Cannabis ingredient could fight cancer, claim researchers

CANNABIS could provide an unlikely new weapon in the fight against cancer, new research suggested yesterday.

Scientists have discovered the chemical in the drug which gets users 'high' combats cancer-causing viruses. Experiments show the active cannabis ingredient tetrahydrocannibol (THC) can prevent the activation and replication of gamma herpes viruses.

Two of these viruses, Kaposis Sarcoma Associated Herpes virus and Epstein- Barr virus, predispose infected individuals to the cancers Kaposis sarcoma, Burkitt's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease.