RIP Olivia Newton-John: Advocate for Medicinal Cannabis – Cannabis News, Lifestyle

Olivia Newton-John, the Grammy Award-winning singer, died this week at the age of 73 after a long battle with breast cancer. Despite being known as one of the stars of Grease, the Australian singer/actress was also a champion of medicinal cannabis.

And her use of medicinal cannabis may have prolonged his life. Olivia was diagnosed in 1992 and battled breast cancer for over 30 years.

Olivia Newton-John: Advocate for medicinal cannabis

In a Facebook message, Olivia Newton-John’s husband said she “died peacefully on their Southern California ranch” surrounded by family and friends.

“A symbol of triumph and hope for over 30 years, Olivia shares her journey with breast cancer. Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicines continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund dedicated to research into plant medicines and cancer. She also asks interested fans to make a donation to the foundation instead of flowers.

In a September 2018 interview with High Times, Olivia Newton-John said she uses cannabis as part of her treatment. She called it a “magic miracle plant.”

“My husband is a herbalist, so he grew cannabis and made tinctures for me for pain and inflammation,” she said. “The pain was the worst. I can walk, but I can’t cover long distances.”

Medicinal cannabis, she says, “has helped me a lot with pain because I don’t like taking prescription drugs.”

“I really think cannabis has made a huge difference,” she told 60 Minutes Australia in 2019. “If I’m not taking the drops, I can feel the pain, so I know it’s working.”

“People have this ’60s vision of people just sitting around and getting stoned. That’s not what it is about. This plant is a medicinal plant. I think we need to change the vision of what it is because it has helped me a lot and it helps with pain and inflammation.”

“I’m totally off painkillers, I’m totally off morphine, and I attribute that to cannabis because it was able to take over the pain,” she told You Magazine in March 2021.

The late singer and actress also called cannabis “kind and compassionate.” “It should be available to everyone,” she said.

The Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Center

Olivia Newton-John’s experience with medicinal cannabis led her to found the Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Center in Melbourne in 2012.

“I’ve seen the incredible beauty of plants and their healing abilities… if I hadn’t had that experience, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you about gentler therapies… Your body wants to heal itself,” she once told the Daily Mail.

“That’s why I’m delighted to be establishing this foundation.”

Olivia Newton-John has campaigned for the Australian government to legalize medicinal cannabis for years. Politicians legalized medicinal cannabis in 2016, but not without restrictive rules and regulations that many patients criticize as being too bureaucratic.

30 years fight against cancer

Olivia Newton-John’s cancer resurfaced in 2017, a third time since her original diagnosis in 1992. But as she told the media:

“When you get a cancer diagnosis, or a scary honest diagnosis, you suddenly have the option of a time limit. When someone tells you, “You have six months to live,” chances are you’re doing it because you believe it. Psychologically, I’m better off not having any idea of ​​what they’re expecting or what the last person who experienced this was like, so I don’t intervene.

Staying positive certainly helps. But also medicinal cannabis. While Newton-John used it to relieve her symptoms, research shows that cannabis also has anti-tumor properties.

Additionally, several studies suggest that cannabinoid therapy reduces breast cancer cell proliferation.

Unfortunately, cannabis’ anti-cancer properties weren’t enough to save Olivia Newton-John. Things might have been different if she had started cannabinoid treatment with her initial diagnosis in the early 90’s.

But at least we have their repertoire of songs and performances. And her fame has enabled her to promote cannabis-based medicines and therapies.

Would the illiberal Australian government ever have legalized medicinal cannabis without Olivia Newton-John’s intense lobbying?

Rest in peace, Olivia Newton-John. Proponents of medicinal cannabis.