Medical Oncologists ’ Views on the Utility of Medical Marijuana Across the Cancer Trajectory

Medical marijuana (MM) is non-pharmaceutical, herbal (typically unrefined) cannabis that healthcare providers recommend therapeutically in line with state law. Federally illegal, it is legal on a state level in 33 states (1). Unlike most illnesses, cancer is a qualifying condition for MM in almost every state law (1). While cancer patients frequently use cannabis to treat symptoms —or even cancer itself-- few empiric studies have examined the efficacy of MM in oncology (2). In 1979, Chang et. al randomized 15 patients to receive unrefined cannabis versus placebo to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (3).

Source: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management - February 19, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Authors: Ilana M. Braun, Traci M. Blonquist, Eric G. Campbell, Manan M. Nayak, Dragana Bolcic-Jankovic, Alexi A. Wright Source Type: research