cannabisnews.com: Another Marijuana Myth Goes Up In Smoke





Another Marijuana Myth Goes Up In Smoke
Posted by CN Staff on June 09, 2006 at 08:01:08 PT
By Paul Armentano
Source: LewRockwell.com
USA -- Epidemiological data presented last May at the International Conference of the American Thoracic Society concluding that smoking marijuana, even long-term, is not positively associated with increased incidence of lung-cancer, is just the latest in a long line of government claims regarding the alleged dangers of pot to go – pardon the pun – up in smoke.Investigators from the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California assessed the possible association between cannabis use and the risk of lung cancer in middle-aged adults (ages 18–59) living in Los Angeles.
Researchers conducted interviews with 611 subjects with lung cancer and 1,040 controls matched for age, gender, and neighborhood. Data was collected on lifetime marijuana use, as well as subjects' use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, diet, occupation, and family history of cancer. Investigators used a logistical regression model to estimate the effect of cannabis smoking on lung cancer risk, adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, education, cumulative tobacco smoking, and alcohol use."We did not observe a positive association of marijuana use – even heavy long-term use – with lung cancer, controlling for tobacco smoking and other potential cofounders," investigators concluded. Moreover, their data further revealed that one subset of moderate lifetime users actually had an inverse association between cannabis use and lung cancer. Much less surprising, the NIH-funded study – the largest of its type ever conducted – did find a 20-fold increased risk in heavy tobacco smokers.Officials from the White House’s Drug Czar’s office had "no comment" on the UCLA findings.While the investigators’ failure to demonstrate a positive association between cannabis use and cancer may seem surprising to some, the bottom line is that scientists overseas have been studying pot’s potential anti-cancer properties for nearly a decade. Most recently, investigators at Italy's Instuto di Chemica Biomolecolare reported in the May issue of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics that compounds in marijuana inhibit cancer cell growth in animals and in culture on a wide range of tumor cell lines, including human breast carcinoma cells, human prostate carcinoma cells, and human colectoral carcinoma cells.Previous studies by European researchers have shown that cannabis’ constituents can reduce the size and halt the spread of glioma (brain tumor) cells in animals and humans in a dose dependent manner. Separate preclinical studies have also shown marijuana to inhibit cancer cell growth and selectively trigger malignant cell death in skin cancer cells, leukemic cells, and lung cancer cells, among other cancerous cell lines.But none of these findings should come as a surprise to the US government, which ironically, sponsored the first experiment ever documenting pot's anti-cancer effects in 1974 at the Medical College of Virginia. The results of that study, reported in an Aug. 18, 1974, Washington Post newspaper feature, were that marijuana's primary psychoactive component "THC slowed the growth of lung cancers, breast cancers and a virus-induced leukemia in laboratory mice, and prolonged their lives by as much as 36 percent." Shockingly, federal officials have steadfastly refused to fund any follow up research on the subject in the following decades, and today continue to oppose any use of cannabis – even for medical purposes in states that have authorized its use. What’s the Fed’s rational for maintaining such a foolish and misguided policy? Most likely, they have "no comment."Paul Armentano is the senior policy analyst for the NORML Foundation in Washington, DC.Newshawk: MayanSource: LewRockwell.com (U.S. Web)Author: Paul ArmentanoPublished: June 9, 2006Copyright: 2006 LewRockwell.comContact: lew lewrockwell.com Website: http://www.lewrockwell.com/Related Articles & Web Site:NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/Study Finds No Cancer, Marijuana Connectionhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21874.shtmlMarijuana Does Not Raise Lung Cancer Risk http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21869.shtmlNo Link Between Marijuana Use and Lung Cancerhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21866.shtml 
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Comment #9 posted by afterburner on June 12, 2006 at 08:48:49 PT
Three Reasons for Front-Door Legalization
1) Although Canada was the first country in the post-Prohibition era to recognize medical cannabis, the federal government has been maliciously hesitant, the medical profession has been largely uncooperative, and the sick and dying have been burdened with excessive paperwork and police harassment.2) Canada was the first country to approve Sativex as a prescription medication. However, the cost of this "liquid marijuana" is prohibitive to the largely disabled MS audience. To cover the exorbitant costs of Sativex vs. herbal cannabis would be a financial load on the Canadian Health-care system.3) The Canadian Federal Government licences hemp growers, but the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police do "not condone the growing of ... hemp." Yet, in order to qualify for a federal licence "a grower must obtain a letter of 'No Objection' from the local police authority."Even though one of Canada's previous "Grandmothers," Queen Victoria, used herbal cannabis to ease her menstrual cramps, things on the Canadian side of the Medicine Line are far from rosy.The solution is obvious. If the cops don't want to police the hemp crops, get them out of the picture, Legalize and Regulate, like other herbs! If the medical profession is reluctant to prescribe medical cannabis, let the herbalists, naturopaths, and health food stores manage it!Links: Government Bullying Medicinal Pot Users, Advocate Charges.
Posted by CN Staff on January 26, 2004.
By Kirstin Endemann, CanWest News Service. 
Source: Edmonton Journal. 
http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/medpotusers.htm&&&Spray Alternative To Pot On The Market in Canada 
http://cannabisnews.com/news/20/thread20893.shtml
Posted by CN Staff on June 23, 2005. 
By Wendy Koch, USA Today. 
Source: USA Today "Canadians now have access to a legal spray alternative to medical marijuana. Beginning this week, multiple sclerosis patients with constant tingling pain can get a doctor's prescription for a new drug, Sativex, derived from the marijuana plant." &&&{RESOLUTION 96-4: 
GROWING OF LOW THC HEMP.
Approved by the Board of Directors at the 45th Annual General Me. [Meeting]
http://www.oacp.on.ca/content/positions/view_resolution.html?id=3{WHEREAS; the Federal Government is presently allowing the cultivation of low THC marijuana for use as raw material in the production of paper, cloth, building material and other products, WHEREAS; to grow such crop, a licence must be obtained from Health and Welfare Canada. Before such licence is issued, a grower must obtain a letter of "No Objection" from the local police authority, WHEREAS; although Health and Welfare Canada issues the licence, they do not have a regulatory body in place to ensure there is no abuse, as they perceive this to be a police issue, WHEREAS; police are not a crop assessment body and should not have to take samples and analyze them to determine THC levels. Nor should the police be required to assess security or monitor a hemp crop grown under a licence issued by Health and Welfare Canada, BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police until such time as appropriate regulations, monitoring systems, security and enforcement procedures are implemented by Health and Welfare Canada, does not condone the growing of low THC hemp.}
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Comment #8 posted by Hope on June 10, 2006 at 06:25:09 PT
cannabis
We know from our conversations that it causes night terrors to cease (really bad nightmares).We know that it helps some people eat when they can't and it helps some people, oddly enough, like me, keep their weight down and under control.We know that it can ease the worried mind and alleviate depression. It helps headaches. It would be great if there was a supplement of all the cannabinoids that a person could take. Along with the smoking or vaporizing or tincturing, should he choose.SHOULD HE CHOOSE! Wow...what a concept.Supplements of cannaboids...not partial and not synthethic...the real thing and plenty of it would probably help us all so much.
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Comment #7 posted by Hope on June 10, 2006 at 06:06:36 PT
comment 3...Cell Phones and Cancer
The first person I ever knew that had a cell phone...back when they first came out, has suffered from two seperate bouts of brain tumors...cancer. I avoid them. It frightens me to see people, especially youngsters, with them stuck to their head all the time.
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Comment #6 posted by afterburner on June 10, 2006 at 00:05:04 PT
schmeff 
"FrankenSouder"! Good one. 
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Comment #5 posted by schmeff on June 09, 2006 at 13:36:55 PT
CANNABIS PREVENTS CANCER!
For years I have been suggesting to my unenlightened friends that it would prove to be the ultimate irony if cannabis cured/prevented cancer, not because I particularly believed it (although my mind was certainly open to the possibility) but because it would bring an almost farcical closure to the pig-headedness of prohibition. Think of it; the "mainstream" has not been protected by cannabis prohibition, they have been harmed! Consumption of cannabis is healthy and normal!Paul has done a nice job in a few short paragraphs to present us with a concise list:lung cancerbreast cancerprostate cancercolorectal cancerskin cancerleukemiaWe at CNews also know about MS, Parkinsons, glaucoma, AIDS, its use in supressing pain, and I will predict here, once again, that cannabis holds promise for treating ED.Food...fiber....fuel...pharma...fun. When the oil runs out, cannabis will save mankind. Providing, of course, that FrankenSouder can be eliminated before he releases his little vial of genetically modified Fuserium.
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Comment #4 posted by whig on June 09, 2006 at 12:29:38 PT
user123
That's exactly what Tashkin analyzed, and found not only that MJ doesn't cause lung cancer it is associated with a slightly reduced risk of cancer.http://cannabisnews.com/news/21/thread21874.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by user123 on June 09, 2006 at 11:52:28 PT:
Cancer
If MJ use causes cancer, then we should be seeing an increase in the number of cancer patients admitted to hospitals. Why? The MJ users who started in the 1960's and kept their use up are now hitting their senior years. Lung cancer likes to show itself in these years, (not always) so where is the massive upswing in cancer admissions? It's like cell phones causing cancer. In another 10-15 years we should know for sure. Either lots of people will start to get some form of brain cancer, or they won't, but like both these issues TIME WILL TELL! 
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Comment #2 posted by OverwhelmSam on June 09, 2006 at 11:00:49 PT
Don't hate the government.
Trust the government as a whole, hate the devils within the government.
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Comment #1 posted by Truth on June 09, 2006 at 08:40:00 PT
makes me wonder
who the enemy is....
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