U.S. Government Stopped Research After Finding That Marijuana Slowed Cancer Growth
NORML's Paul Armentano has a disturbing account of the history of government research regarding the benefits of THC as a potential cancer treatment:
They haven't studied the issue since. And because the U.S. government holds a monopoly on "legal" marijuana that could be used for research purposes, they've been able to prevent independent researchers from further investigating marijuana's promising anti-cancer properties. Armentano notes that research overseas continues to produce very encouraging results.
Unfortunately, our government's blockade against marijuana/cancer research is so mindless and vindictive that it's almost impossible to convince anyone that they do things like this. It's a terrible and frequent conundrum for reformers that if we accurately describe the behavior of our opposition, we end up sounding crazy.
Not familiar with this scientific research? Your government is.
In fact, the first experiment documenting pot's potent anti-cancer effects
took place in 1974 at the Medical College of Virginia at the behest federal
bureaucrats. The results of that study, reported in an Aug. 18, 1974,
Washington Post newspaper feature, were that marijuana's primary
psychoactive component, THC, "slowed the growth of lung cancers, breast
cancers and a virus-induced leukemia in laboratory mice, and prolonged their
lives by as much as 36 percent."
Despite these favorable preliminary findings (eventually published the
following year in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute), U.S.
government officials refused to authorize any follow-up research until
conducting a similar - though secret - clinical trial in the mid-1990s. That
study, conducted by the U.S. National Toxicology Program to the tune of $2
million, concluded that mice and rats administered high doses of THC over
long periods had greater protection against malignant tumors than untreated
controls.
However, rather than publicize their findings, government researchers
shelved the results, which only became public after a draft copy of its
findings were leaked to the medical journal AIDS Treatment News, which in
turn forwarded the story to the national media. [timesheraldonline.com]
They haven't studied the issue since. And because the U.S. government holds a monopoly on "legal" marijuana that could be used for research purposes, they've been able to prevent independent researchers from further investigating marijuana's promising anti-cancer properties. Armentano notes that research overseas continues to produce very encouraging results.
Unfortunately, our government's blockade against marijuana/cancer research is so mindless and vindictive that it's almost impossible to convince anyone that they do things like this. It's a terrible and frequent conundrum for reformers that if we accurately describe the behavior of our opposition, we end up sounding crazy.
Looking for the easiest way to join the anti-drug war movement? You've found it!
Governed by Morons
I am glad there are politicians running to end the drug war because they are educated enough to know that marijuana is useful and can help people in this country. However, it is unfortunate that the ones currently in office are too ignorant to see the benefits. How can a plant that God put on this earth for a reason be illegal? It is a plant! Get real! The reasons that marijuana is illegal are nonsense! "It will make you go crazy and kill your brother!" That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Isn't our government supposed to be made up of intelligent people? This shows quite the contrary. Chemotherapy is basically dosing a cancer patient with radiation (which causes cancer) and chemicals such as arsenic. I am baffled as to why this is a legitimate treatment. Why was research stopped when it was discovered that marijuana slowed tumor growth? Not only does it help with cancer, but it also has no negative side effects. It is so incredibly selfish that our government allows illogical things like this to happen just so they can make more money. Furthermore, does it make sense to that our government supports "legal drugs" such as Xanax, Oxycontin, and Loritab when it is used more for recreation than it is for medicinal purposes? The affects of those drugs are disastrous! What about alcohol? How is alcohol legal when it is the number one cause of deaths in America due to drunk driving? You do not often hear about marijuana related deaths. So, why is it illegal? Free country my ass! The people do not govern the country anymore. I do not think I should have to go by foolish laws that I, as a citizen, did not agree to make. Legalize marijuana for the better of our country!
PHRMA and the Federal Government's deal with the Devil
There are no obscene profits to be made in curing or preventing cancer. Cancer and disease are big business and PHRMA is the most influential lobby in Washington. There is no mystery involved about the reason for the government's refusal to follow up on marijuana research after discovering it's potential for arresting the growth of cancer. Obviously, our government made a deal with the pharmaceutical corporations in the interest of profits over our interest in living out our lives cancer and disease free.
Follow the money. It'll lead you to those who worship at the altar of insatiable greed, their one and only god: world governments, politicians, corporations, and members of secret societies like Skull and Bones ( the Bush family is generationally involved in membership if that gives you a clue as to the type of people who worship money over all else) and the Freemasons.
Take a moment to google "children on Prozac" if you want your eyes opened to the federal government's involvement in promoting profits to PHRMA corporations at the expense of the people of America. The federal kickbacks to public schools in the states for each child who is "diagnosed" ADD/ADHD are why we have Columbines all over the country now. Google
"Prozac and schoolyard violence" and you'll see who the REAL pusher in the schoolyards of America is. It sure isn't who they'd have you believe on the "News" at eleven reports but then you won't hear anything about the generations being drugged at the insistence of our own government, either. The media is owned by those involved in this evil.
Educate yourself. We have a world of information at our fingertips. What's reported on TV isn't reality. Reality is greed rules until we wake up and smell the stench wafting across the land from Washington, D.C. and then do something about it. Our forefathers revolted for a Hell of a lot less.
Censoring Science
If we are to understand the drug warriors by their actions in this case, it would appear that the alleged superiority of the health care system in the United States is illusionary in critically dangerous ways.
What seems to matter to the federal drug moralists is not the health of the human body, but rather the purity of the soul. No indeed. Can’t rely on Mother Nature to help you if you’re sick, ‘cause illness is a punishment of the gods, or whatever.
The drug-warrior-based decision also points to the fact that health care matters are not being decided by competent medical specialists or scientists in the U.S., but rather the decisions appear to be coming from the kind of religious types who would reject a blood transfusion and die simply because they believe blood transfusions are a form of cannibalism.
To be clear, any competent scientist should know that by understanding how cannabinols mediate cancer, this tiny bit of information could very well be an essential piece to the puzzle leading to the additional R&D that knocks out the disease. The federal ‘deciders’ don’t get it because they want to be scientifically ignorant. Or they’re psychopaths.
The fact that the feds are negligent in the matter of blocking potentially lifesaving cannabis research is a humanitarian crime that should be on the front pages of every newspaper in the country, or the world, for that matter. After all, the idealist drug warrior bastards are trying to kill us.
Giordano
U.S. Government politicians complicit to murder
People are suffering and dying from cancers that cannabis might cure. Yet, our politicans stand by and do not reform the prohibition laws that they made. Because, powerful special interest groups pay them to keep cannabis illegal. Like Organized Crime Cartels, Pharmaceuticals, Trial Lawyers, Petro-Chemicals, Drug Treatment/Testing and Prison Industries. This is why our cowardly, corrupt, heartless U.S. Government politicians are complicit to murder. Our Pols try to make us believe that it's the NIDA/DEA/ONDCP/FDA that decides if cannabis remains illegal. It's just more smoke and mirrors. It's our pols who made cannabis illegal, and it's their job to re-legalize it. The American public is fed up with prohibition, propaganda scare tactics, prisons, and the $140 Billion/yr failed war on cannabis. Politicians who don't heed the will of American Voters will soon be out of a job. God will judge us all. But, what will be the punishment of our remorseless, murderous law makers?
140 Billion / Yr?
Are the USA really putting 140 Billion / Yr on the war against POT?
POT alone?
man, I'd rather be on the side of the 140 Billion / Yr! ...
money = power ...
but see... power = stress ... so what do you smoke to relief it? POT!
back to square one!
I would go with you Anonymous ... just let it be.
War on Drugs = FAIL ! Make it Legal NOW!
Make marijuana legal, tax it and make some money! Govenment needs some money by Aug. or the US will not be able to pay its bills.
US Would make tons of money.
US Would save even more. Less people in jail (Tax money going to something eles).
JOBS!! What he need the most. You would need growers, pickers, packers, shippers, etc. This could open up so many jobs. You could also pay some of the money in pot and save cash :)
2012 , Vote Ron Paul. If it is not legal by then, Ron Paul will make it legal!
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