Medical marijuana benefits proven?

[binky11]

There are I think at least three dispensary shops in west Kelowna. The one I go to is okanagan cannabis solutions on Main Street here in Westbank. Right across from Valley medical labs. Dispensary is on the right just before Brown Rd. Actually on their site they claim to have one in Kelowna too, but I'm not sure about that.
My doctor gave me the government approval and a prescription for it, but anybody can just walk in. No prescription, referral or permission needed.

[AndrejVoorhees]

Well, It has not yet been proven that it can cure cancer 100% but it is undoubtedly helpful when it comes to pain and inflammation.it also reduces nausea, vomiting and boosts appetite. I've read an article about marijuana strains that are best for cancer and og kush *no advertising*

[AndrejVoorhees]

To Tacklewasher ...

This appears to be a bit of a longer winded comment from the American Cancer Society regarding many of the points that you have covered in brief;

http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatme ... and-cancer

Alternative medicine are more accepted now a days due to it's promising results unlike pharmaceutical medicine, alternative medicine don't give negative effect such as kidney and liver problems when it comes to long term use. As for my alternative medicine usage, I use medical marijuana. Different strain has a variety of uses and effect depending on your needs.

[36Drew]

Alternative medicine are more accepted now a days due to it's promising results unlike pharmaceutical medicine, alternative medicine don't give negative effect such as kidney and liver problems when it comes to long term use. As for my alternative medicine usage, I use medical marijuana. Different strain has a variety of uses and effect depending on your needs.

Can confirm that THC helps eliminate the extreme nausea caused by chemo. CBD doesn't help with that, but does help with pain/discomfort after surgery. There's zero empirical evidence that either/any cannabinoid provides any help in controlling or curing any form of cancer.

It's an effective pain killer and anti-nausea aid. It's not a "treatment" or a "medicine".

[the truth]

Alternative medicine are more accepted now a days due to it's promising results unlike pharmaceutical medicine, alternative medicine don't give negative effect such as kidney and liver problems when it comes to long term use. As for my alternative medicine usage, I use medical marijuana. Different strain has a variety of uses and effect depending on your needs.

Can confirm that THC helps eliminate the extreme nausea caused by chemo. CBD doesn't help with that, but does help with pain/discomfort after surgery. There's zero empirical evidence that either/any cannabinoid provides any help in controlling or curing any form of cancer.

It's an effective pain killer and anti-nausea aid. It's not a "treatment" or a "medicine".

many believe it is a treatment and or medicine,

[36Drew]

many believe it is a treatment and or medicine,

In what regard?

[binky11]

Well I have many health issues, one of them being fibromyalgia, and severe chronic pain. When I went on CBD oil, my life was changed dramatically. Call it treatment or medicine, it is safe and it gave me QOL. CAnt say that about pharmaceutical drugs.
However, now with the governments involvement, we will one day, if not already see it being tainted with fillers and who knows what else. I felt much safer, healthier and had a thicker wallet when I bought from the illegal store in Westbank. Have heard from many people that what they have received from the governments web site is definitely not the same quality. And double the price. Yes, I call medicinal use of CBD both medicine and treatment. The recreational users can still get it from the street, cheap. The people who need it rather than want it, are screwed.

[the truth]

100% correct on all counts

[Queen K]

Well I have many health issues, one of them being fibromyalgia, and severe chronic pain. When I went on CBD oil, my life was changed dramatically. Call it treatment or medicine, it is safe and it gave me QOL. CAnt say that about pharmaceutical drugs.
However, now with the governments involvement, we will one day, if not already see it being tainted with fillers and who knows what else. I felt much safer, healthier and had a thicker wallet when I bought from the illegal store in Westbank. Have heard from many people that what they have received from the governments web site is definitely not the same quality. And double the price. Yes, I call medicinal use of CBD both medicine and treatment. The recreational users can still get it from the street, cheap. The people who need it rather than want it, are screwed.

I admit that I was hoping for the stigma of buying medical cannabis anything would be done away with with legalization. I too am developing severe health issues and looked to non-opioid solutions, CBD Oil being one of them, for future use. Reading your story and others makes me so sad that legalization has in fact being commercialized to the point of an inferior product - already and I am still probably going to be forced to do what I never dreamed of doing some day: finding an illicit source.

I have witnessed the destruction of people being forced to take huge numbers of pills for pain control. It's a crime in itself.

[36Drew]

100% correct on all counts

Let's speak to cancer, since I've seen many wild claims about the medicinal use of marijuana with regards to cancer treatment. I've already granted that THC is works well for nausea control, and CBD works for pain management. However, in treatment of cancer itself - what benefits do you think marijuana provides?

[Queen K]

100% correct on all counts

Let's speak to cancer, since I've seen many wild claims about the medicinal use of marijuana with regards to cancer treatment. I've already granted that THC is works well for nausea control, and CBD works for pain management. However, in treatment of cancer itself - what benefits do you think marijuana provides?

If the oil or the THC works to stimulate appetit, that is a heckova hill climbed right there. Being in the position of not even being able to tempt a cancer patient to eat a spoonful of pudding because they don't feel like eating is enough to make me want to open my own Cannabis operation.

Are you asking if anyone believes cannabis CURES cancer? Are people not allowed to have the same false hope that radiation treatment or any other new western treatment gives? Many a person has died at the end of their treatments but they sure could have used pain management that was kinder to their bodies than opioids. And ever be dizzy constantly? Nausea does that, constant dizziness, the unability to even have a fav. tv show on.

Give cannabis due where the credit is due, there is nothing wrong with pain management and nausea control.

[36Drew]

If the oil or the THC works to stimulate appetit, that is a heckova hill climbed right there. Being in the position of not even being able to tempt a cancer patient to eat a spoonful of pudding because they don't feel like eating is enough to make me want to open my own Cannabis operation.

Are you asking if anyone believes cannabis CURES cancer? Are people not allowed to have the same false hope that radiation treatment or any other new western treatment gives? Many a person has died at the end of their treatments but they sure could have used pain management that was kinder to their bodies than opioids. And ever be dizzy constantly? Nausea does that, constant dizziness, the unability to even have a fav. tv show on.

Give cannabis due where the credit is due, there is nothing wrong with pain management and nausea control.

I've already granted that CBD works well to manage pain, and THC helps with the nausea. I've not witnessed it firsthand helping to stimulate appetite after chemo or radiation.

As for chemo and radiation alternative - there's zero evidence to show that cancer cells respond to any cannabinoids. Speaking to cancer, it does not describe a single condition but rather a range of similar conditions. In the case of breast cancer (that which I'm most intimately familiar with), there are different stages and grades all based upon tumour size, where cancer cells have spread to, and which protein markers have been found during biopsy. A cancer patient that is PR-positive or ER-positive will respond far better to targeted hormone therapy than one who has tested negative to either of those markers. A patient that is HER2-positive will also be given herceptin. A patient undergoing targeted therapy is less likely to relapse than one who is triple-negative. Triple-negative gives you a higher-grade cancer that is more aggressive and does not respond targeted therapy - therefore a chemo regimen is used as the cancer will respond better.

Radiation is used to stop the spread of cancer. When a cancerous tumor first sheds its cells, they wind up in the lymphatic system and are at risk of settling into a "distant" location (ie., spreading). Radiation sucks, but it's currently the only thing in the toolbox that our medical services have to fight the spread of cancerous cells.

My wife is currently fighting stage 2b, grade 3, triple-negative breast cancer. While THC pills help her with the nausea, they do not increase her appetite or abate many of the other symptoms. BC's current five-year survival rate for her stage and grade of cancer is currently 84% - with traditional treatment. Inversely, there's a 16% chance (based on current stats) that she won't be here in 5 years. While you or your loved one may be willing to forgo the traditional treatment for an all-natural treatment, we are not. There's zero scientific evidence that said treatments will work.

TLDR; Pot - good for pain and nausea management. Doesn't cure cancer. Keep with the treatment program.

[Queen K]

I never said forgo traditional treatments. I'm implying that any herbal treatment, cannabis included, has the same success rates.

And although I did not use the words, "right to try" that is the terminology used in the USA and I am all for it.

I know a woman who went to Vancouver to see a leading Korean herbalist for a tumour in her upper thigh.
Since using his special blends, tumour subsided and the bleeding from it was greatly reduced.

I wish your wife all the best in her fight, it is unbelievable how many in a certain age group are doing so.

I know my dad at age 70, with three areas where cancer spread, said, "no one is going to burn me up" and declined all treatments, all of which would have been moot with what he had. But everyone fighting should fight the good fight to the best of their ability.

Maybe only certain strains of cannabis assist with appetite revival?

[Lore]

I've already granted that CBD works well to manage pain, and THC helps with the nausea. I've not witnessed it firsthand helping to stimulate appetite after chemo or radiation.

As for chemo and radiation alternative - there's zero evidence to show that cancer cells respond to any cannabinoids. Speaking to cancer, it does not describe a single condition but rather a range of similar conditions. In the case of breast cancer (that which I'm most intimately familiar with), there are different stages and grades all based upon tumour size, where cancer cells have spread to, and which protein markers have been found during biopsy. A cancer patient that is PR-positive or ER-positive will respond far better to targeted hormone therapy than one who has tested negative to either of those markers. A patient that is HER2-positive will also be given herceptin. A patient undergoing targeted therapy is less likely to relapse than one who is triple-negative. Triple-negative gives you a higher-grade cancer that is more aggressive and does not respond targeted therapy - therefore a chemo regimen is used as the cancer will respond better.

Radiation is used to stop the spread of cancer. When a cancerous tumor first sheds its cells, they wind up in the lymphatic system and are at risk of settling into a "distant" location (ie., spreading). Radiation sucks, but it's currently the only thing in the toolbox that our medical services have to fight the spread of cancerous cells.

My wife is currently fighting stage 2b, grade 3, triple-negative breast cancer. While THC pills help her with the nausea, they do not increase her appetite or abate many of the other symptoms. BC's current five-year survival rate for her stage and grade of cancer is currently 84% - with traditional treatment. Inversely, there's a 16% chance (based on current stats) that she won't be here in 5 years. While you or your loved one may be willing to forgo the traditional treatment for an all-natural treatment, we are not. There's zero scientific evidence that said treatments will work.

TLDR; Pot - good for pain and nausea management. Doesn't cure cancer. Keep with the treatment program.

You definitely know what your talking about.
Good advice re keeping with the treatment program.
To many people thinking that marijuana will CURE x,y and z.
It won't.
I'm very sorry to hear what your wife and you are going through
and hope her treatments are successful.

[36Drew]

I never said forgo traditional treatments. I'm implying that any herbal treatment, cannabis included, has the same success rates.

And although I did not use the words, "right to try" that is the terminology used in the USA and I am all for it.

I know a woman who went to Vancouver to see a leading Korean herbalist for a tumour in her upper thigh.
Since using his special blends, tumour subsided and the bleeding from it was greatly reduced.

I think the key takeaway from what I said earlier is that "cancer" describe a spectrum of similar conditions - much like saying "autism". Cancers come in different forms and with different indicators. Also of note - not all tumors are cancerous. I can't really speak to your acquaintances' experience as you've not provided much insight into what her condition was.

I wish your wife all the best in her fight, it is unbelievable how many in a certain age group are doing so.

Quite right. Over 45 and was considered "early detection". She discovered a lump, thought it was just a cyst (she's had before) and waited several weeks before getting checked. After the initial mammogram, they sent her for imaging and an initial biopsy. Between that date and the date the tumor was removed, five weeks had passed and the tumor had doubled in size. Ladies - don't be shy about checking, and check often. When you find something, get your *bleep* into the doctor and get confirmation. Guys too - the jewels should be examined often.

I know my dad at age 70, with three areas where cancer spread, said, "no one is going to burn me up" and declined all treatments, all of which would have been moot with what he had. But everyone fighting should fight the good fight to the best of their ability.

Spread to three areas? That sounds like fully metastatic cancer. Again, "cancer" describes a cell condition. You haven't indicated what the original site was (lung/liver/bone/pancreas/etc) - but I do know that once it's spread to that level, "treatment" is more or less an effort to slow the spread and take measures to ensure patient comfort. I've had family members pass on from dealing with Stage IV lung and breast cancer that wound up metastasizing into leukemia and brain tumors. I think pot may have helped significantly with providing some comfort during their final days had it been an option.