Cannabinoids to fight breast and prostate cancer

Recent research shows that cannabinoids are «promising» tools in the fight against breast and prostate cancers.

According to a study published by the University of Madrid on September 16, the main non-intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis, the cannabidiol (CBD) could one day become an effective tool in the treatment of breast or prostate cancer.

In France, approximately 12,000 women die each year from breast cancer, and more than 50,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer.

«The cannabinoid»In particular, non-intoxicating CBD could be a promising tool when used in combination with breast and prostate cancer therapy, thanks to its direct antitumor effects, its ability to enhance the efficacy of conventional anticancer drugs, and its usefulness as a palliative treatment," it states Read more in the study.

While the findings are promising, scientists note that «further studies» are needed to fully identify the compounds and mechanisms responsible for antitumor properties of cannabinoids.

Enabling Science to Thrive

What is needed for scientists to take an interest in cannabis and provide further details on the many studies we report as they are published? Very often, it is simply a matter of cannabis being removed from the lists of controlled substances, which prevent any supply or production—and therefore any research.

The potential future legalization in the United States These restrictions will not really change until the federal government removes cannabis from Schedule I of the Narcotics Act, a category that does not recognize any value in the substance.

And on our side of the Atlantic, research is underway in some countries—for example, in Ireland—to treat arthritis. More than technical limitations, it is often the willingness of governments that limits the opportunity to conduct these studies.