CANCER FIGHTER

In your story "Medicinal pot not harmful" (June 17), Jean-Paul
Collett of UBC says: "People only turn to cannabinoids after they
have tried something else. At this point, you can't take it as a first choice."

This just shows how biased "traditional" medical services are.

A plant that has been used successfully for 5,000 years is considered
"alternative."

But the "standard" pharmaceuticals that pot users are trying to avoid
have only been around 100 or so years.

It should be noted that Marinol and Cesamet have absolutely no
cannabis in them.

They are synthetic mimics of cannabis, which is why they are so
poorly received.

Sativex does contain cannabis, but only certain compounds, not the
whole plant medicine. Which is why recent testing has shown it to be
less than effective.

Recent science out of Germany shows how cannabinoids stimulate the
body's production of TIMP-1, which helps healthy cells resist cancer invasion.

Russell Barth,

Nepean, Ont.