Cannabis companies and breast cancer organizations are joining forces to raise breast cancer awareness

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 240,000 women and 2,100 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Of these, an estimated 42,000 women and 500 men lose their lives due to the disease.

There are many factors that contribute to a person’s diagnosis, including older age, genetic mutations, or a family history of breast cancer. To treat the disease, patients may undergo surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, etc., but it depends on the type of treatment and the stage of the cancer.

As with other types of cancer, breast cancer patients have often experienced relief from their symptoms by consuming cannabis. As Breast Cancer Awareness Month begins, we’re raising awareness that cannabis can help.

There are many organizations that support people diagnosing and treating breast cancer. Although cannabis itself is not a treatment for the disease, it is known to help many patients manage their symptoms.

According to Breastcancer.org, a survey they conducted found that 42% of people diagnosed with breast cancer used medical cannabis to treat the side effects of their treatments. Most participants ranged in age, cancer stage and treatment phase, and 75% of them said it was “very” or “extremely” helpful.

Cannabis helps patients

To support breast cancer patients, there are many worthwhile organizations that donate money to a good cause. Additionally, many cannabis companies partner with these organizations each year to support these patients and research efforts.

In August, Mint Cannabis in Tempe, Arizona, partnered with Check for a Lump to offer free mammograms to locals. During the pandemic, many cancer screenings were canceled and postponed, resulting in more than 80,000 people not receiving their cancer diagnosis.

This year, Clovr Cannabis in Missouri recently launched a “Bonbons for Boobies” campaign featuring limited-time pink raspberry caramel chocolate. “Satisfy your sweet tooth while making a difference! Benefits benefit breast cancer patients and will be donated to @BraCoutureKC. Our Boobie Candy is White Chocolate Raspberry Caramel and here to spread love and support during #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth!” the brand wrote on social media.

Verano is a multi-state operator spread across Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. On September 29, the company also announced the launch of its third annual breast cancer support campaign, benefiting the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation. Throughout the month of October, the company is offering numerous fundraisers to raise money for patients. “As one of the leading organizations in its field, the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation conducts important research, education and prevention, and we are pleased to offer our support for the third consecutive year,” George, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Verano Archos , said. “We are proud to once again demonstrate the power of the cannabis community as a catalyst for positive change by uniting our team, patients and customers to continue the fight against breast cancer throughout October and beyond.”

Tilt Holdings, which owns the Jupiter vape brand, also announced its partnership with the PA Breast Cancer Coalition in October. Its subsidiary, Standard Farms, is offering a $5 donation for every Jupiter™ Pink Ceramic Mouth Tip cartridge sold. “Patient-centered care is paramount at Standard Farms,” said Tim Conder, CEO of TILT. “We know so many medical cannabis patients are courageously battling this disease with the support of their families, friends and communities, and we are proud to be part of a larger support network in the state by helping raise money for PA Breast Cancer Coalition to gather.”

Florida-based CBD company Sunmed also announced a partnership with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (NBCF). They have pledged to donate 3% of online product sales to NBCF between October 1st and October 31st, which will be used for early detection services, education and support. They also donate $1 for certain products purchased in store. “We are incredibly proud to stand with the National Breast Cancer Foundation in the fight against breast cancer,” said Marcus Quinn, CEO of Sunmed. “This partnership represents a milestone not only for Sunmed, but for the entire CBD industry. By combining our collective resources, expertise and passion, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by breast cancer.”

These are just a few companies taking action to help patients, but there are many more that will be announcing their promotions and partnerships with other breast cancer organizations throughout the month.

It’s all about the evidence

The founder and chief medical officer of Breastcancer.org, Marisa C. Weiss, spoke about how cannabis works for patients in an interview with Healio back in 2020. “People who receive cancer treatment, especially people with breast cancer, end up going through a variety of treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapies and estrogen therapies, all of which can last for years,” Weiss said, noting that common symptoms include pain , anxiety, insomnia, nausea and vomiting.

“A common symptom that people struggle with is peripheral neuropathy after chemotherapy,” Weiss explained. “Some patients are unable to even wear a normal shoe or stand on their feet for long periods of time due to the pain and discomfort this causes. Or those whose hands are affected cannot button a shirt or open a jar of peanut butter to make sandwiches for their child’s lunch. The throbbing “pins and needles” pain makes every day a struggle and can also wake people up at night.”

Weiss mentioned a related study that was still ongoing at the time, but whose results were published in October 2021. It found that many people use cannabis specifically to treat breast cancer, but many participants did not feel comfortable telling their doctor about their cannabis use.

In May of this year, researchers published a study in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care that showed evidence of pain reduction in patients with genitourinary, breast and colorectal cancer.

Research on the benefits of medical cannabis use in breast cancer treatments has continued to grow. Most recently, on September 27, researchers at the UF Health Center and the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center received a five-year, $3.2 million U01 award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to demonstrate its benefits and examine the harm of medical cannabis.

This could lead to a better understanding of patients’ use of medical cannabis, according to Dejana Braithwaite, associate director of cancer population sciences at the UF Health Cancer Center. “Up to 40% of cancer patients in the U.S. use medical marijuana to treat cancer-related symptoms, yet we know very little about its effects during and after cancer treatments,” Braithwaite said. “This innovative study is an ambitious effort to provide answers to pressing questions about medical marijuana and cancer. It will help physicians answer questions about the effects of medical marijuana in cancer patients of different racial and ethnic backgrounds and shed light on the pros and cons of medical marijuana.”

The research team will analyze 600 breast cancer patients before and after their treatment and hypothesize that medical cannabis may help patients “by targeting and modulating the inflammasome/pathway.”