Medical marijuana has been a booming business, which significantly increased with the legalization in Colorado. However, cannabis has been something that has a negative stigma attached to it, regardless of the fact that recreational legalization occurred in ten states within the past few years. What we see happening on the news recently is the use of marijuana with treating different medical health issues. Marijuana use for medical purposes is currently legal now in about 29 states. What is also important to look at is how medical marijuana is positively affecting those who use it to treat medical conditions they suffer with. Multiple sclerosis and cancer will be focused on, and research regarding treatments will be discussed.
Multiple Sclerosis
“Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the central nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves” (National MS Society). The immune system of the body has an abnormal response, and the body’s own central nervous system gets attacked. The immune system specifically targets myelin, which surrounds and insulates nerves, and forms scars which are called sclerosis. These scars are thought to be responsible for most of the wide raging symptoms that people experience (National MS Society).
Anquenette Jamison was an anchor for Fox 2 News, who unfortunately retired in 2016 due to her diagnosis with MS. Her husband suggested that she try marijuana to help relieve her pain, and so she did. She states in an interview that she went from taking seven medications a day to only one after using marijuana as a part of her treatment. After this life experience in dealing with medical marijuana, she decided to open a medical marijuana business, ‘Botaniq’, in Corktown, MI (WJBK).
There have been five reviews that have gathered ample information to conclude that cannabinoids can be beneficial for treating symptoms of pain in multiple sclerosis. “Studies have shown that CBD has a number of beneficial pharmacological effects: anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, antiemetic, antipsychotic, and neuroprotective (Healthline). A study was conducted that showed about 77% of people who were diagnosed with MS said that medical marijuana had helped them in managing pain symptoms and reported no side effects. 70% of people said that their quality of life improved with medical marijuana and reduced the other medications they used to treat their MS symptoms.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society supports the rights of people with MS to work with their MS health care providers to access marijuana for medical purposed in accordance with legal regulations in those states where such use has been approved. The society also supports advancing research to better understand the benefits and potential risks of marijuana and its derivatives as a treatment for MS (Marijuana, NMSS).
A 5 week study was conducted in 2005 with 66 patients with MS, and were treated with an oromucosal spray containing THC and CBD, with a maximum of 48 sprays within 24 hours for each patients. 64 patients completed the trial and 34 patients took the oromucosal spray. Cannabis was recorded as reducing overall intensity of pain. However, patients did report dizziness and dry mouth. The overall results showed that “cannabis-based medicine is effective in reducing pain and sleep disturbance in patients with MS” (Rog, Nurmikko, Friede, & Young 2005).
Overall, cannabis helps with a multitude of symptoms of MS. This includes pain and sleep disturbances, inflammatory-related issues, muscle spasms, abdominal complaints and mood issues (Kossen 2018).
However, not all good things come risk free. Cannabis use has been associated with an increased risk of psychosis and schizophrenia. There has also been evidence that shows cannabis use can increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction, hypertension, heart failure, and stroke (Rice & Cameron 2018).
A study from the American Academy of Neurology conducted a study in 2014, albeit an older study, and concluded that patients with MS who smoke cannabis are more cognitively impaired than nonusers (Pavisian, et al. 2014).
Cancer
Cancer is common terminology for us, unfortunately enough, but it is important to know the functions of cancer. There are different kinds of cancer, but in all types of cancer, the body’s cells divide without ceasing and spread to tissue surrounding it. Some cancer cells have the ability to avoid the body’s immune system, and the immune system defends the body from infections. Surprisingly, cancer cells can use the immune system the progress their own growth, and can have normal cells create blood vessels to supply the tumor with oxygen and nutrients (NCI).
An interesting case shows how a cancer patient became a survivor by using cannabis. She was diagnosed with anal canal cancer and had two spots of skin cancer. After doctors told her that she would need radiation to remove all of the cancer, she decided to start using cannabis oil for her cancer instead. The woman took the cannabis oil orally as well as topically on her skin cancer. She said that differences happened within 48 hours and after a year, she visited her doctor. The doctor said he could not find anything, and said he would not know she had cancer if she did not have scars. She was cancer free (CBD International, 2018). Studies have shown that cannabis treatment can help those who are undergoing cancer treatment. It is shown that they help patients manage pain, neuropathy and nausea and vomiting (CBD International, 2018).
Dr. Sanchez, a microbiologist, has been studying the effects of cannabis with cancer since 2000, and was the first to discover the anti-tumor effects of cannabinoids. She says, “…the endocannabinoid system regulates a lot of biological functions…and that is why the plant has such a wide therapeutic potential” (Truth About Cancer). Dr. Sanchez treated a type of brain tumor, astrocytoma, with cannabinoids and the THC killed the cancer cells. She states that when THC and CBD are combined, it produced a more potent effect against cancer cells.
Dr. Manuel Guzman and his team conducted the first and only clinical trial assessing the anti-tumor action of THC on humans (Guzmán, et al. 2006). The trial included nine patients, four men and five women, that had glioblastoma, and who also failed to respond to brain-cancer therapies (Project CBD). The median survival after tumor relapse was about 24 weeks and two of the patients survived for almost a year (Guzmán, et al. 2006). Overall, THC treatment had a correlation with significant recession in tumor cell growth (Project CBD).
How does CBD have tumor suppressing agents and functions? CBD interferes with cellular communication in tumors. What CBD can do is initiate cancer cell death because of this cellular communication, making it a great anti-cancer agent (Project CBD). THC has research showing that it can also reduce tumor growth. With both CBD and THC working together, it would not be a bad idea to experiment using cannabis to help with cancer treatment, with the right research beforehand, of course.
Cannabis topicals are some of the more newer treatments that are being developed to help treat pain, as well as skin cancer. A study done in 2003 concluded that skin tumors do contain cannabinoid receptors. It also shows that cannabinoid receptors initiate skin tumor cell death (Rice & Cameron 2018).
Although these studies show how these cannabinoid receptors can initiate cancer cell death, these studies have not been extensively researched on humans. Because of this, a lot of people are more inclined to indicate that cannabis is more for relieving pain, rather than an actual cure. There is a difference between a pain-relieving topical and the topical forms of chemotherapy, and that is where people get confused (Davinci).
As stated above, there are still instances where exploitation and false claims occur in regards to treatment. Cancer and treatment with marijuana create businesses, and businesses are strictly out to get money. It is very important to do adequate resea