Show Me the Facts

Apparently a woman who worked as a police dispatcher in Illinois was fired after she bought marijuana for her aunt who is a victim of breast cancer.

I am not posting this to argue the merits of her being fired… after all, she knew the risks (or should have) when she bought the marijuana. God bless her for taking those risks to help her Aunt, and it is a shame that she got caught (although, I am not clear on whether or not she was “caught” or if she just admitted to doing it when asked… kind of hard to beleive she just randomly confessed).

Aside from the dozen or so articles showing marijuana to be an amazing treatment for breast cancer, it appears that there is a no-tolerance policy–which is expected–at her department.

But still, firing a woman for buying such a small amount of marijuana to help her sick aunt? According to the article it was enough to make 3 joints, which would be about 3 grams worth of marijuana.

Is there anyone reading this who beleives it is worth it to fire someone over something like this? I would love to hear from you.

What is Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the cells of the breast in women and men. Worldwide, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer (10.4% of all cancer incidence, both sexes counted) and the fifth most common cause of cancer death. In 2005, breast cancer caused 502,000 deaths worldwide (7% of cancer deaths; almost 1% of all deaths).

Breast cancer is about 100 times as frequent among women as among men, but survival rates are equal in both sexes.

(Wikipedia)

Marijuana Facts and Resources:

• Anandamide inhibits human breast cancer cell proliferation
  “These data suggest that anandamide blocks human breast cancer cell proliferation through CB1-like receptor-mediated inhibition of endogenous prolactin action at the level of prolactin receptor.”
• Inhibition of Human Breast and Prostate Cancer Cell Proliferation
  “These findings suggest that endogenous cannabinoids and CB1 receptor agonists are potential negative effectors of PRL- and NGF-induced biological responses, at least in some cancer cells.”
  
• Antitumor Activity of Plant Cannabinoids
  “Our data support the further testing of cannabidiol and cannabidiol-rich extracts for the potential treatment of cancer.”
• 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Inhibits Cell Cycle Progression in Human Breast Cancer
  “Taken together, these data might set the bases for a cannabinoid therapy for the management of breast cancer.”
• Cannabidiol inhibits tumour growth in leukaemia and breast cancer
  “These observations are supported by investigations of US scientists who found out that exposure of leukaemia cells to CBD led to a reduction in cell viability and induction of apoptosis. In living animals CBD caused a reduction in number of leukaemia cells. The scientists noted that CBD “may be a novel and highly selective treatment for leukemia.”
• THC and prochlorperazine effective in reducing vomiting in women following breast surgery
  “Researchers concluded that post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a ’significant problem in breast surgical patients. Preoperative treatment with dronabinol and prochlorperazine significantly reduced the number and severity of episodes of PONV.’”
• Cannabidiol Dramatically Inhibits Breast Cancer Cell Growth
  “Compounds in marijuana inhibit cancer cell growth in animals and in culture on a wide range of tumoral cell lines, including human breast carcinoma cells, human prostate carcimona cells, and human colectoral carcinoma cells, according to preclinical trial data published in the May issue of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.”
• “Medical Marijuana” Takes On New Meaning for Metastatic Breast Cancer
  “Smoking marijuana has provided some women with relief from the nausea and vomiting that can accompany chemo, relief that the range of normal side effect drugs weren’t able to give.”
• Cannabidiol may be helpful in reducing the aggressiveness of breast cancer cells
  “In a mouse model of metastatic breast cancer the natural non- psychotropic cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) reduced the aggressiveness of breast cancer cells.”
• JunD is involved in the antiproliferative effect of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol on human breast cancer cells
  “It has been recently shown that cannabinoids, the active components of marijuana and their derivatives, inhibit cell cycle progression of human breast cancer cells.”
• Cannabis Compound May Stop Metastatic Breast Cancer
  “A non-toxic, non-psychoactive compound in marijuana may block the progress of metastatic breast cancer, according to a new study by researchers in California.”