Medical marijuana has been recommended by satisfied users – that marijuana is effective in helping people with cancer, including mesothelioma, deal with pain.
But the Food & Drug Administration has announced it cannot support all the other claims made about the therapeutic use of pot. This warning applies especially to businesses that are pushing marijuana-based products, with the idea that marijuana can actually shrink or eliminate tumors.
The warning
On November 15, the FDA issued a harsh warning to those engaging in deceptive advertising. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb then held a press conference in which he castigated companies that prey on terminally ill people with claims that marijuana can make tumors disappear altogether.
“We will not going to look the other way when it comes to marijuana containing products,” Gottlieb said
The status of marijuana in the eyes of the U.S. government has not changed. It is still classed as a Schedule I controlled substance. Against this classification are 28 states and the District of Columbia that have passed laws allowing the use of marijuana to treat serious medical conditions.
Cannabis oils
Regulators zeroed in particularly on those who market cannabidiol, a marijuana derivative sold as oils, syrups, capsules, teas and even topical lotions.
There are reports by victims of mesothelioma that they have been using cannabidiol and claim it is effective in slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells.
The FDA says it has no reports of cannabidiol being this effective. One study, conducted at California Pacific Medical Center found the substance actually stopped cancer metastasis in laboratory and animal testing. But no research on human beings has confirmed that finding.
‘The FDA report did not question marijuana’s effectiveness in addressing the pain, anxiety and nausea cancer patients suffer.
