Is it true that marijuana can help battle cancer? Almost. Two scientists at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, CA have discovered that a marijuana compound can fight the metastasis in various kinds of aggressive cancer. Molecular biologist Pierre Desprez studied ID-1, the gene that makes cancer spread, for years. At the same time, Shawn McAllister studied Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, a chemical compound found in marijuana that's non-toxic and non-psychoactive. Eventually, the two placed CBD and cells with high levels of ID-1 together in a Petri dish.
According to Desprez, the duo found that CBD could "turn off" the ID-1; the cells stopped spreading and began to return to normal. In 2007, they published an essay on their findings, and in the following years found that CBD works in the lab and on animals. They began with breast cancer, but soon found that CBD works with brain, prostate, and any other cancer with high levels of ID-1.
Desprez and McAllister hope clinical trials will begin soon, but agree that smoking a lot of weed will not help to treat cancer. Desprez says that you'll never get an effective level of Cannabidiol from just smoking it.
[via The Huffington Post]
