Cancer, cannabis and hemp - truths and myths
- davorkust
- Aug 29, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 15
1. "All cancer is equal and is treated equally." - MYTH
There are several types of malignant diseases. Also, the same type of cancer varies from person to person to the person. The same diagnosis, in two different people, requires different approaches treatment, depending on the stage of the disease, risk factors, comorbidities, genetics the signature of the tumor tissue and the availability of certain therapeutic options. We can say how in today's modern times, the same type of cancer in two different people represents almost different diagnoses with different therapeutic approaches to treatment.
2. "Cannabis and hemp can cure cancer." - MYTH
Cannabis and hemp cannot cure cancer. Cancer can be treated and cured only with medicine methods such as systematic oncological treatment (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy), surgery, radiosurgical procedures, interventional radiology, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy.
3. "Cannabis and hemp have no place in the treatment of cancer." - MYTH
Cannabis and hemp have a place in the individualized and personalized therapeutic approach to oncological treatment. In oncology there is evidence of the positive effect of cannabis and hemp on disease symptoms and side effects of treatment. Thus, their positive effect on nausea and vomiting is known, cancer and neuropathic pain, appetite and weight loss, depression, axiosity and other signs and symptoms that can greatly reduce quality of the patient's life. Modern medicine strives for a personalized approach patient, not only when deciding on targeted oncological treatment, but also according to improving the quality of life for every patient.
4. "All cannabis and hemp derivatives are psychoactive." - MYTH
The psychoactive substance in cannabis is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), THC is responsible for psychological changes in people. CBD (cannabidiol) is also found in cannabis and hemp (along with many other components such as terpenes, phytocannabinoids and many others), and is responsible for physical effects such as for example pain reduction, appetite improvement, anxiety reduction, improvement sleep, in the USA it is also approved as a medicine for the treatment of epilepsy, and it does not cause it psychoactive changes.
5. "All cannabis and hemp preparations are illegal." - MYTH
Growing industrial hemp and using CBD products is legal in Croatia. The above was legalized in 2019 with the Law on Amendments to the Law on suppression of drug abuse. That law, among other things, changed the article 2 of the Law on Suppression of Drug Abuse and the term industrial hemp was introduced which implies a subspecies of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) with total content THC 0.2% and smaller, the varieties of which are on the Common European Variety List of the Union.
6. "CBD has a place in cancer treatment in combination with other treatment modalities." –TRUTH
CBD, in combination with other treatment modalities, can contribute to improvement the patient's quality of life. In order to approach your treatment in the best possible way, inform your doctor about self-initiated use of medicines and other preparations doctor.
7. "There are no scientific studies on the topic of the use of cannabis and hemp in patients." – MYTH
Here we provide links and full texts of only some of those published so far scientific research on the topic of the use of cannabis and hemp in patients and their results:
Continue reading: My ten ways to prevent cancer - Dr. Kust for portal Živim.hr
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