Cannabis hope for cancer patients

PERSONAL journey of discovery, undertaken after his wife was diagnosed with colon cancer a decade ago, has led Durban man Roy Sukdhev along a different path, where cannabis is the new hope for those fighting the disease.

His Phoenix North Coast Cancer Support Group has joined forces with a Cape Town based medical facility, Cannabis Therapy, to provide affordable, quality cannabis treatments to a host of cancer patients.

The partnership began when Sukdhev, co-founder of the support group, discovered the medical benefits of cannabis oil, an essential oil of the cannabis plant, and wanted to ensure the product is sourced by a reputable medical facility. The oil, normally ingested orally, is said to be a “miracle” cure for epilepsy, cancer, diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

With 40 members and thousands of alleged “successful treatments”, Sukdhev found Cannabis Therapy to be the perfect choice. The organisation’s Jerome Smith said he was optimistic about the alliance as many patients were found sourcing cheap products from the black market.

“The public at large are not sure what is real and what is fake and what type of oil is good and what will do nothing except get you high,” he said.

“The sad reality is that many of Roy’s patients have fallen for this substandard product.”

Smith explained what the fake product encompassed.

“In a nutshell, the oil comes in a syringe and has the consistency of tar.

“This oil is made using backyard techniques and the producers are not medically trained or producing in a hygienic sterile environment. This black tar has flooded the market in recent months as more people see this as a quick way to make some money,” he said.

Smith claims the product his facility markets is world class and priced for consumption locally.

“We work with doctors and pharmacists all over South Africa and produce a medically fit product that has treated many patients successfully,” he said.

One of those patients is 33-year-old Edenvale resident, Rita Capelinha, who was diagnosed with brain cancer in April 2015. She decided to give cannabis a chance when her tumour grew back despite undergoing an operation, radiation and chemotherapy.

“We discovered that it had grown back and at a rapid rate in October 2016. I decided I would not do anymore surgery or chemotherapy and my neurosurgeon said I could not do anymore radiation. This is when I tried cannabis,” Capelinha said.

She said her tumour was no longer growing and had diminished by 1mm.

She said she would definitely recommend it to other patients going through a similar situation.

Capelinha said: “Above all, it’s not like chemotherapy where my hair fell out and made me so ill. It’s not like surgery with terrible memory loss and and not like radiation, which burnt my good brain cells.”

Smith said: “We are trying to legitimise this and ensure more people have a positive experience.”

Registered uMhlanga ayurvedic specialist, Dr Kanada Narahari, also supports the use of cannabis treatment.

“Legalised medical cannabis, taken as per the individualised medical dosage, should have good benefits fighting cancer,” he said.

“Cannabis (Vijaya is the Sanskrit term) is found in over 60 different traditional ayurvedic formulas, several of which are available in pharmacies in India today.

“These formulations with purified cannabis show great benefit in associated signs and symptoms of various types of cancer.”

Sukdhev’s wife Rosy, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2007 and is now cancer-free, is also using the treatment, which she said made her feel “more energised”.

Sukdhev said that during the trying period, he began to understand what other patients went through and pledged to provide a support structure for them and their families.

Sukdhev said despite his 56- year- old wife being on the road to recovery, he continued to work with medical professionals, providing cancer awareness, education and empowerment.

The Phoenix North Coast Cancer Support Group will be providing a month’s supply of treatment to four patients at the organisation’s annual Cancer Open Day on Sunday at the Mariammen Temple in Mount Edgecombe from 8.30am until 1pm.

Free breast and prostrate cancer screening will also be offered and lost loved ones will be remembered and honoured with a memory candle at the event.

For further information call Roy Sukdhev at 083 631 0814. UNDERGROUND cannabis activist and the founder of Canna Culture SA and chairperson of the Cannabis Developing Council of South Africa (CDCSA), Krithi Thaver, has been championing for cannabis change for 12 years.

Having educated people on the history, pros, cons and economic benefits of the flowering plant, Thaver decided to start the non-profit organisation Canna Culture SA, aimed at breaking the stigma that cannabis is a drug.

The plant offers over 50 000 different commercial and industrial products, including the manufacture of rope, clothing, food, paper, textiles and bio-fuel.

This, in turn, said Thaver, means different industries could be set up and in the process more jobs created.

“Job creation is certainly the first problem we hope to fix,” said Thaver.

“We would then be able to export our products that have been created from these mini industries that would need to be set up. This would be the starting point to a massive industrial sector.”

Thaver’s latest hemp cultivation project is expected to do exactly this – by providing jobs to thousands of local farmers.

Six farms were identified for cultivation and the farmers were enlightened on how to apply for the necessary, and controlled, research and development permits, that would help them grow cannabis.

Guidelines would be laid down by the CDCSA for farmers to follow. This includes cannabis being cultivated in specific areas and would further dictate how much can be grown.

“If any of these conditions are broken, their licences would be revoked. Furthermore, we are setting up a co-op plan for each province. This is aimed at stopping illicit activities and allowing those, who want to be involved in the regulated industry, an opportunity to trade legally.”

He said the idea, to set up a regulated industry for farmers, was borne after his involvement with Dube Tradeport a few months ago.

As chairperson of the CDCSA for KZN, Thaver was given an opportunity to dig into the plant’s research process.