The National Cancer Institute recently added these cannabis studies to their page !

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I don't like alcohol and take no pharmaceuticals but when my only child died I started using cannabis at night to stimulate my appetite and help me sleep. I accepted the fact that when I start nursing school next year I will have to quit. This article however seems to point to the fact that I might actually be DAMAGING my health by no longer using cannabinoids. My father is a daily (pot) smoker and is 80 yrs old, works his own construction co., plays in two tennis leagues and goes out to listen to jazz three nights a week. He also is in perfect health and takes nothing more than an occasional aspirin. THAT is anecdotal, but the fact that they did controlled studies on 84,000 males and found marijuana smokers had a 45% lower bladder cancer rate is not. Here is the meat of the article and I will link it as well for those who want to read the whole thing.

"Antitumor activity

Studies in mice and rats have shown that cannabinoids may inhibit tumor growth by causing cell death, blocking cell growth, and blocking the development of blood vessels needed by tumors to grow. Laboratory and animal studieshave shown that cannabinoids may be able to kill cancer cells while protecting normal cells.
A study in mice showed that cannabinoids may protect against inflammation of the colon and may have potential in reducing the risk of colon cancer, and possibly in its treatment.
A laboratory study of delta-9-THC in hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) cells showed that it damaged or killed the cancer cells. The same study of delta-9-THC in mouse models of liver cancer showed that it had antitumoreffects. Delta-9-THC has been shown to cause these effects by acting on molecules that may also be found in non-small cell lung cancer cells and breast cancer cells.
A laboratory study of cannabidiol (CBD) in estrogen receptor positive and estrogen receptor negative breast cancer cells showed that it caused cancer cell death while having little effect on normal breast cells. Studies in mouse models of metastatic breast cancer showed that cannabinoids may lessen the growth, number, and spread of tumors.
A laboratory study of cannabidiol (CBD) in human glioma cells showed that when given along with chemotherapy, CBD may make chemotherapy more effective and increase cancer cell death without harming normal cells. Studies in mouse models of cancer showed that CBD together with delta-9-THC may make chemotherapy such astemozolomide more effective.