Pubdate: Thu, 13 Jul 2000
Source: Western Gazette (UK)
Copyright: 2000 Western Gazette
Contact:  The Western gazette, Sherbourne Rd, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 4YA, UK
Website: http://www.westgaz.co.uk/frontpage.html
Author: Nick Heath

CANNABIS CANCER RESEARCH DISMISSED AS IRRELEVANT

A LOCAL cannabis expert refutes recent findings that the drug can promote 
cancerous tumour growth.

Cannabis cookbook author Sam Day dismissed the study as irrelevant.

She said: "The study is invalid - it measures the effect of cannabis on 
mice not humans.

"Cannabis has been used by humans for recreational and medicinal purposes 
for more than 5,000 years, and there are no records of cannabis having such 
an effect."

Research claimed mice injected with the cannabis chemical 
tetrahydrocannabinol suffered from significantly increased tumour growth 
compared to those injected with salt solution.

The findings have fuelled the contentious debate surrounding the effects of 
cannabis, polarising public and expert opinion.

Sam Day is worried research may stifle growing support for cannabis as a 
medicinal substance, depriving sufferers of illnesses like multiple 
sclerosis of a valuable painkiller.

"The main benefit of cannabis is the pain relief it can offer to arthritis 
sufferers by easing their symptoms," she said.

Fran Hawkins, spokesman for the Community Alcohol and Drug Advisory 
Service, part of the Dorset Communities NHS Trust, said: "I cannot comment 
on the individual study but our policy is that we condemn the use of any 
illicit substance."

The results are a blow to the pro-cannabis lobby, following closely on the 
heels of research by the Royal College earlier this year which delivered a 
stark warning that repeated use can lead to psychotic and schizophrenic 
episodes.

Free rob Cannabis, manager of hemp retailer Glastonbury In Harmony With 
Nature, remains to be convinced.

He said: "This is an example of bad science.

"We are not mice and the pure THC is a synthetic drug manufactured in the 
lab, not representative of the effect of cannabis."
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