“How I Use Hemp to Manage My Cancer Pain”

“How I Use Hemp to Manage My Cancer Pain” (Jeff Dwyer) [#152] Brad Power July 16, 2025 “Once I got off of the opiates – it took a couple months – I was basically out there figuring what I was going to use next. The psychiatrist at Dana Farber was doing research in cannabis and mushrooms, all kinds of alternatives, and suggested that I try cannabis. So I did.

I got it in Massachusetts, in the town I'm in, which had 12 retail operations right on the street. You could just walk in and get it. But I'd never used cannabis as a younger guy. I was always a boozer in the 1960s and in college, and in the military afterwards, and then when I got out. Since I quit all that stuff, I never really experienced it.

So I started using it, and realized what I wanted was the medical benefits from it, such as they were, such as the information you could get, but not the ‘high’ portion of it. So I ended up using mixtures that I could get, edibles, at retail, that were low in THC, which is the compound that gets you ‘high’, but high in CBD.

Then I morphed from that into studying hemp, and realized that there was a difference in that plant. If I dealt with hemp, I was not asking anybody to chemically change it, because the hemp plant has low THC and high CBD.

” – Jeff Dwyer “My presentation to you guys is, if you've got a pain issue, and you don't want to resort to opioids yet, or if you want to get off of them, you can try the CBD capsules. And if you want to stay away from THC, you can do it with hemp.

” – Jeff Dwyer Meeting Summary Advanced cancer patients experience many mental and physical symptoms from their disease, including pain, depression, anxiety, nausea, constipation, neuropathy, urinary problems, and sexual problems. For example, men with advanced prostate cancer often have cancer progress to their bones, causing severe pain.

They need to connect with a palliative care team early in their disease progression to mitigate their pain and manage side effects. Among the treatments they might consider could be cannabis, but there is little evidence from randomized clinical trials (the gold standard of medical evidence) to support it.

It remains in the gray zone of treatments that have some anecdotal or observational benefits. Consider the case of Jeff Dwyer, an advanced prostate cancer patient who searched for relief from his spinal pain following his diagnosis in 2019.

His pain resulted from spinal compression fractures (from his decreasing bone mineral density and osteoporosis), which in turn were driven by his prostate cancer. Presently, Jeff is using organic cannabis hemp oil capsules for pain mitigation. How should you search for relief from cancer-related pain?

“How I Use Hemp to Mana

ef from cancer-related pain? ●Consult with your medical team – especially palliative care resources, as they can provide comprehensive support for pain management and other symptoms; a palliative care team can include a pharmacist, psychologist, psychiatrist, and physician

“How I Use Hemp to Manage My Cancer Pain” (Jeff Dwyer) [#152] ●Get advice on pain management early in your cancer treatment journey as you need to be prepared; pain management should not be an afterthought ●Share your specific pain management needs to develop a personalized plan, as your needs will probably be unique ●Consider alternatives to opioids, such as cannabis, to improve your quality of life Why might you consider using hemp as part of your pain management?

●Fewer side effects vs. opioids : Opioids can cause significant side effects, like constipation. ●Lower intoxication risk vs. marijuana : Hemp has less psychoactive content (THC) than marijuana, allowing you to take larger doses without getting “high”; hemp contains multiple compounds (CBD, terpenes, cannabinoids) that can work together for potentially more effective pain relief vs. just CBD.

●Versatile application : Hemp is available in forms like capsules and topicals, useful for different types of pain. ●Longer-lasting relief: Hemp can have a longer effect vs. single-compound treatments. ●Easier to access: Hemp is more widely legal and available. How can you safely incorporate hemp or cannabis into your treatment plan?

●Choose products from licensed, reputable sources with tested products with known cannabinoid content; prioritize farms with strict state regulations that follow USDA testing protocols; always check third-party lab test results before buying; avoid hemp-derived products which are unregulated and untested; avoid unregulated sources like gas stations or convenience stores ●Start with low doses and gradually increase until you find a manageable level of pain relief ●Consider different delivery methods (capsules, topicals) based on symptoms; use topical products for targeted pain relief, especially for localized pain ●Take it consistently, preferably with meals, and consider both daytime and nighttime formulations ●Combine its use with lifestyle factors like exercise and a diet that reduce inflammation ●Choose full-spectrum hemp products with third-party lab testing for detailed cannabinoid profiles ●Use products with high CBD and low THC to minimize intoxication ●Be aware of potential interactions with existing treatments ●Monitor for side effects and effectiveness How can you learn more about using hemp to manage your cancer pain?

“How I Use Hemp to Manage My Cancer Pain” (Jeff Dwyer) [#152] ●Speak with patients

s and interactions with your current treatment ●Research reputable sources like medical journals and cancer support organizations for scientific information; review the ASCO guidelines on cannabis and cannabinoids

“How I Use Hemp to Manage My Cancer Pain” (Jeff Dwyer) [#152] ●Speak with patients who have used hemp/CBD for pain management, such as through support groups ●Contact Jeff Dwyer at jpd@jpdwyerinc.com.

●See our previous discussions on using cannabis and pain management, including: ○“Palliative and Psychosocial Services for Cancer Patients” (James Tulsky) [#85] ○"Palliative Care for Advanced Cancer" (Tom Smith) [#32] ○“Integrative Cancer Care” (Donald Abrams, MD) [#102] ○“Using Cannabis in Your Cancer Care” (Jordan Tishler, MD) [#149] The information and opinions expressed on this website or platform, or during discussions and presentations (both verbal and written) are not intended as health care recommendations or medical advice by Cancer Patient Lab, its principals, presenters, participants, or representatives for any medical treatment, product, or course of action.

You should always consult a doctor about your specific situation before pursuing any health care program, treatment, product or other course of action that might affect your health. For the video recording of this conversation, please see here.

“How I Use Hemp to Manage My Cancer Pain” (Jeff Dwyer) [#152] Meeting Notes KEYWORDS Cancer patient care, cannabis therapy, CBD capsules, pain management, palliative care, hemp cultivation, endocannabinoid system, opioid withdrawal, chemotherapy, THC to CBD ratio, entourage effect, lab testing, full spectrum products, patient experience, alternative treatments.

SPEAKERS Michael Lupario (40%), Jeff Dwyer (30%), Brian Lupario (13%), Chris Apfel (6%), Roger Royse (6%), Rick Davis (4%), Vic Paglisotti (1%), Hilary Elkin (<1%) CHAT CONTRIBUTORS Allen Morris, Vic Paglisotti, Rick Davis, Chris Apfel SUMMARY Jeff Dwyer shared his journey with advanced prostate cancer, including spinal compression fractures and the use of cannabis and CBD for pain management.

He detailed his treatment history, including radiation therapy and the benefits of CBD capsules. The differences between hemp and marijuana include hemp's high CBD, low THC content and the effect of having a fuller spectrum of cannaboid elements in hemp vs. marijuana. Lab testing is important for safe and effective use.

OUTLINE Jeff Dwyer's Introduction and Personal Cancer Journey ●The meeting topic was cannabis care for cancer patients. ●Jeff Dwyer shared his personal story of living with advanced prostate cancer for six years. ●He described his spinal compression fractures, osteoporosis, and the lack of interventional work due to his comorbidities.

●He decided to undergo radiation therapy at the University of Pennsylvania. ●Jeff benefited from an early affiliation with a palliative care organization.

fractures, osteoporosis, and the lack of interventional work due to his comorbidities. ●He decided to undergo radiation therapy at the University of Pennsylvania. ●Jeff benefited from an early affiliation with a palliative care organization. ●He had experience with opioids, including Tramadol and opiate-induced constipation.

●His psychiatrist at Dana Farber suggested he try cannabis for pain management. ●He initially used cannabis edibles with low THC and high CBD, and subsequently had an interest in hemp. Evidence of Cannabis Benefits ●The differences between marijuana and hemp include the low THC and high CBD content of hemp.

“How I Use Hemp to Manage My Cancer Pain” (Jeff Dwyer) [#152] ●The benefits of hemp for medicinal purposes include the concept of the “entourage” effect, getting a broad spectrum of cannabinoids over isolated CBD or THC. ●There is historical and scientific evidence supporting the use of cannabis for pain management, sleep, and anxiety.

●The endocannabinoid system has a role in maintaining homeostasis. ●Lab testing of the quality of hemp products is important. Consumer Tips and Product Recommendations ●Avoid heavily-refined products and check lab test results. ●Source products directly from farms or licensed dispensaries. ●There are potential risks of synthetic cannabinoids and benefits of natural hemp products.

●Individuals will have different responses to cannabis. ●Jeff Dwyer can be reached for questions and support.

“How I Use Hemp to Manage My Cancer Pain” (Jeff Dwyer) [#152] TRANSCRIPT Roger Royse Welcome to this week's meeting of the Cancer Patient Lab. Each week we try to bring you some original content on issues of interest to cancer patients, especially those who are very involved in their own care. We believe engaged patients get better outcomes.

This week we are going to hear from Jeff Dwyer, who's going to lead a discussion about finding and becoming comfortable with care, including cannabis care.

He is a cancer patient himself, as well as some other things, and he has asked the brothers from Western MA Hemp to come along where he gets hemp, CBD, apparently, to explain what makes the cultivation of their hemp different from the majority of businesses, why it's useful, why you should use it, etc. Jeff Dwyer 1:05 I mentioned my story to Brad, and he suggested that I tell it to the group.

This is my sixth year of advanced prostate cancer, and as part of it, I learned that when the prostate cancer progressed into my bone, that I was having spinal compression fractures, I had a few of those, sports-related, when I was younger, but as they started, I did the DEXA scan, found out that I had osteoporosis, went to the spinal Center at Mass General in Boston and got referred to an osteo doc and a neurologist, and basically, because of comorbidities, after an MRI, they looked at it and said, “Yeah, you've got spinal compression fractures.