ah, the mainstream media. When is this EVER going to change!?
I am a 45 year old college student. Factory closed and here I find myself in college 25+ years after high school. I carry a 3.85 last semester was a 4.0 semester. 30 plus years of smoking and I get better grades than the kids. yea pot makes you stupid and all the rest of the lie’s from our government.
I CAN’T TELL.
Although I am 100% all for the plant, Del Rabia brings up some very valid points.We need to find a way to bring these answers out-no matter what they are because no matter what it still shows that it helps.As long as it helps I can just imagine how many more memories can be made for the family members of people with cancer.
Maybe if my employer had this information my job wouldn’t be in jeopardy. I’m a medical cannabis patient in California who will probably be fired for legaly using cannabis. Even though my company rents buildings to two medical cannabis dispensaries. They dont have any problems taking weed money but wont employ some one who is a patient at one.
Excellent article! Love the links, they will really help with advocation. The hardest part like @Del Rabia pointed out is that none of the studies have used smoking as the method of ingestion. If we could get some studies done using vaporization as the method, we would be at least one step closer.
Although, when all is said and done, it’s unfortunate that we have to do so many studies on cannabis, and yet, we have made little process in the reform of our laws. However, every study done on the greatest herb of the earth leads us closer and closer to finding the cure for cancer as well as more great uses for the plant!
Prohibitionists will never allow themselves to be confused with the facts because they’ve made up their minds and will never change them. Prohibitionists want cannabis consumers either converted to non-consumers or dead. Does converted or dead sound familiar? What other terrorist organization wants to force the same choice on everyone else in violation of God’s will for people to live in freedom with liberty as acknowledged and cited in the Constitution of the United States? These violators of human rights, both groups, commit war crimes. Prohibitionists and terrorists alike use the threat of violence, backed by violence, beat, torture, rape, imprison, confiscate property, fine, publicly discredit, make unemployable and kill all they can that stand in their way. They all do the same things, the same ways and for the same kinds of people. And everything both groups does is “the law” and at their war crimes trials will all claim they were “just following orders.” This un-Godly, Unconstitutional, insane “war” on drugs must be stopped. And prohibitionists do all this with a cigarette in one hand, a stiff drink in the other and a medicine cabinet bulging with “needed” prescribed medicine, a.k.a. drugs. It simply defies logical human comprehension; but remember, they’ve got their minds made up and will never stop lying and trying to impose their will on others.
[...] NORML, citing over 20,000 studies that have been done on the cannabis plant. Now NORML has added a few more studies that the mainstream media has decided to ignore. For example, researchers at the State University of New York (SUNY), Upstate Medical University in [...]
Meh….Prohibition is not the result of good reasoning, but rather nefarious reasoning. Otherwise we would not engage in such a practice. <—Period emphesized.
It’s becoming harder and harder for the prohibitionist to ignore the scientific facts about cannabis. Thank you for spreading the truth a little farther. I would love to see this on the evening news. Not much chance of that happening is there.
Thanks for the kind words Don M.
Us independent bloggers need all the support we can get.
Peace!
KB
Just watched a program on showtime. In this show they reported that there are 25 people on prescription Marijuana provided by our government! They get 25 pre rolled marijuana joints a month. Whats up with that?
[Editor's note: What you're talking about is a closed government program called the Compassionate Investigative New Drug Program which currently has four legal cannabis patients who receive 300 pre-rolled joints a month. Some of the patients have been in the program since the late 1970s. The program was killed in the summer of 1994 by the Clinton Administration and the patients in the program were grandfathered to keep getting their medicine.
One of the patients, Irvin Rosenfeld, who has spoken at numerous NORML conferences and legislative hearings, has recently authored a book about his life (which movie director Oliver Stone has optioned for a new movie about Irv's unique life as America's only stockbroker allowed to legally smoke about 10-12 large taxpayer-provided cannabis joints a day).]
Somebody is coming out swinging, GOD Bless Alice Huffman
“The war of words over weed broke out Wednesday morning when two dozen Black religious leaders called for the resignation of the president of the California state NAACP, and Alice Huffman, the president, fired back at the preachers with challenges of their leadership and their motives..Huffman convened a news teleconference in Sacramento a couple of hours after Allen’s media presentation ended where she came out swinging, calling Allen’s coalition part of a conservative religious faction that has no solutions to any problems, just criticism.”
http://www.wavenewspapers.com/opinion/Bottom-Line-New-drug-war-97998609.html
Well a recent personal study shows that smoking marijuana before interacting with people in public makes me less likely want to tell them to “f-off”. Now hows that research for you? None the less I still hate people day to day. Maybe if it was legalized there would be more friendly people in my town and maybe then I could give up smoking cuz everyone else wouldn’t annoy me so much.