PBS Documentary - Clearing the Smoke: The Science of Cannabis (cancer treatment)

[RainDog]

"The cancer-killing properties of marijuana were the subject of discussion in a PBS documentary that aired this week to little media fanfare.

While using marijuana to kill cancer may sound like a wild claim to some, it struck Dr. Prakash Nagarkatti as a great idea. In his studies as professor of pathology and microbiology for the University of South Carolina, he tested synthetic cannabis drugs on cancer cells and developed a formula that was able to completely eradicate cancer cells in a test tube.

A follow-up on mice afflicted with cancer found that up to 30 percent in the test group completely rejected their disease, while others had their tumors significantly reduced. The same drug is now being tested on humans with Leukemia.

But it’s not just Dr. Nagarkatti who sees the medical value of marijuana: it’s the whole pharmaceutical industry. And that’s another point the documentary makes, examining the patents various companies have filed, and what they claim marijuana-based drugs could one day be used to treat."

the full documentary is available to view here: http://watch.montanapbs.org/video/1825223761

(the quoted above is from Raw Story)

[LetTimmySmoke]

1. Nice post.

[RainDog]

9. thanks. glad to see this was on a local pbs station

and hopefully this will stayed kicked so that more people can get some facts rather than propaganda.

the doctor who is against cannabis also served on the drug policy task forces for at least 3 presidents.

he's also the least informed of all the doctors - the issue of schizophrenia, for instance, has been debunked by evidence in a study of studies in GB that showed NO increase in schizophrenia with an increase in cannabis use, for instance.

we all need to send emails to Lamar Smith to ask him why he's preventing the decriminalization bill from moving out of his committee. he's a disgrace to this nation.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. A BIG K&R!

[ohheckyeah]

3. Why synthetic? n/t

[Dragonfli]

4. I imagine to concentrate specific chemicals from the plant, also a good way for big pharma to make $

The drug companies want something they can patent and mark up about 5000% (they routinely produce drugs for pennies a pill and charge hundreds for a bottle worth)

In the case of the researcher, I am sure it has much more to do with using specific chemicals or molecules, or it could simply be because that is all they would let him use, synthetic that is.


When my wife was dying of cancer getting her to be able to eat anything was a real issue, they prescribed Marinol, a synthetic that cost $800 for a bottle, it didn't work very well and made her feel "ickey" (the word she used). The bottle languished in the refrigerator and I got her some real weed, that worked really well, for her at least, it was the right choice as it reduced her nausea and gave her an appetite.

The Marinol was a good money maker for the pharmaceutical company but it worked for shit in her case. Pot was and is illegal as medicine in NY. I guess I had to make her a criminal to help her survive and I would do it again in a heartbeat, but Big pharma is and was more important than my wife to the politicians, I guess I am just lucky it was pre-Holder as she may have been arrested by Feds when the hospice nurse walked in on her smoking a bowl.

This country sucks in at least as many ways as it is great, if not more.

[ohheckyeah]

5. I hear ya!

I think it's evil to let people suffer for no reason other than control. Marijuana being illegal is based on stupidity, hysteria, hypocrisy and GREED.

[RainDog]

7. synthetics are isolated molecules - not the entire complement of cannabinoids

marinol is only THC, not cannabidiol or any of the other 60-plus cannabinoids that make up cannabis.

cannabidiol has HUGE therapeutic properties - esp. with cancer treatment - in research thus far.

most of the medical community seems to feel more comfortable with a synthetic substance because they know exactly what such a substance is composed of - they're trained to think of medicine in this way.

if I had cancer, I would definitely go whole-plant - so many people who have been in such a situation have noted the whole-plant is superior for the symptoms of cancer.

[RainDog]

8. "big pharma is and was more important than my wife to the politicians"

your quote is THE truth.

One politician in Texas is, basically, choosing to sentence people like your wife to painful cancer treatment, to death, in some cases, to the fear of being a criminal - for his political benefit.

Four members of the House have introduced a bill to decriminalize cannabis and ONE politician is preventing this bill from having a hearing.

One politician has the power to sentence millions of people to death.

Lamar Smith should be removed from office.

[RainDog]

6. mj is a schedule 1 drug here - "no medical value" - worse than meth

which is, obviously, not true.

but this is one way the DEA has kept research from going forward - the govt has to approve any use of whole-plant cannabis for research - and, they rarely do.

because mj is classified as a schedule 1 drug, doctors STILL cannot prescribe it, even where legal. they can, however, "recommend" it.

The schedule 1 classification could change immediately if the DEA would decide to stop harming Americans for their profit. It requires no act of Congress to do this. No legislation.

We have law enforcement, rather than doctors, making health-care decisions for Americans.

This is wrong.

[RainDog]

10. one last kick n/t

[sarcasmo]

11. Kick a thousand times. Tax it and legalize it.

[RainDog]

13. thanks!

I've watched this one a few times - I'm familiar with the experts, with Irvin - but the woman with epilepsy and the Montana cancer patient were new ones to me.

The man who had cancer - he's such a hero - he's doing this so that others can benefit because he says the use of medical mj saved his life when he was wasting away.

The woman who serves as the "gatekeeper" for patients is sort of funny, to me. I mean, she exemplifies the bureaucratic nonsense we deal with regarding this issue. - no, you can't have a card - when, in reality, someone should be able to purchase cannabis for any use they choose in a store, if that person is over 21.

[burrowowl]

12. K&R

[burrowowl]

14. Kick!

[RainDog]

15. thank you!! you double kicked! :)

you're like the Bruce Lee of DU threads!! :)