U.S., UK Experts: Cannabis Not A Proven Cancer Cure

According to social media posts, cannabis components can heal cancer by eradicating a wide range of tumors. This is false because no cannabis product has been approved to treat cancer, however some components of the plant are prescribed to patients for pain management and side effects, according to Rod Lever of Agence France-Presse USA.

Photo Insert: Some cannabis extracts have been demonstrated to be useful for treating pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea, according to the British nonprofit, but there is little or no proof that cannabinoids are effective against cancer itself.

"THC is the cancer killer," states text in a Facebook video starring Canadian cannabis farmer Rick Simpson on May 30, 2022. In the video, Simpson, who offers a product called "Rick Simpson oil," advertises marijuana's principal psychoactive element as a therapy for several types of cancer.

He attributes the therapy to "all those different cannabinoids acting together." According to other Facebook posts, the US government has repressed information regarding cannabis as a cancer treatment.

Some promote testimonials from cancer patients who claim to have been cured, while Twitter users have shared research on cannabis as a potential therapy.

According to medical specialists and public health officials, the assertions are not supported by clinical studies.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), cannabinoids have not been proven useful as a cancer treatment in clinical trials. Some cannabinoids, such as dronabinol and nabilone, are, however, licensed for the treatment of cancer-related adverse effects.

According to the NCI, "highly concentrated THC or cannabidiol (CBD) oil extracts are being illegally promoted as potential cancer cures." "These oils have not been tested for anticancer efficacy or safety in any clinical trials." According to the institute, several of the ingredients in these alleged therapies "could potentially increase toxicity or decrease the effectiveness" of approved therapeutic drugs.

Cancer Research UK comes to a similar conclusion. Some cannabis extracts have been demonstrated to be useful for treating pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea, according to the British nonprofit, but there is little or no proof that cannabinoids are effective against cancer itself.

"We need more research to know if cannabis or the chemicals in it can treat cancer," the organization states on its website.

"Clinical trials need to be done in large numbers where some patients have the drug and some don't. Then you can compare how well the treatment works. Many of the studies done so far have been small and in the laboratory."

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