Politics v. Science: Understanding Cannabis Therapeutics Before it is Censored

Sunday, April 03, 2011 by: Kris Hermes



A milestone quietly occurred last month, and one the federal government would prefer to ignore. Yet, it could mean a step in the right direction for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people who use a centuries-old botanical medicine: cannabis, otherwise know as marijuana.

According to the Washington Independent, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) changed its website on March 17th and for the first time listed cannabis as a Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM). At that time, the NCI website read:

"The potential benefits of medicinal Cannabis for people living with cancer include antiemetic effects, appetite stimulation, pain relief, and improved sleep. In the practice of integrative oncology, the health care provider may recommend medicinal Cannabis not only for symptom management but also for its possible direct antitumor effect."

And just in case the issue of medical efficacy was in question, NCI further stated that:

"Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years prior to its current status as an illegal substance."