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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
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Ranjana Srivastava

Patients keep asking if they should take cannabis for their cancer. The answer is still no

‘Despite the anecdotal reports of cannabis demonstrating anti-inflammatory properties, researchers warn that cannabis consumption could interfere with immunotherapy,’ writes oncologist Ranjana Srivastava.
‘Despite the anecdotal reports of cannabis demonstrating anti-inflammatory properties, researchers warn that cannabis consumption could interfere with immunotherapy,’ writes oncologist Ranjana Srivastava. Photograph: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images

It’s fair to say my patients were using cannabis long before I knew it was a “thing”.

My first memory of encountering the drug was a decade ago at the bedside of a dying patient. I was about to commence a morphine infusion when a burly man quietly asked me to step outside. Moments later, my apprehension turned to surprise when, tears streaming down his face, the son begged me to wait while his brother procured some cannabis from an underground supplier, “just in case it works”.

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