“For a brief time earlier this month, the National Cancer Institute, a branch of the federal government’s National Institutes of Health, had posted a webpage touting the possible benefits of marijuana in fighting cancer tumors. But less than two weeks after it went up, the webpage was altered and the approving words stricken.” – Article
I don’t mean to get political, but this story just sort of hit a nerve. I mean – really!
We can take Thalidomide, which was used in the 50’s willy, nilly, and caused massive birth defects to an entire generation across the US, Canada, Australia, and Europe. But the US Federal Government has problems with Marijuana having some actual medicinal value in treating tumor cancers and symptoms caused from chemotherapy? Good Grief! We can get FDA approved chemotherapy drugs that tear our bodies to shreds and that’s OK? This is pure political nonsense that makes me CRAZY!
I don’t know if marijuana will help people with cancer, but I sure don’t know why it wouldn’t be investigated as a legitimate potential remedy. Except that it has such “bad” connotations attached to it that makes it pure politics and very sad to me. Just do the research and state the findings, without bias. That’s all. Can we just do that?
Excuse me while I go get a percocet and glass of wine. I’m stressed out! (Just kidding! About the wine and the percocet, not the stressed out part!)
Article first published as Cancer Treatment Role Downgraded on Technorati.
I’m just a riled up RASCAL today! Must be S-P-R-I-N-G! The adult version of kids in school wanting to be OUTSIDE! Teehee!
Thanks Lori.
In re-reading above, I think I would even suggest that if a doctor does NOT have a condition, which would they choose to try. Obviously they would say it’s not so bad to try M. None of the other options are really options are they, if you don’t have disease.
Thank you for your well thought out argument. The Fed’s need to stay out of the healthcare business, except those we have in place, FDA, NIH, etc.
Lori you are right on about this. It’s ridiculous how they control this drug, which does far less harm to our bodies than the approved drugs (like perc, morphine, etc).
Think about how much damage all this alcohol is going to have on our younger generation that is binge drinking?
More importantly, if they are willing to approve poisons for treating any aspect of any disease, they have a moral and ethical (legal?) obligation to pursue this “drug” with “vigor” (don’t ask – I just feel like I love this word all of a sudden :-)).
Even more importantly, lets take a simple example.
I will challenge ANY adult over 21 to something very simple. Ooh – lets make that ANY DOCTOR because they are so much more educated and smart about their body.
Choose one option, only one:
1. Smoke the prescribed amount of Marijuana
2. Inject the prescribed amount of CHEMO (e.g. velcade, dpase)
3. Swallow the prescribed amount of REVLIMID (i.e. 21 days)
To prove to me which YOU dear physician would choose if any of the above would help you with whatever condition you have.
Or Just for the heck of it. To show us that you don’t believe it will hurt you.
OOOOHHHH – or one of your kids?
Ok – I must get off my high horse before I fall and fracture one my my fragile and VERY PAINFUL bones.
P.S. Lori I plan to look into your painkiller suggestion in May with my doc as I still have too much pain and my tummy isn’t happy with all these percs / oxy etc. Thanks for the tip on that and i’ll keep you posted on it.
GREAT POST – thanks