Many individuals choose to consume cannabis to treat medical conditions. Those who do this are known as medical marijuana patients or MMJ users. It is logical that all of the current talks about medical cannabis have everyone wondering if it’s better than their current medication. This includes chemo treatments for certain cancers. Chemo is a widely used medical treatment so it would only be beneficial to see how cannabis stacks up against this risky practice.
Marijuana Versus Chemo: The Medical Treatment
The purpose of chemo is to attempt to kill off cancer cells in a person’s body. This is done by poisoning them with chemicals and radiation so they don’t reproduce. In most cases, it is a last resort treatment option due to the high mortality rate, according to Cancer.gov.
The side effects of chemo can include, but are not limited to:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Hair loss
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Mouth sores
These symptoms don’t even scratch the surface of what patients could potentially go through when taking chemo drugs. There have been cases of patients developing heart disease, neuropathy, and even leukemia from this treatment.
Cannabis Versus Chemo: The Medical Cannabis Treatment
The purpose of medical marijuana is to alleviate the symptoms of a condition. This improves the patient’s overall health and well-being. This can help boost their immune system, relieve pain and reduce inflammation without the harsh side effects of chemo.
Cannabis has been widely studied by scientists worldwide. Conclusive evidence finds that certain strains of cannabis can help patients deal with chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and nausea. It can even reverse cancerous tumors. There are a few negative side effects associated with its use.
Differences Between Medical Marijuana & Chemo
Chemo is a last resort treatment option in cancer patients due to the high mortality rate. But medical marijuana isn’t fatal and it has positive effects on its users.
Chemo can lead to heart disease, neuropathy, and even leukemia, while cannabis does not pose such threats.
Patients undergoing chemo will experience side effects such as fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. Cannabis primarily relieves pain and reduces inflammation.
Both medical marijuana and chemo can treat cancerous tumors. However, cannabis does not carry the negative side effects of chemo, such as heart disease or neuropathy. Furthermore, cannabis is a much safer option than chemo.
Marijuana Versus Chemo: What Would You Choose?
Considering the risks, cannabis would appear to be a much more favorable choice for cancer patients. Chemo side effects could lead to organ failure or worsening health. Cannabis has positive effects on its users with no negative side effects. With this in mind, there is little wonder why individuals would choose cannabis over chemo.
The next question remains:
“Do you take medical marijuana even if it is not legal in your state”?
That choice is yours to make. It’s important to consider that medical marijuana has positive effects while chemotherapy can have negative side effects. Therefore, considering each treatment option entails, medical cannabis would appear to be a much better choice.
What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
Disclaimer: The purpose of this article is to inform readers of an alternative treatment option for medical conditions. The FDA has not sanctioned and should not replace conventional medical treatment. This article is meant to show the benefits of cannabis in medicine, not be construed as a cure-all article.
