A British man who used cannabis oil to treat 12 cancerous brain tumors has been given incredible news. George Gannon has been told that he is now “essentially cancer-free” after using the oil for three months.

Gannon chose to use the oil after chemotherapy left him feeling drained. The Brit says that the traditional method of treatment caused his health to deteriorate further. In a desperate attempt to try something different, he started using cannabis oil in December. Just two months later, he had quit chemotherapy.

The British cancer survivor previously enjoyed living on the palm tree-speckled Island of Koh Pha Ngan in the Kingdom of Thailand. Medical cannabis was legalized in Thailand back in December, where activists are currently pushing for complete legalization of the plant.

After receiving a diagnosis in Thailand, Gannon flew back to the U.K. The National Health Service (NHS) prescribed him with a strong dose of chemotherapy tablets. However, it did little to boost his health and instead, left him feeling drained and unable to fight the disease.

Little did he know that just a few months after being told he had months to live, the 30-year old would be receiving the best MRI scan results he could have possibly imagined. Following just three months of self-administering himself with cannabis oil, and a low dose of chemotherapy during the end of April, the doctors were stunned to discover that all 12 tumors had stopped growing.

“It was quite surreal, I was shaking like a leaf. It was the best news we could have ever imagined,” Gannon said during an interview with the Southern Daily Echo. “Back in December I was told I probably wouldn’t survive. The doctor literally said it was the best day of his medical career. Now I’m ‘essentially’ cancer free in less than a year.”

Cannabis for cancer: British cancer survivor said chemotherapy was “destroying” him

Chemotherapy is a common method of treatment for cancer, although the effects are often as debilitating as the disease itself. Nausea, chronic pain, fatigue and hair loss are just some examples of the negative side effects.

“The medication I was being subscribed was literally destroying me. I looked like the poster person for cancer, I was so ill. It all got very dark,” said Gannon, adding that, “It felt as though the doctors assumed I didn’t have long left and just kind of gave up. There were talks of me going into a hospice at one point.”

Although the doctors told him that it was just a matter of time before the cancer completely consumed his body and ultimately stole his life, Mr Gannon and his partner Natalie decided to take matters into their own hands. They maintained the faith and believed that if he used cannabis oil three times daily it would have a significant effect on tumor growth; they were correct.

The couple wound up spending approximately £1,300 per month on using cannabis oil to treat cancer. This is equivalent to around $1,600 dollars.

“I started to feel like a completely new person, but I had no idea if I was well or not. I suddenly had more energy and was behaving like normal, I could tell something had shifted but I wasn’t sure,” said Gannon.

“The long-awaited MRI results simply blew the doctors minds, not to mention ours. In short, I am essentially cancer-free in less than a year and they want to write journals and all sorts,” he continued excitedly.

Cannabis for cancer: Cannabinoids are natural therapeutic powerhouses

Gannon says he noticed the therapeutic effects soon after using cannabis oil, which has been shown to possess anti-nausea, antipsychotic, anxiolytic and anti-inflammatory properties in animal studies.

Although further studies on humans are required to fully assess the potential of using cannabinoids to treat cancer, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has already confirmed that cannabinoids demonstrate an ability to hinder cancerous cell growth and even cause cell death, all the while ensuring that healthy cells remain intact.

In spite of the fact that cannabis oil has played a significant role in restoring his health, Gannon says says that he does not want to make too many claims about it being a cure just yet. After all, patients who are diagnosed with cancer may continue to live with the disease lying dormant in their system for years.

“When you have cancer, you never fully get rid of it. I don’t want to hype it up too much but it’s more than obvious cannabis oil works well. I mean, it’s cleared 12 tumours in less than a year.”