Cannabis shows potential for cancer treatment, study finds

A new study is shedding light on the role medical cannabis could play in cancer care

both as a way to relieve symptoms and potentially fight the disease itself

Researchers at the Whole Health Oncology Institute say studies have been slowed for years

mainly because cannabis is still classified as a Schedule I drug under federal law

making it illegal nationwide. While at least 39 states have decriminalized medical marijuana

the conflict between state and federal laws continues to block doctors and researchers from moving forward

Research director Ryan Castle told The Guardian in order to move beyond bias, conscious or not

it was essential to use a large-scale, radically inclusive methodology based on mathematical reasoning

To get a clearer picture, his team yzed more than 10,000 peer-reviewed studies

looking at nearly 40,000 data points to find out if there's true scientific consensus on using medical cannabis to treat cancer

Their findings were released this week in the journal Frontiers in Oncology, which they say the research shows strong support

The ysis shows positive sentiment around medical cannabis is more than 30 times stronger than opposition

Researchers found it can help manage pain, nausea, and appetite loss, and may even have cancer-fighting properties thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects

Scientists say this is a growing consensus in the medical community and it could signal a major shift in how we view and regulate cannabis in health care The study authors say it time to reevaluate cannabis as a legitimate treatment

option even at the federal level. Right now, the FDA has not approved cannabis as a treatment for

most medical conditions. Research into cannabis and cancer has mostly focused on relieving symptoms

but scientists are now taking a closer look at whether cannabis might actually help fight the

cancer itself. Patients who use cannabis to treat their cancer symptoms reported positive results

with up to 90 percent saying they felt improvements and fewer than five percent experiencing side

effects. Preclinical lab studies have shown cannabinoids the active compounds in cannabis

can slow tumor growth and even cause cancer cells to die. Scientists say there's a lot of promise

but also a lot to learn. They're calling for more clinical research to fully understand how cannabis

could play a role in cancer treatment. However, researchers point out that cannabis may not work the same for everyone

since different type of cancer at different stages can affect how well it works

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency is in the process of rescheduling cannabis

from a Schedule I narcotic, a category that includes things like heroin, to Schedule III

This would allow for pharmaceutical testing with fewer government regulations. As of March, the process has been put on hold

For Straight Arrow News, I'm Kaylee Carey. For unbiased, fact-based coverage, download the Straight Arrow News mobile app