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In the NoCo

Why cannabis holds real promise as a treatment for cancer, according to a sweeping new study

A man with glasses and short brown hair smiles for the camera with a computer in the background.
Courtesy Ryan Castle
A new study paid for by the organization Cancer Playbook shows evidence that medical cannabis shows strong potential to help treat cancer patients. After looking at more than 10,000 studies, lead researcher Ryan Castle said they found, "a dramatically greater degree of support across the studies," for the efficacy of medical cannabis than he initially anticipated.

A new study suggests that researchers should take a closer look at cannabis as a treatment for cancer and its symptoms. The team behind the study says the results suggest the federal government should remove restrictions on that research.

An organization called Cancer Playbook, which is based in Evergreen, paid for the study. Cancer Playbook’s head of research says it works to provide people battling cancer with information about what treatments have helped other cancer patients – and that often includes medical marijuana.

The study reviewed more than 10,000 published papers on medical cannabis. That makes it the most comprehensive analysis ever conducted on the topic, according to a recent story in The Guardian.

Ryan Castle is the director of research for Cancer Playbook and he led the study. It found that cannabis showed clear promise in many aspects of cancer treatment, from reducing pain to shrinking tumors.

Ryan talked with Erin O’Toole about study and why it’s hard to get reliable data on the effectiveness of medical marijuana – which is legal in Colorado and many other states, but still illegal at the federal level.

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.
Ariel Lavery grew up in Louisville, Colorado and has returned to the Front Range after spending over 25 years moving around the country. She co-created the podcast Middle of Everywhere for WKMS, Murray State University’s NPR member station, and won Public Media Journalism awards in every season she produced for Middle of Everywhere. Her most recent series project is "The Burn Scar", published with The Modern West podcast. In it, she chronicles two years of her family’s financial and emotional struggle following the loss of her childhood home in the Marshall Fire.
As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.
Brad Turner is an executive producer in KUNC's newsroom. He manages the podcast team that makes In The NoCo, which also airs weekdays in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. His work as a podcaster and journalist has appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR Music, the PBS Newshour, Colorado Public Radio, MTV Online, the Denver Post, Boulder's Daily Camera, and the Longmont Times-Call.