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Can Cannabis Cure Cancer?

Adventures in the Counterculture

Fri, Aug 26, 2011 4:52 pm

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By Steven Hager

 

Over a year ago, I wrote a feature article in HIGH TIMES, “Rick Simpson’s Hemp Oil Medicine,” which explained how a disabled hospital-maintenance worker in Nova Scotia, Canada, had cured his skin cancer with a topical application of homemade hash oil. Even more astonishing, after taking the same oil orally, Simpson discovered that it helped him considerably with a head injury he’d suffered. He began giving the oil to terminal cancer patients and discovered that about 70 percent of them were cured simply by ingesting 60 grams of oil in 30 days.

 

After the article appeared in HIGH TIMES, two things happened: 1) The Mounties raided Simpson’s home and forced him to flee to Eastern Europe to avoid jail; 2) Dr. Lester Grinspoon, the foremost medical-marijuana expert in the world, wrote a note of caution advising me (and others) not to take Simpson’s claims at face value, since there was zero scientific proof to back them up. In fact, all of the documentation that Simpson collected had been seized by the Canadian government in the raid, and while I’d met several people who swore that his hash oil had saved their lives, no one produced a biopsy or other evidence to support their claim.

 

When I spoke to Simpson about this, he said simply: “Put some oil on a case of skin cancer and watch it go away in a few days. How hard is that?” Since there are approximately two million cases of skin cancer reported in this country every year, I reasoned that finding people to test this theory wouldn’t be difficult. Yet even within the cannabis-law reform community, few people seemed to take Simpson seriously. In fact, some leading activists viewed him as a dangerous quack, and not one doctor seemed interested in testing or replicating his astonishing results.

 

Then along came Dr. Robert J. Melamede, former chairman of the Department of Biology at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Melamede is now the CEO of Cannabis Science, Inc., a company working closely with the Phoenix Tears Foundation and Rockbrook Dispensary to test this cannabis-oil medicine and document the results. A recent press release from the company asserts that a topical application of cannabis oil rapidly cured a documented case of basal-cell carcinoma.

 

Not mentioned in the release, however, is the fact that several cases of terminal cancer are also being treated with the same oil, and the preliminary results indicate that it works exactly as Simpson said it would. The only problem is getting these patients to release their medical data – it  seems no one is jumping at the chance to become the poster child for cannabis and cancer.

 

Actually, there had been one volunteer for that position: Michelle Rainey, who began taking the oil immediately after discovering that she had melanoma and lymphatic cancer which had metastasized into her liver. Sadly, Rainey died a few weeks after starting the treatment – but Simpson always said that not every cancer patient could be saved with the oil. So while Rainey’s death was a temporary setback to the hopes of proving that cannabis cures cancer, the evidence that Melamede is now collecting could prove to be the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

As soon as he has a documented case of internal cancer being cured with cannabis oil, all of that documentation will be sent for review to Dr. Grinspoon, who has already promised a mea culpa should that evidence emerge. I will keep you posted on these important developments.



» add a comment

lee

Nov 18 2011, 6:28 pm

you would definitely watch listen and try .

Christian Laurette

Sep 15 2011, 12:29 pm

Thank you for this article, Steve. For more information visit http://www.phoenixtears.ca

BIG WEED SMOKE

Sep 1 2011, 6:26 pm

OF COURSE MARIJUANA CAN CURE CANCER. DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT GOD LOVES YOU AND HAS GIVEN YOU MARIJUANA AS A TREATMENT FOR DISEASE? THE DEVIL (DEA) DOES NOT WANT YOU TO USE GOD'S GOOD PLANTS SO YOU WILL DIE.

Keep it Real + Science

Sep 1 2011, 8:29 am

The quote from the Bible, in the comments below, was the perfect recap along with all the comments that are scientific, factual and real. Don't ruin this fantastic article and the comments up to that point, with stupidity and rhetoric...as there are Dr's and scientists in the community that ARE reading and seriously looking at this for further research and testing. None of us smokers, and the information from this article, will be taken seriously with stupid typical stoner-type comments. Like the most recent three blurbs, let's flag those down. Keep those to yourself on this one.

ballsinyourmouth

Sep 1 2011, 1:54 am

why is hightimes gay? dont waste your money on hightimes.

retahgin

Aug 31 2011, 4:30 pm

people are so retarded and will believe anything. if there were commercials that run on tv so all the old assholes would seee it then it would be legal in no time. America = TV.TV = mindless influence. that is where the money goes and where it comes from. illegalization is just irritating and doesnt do shit. people should be able to wipe their own asses but cant for some reason, probably laziness blindness etc

I Hunt Tweekers

Aug 31 2011, 3:15 pm

I think if it is proven cannabis can cure cancer that could be a huge stride torwards a federal medical marijuana policy. Who could ignore something this amazing?

Minister of Marijuana

Aug 29 2011, 12:25 pm

God is love and in love God created Marijuana and gave it to man in Genesis on the very first page of the Bible.

Genesis 1 29-30

 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

There are no exceptions. Then again in chapter 9

Genesis 9:3
3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

A second verse same as the first. The thought so nice GOD said it twice. Once again. “Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything."

So the government and all those who follow false prophets will continue to steal God's Holy gift until those who love the Lord and wish to follow his word stand up and demand their rights as Christians.

Until that day comes and Christians understand the loving and healing nature of the tree of life, life will be lost to ignorance. Until Christians start to read and understand the word of God for themselves they will remain sheep lead by Shepherd's who eat their flesh and wear them as coats.

LooseJoint

Aug 29 2011, 1:03 am

Imagine this - a cure for cancer that you could grow yourself. DO you really think the powers that be would allow this? The lobbyist in the medical will surely campaign to keep the knowledge of this cure from reaching the public. It would have a serious impact on the Pharmaceutical industry, and the American Society. Looks like more jobs will be lost and many cancer treatment centers closing down. That means lost revenue for those companies. What about the politicians and there buddies who make money on the illegal sale of marijuana? DO you think they would allow congress to take the money out of there pockets. Many ideologies as well as people would have to change in this country. It will be a intense process, but if enough people come together it could promote a more rapid change.

Bud Man

Aug 28 2011, 6:50 pm

R.I.P. ms. Rainey. Great articles guys. I have been an avid smoker for about 25 years now. I agree, GROW YOUR OWN FREE YOUR MIND FREE THE PLANET!!

Minister of Marijuana

Aug 28 2011, 4:12 pm

Check it out gstlab3 you will be interested.

Let me start off by saying the Internet is to sweet, an average Joe can research like a Big Dog and find answers to questions only the best supplied Professors could discover 20 years ago. I got caught up on the Anointment oil thing and could not let go

After looking into it at length I feel Cannabis was indeed the ingredient used. For me the evidence is over whelming. Check out this link, it is only one of the many sources I read but has most of the information needed to make a decision. http://www.freeanointing.org/cannabis_in_the_holy_oil.htm
It is religious site but quotes non-religious sources. And is fully foot noted.

I also followed many other sources and found one where a guy from long ago was of royal blood and his name was Kanabus .Nikolaos Kanabos (or Nicolaus Kanabus) was elected Emperor of Byzantium on 25 or 27 January 1204 by an assembly of the Byzantine Senate, priests, and the mob of Constantinople in opposition against co-emperors Isaac II and Alexius IV[1]

Kanabos is the old school Hebrew word for cannabis.

Many royals take the name of prized items and this guy's name is Kanabus. Do you need to get hit by a truck. It is even in the right part of the world.

Chef Mike

Aug 28 2011, 12:41 am

The oil can work, creates a high oxygen body. You need to check your PH just like with your plants. Cancer can thrive in an overly acidic body. Eating meats and dairy cause the body to raise in acidity. This combined with poor diet, causes less oxygen production. The cancers thrive.

Any patients I help now, must cleanse with RAW juice and and eat no red meat or dairy during there oil treatment. I feed them a RAW FOOD diet, heavy on Hemp seed oil and unsaturated fats.

You must give the body the raw enzymes, and fresh nutrients it needs to concentrate all the bodies energy on healing, not on digestion.

With heavy meals, low on nutrients and big on saturated fat proteins, the body must spend energy to digest and try to suck out any nutrients, instead of just spending energy on healing naturally.

The oil is a tool, you must concentrate on the patient as a whole and not just give them oil. I tried that once and it didn't work out so well.

We need to approach the healing as a program of meditation, spiritual awakening, you must detox the body of all poisons before the oil is taken. A couple fresh green juices will do the trick.

I'm going to try to convince my friend to go public. Wish me luck...

for a raw juice recipe...check my blog here on Hightimes.com

http://hightimes.com/blog/housemusicchef1

hilbillyz

Aug 27 2011, 11:47 pm

I have a 32 year old friend than was given 6 months to live. she started treating with hash oil and in a few months there was no more cancer. That was 1 year ago and still no cancer. There must be something to this!!!!!!

M of M

Aug 27 2011, 10:11 pm

Missed one point as kanabos is variously translated as calamus or cannabis. I feel it is more likely Cannabis as the sound is closer and in most languages sounds like has value in the frenetic sense.

Minister of Marijuana

Aug 27 2011, 10:00 pm

G After looking into this I am unsure, most scalars disagree with you. I viewed many sources and find the following terms used. Fragrant Cane, sweet calamus, sugar cane and fragrant calamus were used to describe a plant used to create anointing oil as in the oil that anointed King David. I read somewhere that Fragrant Cane was hemp, but now I am unsure as well. I would like to think it true, however Sweet Calamus is a known substance and comes in a bitter variety as well and as such would need to specified as sweet.

The idea that Marijuana is Fragrant Cane is a recent idea as most references to it seem to be from the last 100 years

Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, one of the leading experts of the last century on the Hebrew language, translated Kaneh-bosm, an herb used in the anointment oil God commanded Moses to make, as Cannabis. It had previously been mistranslated as callamus, a common marsh plant which had no business in a sacred ointment.

The question why would a lowly marsh weed be in an anointing oil is a good one.

Exodus:
32 Do not pour it on men’s bodies and do not make any oil with the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred. 33 Whoever makes perfume like it and whoever puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from his people.’ ”

It would appear the effects can be absorbed by the skin. They have found corpses of women from biblical times with a cannabis oil on their abdomens. 

The bible also talks about the need to buy what ever was used which causes one to feel it was a plant used in commerce. This would lead one to believe it is not Hemp as Hemp grew wild all over the Mid East and could be picked from any field.

Isaiah 43:24
You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me, or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses.

The question why would a lowly weed of the field be in an anointing oil is a good one.

The point is the bible was written long after the players were dead and while the spirit of the word holds true it is of little importance what was used as the anointment oil was no longer used. As such it falls into the category of the last supper. No one really knows what Jesus ate, the point is it was the last supper. Until this day a condemned man gets to chose his last meal.

If you believe in tradition the answer is no, but still could be yes.


The holy anointing oil described in Exodus 30:22-25 was created from 500 shekels (about 6 kg) of myrrh, half as much (about 3 kg) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels (about 3 kg) of fragrant cane (kanabos, variously translated as calamus or cannabis), 500 shekels (about 6kg) of cassia, and a hin (about 4 L) of olive oil.

The oil was used to anoint the vessels of the Tabernacle 30:26 and the High Priest, and is traditionally regarded as the oil used by prophets to anoint Saul, David, and other kings of ancient Israel.

Jimminy.M-Fing.Cricket

Aug 27 2011, 8:52 pm

After having three different types of cancer - with chemo, radiation and multiple surgeries to go with it, my mom has finally started using cannabis...again(but the 60's don't count). It has been almost a year now and the cancer is still in remission. Because she also has fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and glaucoma, her daily regimen consists of vaporizing blueberry skunk or tangerine dream in the morning and OG at night. In her words, "things have changed in 40 years." The other poster was right on the money - this shit is strong. The first month was worse than taking care of her during chemo. But after six weeks she got used to it and her head came back, and the best part, the pain didn't. No joint pain, no muscle pain and she is breathing better and seeing better. The doctor's original predictions would have her die in 6 months but she says she feels 20 years younger.

...and this shit aint legal yet? bahh!

Rainbow Warrior

Aug 27 2011, 1:46 pm

A close friend of the family was diagnosed with Lung Cancer last year. The doctors were saying that she wouldnt last more than a few months. Docs reccomended that she began chemotherapy treatments immediately. The cost of all the chemotherapy treatments were estimated at $120,000.

In addition, this person lives in a state that does not honor Medical Marijuana.

This person is a female in her mid 50s and also a mother of 4. She was never a smoker of tabacco or cannibis during her lifetime. I was very alarmed but I knew how to help her.

Its important to know that I have lost 3 close family members and friends to cancer in the past ten years. After their death's, I learned about Rick Simpson Phoenix Tears oil and i knew I had to tell my friends mom who was diagnosed with cancer. It would be morally wrong to not give them this information. I didnt know if my friends mom would go for it considering her cultural background but my friend convinced his mom to try it out.

After 2 sessions of chemptherapy she quit all the pills and treatments that the doctors were recommending and went with the Oil. The Oil was made with Grandaddy, Romulan, Afgani, and other Indicas using the exact process that Rick Simpson uses.

My friends mom had a very hard time adjusting to life while using the Oil. It was very strong for her (remember she had never consumed cannibis in any form before this) but within a few months the cancer had disappeared. When she went back to get checked up by the same doctors that had recommended chemotherapy they began asking her why she had skipped out on the all the chemotherapy sessions (she only did 2 sessions and then quit to take the OIL instead). The doctors checked her tests and could not believe she was cancer free. They asked her what she had been doing and she told them about the Oil. The doctors didnt think much of the OIL considering it is unknown amongst 99% of medical doctors.

After this, she was living Cancer free for a few months and decided to stop taking the oil ( I believe she could not take the effects of this powerful OIL even though it had cured her of Lung cancer). This was a terrible mistake as the cancer came back stronger than before and was now spread to her entire lungs and also her esophagus. She could not eat anything and was terribly sick. The doctors convinced her to start chemotherapy to stop the rapid growth of the cancer. She also began taking the Oil again. It looked like a grave situation and nobody thought she would survive during this time. She completed a few sessions of chemotherapy and was also taking the OIL.

To everybodys amazement she recovered from this. I thought she came back stronger than ever and learned her lesson. Rick Simpson says to never stop taking the OIL even if the cancer goes away you must take a small maintenance daily.

Her son who had been making her the OIL warned her to not quit taking the OIL after this episode. Going against what she should be doing, she stopped taking the OIL once again. After months of not talking the OIL the cancer came back and claimed her life yesterday Friday August 27, 2011

RIP MARIA - Thanks for being so brave You will always be in our hearts. We will never forget you!

To all my brothers and sisters on this Planet I swear this to be an Accurate story based on only facts. Everybody needs to hear this story and know the Truth about the OIL.

I pray for all cancer patients and survivors. You are strong and can beat this with the help of the OIL!

Pissed guy

Aug 27 2011, 11:32 am

I always give the comments a try to see if there's any positive or informational feed back on hightimes articles and all I can every find is this same conspiracy addict who feels that capitalizing and random spacing makes the world open it's newborn eyes. I don't mean to bitch but most cannabis enthusiast like myself prefer factual based conversation instead of Randy weaver like anarchy. This is another fantastic eye opening article though that will hopefully and finally convince every one to do what's right and go to the green side

umm

Aug 27 2011, 5:14 am

gstlab, i read to less than half through, and you seem to be making sense, which frightens me lol.

Just kidding, but will read the rest later after i re-canna-med.

gstlab3

Aug 26 2011, 11:12 pm

I AM REALLY FRIGHTENED FOR THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE STUDYING THIS MODERN DAY MIRICLE!!!!

IT'S WAR OVER KNOWLEDGE AND WHO CONTROLS IT.

THE SAME FATE MAY LAY AHEAD FOR THESE BRAVE TRUTH SEEKERS AS THAT OF OUR CANADIAN COUTERPARTS.

I SWEAR THAT MARIJUANA IS IN FACT THE MAIN INGRIEDIANT IN THE FAMOUS HOLY OIL USED BY JESUS HIMSELF AND THAT IT WAS THE SAME BAD DEAL FOR PEOPLE BACK THEN AS IT IS NOW.,

ONLY THE VERY RICH AND POWERFULL AND THE ELIETE LIKE THE PRIESTS IN JESUS TIME PERIOD THE RULING CLASS TODAY WANT TO HAVE THIS POWER OF KNOWLEDGE OVER THE PEOPLE.

THE SCARIEST FACT IS BIG PHARMA HAS ALLREADY PATENTED MANY OF THE KNOWN CANNIBINOIDS IN THEIR CHEMISTRY LABS.

THEY'RE WAITING FOR THE FEDERAL SCHEDULING LAWS TO CHANGE WICH IS A HUGE ASS TICKING TIME BOMB READY TO GO OFF AND BIG PHARMA IS ALL SET TO GET THEIR SYNTHETIC VERSIONS INTO THE MARKET FIRST.

BEWARE BRAVE FOOLHARDY TRUTH SEEKERS!!!

YOU ARE BEING WATCHED CLOSELY BY THE NWO.,
THE POLICE STATE IN WICH YOU LIVE.,
THE PRISON PLANET CONTROLL GRID.,
THE JACKBOOTED THUG POLICE PIGS ALL ENSHRINED IN THE LOVELY U.S.A. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT!!

WHEN YOU COMPETE WITH THE FEDERAL COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT IN WASHINGTON D.C. AND THEIR FAVORITE SONS OF BITCH YOU CAN EXPECT TROUBLE..,
BIG TROUBLE.

IS MARIJUANA A MISSING FOOD AND MEDICINE FROM BEFORE WRITTEN HISTORY AND MANS MEMORY??

IF WE WERE TO HAVE THIS WONDER PLANT AS A PART OF OUR DAILY DIETS AND PART OF OUR EVERYDAY MEDICINES WOULD THERE BE SO MUCH PAIN AND SUFFERING AT THE HANDS OF BIG PHARMA PILL FACTORIES AND DISEASES SUCH AS CANCER???

WOULD GLAUCOMA EVEN EXIST??

COULD ARTHRITIC CONDITIONS BE A BAD MEMORY FOR US SOMEDAY?

WILL WE BE ALLOWED TO FIND OUT??

WILL TRUTH AND SCIENCE FINALLY CRUSH THE COMMUNIST TYRANY THAT IS THE BIG BUISNESS OF ENSLAVING MANKIND TO THE CORPORATION KNOWN AS THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT???

GROW YOUR OWN, FREE YOUR MIND, FREE THE PLANET!!!!!!!

SPREAD THOSE WORDS OVER AND OVER AGAIN EVERYWHERE!!!
IF NOT US THEN WHO???
WHO WILL SPREAD THE TRUTH???

WHO WILL SEEK THE TRUTH AND DEMAND JUSTICE FOR ALL THE LIVES THAT HAVE BEEN LOST AND DESTROYED BY THE FEDERAL UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT NWO MACHINE OF TRUE DEATH AND ENSLAVEMENT AND WAR????!!!!!????!!!???

GROW YOUR OWN, FREE YOUR MIND,FREE THE PLANET!!!!!!!!!

umm

Aug 26 2011, 7:12 pm

wow.

Rest in peace Michelle Rainey.

What a loss to the world.

wakenug

Aug 26 2011, 6:32 pm

if the oil is a cure for cancer the american gov. is gonna feel like real dumbasses for keeping it illegal, and spending 2 bill. a year to keep it out instead of legalizing it and paying off the trillions we owe. good luck with the cure.

LEGALIZE IT!

Diego

Aug 26 2011, 5:43 pm

It's time to be less sceptic and more scientific. Great article, I hope that finally a cure for cancer could be discovered, looks like a good lead.

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