(Original Title “Cannabis gegen Krebs – Auf den Spuren eines Hypes”)

Cannabis supposedly cures cancer. This rumour has created a hype in the internet – entire websites are dedicated to this topic, internet forums and Facebook groups are full of anecdotal success stories: a 70-year old man, considered a hopeless case by conventional medicine, cured his lung cancer. A 17-year old girl successfully treated her brain tumour with cannabis oil. And amongst all these stories a man named Rick Simpson appears time and again. The Canadian himself claims to have healed his skin cancer with highly concentrated cannabis oil.

But what’s the truth about cannabis? Are the scientific studies by now sufficient enough to replace the treatments of mainstream medicine? Could cancer patients even be spared of chemotherapy in future? 

In search of answers to these questions the filmmakers set out on a journey through Germany, Croatia, Italy, and Israel. They meet vehement supporters of the cannabis-hype, scientists and doctors, and of course the patients who make use of the cannabis treatment in different ways.

Are we tracing a new promising remedy here? Or are the self-titled “healers” playing with the lives of the desperately ill?

  • Written and directed by Wolfram Giese, Julia Zipfel,
  • Camera: Ricardo Garzon Mesa
  • Editing: Lodur Tettenborn
  • Sound: Fabian Helpenstein, Andreas Fitza
  • Mixture: Peer Hoffmann
  • Graphics: Andreas Eisele
  • Production: Rainer Leske
  • Length: 45 min.

A k22film production on behalf of ZDF & 3sat

First broadcast: 12.05.2016