When Rick Simpson told the world he was curing cancer by using an oil made from the cannabis plant you would have thought it worthy of a little news coverage, or even a Nobel prize?
Instead he was dragged kicking and screaming through the Canadian court system, labelled as some sort of ‘snake oil’ peddler, and cast off to the USA, and later exiled in Europe for fear of a lengthy incarceration in his home land.
Rick Simpsons crime was trying to help people suffering with various cancers. He was especially keen to step in with patients who’s treatment regimes were seen not to be working very well.
When he mentioned his successes to his doctors receptionist he was told in no uncertain terms the doctor will not be discussing cannabis oil anytime soon.
No matter if it works or not?
The alternative course of treatment for patients suffering advanced skin cancer (or Melanoma), is a new drug called tasisulam made by ‘impotence/erection’ specialists Eli Lilly, (no not Viagra , but the other one).
Lilly was testing whether the drug, tasisulam, was any better than an older drug, paclitaxel, in treating people with an advanced form of skin cancer, or melanoma.
In the meantime 12 patients have died, which a spokeswomen for Eli Lilly called ‘potentially treatment related’.