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Celebrating Survivors of Breast Cancer

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Breast CancerMany months have a special focus, each with its own important goal of awareness of celebration. October has one of the most popular themes, which is all focused around spreading awareness of breast cancer and celebrating those who have survived it.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), about 252,710 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer this year, and about 40,610 women will not survive. ACS also reported it estimates 2, 470 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2017. Although many women and men lost their lives to breast cancer, the ACS reports that 3.1 million women in particular in the United States have been treated and survived.

Cannabis can certainly help those who are suffering from breast cancer. Fortunately, with the growing acceptance of cannabis, many women have found a saving grace in using cannabis to treat their own medical conditions. People like Olivia Newton-John who announced this summer that she has begun to use cannabis oil and found some success while she battles breast cancer for the second time.

Although patients have increasingly used medical cannabis to treat their conditions, there are not many studies that explore how cannabis can aid women who suffer from breast cancer.

Fortunately, organizations like The American Cancer Society objectively states that cannabis has been known to assist people who suffer from cancer and its side effects. “The American Cancer Society supports the need for more scientific research on cannabinoids for cancer patients, and recognizes the need for better and more effective therapies that can overcome the often debilitating side effects of cancer and its treatment. The Society also believes that the classification of marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance by the US Drug Enforcement Administration imposes numerous conditions on researchers and deters scientific study of cannabinoids.”

In November 2012, a monumental study was conducted, and researchers found that cannabinoids that work on CB1 and CB2 receptors can help minimize growth of tumors but also preventing harm of healthy tissue. “Experimental evidence accumulated during the last decade supports that cannabinoids, the active components of Cannabis sativa and their derivatives, possess anticancer activity,” reads the study abstract. “Thus, these compounds exert anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-migratory and anti-invasive actions in a wide spectrum of cancer cells in culture. Moreover, tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis are hampered by cannabinoids in xenograft-based and genetically-engineered mouse models of cancer. This review summarizes our current knowledge on the anti-tumor potential of cannabinoids in breast cancer, which suggests that cannabinoid-based medicines may be useful for the treatment of most breast tumor subtypes.”

Additionally, information on a 2014 study was also released which found that a CBD compound was more effective at attacking breast cancer than that of hybrid THC and CBD treatments.

At the beginning of this month, Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida spoke about the use of cannabis for breast cancer. It’s people like Gaetz who are slowly beginning to turn the tide of cannabis progress. “Cannabis has shown promise in cancer research for over two decades,” Congress person Matt Gaetz of Florida said during a brief speech. “There is now conclusive research that shows that cannabis-related compounds have anti-tumor properties. Yet despite these findings, scientists are going too slow. It is time for cannabis research to begin and we should declassify it as a Schedule I drug.”

“I wish I was a brilliant scientist and could develop a cure. I wish I was a magician and could wave a magic wand and cure breast cancer,” Gaetz continued. “But I’m just a member of Congress. And actually there are things this Congress could do to make breast cancer less likely, less deadly and less painful. Gaetz is one of many congress people who supports and is sponsoring legislation to reclassify cannabis.

The entire month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There are countless outlets for those interesting in donating money to research, as well as other avenues for cannabis advocates to show their support. For example, The Healing Collection is a jewelry line available through Genifer M, which offers unique cannabis-inspired jewelry and a portion of the proceeds will go to a local breast cancer charity. One Nevadan dispensary is selling breast cancer-themed shirts and plans to donate 50 percent of its net proceeds to charity.

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