By Oscar Pascual |
Sam Simon, Simpson’s co-creator and philanthropist, used medical marijuana on a daily basis before dying of colon cancer earlier this month.
Two years ago, Simon was diagnosed with cancer and spoke publicly about smoking cannabis to relieve the pain resulting from his condition, most famously documented in Marc Maron’s WTF podcast.
Before Simon got sick, the last time Simon smoked weed was in high school, and he didn’t enjoy it.
“If I were a pothead I’d be really happy I got cancer because everyone gives you weed,” Simon joked.
Cable TV channel Fusion premiered “Rebel with a Cause: The Sam Simon Story” last weekend, documenting Simon’s two-year battle with cancer that defied doctors’ initial six-month prognosis. His daily routine of using medicinal cannabis probably contributed to prolonging his terminal condition.
Simon vomited regularly around 10 a.m. due to the strenuous side effects of chemotherapy, and then he drank a jar of strawberry lemonade, which he always enjoyed to relieve the pain. He even had a personal vegan marijuana chef who baked protein peanut butter cookies, lemon squares, and other edible treats.
The American Cancer Society promotes the use of marijuana to relieve pain, control nausea and vomiting, and stimulate the appetite of cancer patients. But Simon’s tweets about Simpson oil prove that he used cannabis to treat cancer altogether.
While the American Cancer Society does not support claims that marijuana can treat the disease, several reports suggest that cannabinoids can slow the growth of cancer cells or even kill them altogether. The Simpson oil Simon tweeted about was not a reference to the widely popular animated sitcom he co-created, but rather a highly concentrated cannabis oil known for its cancer-killing properties.
It is unknown if Simon managed to actually use Simpson oil, but neither chemotherapy nor holistic medicine ultimately saved his life.
“I’m not sure how much I believe in faith healers, but I’m also not sure how much I believe in chemo,” Simon said in Fusion’s documentary.
Photo credit: Social Games Pro
