Daily Bell: In 2011 you revealed in the documentary "Clearing the Smoke: The Science of Cannabis" that you had cancer. How are you feeling these days? Is the cancer gone or in remission?

Dr. Grinspoon: No, I still have it. I'm getting a second treatment because I have developed some metastases. But I'm feeling all right, doing my work. I'm feeling pretty good.

Daily Bell: Let's discuss cancer treatments for a moment. You have seen firsthand how effective marijuana can be in alleviating the negative effects of chemotherapy. Can marijuana also be an effective treatment for cancer, as some would suggest?

Dr. Grinspoon: I think the answer to that question is not yet available. There's no question about the usefulness of cannabis in the treatment of cancer but the unquestionable use has to do with its capacity for palliation. For example, many people with cancer have to get chemotherapy, and some of these cancer chemotherapeutics are very, very difficult, primarily from the point of view of nausea and vomiting and cannabis will help alleviate that or will do away with that. It's remarkable. It's also very useful for pain, for depression and has a number of uses. It enhances appetite, for example, for people who've lost their appetite so I highly recommend it for people who have cancer.