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Although Cannabis has been proven to be effective for a large range of ailments, this article will focus mainly on it’s effectiveness in the treatment of cancer. Cannabinoids may be one of the best disease and cancer fighting treatments naturally available. Cannabinoids refer to any member of a group of related compounds that include cannabinol and other active constituents of cannabis. These molecules activate cannabinoid receptors in the body, which exist because the body itself produces very similar compounds called endocannabinoids, and they play a role in many processes within the body, including playing a role in the immune system, including inhibition of cancer cell proliferation (meaning the growth of cancer).

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Cannabinoids can also be found in Cannabis. It is important to note that the cannabinoids are plentiful in both hemp and cannabis. One of the main differentiations between hemp and cannabis is simply that hemp only contains roughly 0.3% THC while cannabis contains 0.4% THC or higher. Cannabinoids have been shown to reduce cancer cells, and can have an impact on rebuilding the immune system. While not every strain of cannabis has the same effect, more and more patients are seeing success in helping eliminate cancer in a short period of time by using cannabis.

Here are 20 medical studies that show cannabis can help cure cancer:

1. A study published in the British Journal of Cancer, conducted by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Complutense University in Madrid, this study determined that Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids inhibit tumour growth. They were responsible for the first clinical study aimed at assessing cannabinoid antitumoral action. Cannabinoid delivery was safe and was achieved with zero psychoactive effects. THC was found to decrease tumour cells in two out of the nine patients.

http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v95/n2/abs/6603236a.html

2. A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience examined the biochemical events in both acute neuronal damage and in slowly progressive, neurodegenerative diseases. They conducted a magnetic resonance imaging study that looked at THC (the main active compound in marijuana) and found that it reduced neuronal injury in rats. The results of this study provide evidence that the cannabinoid system can serve to protect the brain against neurodegeneration.

http://www.jneurosci.org/content/21/17/6475.abstract

3. A study published in The Journal of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics already acknowledged the fact that cannabinoids have been shown to possess antitumor properties. This study examined the effect of cannabidiol (CBD, non psychoactive cannabinoid compound) on human glioma cell lines. The addition of cannabidiol led to a dramatic drop in the viability of glioma cells. Glioma is the word used to describe brain tumour. The study concluded that cannabidiol was able to produce a significant antitumor activity.

http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/308/3/838.abstract

4. A study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics outlines how brain tumours are highly resistant to current anticancer treatments, which makes it crucial to find new therapeutic strategies aimed at improving the poor prognosis of patients suffering from this disease. This study also demonstrated the reversal of tumour activity in Glioblastoma multiforme.

http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/10/1/90.abstract

Breast Cancer
5. A study published in the US National Library of Medicine, conducted by the California Pacific Medical Centre determined that cannabidiol (CBD) inhibits human breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion. They also demonstrated that CBD significantly reduces tumour mass.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20859676

6. A study published in The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics determined that THC as well as cannabidiol dramatically reduced breast cancer cell growth. They confirmed the potency and effectiveness of these compounds.

http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/early/2006/05/25/jpet.106.105247

7. A study published in the Journal Molecular Cancer showed that THC reduced tumour growth and tumour numbers. They determined that cannabinoids inhibit cancer cell proliferation, induce cancer cell apoptosis and impair tumour angiogenesis (all good things). This study provides strong evidence for the use of cannabinoid based therapies for the management of breast cancer.

http://www.molecular-cancer.com/content/9/1/196

8. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) determined that cannabinoids inhibit human breast cancer cell proliferation.

http://www.pnas.org/content/95/14/8375.full.pdf+html

Lung Cancer
9. A study published in the journal Oncogene, by Harvard Medical Schools Experimental Medicine Department determined that THC inhibits epithelial growth factor induced lung cancer cell migration and more. They go on to state that THC should be explored as novel therapeutic molecules in controlling the growth and metastasis of certain lung cancers.

http://www.nature.com/onc/journal/v27/n3/abs/1210641a.html

10. A study published by the US National Library of Medicine by the Institute of Toxicology and Pharmacology, from the Department of General Surgery in Germany determined that cannabinoids inhibit cancer cell invasion. Effects were confirmed in primary tumour cells from a lung cancer patient. Overall, data indicated that cannabinoids decrease cancer cell invasiveness.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22198381?dopt=Abstract

11. A study published by the US National Library of Medicine, conducted by Harvard Medical School investigated the role of cannabinoid receptors in lung cancer cells. They determined its effectiveness and suggested that it should be used for treatment against lung cancer cells.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21097714?dopt=Abstract

Prostate Cancer
12. A study published in the US National Library of Medicine illustrates a decrease in prostatic cancer cells by acting through cannabinoid receptors.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12746841?dopt=Abstract

13. A study published in the US National Library of Medicine outlined multiple studies proving the effectiveness of cannabis on prostate cancer.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3339795/?tool=pubmed

14. Another study published by the US National Library of Medicine determined that clinical testing of CBD against prostate carcinoma is a must. That cannabinoid receptor activation induces prostate carcinoma cell apoptosis. They determined that cannabidiol significantly inhibited cell viability.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22594963

Blood Cancer
15. A study published in the journal Molecular Pharmacology recently showed that cannabinoids induce growth inhibition and apoptosis in mantle cell lymphoma. The study was supported by grants from the Swedish Cancer Society, The Swedish Research Council and the Cancer Society in Stockholm.

http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/70/5/1612.abstract

16. A study published in the International Journal of Cancer also determined and illustrated that cannabinoids exert antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects in various types of cancer and in mantle cell lymphoma.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.23584/abstract

17. A study published in the US National Library of Medicine conducted by the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology by Virginia Commonwealth University determined that cannabinoids induce apoptosis in leukemia cells.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16908594

Oral Cancer
18. A study published by the US National Library of Medicine results show cannabinoids are potent inhibitors of cellular respiration and are toxic to highly malignant oral Tumours.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20516734

Liver Cancer
19. A study published by the US National Library of Medicine determined that THC reduces the viability of human HCC cell lines (Human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cell line) and reduced the growth.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21475304

Pancreatic Cancer
20. A study published in The American Journal of Cancer determined that cannabinoid receptors are expressed in human pancreatic tumor cell lines and tumour biopsies at much higher levels than in normal pancreatic tissue. Results showed that cannabinoid administration induced apoptosis. They also reduced the growth of tumour cells, and inhibited the spreading of pancreatic tumour cells.

http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/66/13/6748.abstract

Although cannabis alone may not be the answer to cancer, with nutrition playing an important role, it is an invariably useful means for treating existing tumors. That said, there is no sane reason not to legalize (or decriminalize) it, as Uruguay is in the process of doing now.