Does Cannabis Cure Cancer?
By David Downs
The CULTURE interview with Dr. Donald Abrams
Chief of Oncology and Hematology for San Francisco General Hospital Dr. Donald Abrams has emerged as a leading advocate for medical marijuana in mainstream health circles. A cancer and integrative medicine specialist, Dr. Abrams regularly treats chemotherapy patients’ symptoms with the drug. He also performs revolutionary research on cannabis, leading to a number of landmark papers on the safety and efficacy of the ancient herbal remedy. In an exclusive CULTURE interview, the expert in alternative medicine and cancer discusses some of the thorniest issues in medical cannabis and offers some prescriptions.
Many members of the media are wondering if cannabis cures cancer. Is it that simple?
The key word is “cure,” and as an oncologist, “cure” means five years of disease-free survival, so I don’t think we’ve come to five years beyond when people started first claiming this. I think “cure” is not a good word and I think it’s irresponsible and unfortunate that people are doing that.
It does a disservice to the potential benefit of cannabis to claim that it’s a cure like shark’s fin or laetrile [Editor’s note: laetrile, or amygdalin, is a toxic extract from almonds or apricots kernel that was believed to be a cancer cure, but has since been determined to be an ineffectual—even dangerous—treatment], all of those things in the past that have been bogus. I spend half of my days advising patients who come to me with this list of bogus interventions.
Cannabis, I think, is very, very useful for cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. They have nausea, loss of appetite, often they have pain from their cancer. They have insomnia and they have depression. I can sit there and write them a prescription to cover each one of those symptoms, or I can recommend they try one medicine, and that’s cannabis.
Do these people that have used cannabis—inhaled or ingested—get cured of cancer? Not in my experience over 30 years treating patients with cancer and cannabis. Not everybody gets cured. Some people get cured, but I would tend to think it’s the chemotherapy, the radiation and the surgery.
But, those patients have not been using these highly concentrated forms of cannabis that are being touted now as being the cure; so-called “hemp oil,” “cannabis oil,” “Phoenix Tears,” “Rick Simpson Oil.” So is that different? Does that have different potential? I don’t know. It needs to be studied.
There are eight studies in the National Cancer Institute database on the anti-tumor effect of cannabinoids but they’re at the cellular level, right?
So CBD in a test tube causes this gene expression related to some cancer. Can we then translate that to, “CBD is going to cure these cancers?” As an AIDS doctor for many years, I knew that in the test tube gasoline and soap suds worked against the virus, but I wouldn’t say that they were effective treatments in people. We need to translate this into people. We’re working on trying to develop some clinical trials.
We’ve heard there might be institutional barriers to doing so.
Unfortunately, we live in this society where prohibition impacts our ability to answer questions . . . In California, [to conduct human trials with cannabis] I need to get eight different approvals from eight different bodies ranging from our clinical research center, to the medical advisory board, to the DEA; probably ONDCP [Office of National Drug Control Policy] is somehow involved . . . There aren’t that many people that are motivated into becoming involved in doing research on the plant.
Is Western medicine fundamentally incompatible with whole plant botanical therapies?
Dr. Abrams: Sure . . . People say to me, “Donald, this plant has 400 different chemical compounds in it. We’re in the age of nanotechnology and gene therapy. What are you doing?”
Well, I did a two-year fellowship in integrative medicine with [holistic health and alternative medicine expert] Andrew Weil’s program and University of Arizona, and I became very much a believer in plants as medicine. A great fraction of my chemotherapy drugs are derived from plants. Plants are potent.
What needs to happen nationally? Rescheduling? De-scheduling?
I think that more states need to follow the lead of Colorado and Washington. I mean, we incarcerate too many people. It’s racism, it’s all that all over again. But I’m just a single oncologist, so I try to stay out of politics.
Are general practitioners experts on cannabinoid therapies?
Absolutely not . . . I think that’s really sad.
Is “Big Pharma” conspiring, as some say, to keep marijuana prohibited?
What about tobacco and alcohol? I don’t know that it’s just pharmaceuticals. My understanding is Big Pharma has [its] own preparations or brands—but maybe that’s the tobacco industry.
When you debated Drug Czar employee and Harvard Medical School professor Bertha Madras, she said medical marijuana is “sending the wrong message to kids.” You didn’t get to respond.
There’s not a lot that she said that I agree with. If a kid’s parents are sick and using something as a medicine, I don’t know how that sends the wrong message, especially if they see benefits in their parent’s use of the medicine.
I deal with it all the time. I have cancer patients who have young children who say. “This is what we’re going to do.” One guy sent me an email thanking me for, you know, writing him a letter so he could access cannabis.
It took him five cycles of chemo to first use cannabis, because of the stigma, but he wrote that after using it he was then for the first time able to be relieved of nausea and to play with his kids and go to their sporting events and become part of his family again. So what message is that? That “your daddy is getting better?”
No. I don’t agree [with Dr. Madras].”
10 Comments »
4 Pingbacks »
-
[...] For more on cannabis and cancer, read my interview in CULTURE magazine with Dr. Donald Abrams, chief of Oncology and Hematology at San Franci…. [...]
-
[...] For more on cannabis and cancer, read my interview in CULTURE magazine with Dr. Donald Abrams, chief of Oncology and Hematology at San Franci…. [...]
-
[...] more on cannabis and cancer, read my interview in CULTURE magazine with Dr. Donald Abrams, chief of Oncology and Hematology at San Francisco General [...]
-
[...] more on cannabis and cancer, read my interview in CULTURE magazine with Dr. Donald Abrams, chief of Oncology and Hematology at San Francisco General [...]
Leave a comment!
Dear Drs I have prostate cancer that duke was treating with hormone therapy. Not working ,so I volunteered my prostate in a turp so they could do research. I was to take Zytiga /pred. So the pathologists were shocked that I had squamous cancer0 .5 to 2 percent have this cancer in the prostate they were treating me with the wrong drug, trelstr I bought some CBD in hopes of knocking down the cancer. Now they want to use taxotere and you know the horrible side effects A biochemist friend cured his cancer like I have and it’s been 7 years but he used thc cannibis see the linkhttps://dl.dropbox.com/u/27713298/Web/cure/Home.html
The question begs will the cbd pills I bought that contain 25 mg of cbd and turkey tail mushroom work to control or eliminate the cancer? Dr ling used turkey tail to eliminate prostate cancer in queens land hospital in Australia so what of this hemp oil CBD that is shown to stop mets in this article http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1112698569/can-cannabidiol-cbd-fight-metastatic-cancer-according-to-the-latest/ I need an answer before wed of next week so I don’t make a ass of myself when I ask can I hold off using the texotere for a month while using the unknown to them (the cbd) they already know about the turkey tail. The sc labs and boni goldstein intimates cbd can be used to slow down cancer and I want it to happen am I dreaming? My son researched it for three weeks and found many sites using cbd to “cure” cancer please respond by e mail to me bigal123@ncol.net dennis did it and professor melamede seems to think so after spending 20 years researching cbd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n31Nuj_AvTg&list=PL3EA628E7E2B8C129
I have only to next wed the 27th of feb. i prefer e mail to receive an answer harry coombs I have to agree with the many drs in this article that is as truthful as you can get http://www.rethinkingcancer.org/resources/magazine-articles/8_11-12/the-untreated-live-longer.php
Dr D. Abrams I sent a e mail yesterday to this site addressing dear drs. will you answer it for me by Wednesday the27th of Next week harry coombs I would appreciate it.
Hello everyone and how we doing, i would like to inform most serious cancer patients that i have a source to cure different kind of cancer with medical grade hemp oil because the hemp oil only will not cure cancer without RSO treatment control and no fees are requested before meeting my source. for further details. come to England:..cancermedicationtreatment@gmail.com
Hi Dr Abrams,
I know first hand how well cannabis works to cure cancer. I had between 25-40 mets in both my lungs, which were mets from a soft tissue sarcoma that I had removed in March 2009. In May 2009, my doctors gave me between 3 month to a year to live due to the rapid spread to my lungs. Chemo was not an option, and so I received no treatment for the mets in my lungs. Upon learning of my diagnosis, I immediately started taking a drop of cannabis oil 3-5 times a day just under the tongue. When I went for another scan a year to the date of my diagnosis, I was told I was cancer free. I took the original scan with me for comparison, and side by side they compared them and gave me the good news. I am back working full time, and have not been sick since. It definitely works.
All the best, keep up the fight.
Sincerely Marty A Chamberlain.
Marty–I hope you get a notification about replies to your comment as I would really like to get in touch with you regarding cannabis oil for your cancer. My father has the same type of soft tissue sarcoma stage IV and it sounds like what you had. Its in his lungs and is inoperable. He does not want chemo and I would so very greatly appreciate it if you would email me at kplong@comcast.net so I could ask you a few questions . Thanks
Cannabis oil is a cure for cancer. Regardless of what he thinks he still gets his paycheck from prescribing chemo. He’s a killer not a doctor.
Anyone with a brain and a computer can find the science that shows cannabis kills cancers cells and thousands of testimonials prove this.
I cured stage 4 cancer in the throat, stach and pancreas with ONLY cannabis. His doctor told him to go home and die bc there was nothing left to do for him. So he used cannabis oil and his cancer is gone.
Hi,
Thank you so much for your info. My brother has stage 4 colon cancer. Please tell me where to get the genuine cannabis.
Thanks!
Linda
Lnesbith@hotmail.com
Yes, your medical knowledge and expertise is world renowned, you are clearly an authority on medicine.
Until liars like him decide to want to change people will keep being poisoned with chemo. Once cancer is cures with a plant the murderes/doctors will be out of money. With no chemo, radiation or surgery how will they pad there pockets?
It’s also proven that chemo causes cancer in patients and even causes additional cancers in people in a lot of cases. So the fact he recommends chemo but stands behind medical cannabis is sick. He should be ashamed of himself. He’s just a legal drug peddling murder that makes his kills poisoning people who are already sick.
-Lincoln
What a marvelous creation! I am referring to the “He Cures All Medication called the Hemp Oil”. It has taken one with your genius, dedication and concern for Morgellons victims to spearhead such a monumental project.
This foundation brings comfort to hurting humans suffering who are desperate. I know for I am one of them. I am blessed to have the Hemp Oil purchase from Dr.Kish which cured my colon cancer within 3months of treatment, and in conjunction with this endeavor. It is a privilege that I certainly do not take lightly. Got the Best Indica Bud Hemp Oil that cured my cancer within 3 months treatment from Dr Kish drkish022@gmail.com
As I write this, my blood stream is being rejuvenated by the Hemp Oil. New Life is being infused into my body, which energizes me. The calls, emails, smiles, assistance, I receive from you are uplifting and appreciated beyond anything you can conceive of.
I am so thankful to our brilliant Rick Simpson and DR Kish for spending his time and energy to brainstorm cancer treatment and design the Extension to the Wellness Protocol. This is undoubtedly a divine gift to the cancer community. KISH would desire me to give the Glory to God, I know. Glory to God!!!
I find myself unworthy to unlatch and walk a mile in KISH sandals. Websites cancer warriors, be cognizant we are being touched and renewed by Angels in human form (Rick Simpson and Kish).drkish022@gmail.com , get your cannabis oil
this, foundation has undertaken the sponsorship of Hemp Oil to be the only assured cure for all kinds of cancer within the treatment period of 3 months.???