Pubdate: Sun, 06 Apr 2003
Source: Ocean County Observer (NJ)
Copyright: 2003 Ocean County Observer
Contact:  http://www.injersey.com/observer/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1212
Author: Larry Seguin

GOVERNMENT KNOWS MARIJUANA ASSISTS PATIENTS

In reponse to the March 6 letter in the Ocean County Observer, "Congress 
must act on medical marijuana," by Stan White, the federal government knew 
back in 1974 that cannabis slowed the growth of three kinds of cancer. The 
article appeared in the local section of The Washington Post on Aug. 18, 
1974. Under the headline, "Cancer Curb Is Studied," it read in part "the 
active chemical agent in marijuana curbs the growth of three kinds of 
cancer in mice and may also suppress the immunity reaction that causes 
rejection of organ transplants, a Medical College of Virginia team has 
discovered."

The researchers "found that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) 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."

The DEA immediately shut down the Virginia study and all further 
cannabis-tumor research. In 1976, President Gerald Ford put an end to all 
public cannabis research and granted exclusive research rights to major 
pharmaceutical companies.

Spanish researchers, led by Dr. Manuel Guzman of Complutense University, 
Madrid, reported the same findings in the March 2000 issue of Nature Medicine.

Why would the government want to keep us from knowing this?

Information and all references can be found at www.jackherer.com.

LARRY SEGUIN Lisbon, N.Y.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom