How Does Medical Marijuana Help Cancer?

Medical marijuana is the medical--as opposed to recreational--application of the fruit, or "buds," of the cannabis sativa and cannabis indica plants. Patients can appropriate the effects of marijuana by drinking tinctures, eating food cooked with marijuana-infused butter, ingesting raw marijuana or by smoking the marijuana either in a cigarette, in a cigar or through a pipe. Doctors do not prescribe medical marijuana to directly treat cancer, but rather to relieve negative effects of cancer. History The American Cancer Society explains that various cultures have documented the medical use of marijuana over millenia, applying it to conditions including constipation, malaria, absent-mindedness, insomnia, beriberi, gout, rheumatism, depression, muscle as well as joint pain, coughs and tetanus. Throughout this period, many societies also ingested marijuana casually for the narcotic psychological and physiological effects of the drug. The American Cancer Society explains that due to the prevalence of this application of marijuana, many governments--including the United States--eventually banned its cultivation, sale and purchase. Nonetheless, recreational marijuana use has continued, eventually leading to questions regarding its therapeutic potential, states the American Cancer Society. Sponsored Links 5 Foods to never ever eat Cut down a bit of stomach fat every day by never eating these 5 foods. Trimdownclub.com Current State of Medical Marijuana Most recently, the global scientific and medical community has applied extensive research to the medical potential of marijuana and most outcomes are noncommittal, with a few studies with affirmative as well as negative conclusions. The American Cancer Society reports on the federal level as of 2010, the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, approved the active chemical in marijuana for use to treat various terminal conditions, including cancer. According to the website Medical Marijuana, the states that individually permit the cultivation, sale and use of medical marijuana for the treatment of conditions sanctioned by the FDA include Alaska, California, Colorado, the District of Colombia, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Function The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of the cannabinoid tetrahyrocannabinol, or THC, to treat nausea and vomiting in cancer patients, according to the American Cancer Society. According to the Institute of Medicine (see reference 3), THC is a composite chemical of marijuana and generally accepted as marijuana's "active ingredient," given it both provides the "high" for which some smoke marijuana illegally as well as the therapeutic qualities for which the FDA approved it for medical use. Citing studies published between 1975 and 2005, the American Cancer Society explained how various clinical tests established that THC viably reduced pain, nausea, inhibited vomiting and stimulated appetites in cancer patients. Furthermore, the Institute of Medicine reports that the sense of euphoria and sedation associated with marijuana evidenced therapeutic value, as it was desirous for the patients. The American Cancer Society avers that while some researchers used raw marijuana to conduct these studies, some used pharmaceutical substitutes that contained either THC or a synthetic version. Such pharmaceutical substitutes never required smoking--patients ingested pills and oral sprays or wore skin patches instead. Theories/Speculation Marijuana is associated with compendious speculations and controversy. Both the American Cancer Society and the Institute of Medicine asserts that the majority of the speculation regarding the harm behind legalizing marijuana for medical use includes long term health problems associated with smoking. There also are potential social issues, including increased use among minors, a general belief that marijuana is "safe" when marijuana could be harmful due to the carcinogens present in smoke. According to the American Cancer Society, other drug options can engender the same benefits without the risks associated with smoking marijuana. Support for medical marijuana includes the argument that most terminal patients, such as those with cancer, will not have the opportunity for long-term use, according to the Institute of Medicine. Supporters say health problems resulting from marijuana smoking remain unproven, while its efficacy in assuaging various medical conditions has, states the American Cancer Association. None of the testing of medical marijuana as of 2010 includes an assessment of all means of ingesting marijuana. There are various ways to smoke marijuana; these include in a cigarette, in a cigar, with a pipe, with a water pipe, with an herbal vaporizer, and with a gas mask. Some choose to smoke marijuana with tobacco, effectively reducing average marijuana consumption, but that increases risks associated with tobacco. Other ways to ingest marijuana include in tinctures made from either a lipid or alcohol base, in food, in sprays and in transdermal patches. Though research has explored some of these methods, all must be taken into account in order to fully assess the viability of marijuana as an option for therapy. Other supportive speculation provided by the American Cancer Society includes that marijuana could possess antibacterial qualities, controls seizures, and dilate airways--which can help to control asthma, hinder tumor development and reduce pressure in the eyes for glaucoma patients. Potential The Institute of Medicine asserts that cannabinoids likely regulate pain. Furthermore, the Institute of Medicine confirms that scientific data shows potential therapeutic value for cannabinoid drugs, including marijuana, for pain, nausea and vomiting relief as well as appetite stimulation for cancer patients. The Institute of Medicine also concludes that various psychological effects, including euphoria, sedation and anxiety reduction, may be desirously therapeutic for cancer patients, and should thus undergo clinical examination for therapeutic value. In this way, the Institute of Medicine has confirmed that marijuana has various sources of potential for therapeutic value for cancer patients. Thus, the Institute of Medicine urges that researchers should apply further assessment to determine whether there are therapeutic applications of medical marijuana.