Marijuana kills leukemia cells

A scientist from the United Kingdom has discovered that cannabinoids, which are compounds derived from marijuana, can kill cancerous cells in leukemia patients, according to the Huffington Post.

Wai Liu, MD, of the University of London’s medical school, created a study in which the effects of six different non-psychoactive cannabinoids were examined when applied individually and in combination to leukemia cells. The compounds were found to have numerous therapeutic qualities that can target and turn off the pathways that enable cancers to grow.

Despite the promise of his findings, Liu is unsure if cannabinoids are beneficial for the treatment of other types of cancer. More research is still needed, but support can be difficult to find thanks to connotations commonly associated with cannabis.

Click here to read more about Liu’s research on cannabinoids and leukemia.