Cannabis News
Olivia Newton-John: Living with chronic ilnness and advocating for medical cannabis
After living with chronic illness for years, medical cannabis advocate Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully last week at her home in Southern California.
The Australian actor’s husband John Easterling used her Facebook page to make the announcement.
“Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends.
We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.
Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer.”
Most famous for her role as Sandy in the musical ‘Grease’, the British-born actor passed away on 8th August, after a long battle with breast cancer.
In an interview with Who magazine in the week leading up to her death, she revealed how she stays ‘positive’ despite her condition and advocates for the legalisation of medical cannabis in her home of Australia.
“I focus on the positive side of things, no matter what the challenge,” Newton-John was quoted as saying. “Positive thinking is so important to living a healthy and happy life.”
To help with her symptoms, her husband grew medical cannabis himself on their ranch in the States, where it is already legal.
Chronic illness: Imagine the possibilities
She first opened up in an interview with Good Housekeeping in 2019, and later that year in another Australian publication said: “Medical cannabis is something that should be available to everyone who is living with chronic illness or pain.”
To help raise awareness for the efficacy of medical cannabis with cancer patients and to lobby governments, Newton-John used her platform to start a number of initiatives.
Namely the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre and the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund were setup to fund and help research both medical cannabis, and its use with treating cancer.
After launching the foundation, the actor said: “During the last seven years, cannabis supplements and plant medicine have made a huge difference in my recovery. “
“I’ve been fascinated to learn that there are 100,000 species of plants in the Amazon rainforest alone.”
“And of those 100,000 plants, only three per cent have been studied and used for the healing value. Imagine the possibilities.”
“I have lost way too many friends and loved ones to cancer, and it has totally strengthened my resolve to find the answers in the plant kingdom.”
Numerous studies are ongoing both state-side and here in the UK to discover the secrets of cannabinoids and how they interact with the cannabinoid receptors in the human body.
