Hemp plants can absorb carcinogenic heavy metals: Study
- New research suggests that some cannabis plants may be able to absorb carcinogenic heavy metals from the soil.
- The study authors said this was particularly worrisome for cancer patients who use cannabis to mitigate treatment side effects.
- People who use medicinal cannabis, or cannabis in general, should be aware of the potential risks and weigh the risks and benefits.
- Medical marijuana has been shown to help many cancer patients dealing with nausea, pain, insomnia, and other issues.
A new study led by Penn State researchers has found that hemp plants — which are used to produce many products such as medicinal marijuana, hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) oil — can absorb heavy metals from the soil. The study authors noted This can be particularly troublesome for cancer patients who may use cannabis products to deal with the side effects of various treatments. Medical marijuana has been shown to relieve many ailments, such as nausea, pain, and lack of appetite, so it is important for people who use it to have the full picture.
“Heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and chromium, are known to be carcinogenic,” said Luis Benguela, associate research professor of plant sciences at Penn State. “The heavy metal content of cannabis is unregulated; therefore, consumers can unknowingly be exposed to these toxic metals. This is bad news for anyone who uses cannabis but it is a particular problem for cancer patients who use medical marijuana to treat nausea and pain associated with their treatments.”
However, it’s important to keep in mind that while it’s great to be aware of any risks with the products you’re consuming, the medical cannabis supply is diverse and there are plenty of options. As with anything we consume, knowing where a product comes from and how to process it is helpful.
The results of the study were Posted in Toxin . Reviews The authors shared how they learned that some strains of cannabis are commonly used in phytoremediation, which is the use of plants to remove contaminants from soil, water, or air. However, using plants for phytoremediation can facilitate the uptake of heavy metals.
What does this mean for cancer patients?
The researchers discovered that lead, cadmium and chromium in particular are able to transport and distribute through the stem and in the leaves and flowers of plants. So, what does this mean for people who use cannabis products? Benguela said that smoking cannabis products would pose the biggest threat. “It is upsetting to realize that cannabis products used by consumers, especially cancer patients, may cause unnecessary harm to their bodies,” he said.
The solution for consumers is to be careful of where you buy products from. However, the study’s authors said a more prevalent solution would be for those who grow produce to avoid practices that put their plants at risk.
The team made three recommendations when it came to growing cannabis: “Avoid abandoned industrial sites, conduct air quality analyzes before setting up a farm, and test soil pH because pH can affect the amount of heavy metals the plant absorbs.”
How can medical marijuana help cancer patients?
People with all types of cancers have turned to medical marijuana to help ease the side effects that can come with treatment. Many patients prefer the products over narcotics or other pain relievers because they feel that cannabis is less harsh on their body, and in some cases more effective.
Experts may prescribe it to deal with a range of side effects, such as:
- nausea
- lack of appetite
- pain
- insomnia
- Depression
In a previous conversation with SurvivorNet, integrative cannabis doctor Dr. Junilla Chen explained that A plant-based approach can address many side effects for which doctors would have had to write many prescriptions for it.
“Chemotherapy patients usually come to see me if they’re nauseous, if they have a lack of appetite, if they’re in pain, if they’re insomnia, or they’re depressed,” she explained. “I could basically write four or five different medications on the prescription, which a lot of doctors do, and a lot of oncologists do — or we could try to get the patient to take a plant-based drug first.”
Dr. Junilla Chen explains how medical marijuana can be used to help relieve the side effects of cancer treatment.
Is medical marijuana dangerous?
While it has proven to be a useful tool for many people undergoing cancer treatment, it is still important to remember that smoking marijuana can also be dangerous. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of research on how marijuana smoke affects the lungs. For cigarettes, there is decades of documentation that smoking leads to lung cancer and other diseases. But some doctors fear that smoking marijuana can also be really dangerous.
In an earlier conversation with SurvivorNet, Dr. Raja Flores, chief of thoracic surgery at the Mount Sinai Health System, cautioned that the idea of smoking marijuana as a safer option than cigarettes or drinking alcohol is dangerous — because It cannot be supported by concrete evidence.
“There’s a lobby trying to say that marijuana is better than drinking, that it’s safer, that it doesn’t cause cancer, and you should do it — both of which are bad,” Dr. Flores said. “There is no good population-based study looking at marijuana smoking, and enough time has passed to establish its association with lung cancer.”
Dr. Raja Flores explains that smoking marijuana can be linked to cancer, but there are no long-term studies to prove this yet.
Since establishing a clear link to cancer requires a lot of time and resources, for now, people who want to use it will have to balance the risks and rewards. Also keep in mind that medicinal cannabis can be consumed in many ways other than smoking.
Learn more about SurvivorNet’s rigorous medical review process.
Hemp plants can absorb carcinogenic heavy metals: Study
- New research suggests that some cannabis plants may be able to absorb carcinogenic heavy metals from the soil.
- The study authors said this was particularly worrisome for cancer patients who use cannabis to mitigate treatment side effects.
- People who use medicinal cannabis, or cannabis in general, should be aware of the potential risks and weigh the risks and benefits.
- Medical marijuana has been shown to help many cancer patients dealing with nausea, pain, insomnia, and other issues.
A new study led by Penn State researchers has found that hemp plants — which are used to produce many products such as medicinal marijuana, hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) oil — can absorb heavy metals from the soil. The study authors noted This can be particularly troublesome for cancer patients who may use cannabis products to deal with the side effects of various treatments. Medical marijuana has been shown to relieve many ailments, such as nausea, pain, and lack of appetite, so it is important for people who use it to have the full picture.
“Heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and chromium, are known to be carcinogenic,” said Luis Benguela, associate research professor of plant sciences at Penn State. “The heavy metal content of cannabis is unregulated; therefore, consumers can unknowingly be exposed to these toxic metals. This is bad news for anyone who uses cannabis but it is a particular problem for cancer patients who use medical marijuana to treat nausea and pain associated with their treatments.”
The results of the study were Posted in Toxin . Reviews The authors shared how they learned that some strains of cannabis are commonly used in phytoremediation, which is the use of plants to remove contaminants from soil, water, or air. However, using plants for phytoremediation can facilitate the uptake of heavy metals.
What does this mean for cancer patients?
The researchers discovered that lead, cadmium and chromium in particular are able to transport and distribute through the stem and in the leaves and flowers of plants. So, what does this mean for people who use cannabis products? Benguela said that smoking cannabis products would pose the biggest threat. “It is upsetting to realize that cannabis products used by consumers, especially cancer patients, may cause unnecessary harm to their bodies,” he said.
The solution for consumers is to be careful of where you buy products from. However, the study’s authors said a more prevalent solution would be for those who grow produce to avoid practices that put their plants at risk.
The team made three recommendations when it came to growing cannabis: “Avoid abandoned industrial sites, conduct air quality analyzes before setting up a farm, and test soil pH because pH can affect the amount of heavy metals the plant absorbs.”
How can medical marijuana help cancer patients?
People with all types of cancers have turned to medical marijuana to help ease the side effects that can come with treatment. Many patients prefer the products over narcotics or other pain relievers because they feel that cannabis is less harsh on their body, and in some cases more effective.
Experts may prescribe it to deal with a range of side effects, such as:
- nausea
- lack of appetite
- pain
- insomnia
- Depression
In a previous conversation with SurvivorNet, integrative cannabis doctor Dr. Junilla Chen explained that A plant-based approach can address many side effects for which doctors would have had to write many prescriptions for it.
“Chemotherapy patients usually come to see me if they’re nauseous, if they have a lack of appetite, if they’re in pain, if they’re insomnia, or they’re depressed,” she explained. “I could basically write four or five different medications on the prescription, which a lot of doctors do, and a lot of oncologists do — or we could try to get the patient to take a plant-based drug first.”
Dr. Junilla Chen explains how medical marijuana can be used to help relieve the side effects of cancer treatment.
Is medical marijuana dangerous?
While it has proven to be a useful tool for many people undergoing cancer treatment, it is still important to remember that smoking marijuana can also be dangerous. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of research on how marijuana smoke affects the lungs. With cigarettes, there are decades of documentation that smoking leads to lung cancer and other diseases. But some doctors fear that smoking marijuana can also be really dangerous.
In an earlier conversation with SurvivorNet, Dr. Raja Flores, chief of thoracic surgery at the Mount Sinai Health System, cautioned that the idea of smoking marijuana as a safer option than cigarettes or drinking alcohol is dangerous — because It cannot be supported by concrete evidence.
“There’s a lobby trying to say that marijuana is better than drinking, that it’s safer, that it doesn’t cause cancer, and you should do it — both of which are bad,” Dr. Flores said. “There is no good population-based study looking at marijuana smoking, and enough time has passed to establish its association with lung cancer.”
Dr. Raja Flores explains that smoking marijuana can be linked to cancer, but there are no long-term studies to prove this yet.
Since establishing a clear link to cancer requires a lot of time and resources, for now, people who want to use it will have to balance the risks and rewards. Also keep in mind that medicinal cannabis can be consumed in many ways other than smoking.
Learn more about SurvivorNet’s rigorous medical review process.
