New Research Shows Cannabis May Cure Alzheimers

Ever since the beginning of the anti-cannabis campaigns, one of the big arguments against use of the plant has been that it kills brain cells or causes memory loss. Ironically, there are now breakthroughs in the medical field that show cannabis might be the key to reducing, and eventually eliminating symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease— the most debilitating and irreversible type of memory loss. 

“THC is known to be a potent antioxidant with neuroprotective properties, but this is the first report that the compound directly affects Alzheimer’s pathology,” Chuanhai Cao, a PhD-holding neuroscientist at the Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute, told Science Daily. Neel Nabar, a scientist and advocate, echoes these beliefs. “While we are still far from a consensus, this study indicates that THC and THC-related compounds may be of therapeutic value in Alzheimer’s disease.”

The interesting thing about this finding is that it isn’t just a study claiming that using cannabis can make the effects of Alzheimer’s more tolerable; scientists actually think that a derivative of THC could be the long-sought-after answer for curing the disease. “Since THC is a natural and relatively safe amyloid inhibitor, THC or its analogs may help us develop an effective treatment in the future,” says Cao. Leading scientists working on a cure believe that the interactions between THC and cannabinoid receptors in the brain could be the answer to repairing patients’ mental pathways. 

As this study continues, we can hope to see a final cure for this debilitating and unfair illness, as well as more credibility attributed to the study of medical cannabis.