Cannabis each day keeps prostate cancer away: Prostate cancer (PC) prevalence was lower in both current and former cannabis users compared to non-users in a recent study.

Alternative medicines are needed. In the United States, one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime—the most common non-skin cancer form. For this reason, men are encouraged to get screened for PC before it’s too late.

The study, “Marijuana Use May Be Associated with Reduced Prevalence of Prostate Cancer: A National Survey on Drug Use and Health Study from United States of America,” was published in the May 2024 issue of Biomedicines. The research was conducted by co-authors Turab Mohammed, James Yu, Yong Qiao, Youngchul Kim, Eric Mortensen, Helen Swede, Zhao Wu, Jingsong Zhang.

NORML reports that researchers affiliated with the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida assessed the relationship between cannabis consumption and PC.

The study represents a nationally representative cohort of 2,503 participants. Investigators reported that subjects between the ages of 50 and 64 who identified as either current or former cannabis consumers possessed a significantly lower risk of prostate cancer diagnoses. 

For the data, researchers undertook a cross-sectional study using National Survey on Drug Use and Health data from 2002 to 2020. The independent variable was cannabis use status (current, former, never), while the dependent variable was self-reported PC (yes, no). 

The anticancer effects of cannabis have been explored for some time. Scientists suggested that this finding provides “biological support for the anti-cancer effects of the constituents of marijuana.” Numerous preclinical trials have documented the ability of cannabinoids to inhibit cancer cell growth. 

Researchers noted that PC prevalence was significantly lower in cannabis users and former uses compared to non-users.

“PC prevalence was lower among current marijuana users (46/145, 31.7%) and former users (323/1021, 31.6%) compared to non-users (534/1337, 39.9%, p < 0.001),” the report reads. “PC prevalence was lower among users versus non-users in the elderly (≥65) (36.4% vs. 42.4%, p = 0.016) and non-Hispanic white subgroups (28.9% vs. 38.3%, p < 0.001). There were no significant PC prevalence differences between users and non-users in the younger population (50-64) or other race/ethnicity. In the multivariable analyses, former marijuana use was associated with lower PC compared to never using (odd ratio = 0.74, 95% CI 0.62-0.90, p = 0.001). Current use was also suggestive of reduced prevalence but was not statistically significant (odd ratio = 0.77, 95% CI 0.52-1.14, p = 0.198), possibly due to low sample size. Our findings from a large national survey provide additional data to link marijuana use with lower PC prevalence.”

Over the course of the case study, the woman reported minor setbacks. But by the end of 2022, the woman reported a “complete resolution of her symptoms” and she went back to full-time work.

Cannabis’s Potential in Cancer Treatment

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced grant funds in 2022 to researchers who are studying cannabis treatment for cancer.

A “Notice of Special Interest” (NOSI) (entitled “Basic Mechanisms of Cannabis and Cannabinoid Action in Cancer”) was posted on May 5 by NIH’s National Cancer Institute, with the intent “to promote research in understanding the mechanisms by which cannabis and cannabinoids affect cancer biology, cancer interception, cancer treatment and resistance, and management of cancer symptoms.”

In the notice, NIH explains that the reasoning behind this effort is due to the growing number of cancer patients seeking relief with medical cannabis, but that there are not enough studies to verify its effectiveness. “Cancer patients use cannabis and cannabinoids to manage symptoms of cancer and cancer treatment including anorexia, nausea, and pain,” the NOSI states. “Recent survey evidence suggests that a quarter of cancer patients have used cannabis for symptom management. Despite the increase in cannabis and cannabinoid use, research about their health effects, including potential harms and benefits, remain limited.” 

The report also briefly defines the activity of various cannabinoid receptors in the human body through animal models and cancer cell lines. “Cancer cell line experiments show that THC and CBD can mediate many anti-tumor effects, including inducing apoptosis and inhibiting cell proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis,” the NOSI states. “These anti-tumor activities have led to early clinical testing of THC and CBD for glioblastoma and prostate cancers. While preclinical studies show differing effects of cannabinoids on cancer cells, deeper understanding is needed about how the tumor promoting and suppressive mechanisms of cannabinoid signaling influence cancer biological processes.”

The new report sheds light on specific cancer types that cannabis could play a role in, namely prostate cancer.

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A new study released earlier this month on May 2 in the research journal Pain suggests that an injection of cannabis terpenes is “roughly equal” to the number of pain reduction markers from an injection of morphine.

“Terpenes from Cannabis sativa induce antinociception in a mouse model of chronic neuropathic pain via activation of adenosine A2A receptors” features researchers hailing from multiple departments at the University of Arizona as well as with awarded funding from the National Institutes of Health.

Researchers sought out to see how cannabis can potentially treat chronic pain. “A question that we’ve been very interested in is could terpenes be used to manage chronic pain?” said John Streicher, PhD, who is the lead author of the study. “What we found is that terpenes are really good at relieving a specific type of chronic pain with side effects that are low and manageable.”

While both CBD and THC have been found to be beneficial in treating chronic pain, researchers explained that the effects are moderate, and “can come with unwanted psychoactive side effects.” Terpenes are a path around the use of psychoactive substances, which “offer an alternative path to pain relief without adverse side effects.”

For the purpose of this study, researchers examined five different terpenes: alpha-humulene, beta-caryophyllene, beta-pinene, geraniol, and linalool. Researchers utilized a mouse model focused on neuropathic pain, which is a well-known condition that stems from nerve damage caused by chemotherapy medications.

Each terpene was tested on its own and the results were compared with morphine as well. All five terpenes showed significant pain reduction “near to or above the peak effect of morphine” individually, and even more powerful effects on pain when combined. “That was really striking to us, but just because something relieves pain doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be a good therapy,” Streicher said.

The negative effects of using opioids include an activation of the reward system in the brain, which can lead to an increased tolerance to the effects over time, and addiction as well. But terpenes don’t lead to these same effects. “We looked at other aspects of the terpenes, such as does this cause reward? Is this going to be addictive? Is it going to make you feel awful?” said Streicher. “What we found was yes, terpenes do relieve pain, and they also have a pretty good side effect profile.”

Researchers also examined the method of consumption with terpenes, including injection, oral dosing, and inhalation. When orally administered or inhaled, the effects were “significantly reduced or absent.” “A lot of people vape or smoke terpenes as part of cannabis extracts that are available commercially in states where cannabis use is legal,” said Streicher. “We were surprised to find that the inhalation route didn’t have an impact in this study, because there are a lot of at least anecdotal reports saying that you can get the effects of terpenes whether taken orally or inhaled. Part of the confounding factor is that terpenes smell quite nice and it’s hard to disguise that aroma, so people could be kind of having the psychosomatic placebo-style effect.”

Previously, Streicher and his team published their findings from a similar study back in July 2021. At the time, their results showed promising evidence regarding terpenes being used for pain relief, especially when studying the benefits of the entourage effect. Although their hypothesis was to examine how cannabinoids affected pain, they were ultimately surprised by how powerful the entourage effect actually was. “It was unexpected, in a way,” Streicher said in 2021. “It was our initial hypothesis, but we didn’t necessarily expect terpenes, these simple compounds that are found in multiple plants, to produce cannabinoid-like effects.”

Looking toward the future, Streicher plans to utilize these results in his next research endeavor. In a press release, he explained that his next hypothesis will explore if terpenes can block the body’s reward system and also still provide the same pain treatment as seen in the most recent results. “This brings up the idea that you could have a combination therapy, an opioid with a high level of terpene, that could actually make the pain relief better while blocking the addiction potential of opioids. That’s what we are looking at now,” said Streicher.

Over time, other terpene studies have revealed how they can serve as a treatment option for certain conditions. 

A study from 2020 published in Molecules defined terpenes in detail to “describe sources of cannabis terpenes and to explain the biosynthesis and diversity of terpene profiles in different cannabis chemovars.” Their results showed that terpenes and cannabinoids used together show evidence of the entourage effect.

In February 2023, one study from researchers at the University of New Mexico found that patient relief was best experienced with higher terpene levels.

In October 2023, a study performed by researchers at Abstrax Tech and published in the American Chemical Society’s journal, Omega, showed that the importance of terpenes is “overstated” when it comes to defining the differences between cultivars. “This discrepancy suggests that while these classifications may be helpful for chemotaxonomic purposes, they lack the chemical information necessary to differentiate these varieties from an aroma perspective,” the study stated.

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A former disgraced pharmacist who was sentenced to prison over 20 years ago for diluting drugs for a cheap profit—impacting over 4,000 patients and likely leading to the deaths of AIDS and cancer patients—will soon walk free.

The Kansas City Star reports that Missouri native Robert Ray Courtney, 71, was convicted of diluting patients’ medications to treat serious conditions such as cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and more over 20 years ago. While Courtney has not been charged with murder, a prosecuting attorney said the man is “one of the most prolific serial killers.”

He primarily mixed intravenous drugs regardless of how critical they were to patients living with serious conditions. All the while, Courtney was supposedly an upstanding member of a church community at Northland Cathedral, an Assemblies of God megachurch in Kansas City, Missouri. Courtney was also the main character in License To Kill: Deadly Pharmacist that streamed on Oxygen in 2020. He was also featured in a 2010 documentary series episode on American Greed that aired on CNBC.

Courtney began his crime spree in 1990, once he learned he could swap out expensive medications with generic drugs he could buy in the gray market, making a fortune. But that didn’t satisfy his greedy urges, so he started diluting chemotherapy drugs to multiply doses. By the late ‘90s, Courtney was diluting a swath of cancer and AIDS drugs that probably led to the deaths of patients who trusted him. (As if they didn’t already have enough to worry about.) Not only were his patients not improving, but chemo patients didn’t seem to exhibit the normal devastating side effects of the drug.

Keep in mind that throughout the investigation the FBI and FDA initially would not accept that a licensed pharmacist would do such a thing intentionally. But he did.

Courtney pleaded guilty on Feb. 27, 2002 to intentionally diluting over 98,000 prescriptions for multiple types of life-saving drugs. He was officially charged with tampering with drugs, adulteration or mislabeling of drugs, but given a hefty sentence due to the seriousness of his actions.

Police estimated that his pharmacy scheme could have impacted some 4,200 patients. Courtney was sentenced in federal court in December 2002 to a maximum of 30 years, plus a $25,000 fine and $10.4 million in restitution according to court records. And according to Bureau of Prisons records, Courtney is currently incarcerated at a federal prison in Littleton, Colorado.

Victims and their families said they received a letter indicating that Courtney will be released June 20 to a halfway house in Springfield, Missouri. He is expected to remain there until his release on May 2, 2026. 

Attorney Michael Ketchmark, who represented 275 families in wrongful death lawsuits against Courtney, said in a phone interview Monday that his phone “has been lit up all day with Robert Courtney’s victims.”

“The raw pain and emotion is overwhelming,” he said. “In my opinion, he is one of the most prolific serial killers,” Ketchmark said. “He diluted chemotherapy drugs that people need when they’re fighting for their life and he took away their hope and he took away the life of his victims.” 

Ketchmark called on the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office to bring charges. “It’s our hope that that will happen. There’s plenty of justice still to be delivered to this man. He should never walk free again.”

Courtney’s insurance company agreed to pay $35 million to victims, and two pharmaceutical makers paid $71 million in settlements.

Pharmacists Behaving Badly

High Times has reported on the pressure to prescribe painkillers in the pharmaceutical industry that has wreaked havoc on American society. Pain Hustlers, a recent film directed by BAFTA award winner David Yates, follows a mother who gets entangled with a failing pharmaceutical startup and the addiction it leads to. 

The CDC says there were 80,411 overdose deaths in 2021—75.4% of all drug overdose deaths involved opioids, with 88% of opioid overdoses being synthetic. So given these numbers, you should be more worried about pharmaceutical abuse than street heroin. That means opioids killed more Americans—during 2021 alone—than the Vietnam War.

The Pharmacist debuted in 2020 on Netflix, a docuseries that follows a Louisiana pharmacist who takes extreme measures to expose the “rampant corruption behind the opioid addiction crisis.”

There is a flood of other popular opioid-themed shows: Netflix’s 2023 drama series Painkiller starring Matthew Broderick, Uzo Aduba, Taylor Kitsch and West Duchovny briefly took the top spot on the platform. 

Netflix reported that Painkiller has two sources, the 2003 book Pain Killer by Barry Meier and the 2017 New Yorker article, “The Family That Built an Empire of Pain” by Patrick Radden Keefe, which was later expanded into Keefe’s 2021 book Empire of Pain.

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Sen. Bernie Sanders is once again keeping drug makers in check, suggesting that people living with cancer are being preyed on by greedy interests.

On Monday, Sanders demanded a Department of Health-led investigation into a proposal to grant a company with an exclusive patent license for cancer treatment and methods, produced with public resources and a potential conflict of interest.

The sexually transmitted infection Human papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to six types of cancer and most cervical cancer, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) reports. It can be dormant for years or cause genital warts or worse. Last month, National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposed granting Kingston, New Jersey-based Scarlet TCR a patent for a T-cell therapy for HPV, which has undergone a Phase I trial and has a Phase II trial scheduled to conclude in 2025.

There’s no cure for HPV, but drug developers are examining T-cell therapies to combat HPV and the cancers it leads to, including Scarlet TCR. Sometimes they’re gene-engineered. (CBD is also being explored for its potential to inhibit cervical cancer cells.) 

There’s a problem though. The patent proposal and the company’s ties to an ex-government employee and other inconsistencies were revealed in an Oct. 18 report by The American Prospect. The NIH quietly applied to be granted “an exclusive patent for a cancer drug, potentially worth hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars, to an obscure company staffed by one of its former employees,” The American Prospect reports.

Sanders, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, demanded a probe of the patent proposal in an Oct. 23 letter to Christi Grimm, who is inspector general of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The HELP committee also announced Sander’s open letter on Oct. 23.

Sanders suggested the NIH is allowing a company to take advantage of a life-saving cancer drug.

“I am growing increasingly alarmed that not only has the NIH abdicated its authority to ensure that the new drugs it helps develop are reasonably priced, it may actually be exceeding its authority to grant monopoly licenses to pharmaceutical companies that charge the American people, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs,” Sanders wrote. “One particularly egregious example has recently been brought to my attention that I believe demands your immediate attention.”

Sanders argued that the NIH should be doing more to lower the cost of drug therapy.

“There does not appear to be anything reasonable and necessary about granting a monopoly for a treatment that was invented, manufactured and tested by the NIH, is already in late stage trials and could potentially enrich a former NIH employee who was one of the major government researchers of this treatment,” Sanders wrote. “Based on current law and the best interest of U.S. taxpayers who paid for this cancer therapy, it would seem to make more sense for the NIH to offer non-exclusive licenses so that multiple manufacturers can produce this important cancer therapy at reasonable and affordable prices. The apparent abuse of the system by the NIH with respect to the exclusive patent license for this cancer therapy is so egregious that it has been characterized as a ‘how-to-become-a-billionaire program run by the NIH.’”

“If accurate,” Sanders wrote, “that would be absolutely unacceptable. The NIH should be doing everything within its authority to lower the outrageously high price of prescription drugs. It should not be granting a monopoly on a promising taxpayer-funded therapy that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer patients in a way that appears to exceed its statutory authority.”

The American Prospect story pointed out that the NIH offering an exclusive license for a cancer treatment to a company with no website or SEC filings staffed by a former NIH employee

More Ethical Drug Research

There is historical precedence on life-saving drugs or therapies that didn’t need a patent: On Jan. 23, 1923, Sir Frederick G. Banting, James B. Collip, and Charles Best, discoverers of insulin, were awarded U.S. patents on insulin and the methods used. They all sold these patents to the University of Toronto for $1 each. Banting said, “Insulin does not belong to me, it belongs to the world.” 

While things have changed and the price of insulin skyrocketed, new efforts are being made by the drug’s top three makers to make insulin affordable once again.

When the polio vaccine was found to be 90% effective, its discoverer wasn’t in it for the money. On April 12, 1955, Edward R. Murrow asked Jonas Salk who owned the patent to the polio vaccine. “Well, the people, I would say,” Salk responded. “There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?”

In today’s pharmaceutical world, some of those values are lost.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 240,000 women and 2,100 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Of that number, an estimated 42,000 women and 500 men lose their lives to the disease.

There are many factors that contribute to a person’s diagnosis, including older age, genetic mutations, or having a family history of breast cancer. In order to treat the condition, patients can undergo surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and more, but it depends on the type of treatment and the stage of cancer.

Like with other cancers, people with breast cancer have often found relief from their symptoms by using cannabis. So as Breast Cancer Awareness Month kicks off, we’re bringing attention to the fact that cannabis can help.

There are many organizations that are helping people get through their breast cancer diagnoses and treatment. While cannabis in itself is not a treatment for the disease, it has been known to help many patients manage their symptoms.

According to Breastcancer.org, a survey they collected showed that 42% of people diagnosed with breast cancer were using medical cannabis to treat the side effects of their treatments. Most participants ranged in age, cancer stages, and treatment phases, and 75% of them said it was “very” or “extremely” helpful.

Cannabis Helping Patients

To help support breast cancer patients, there are many worthwhile organizations to donate money to the cause. Additionally, each year many cannabis businesses are partnering up with these organizations to support these patients and research efforts.

In August, Mint Cannabis in Tempe, Arizona partnered with Check for a Lump to offer free mammograms to locals. During the pandemic, many cancer screenings were canceled and delayed, which caused more than 80,000 people to miss their cancer diagnoses. 

This year, Clovr Cannabis in Missouri recently began a “Bonbons for Boobies” campaign, featuring limited time pink raspberry caramel chocolates. “Satisfy your sweet tooth while making a difference! Benefits go toward Breast Cancer Patients and will be donated to @BraCoutureKC. Our Bonbons for Boobies are Raspberry Caramel in White Chocolate and here to spread love and support during #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth!” the brand wrote on social media.

Verano is a multi-state operator spread across Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. On Sept. 29, the company announced the launch of its 3rd annual breast cancer support campaign as well, which benefits the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation. Throughout the entire month of October, the company will hold numerous fundraising opportunities to collect funds for patients. “As one of the leading organizations in its field, Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation conducts critical research, education and prevention, and we’re thrilled to offer our support for a third year in a row,” Verano Founder and Chief Executive Officer, George Archos, said. “We are proud to once again demonstrate the power of the cannabis community as a catalyst for positive change by uniting our team, patients and customers together to continue the fight against breast cancer throughout October and beyond.”

Tilt Holdings, which owns the Jupiter vape brand, also announced its partnership with the PA Breast Cancer Coalition for the month of October. Its subsidiary, Standard Farms, is offering a $5 donation for every Jupiter Pink Ceramic Mouth Tip  cartridge sold. “Patient-centered care is paramount at Standard Farms,” said TILT CEO Tim Conder. “We know so many medical cannabis patients bravely battling this disease with the support of their families, friends and communities, and we are proud to be part of a larger support network in the state by helping to raise money for PA Breast Cancer Coalition.”

The Florida-based CBD company, Sunmed, also announced a partnership with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (NBCF). They’ve pledged to donate 3% of online product sales between Oct. 1-31 to NBCF, which will be used for early detection services, education, and support. They are also donating $1 for specific products purchased in-store as well. “We are incredibly proud to stand alongside the National Breast Cancer Foundation in the fight against breast cancer,” said Sunmed CEO Marcus Quinn. “This partnership represents a milestone for not only Sunmed but the entire CBD industry. By combining our community resources, expertise, and passion, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by breast cancer.”

The respected Rhode Island-based cultivator and solventless extraction artist CMS Gardens just announced a “Doobies For Boobies” campaign in partnership with Advanced Nutrients and Hangar 420. This month, they will be donating a percentage of proceeds to the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation, a nonprofit that provides free programs and support services to breast cancer patients, survivors and their families.

These are just a few companies making moves to help patients, but there are many more who will announce their promotions and partnerships with other breast cancer organizations as the month progresses.

It’s All About the Evidence

Breastcancer.org founder and chief medical officer, Marisa C. Weiss, spoke about how cannabis works for patients back in a 2020 interview with Healio. “People who receive cancer treatment, especially people with breast cancer, end up going through a variety of treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapies and estrogen therapies, which can all go on for years,” Weiss said, noting that common symptoms include pain, anxiety, insomnia, nausea, and vomiting. 

“A common symptom people struggle with is peripheral neuropathy after chemotherapy,” Weiss explained. “In some patients, the pain and discomfort from this means they can’t even wear a regular shoe or stand on their feet for extended periods of time. Or, for those whose hands were affected, they cannot button a shirt or open a jar of peanut butter to make sandwiches for their kid’s lunch. The throbbing ‘pins and needles’ pain make each day a struggle and can also wake people up in the night.”

Weiss mentioned a relative study that was ongoing at the time, but results were published in October 2021. It found that many people were using cannabis to treat breast cancer specifically, but many participants did not feel comfortable telling their doctor about their cannabis consumption.

In May this year, researchers published a study in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care that showed evidence of pain reduction in patients of genitourinary, breast, and bowel cancer.

Research on the benefits of medical cannabis use during breast cancer treatments has continued to increase. Just recently on Sept. 27, researchers at the UF Health Center and University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center received a five-year, $3.2 million U01 award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to study medical cannabis benefits and harms.

According to Dejana Braithwaite, associate director for cancer population sciences at the UF Health Cancer Center, this could lead to a better understanding of patient’s use of medical cannabis. “As many as 40% of U.S. cancer patients use medical marijuana to manage cancer-related symptoms, yet we know very little about its effects during and after cancer treatments,” Braithwaite said. “This innovative study is an ambitious effort to provide answers to pressing questions about medical marijuana and cancer. It will help doctors address questions about the effects of medical marijuana among cancer patients of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as shed light on the benefits and harms of medical marijuana.”

The research team will analyze 600 breast cancer patients before and after their treatment, and hypothesize that medical cannabis can help patients “by targeting and modulating the inflammasome/inflammatory pathway.”

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People like to rag on boomers for never changing, but at least when it comes to cannabis, seniors are ready to get down (and get high). The number of Americans over 65 who have used cannabis nearly tripled over a decade, rising from 11% in 2009 to 32% in 2019, according to a federal survey, The Hill reports. Additionally, over half of the 60-64 demographic reported cannabis use. 

While other generations like to hate on baby boomers for regressive attitudes, in their defense, many of them did come of age in the 1960s and 70s, the era of psychedelic music and free love. While it’s easy for younger folks to assume they agree with the nonsensical (and non-scientific) Reagan War on Drugs era, our grandparents might be more excited about the recent ongoing legalization of cannabis than expected. At least, that’s what the data from this recent survey shows. 

In addition to having been alive for the heydey of revolutionaries such as Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley, who made some of our century’s most extraordinary weed-inspired art, seniors have another reason to use cannabis: they have health problems. Much of the over-60 crowd struggles with treating insomnia, pain, anxiety, arthritis, cancer, and more.   

“There are many things that I would not do any more if I didn’t have cannabis,” Daniel, 61, who lives and works on a Wisconsin farm, told The Hill. “I wouldn’t do it because it hurts too much.” Uthe says he smokes weed “a little bit recreationally, maybe once a month, but way more for pain control.” As both brands of cannabis users know, the line dividing medical and recreational use is thinner than people often make it out to be. For example, it’s okay if using cannabis to treat anxiety also comes with a nice buzz, and it’s okay if using cannabis for the aforementioned buzz also helps your anxiety. 

While they’re the fastest-growing demographic, boomers are still less likely to light up regularly than other generations. According to stats from 2021, about 5% of Americans over 54 and 10% of the 60-64 age group reported using cannabis in the past month, compared to 24% of adults 25 and under. However, these stats aren’t entirely reliable. While it’s important to remember that many older Americans aren’t as regressive as the “okay boomer” memes make them out to be, some may still be holding onto the just-say-no stigma inflicted on them by Reagan-era politics. And as a result, it’s quite likely that more seniors are using cannabis but staying quiet about it.  

“Since 2009, we’ve seen a big increase in cannabis use prevalence across all age groups, all demographic groups, with older people participating in that, kind of for the first time,” said William Kerr, senior scientist at the nonprofit Alcohol Research Group, who also researches cannabis, told The Hill, adding that some seniors “are not admitting [using cannabis] on surveys.”

A 2023 Gallup poll recently found that half of Americans have tried cannabis. To put that in perspective, the same data collection found that 34% of adults had tried marijuana in 1999 and 4% in 1969. However, once again, this data could also reflect the increasing legalization and social acceptance of weed. It’s quite likely that people were using more marijuana in previous years yet only have felt comfortable admitting that to pollsters recently. 

But fear not, younger folks reading this. You’re still at the forefront. Federal data shows that over two-fifths of adults between the ages 19-30 now use cannabis. The majority of such folks may live in legal states, demonstrating that federal legalization could indeed help fight the stigma regarding marijuana. 

And even older people (around the age of most of our presidential candidates) have been slower to welcome cannabis legalization, not to mention actually consume any. According to Pew Research Center data from the fall of 2022, only 30% of Americans over 75 supported legalizing recreational marijuana. This reflects the views of a generation, aka the “silent generation,” born between 1928 and 1945, before recreational weed was a mainstream part of society, even if it was an illicit one. “It’s really the silent generation and every generation before that,” Kerr tells The Hill. “They weren’t exposed to it when they were young and had negative opinions about it for many years.”  

Compared to their predecessors, Boomers are pretty chill. The same Pew survey shows that 53% of Americans between the ages of 65-74 age group support adult-use cannabis, a figure which reflects the national average. 

However, while this data regarding open-minded, pot-smoking boomers is exciting, remember that it’s due to societal and legal changes. Just because folks who were adults during the Reagan era are open-minded doesn’t mean that the War on Drugs didn’t have a negative impact. Cannabis use plummeted during the Reagan era of the 1980s, with most boomers shying away from the herb during that time, as it was very illegal, harder to get, and came with more risk and fear than it does now. Sometimes, even with countless more hurdles towards legalization to cross, it’s important to remember how far we have come. 

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Elias Theodorou, known for his successful mixed martial artist (MMA) career and medical cannabis advocacy, passed away at age 34 on September 11 after a long battle with liver cancer.

Born in Mississauga, Canada, located in the province of Ontario, Theodorou’s career began after his first year in college. High Times had the pleasure of interviewing him in January 2021, where he explained that a video posted on YouTube of him losing a fight went viral.

“Demoralized, I confided in my father, and he said, ‘You love that [Ultimate Fighting Championship] UFC stuff so much, why don’t you go to a gym and make sure this never happens again?’” he told High Times. “And I did. At first my intentions were to win back my pride against the person that embarrassed me, instead, I won a sense of purpose—enlightening both body and mind now in ‘higher’ education.”

Theodorou’s career took him to great heights, leading him to become a UFC fighter, and become winner of “The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia” in the middleweight bracket in 2014. He was released from his UFC contract in 2019, but continued to fight and win in the Prospect Fighting Championships in December 2019, Rise FC in March 2021, and Colorado Combat Club 10 in December 2021.

His coach and longtime friend, Lachlan Cheng, was a medical cannabis patient for more than 10 years. Seeing his coach using medical cannabis exposed him to the benefits of cannabis, the negative effects of prescription medications in comparison.

Personally, he began using medical cannabis to treat his bilateral neuropathy (nerve damage) in his upper extremities. “Fighting is a grind, so my options to medicate were opioids and painkillers or cannabis,” he said. “One is highly addictive and has caused death from abuse—not to mention the side effects like constipation, upset stomach, bloating and many other debilitating repercussions as both patient and athlete. The alternative is cannabis, a medicine that helps me compete and live on an even playing field while treating my condition.”

In 2020, Theodorou became the first athlete to receive a Therapeutic Use Exemption in North America for his cannabis use. “I was the first pro athlete and UFC fighter to apply for a therapeutic-use exemption in the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) testing pool, which is part of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA),” Theodorou said. “My [therapeutic-use exemption] for the UFC was not accepted, even with USADA agreeing with my condition and potential need for cannabis because it is funded by the U.S. government, which still has cannabis as a Schedule I substance. Meaning they don’t believe it has any medical properties… They only recommended painkillers, opioids and anti-depressant drugs.”

His advocacy for medical cannabis continued up until his passing. On August 29, he shared the support of a cannabis brand called Game Day. “Game on!  #PlantsOverPills @gameday.98 has officially launched! Couldn’t be more excited to be apart of a company and team ready to change the game in both cannabis AND sports! Ready to fight the stigma because “I choose cannabis instead”. #Dope #Sports” he wrote.

In the wake of his passing, many remember Theodorou’s career and his light-hearted personality during the course of his career. “I have the biggest smile and constantly laugh with my team throughout training camp and fight week,” he told High Times. “It might sound the opposite of what a fighter does, but I love what I do, so it’s easy to enjoy the process.”

He also served as a “ring boy” for Invicta FC, an all-pro women’s MMA championship, to promote equality. “The addition of ring boys is just another way to even the playing field in another area of the sport. I think we’re on the right side of history,” he told BBC in March 2018. “The response so far has been, I’d say, 70-80% positive. Some people don’t get it, but that’s okay. Anyway, those who know me will know that I put out a pretty positive conversation in general. When people troll me for other things, I show them kindness.”

Many noteworthy advocates have passed away recently, including Olivia Newton-John and Zahra Abbas in August.

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Scientists are testing to see if patients are helped by adding cannabinoids to a traditional chemotherapy treatment.

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Andrew Baines, 46, father of two and medical cannabis patient in the U.K., faced a terrible fate for also being a cannabis caregiver. Namely 15 years in prison.

Baines was arrested in April 2020 after police in Lincoln in the east Midlands, found a kilogram of cannabis (worth about $12,000) and thirty plants in his home. The police visited his house after postal workers became suspicious of one of his deliveries to a patient.

His network was vast. Baines personally supplied hundreds of patients with medical cannabis oil as part of an underground network—similar to ones everywhere in the world at the moment where cannabis remains out of reach for those who need it most.

That said, after his arrest, Baines commented that the police tried to avoid seeking a heavy prosecution against him. Hundreds of testimonials were written on his behalf by his grateful patients.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has now decided not to pursue charges as a result—instead, giving Baines a six-month community order—the lowest punishment.

During her ruling at Grimsby Magistrates Court, Geraldine Kelly, the deputy district judge commented that “If the law was different, Mr. Baines would have been applauded, not punished.”

Baines’s solicitor, Hannah Sampson, a part of the criminal defense team at Mackrell Solicitors, a prominent British law firm with a strong cannabis practice, was shocked.

“I have never seen a six-month community order imposed. If you steal a sandwich from Tesco, you get 12 months,” she said. Sampson also added that “Cases like this are fundamental in taking this back down to grassroots so the police and the prosecution are making the right decisions. This case, perhaps, earmarks a wind of change. This case, perhaps, means that finally, the law will catch up with the enormity of what cannabis can do to save lives.”

The court ruling comes one day after the British National Drugs Summit, which this year saw the government vow to crack down on “middle class drug use,” and policing and crime minister Kit Malthouse again vocally opposing mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s plan to loosen laws around cannabis consumption and possession.

Cannabis Reform in the U.K.

The U.K. is now in the uncomfortable, slippery slope that has faced every other legalizing country. Namely, where does one draw a line on criminal behavior since some reform has already taken place—but not enough to help the vast majority of potential patients.

After all, medical cannabis use, even of the high THC kind, is legal in the U.K. There are several trials underway where patients can obtain the drug legally and for a discount.

Beyond this, CBD is now a regulated industry.

The problem, as it is almost everywhere else, is that most doctors remain leery of prescribing the drug and the National Health Service, or NHS, is not reimbursing patients—including for use with chronic pain—the most widely cited reason for cannabis use.

There are burgeoning projects all around the U.K., some on the mainland and some just off the coast—notably the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, where medical cannabis cultivation and extraction is fully underway. In fact, on Guernsey, officials are even considering recreational use.

And of course, there are repeated calls, including from the mayor of London to at least decriminalize personal possession and use.

Patient Advocacy and Reform

In the U.K. it is very clear that patients have been the ones to move the needle of progress. At first it was the prospect of children with epilepsy dying and their parents going to jail for importing CBD oil from Canada and the E.U. that began to convince politicians that a change was needed.

It has just gone beyond that now. This latest case, which clearly involves both THC and adult users, may indeed prove to be an important bellwether case that changes the political debate.

From the perspective of the CPS at least, it may well be that this sea change is actually well underway.

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Grant funds will soon be available to researchers who are working to treat cannabis. 

A “Notice of Special Interest” (NOSI) (entitled “Basic Mechanisms of Cannabis and Cannabinoid Action in Cancer”) was posted on May 5 by NIH’s National Cancer Institute, with the intent “to promote research in understanding the mechanisms by which cannabis and cannabinoids affect cancer biology, cancer interception, cancer treatment and resistance, and management of cancer symptoms.”

In the notice, NIH explains that the reasoning behind this effort is due to the growing number of cancer patients seeking relief with medical cannabis, but that there are not enough studies to verify its effectiveness. “Cancer patients use cannabis and cannabinoids to manage symptoms of cancer and cancer treatment including anorexia, nausea, and pain,” the NOSI states. “Recent survey evidence suggests that a quarter of cancer patients have used cannabis for symptom management. Despite the increase in cannabis and cannabinoid use, research about their health effects, including potential harms and benefits, remain limited.” 

The notice summarizes what is currently known about cannabis cancer treatment by explaining that data regarding risk for cancer patients is not widely available. “Epidemiological studies of cannabis use and cancer risk have yielded limited and inconsistent results,” the notice explains. “While cannabis smoke generates many of the same carcinogens as tobacco, studies to date have not shown a link between cannabis smoking and lung cancer risk.” The notice uses the example of cannabis smoking being linked to testicular cancer as well.

It also briefly defines the activity of various cannabinoid receptors in the human body through animal models and cancer cell lines. “Cancer cell line experiments show that THC and CBD can mediate many anti-tumor effects, including inducing apoptosis and inhibiting cell proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis,” the NOSI states. “These anti-tumor activities have led to early clinical testing of THC and CBD for glioblastoma and prostate cancers. While preclinical studies show differing effects of cannabinoids on cancer cells, deeper understanding is needed about how the tumor promoting and suppressive mechanisms of cannabinoid signaling influence cancer biological processes.”

Finally, the notice summarizes the current state of Food and Drug Administration-approved synthetic cannabinoids, dronabinol and nabilone, that are being used to treat chemotherapy. “Increasingly, cancer treatments involve targeted and immunological therapies, but little is known about whether and how cannabis and cannabinoids influence their efficacy.”

The NOSI concludes by inviting researchers whose focus on these topics (Cancer Risk, Cannabinoid Ligands and Receptors, Cancer Biology, Cancer Treatment and Symptom Management) can lead to a wide variety of research opportunities.

The NIH won’t consider any applications for studies that include clinical trials, “symptoms not related to cancer or cancer treatment,” or “projects that lack cancer models, specimens, or cells.” Instead the agency is looking for more specific methods of study in order for researchers to be considered. “Studies that integrate expertise from multiple disciplines, incorporate state-of-the-art, human-relevant models (e.g., organoid or patient-derived xenograft models) and utilize advanced technologies and methods are strongly encouraged.” Researchers can apply for a grant starting on June 5 and onward.

In December 2021, the NCI released a paper addressing the challenges that are holding back cannabis and cannabinoid research. “Conflicting federal and state cannabis regulations hinder research in several ways including the inability of researchers to access products that are legal in their state, a lack of standardization and quality control of cannabis and cannabis-derived products within and across states, and no national oversight of this standardization and quality control or the industry.”

Although government agencies have conducted limited studies in the past in relation to medical cannabis, many other study efforts have begun to explore cannabis consumption among cancer patients. The Virginia Commonwealth University of Massey Cancer Center published a study in August 2021 and found that cancer patients consume less cannabis than those of the general public. A study published in December 2020 found that one-third of Canadian cancer patients were reporting cannabis use as well.

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