American Cancer Society
Statement on the Use of Heroin and Marijuana
for Relieving the Pain and Discomfort
Suffered by Some Cancer Patients

Document 006286

Pain is a major health problem in this country; especially the kind of pain that is sometimes encountered in patients with cancer. According to the experts, the treatment of pain and accompanying symptoms (i.e. fear, anxiety, depression, weakness, nausea, and vomiting) needs to be considerably improved. This is in spite of the fact that there are agents and techniques presently available that can provide relief for the majority of those patients; however, none of these approaches is without its shortcomings and there is always a need for improvement.

The American Cancer Society wishes to go on record as supporting the research of any agent or technique for which there may be evidence of a therapeutic advantage, including some currently restricted agents such as heroin, cocaine, marijuana, etc. The American Cancer Society also supports the continuing education of health professionals in more effective use of what is currently available. Two studies supported by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute on Drug Abuse compared the analgesic effects of heroin and morphine in cancer patients. The investigators reached a conclusion that, although heroin is a potent pain reliever, it is no more effective than morphine. Also, the side effects of the two drugs were found to be similar. Drugs currently available are powerful enough to treat the majority of patients with severe, long-term pain.

The drugs used most commonly are morphine and meperidine hydrochloride. In addition, the FDA has approved dilaudid-HP (hydromorphone), a medication that is more potent than heroin. A few scientific reports evaluating the use of marijuana, or THC, its active ingredient, in diminishing nausea and vomiting secondary to chemotherapy have noted some advantages of the substance over conventional medications. As a result, legislation permitting the use of marijuana in cancer treatment on a prescription basis has been proposed in some states. At the present time, the society does not believe that the results of clinical investigation are sufficient to warrant legislation decontrolling marijuana or its active ingredient for medical use.