Singer and star of the biggest musical movie of the 20th century, Grease, revealed that she is using medical marijuana to help treat and relieve the pain she is experiencing as a result of cancer in her lower back.
Olivia Newton-John told the Daily Telegraph she is using a mix of radiation therapy and natural remedies to treat the cancer, which doctors discovered at the base of her spine earlier this year and which was thought to have metastasized from the breast cancer she seemed to have beat in 1992.
“I use medicinal cannabis, which is really important for pain and healing,” she said. “It’s a plant that has been maligned for so long and has so many abilities to heal.”
Newton-John currently lives in California, where medicinal cannabis is easily obtainable. Her daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, also owns a cannabis farm in Oregon.
With MMJ legal in 29 U.S. states, Newton-John said she plans on promoting it as a healing product in Australia where it is legal but still difficult to obtain.
To that end, Newton-John recently founded the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre (ONJ) in Melbourne, Australia. The organization already has over 200 clinical trials in progress, providing access to new, breakthrough therapies, which include medical cannabis.
A recent statement from the organization’s website confirmed that:
We recognise that many people with cancer, including our champion, Olivia Newton-John, have reported beneficial effects from cannabis products. Cannabis is not currently prescribed by physicians at the ONJ Centre, however we believe this is an important area for clinical research.
We are currently planning a research program at the ONJ Centre so that the potential benefits can be evaluated systematically. We see this as an important contribution that we can make to emerging evidence base for the clinical value of cannabis products. Further announcements will be made as our program develops, and we encourage those with an interest in this area of research to follow and support us through the ONJ Centre website and our social media.
The ONJ Centre is hoping to raise $1 million for the We Go Together campaign to “continue to grow our critical research, pioneer trials and deliver holistic care to all who are in need.”
