there to debate? Cannabis being illegal is a crime
against human beings and strips individuals of
their birth right to live healthy and happy lives.
studies proving the effectiveness of cannabis as
a cure-all; still the use of this plant is treated as a
criminal offence by governmental officials. Around
the world those who are ill live in fear that they
“A new study by Salazar et al in The Journal of
may be put in jail for simply taking action to heal
Clinical Investigation demonstrates that THC causes their bodies and stay alive. The CBD and THC
tumor cells to begin to degrade themselves from
compounds in cannabis work together to create an
the inside (a process called autophagy, i.e. “self- ideal environment within the body for cell regeneating”). Although autophagy has been shown
eration and optimal holistic balance of the endoto promote cell survival in some cases and cell
cannabinoid system.
death in others, the authors show that in this case
it causes cancer cells to undergo programmed cell The endocannabinoid system is possibly the most
death (apoptosis). Thus, THC activates a series of important physiologic system active in creating
events within cancer cells, inhibiting tumor growth.” and conserving human health. The endocannabi(*1)
noids and their receptors perform different tasks
throughout the body to achieve homeostasis,
Further
the maintenance of a stable internal environment
irrespective of fluctuations in the external enviCBD has also been demonstrated to exert a
ronment. They are found throughout the body: in
chemopreventive effect in a mouse model of colon the brain, glads, connective tissues, organs and
cancer.[20] In the experimental system, azoxymimmune cells. Strategically placed at the intersecethane increased premalignant and malignant
tions between various internal and external syslesions in the mouse colon. Animals treated with
tems of the body, aiding in communication and
azoxymethane and CBD concurrently were protect- organisation between different types of cell. (*7)
ed from developing premalignant and malignant
lesions. In in vitro experiments involving colorectal If our own endocannabinoid system can maintain
cancer cell lines, the investigators found that CBD
metabolic homeostasis and even cure serious
protected DNA from oxidative damage, increased
disease, why are we plagued by illness? We
endocannabinoid levels, and reduced cell prolifknow that the body produces only small amounts
eration. In a subsequent study, the investigators
of anandamide and 2-AG; enough to maintain the
found that the antiproliferative effect of CBD was
body but not enough to ov