BANGALORE/ INDIA: The citys top oncologists have decided to lobby with the government in New Delhi to lift the ban on cannabis to allow them to explore the medicinal uses of the plant.
“We are encouraging cultivation of tobacco that causes various types of cancer. At the other end, we are ignoring the medicinal properties of a plant that can help cancer patients. We are not even able to take up research as procurement of the plant is illegal in India, whereas oncologists in 21 states of the US are prescribing derivatives of cannabis for cancer treatment,” Dr. Vishal Rao, surgical oncologist at the HCG Hospital, was quoted by The Times Of India.
The oncologists have made a reference to the US that allows the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, following several validations of the plant’s derivatives giving a healing touch to cancer patients.
Indicating how India has been lagging behind other countries in cannabis research, Dr B S Ajai Kumar, chairman of HCG Enterprises, said, “We want to take up research on medicinal benefits of cannabis derivatives. But to take it up we need the plants, which is not available in India. We are approaching the government with a proposal to legalize medicinal use of cannabis.”
Oncologists mentioned research data from the University of Oxford, which found that the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis did not reduce the intensity of pain but made it bearable.
Researchers also examined data from more than 9,000 people on their history of marijuana use and their levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), one marker of inflammation that is frequently linked with people’s risk of heart disease.
However, they are cautious of the results, as previous research on CRP levels and marijuana use in people has been scarce and the results of other studies have been inconsistent.
But with the promise of Dronabinol a drug made of cannabis used to treat cancer patients to avoid severe nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy and Nabilone a drug used as a chronic pain management after treating cancer patients and reducing the vomiting sensation and nausea induced by chemotherapy, oncologists are upbeat about lobbying the government in New Delhi. AC
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