Warning To Medical Marijuana Patients

[Binky]

WARNING TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS LOVED ONES
Re: GW PHARMA & SATIVEX
VEX
From David Bronner, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps

Now approved for the treatment of MS pain in Canada, GW Pharma's
Sativex is a standardized cannabis extract combining a very potent
"marijuana" form of cannabis high in the cannabinoid THC with an
"industrial hemp" form of cannabis high in the cannabinoid CBD. Both
THC and CBD have been found to have medical utility, although THC is
the more famous. GW Pharma has developed a delivery device which
administers a standard titratable dose of the medicine sublingually
under the tongue, and Sativex has cleared with flying colors the
clinical trials for pain with MS patients in the UK, demonstrating
yet again the therapeutic value of medical marijuana. A whole
plant/flower extract of cannabis, Sativex's approval proves to
American law enforcement, legislators and society at large that
American patients are right now legitimately vaporizing medical
marijuana flowers for medical relief of severe symptoms (at least for
pain associated with MS, and soon other conditions/symptoms will have
similar clinical proof of relief).

GW Pharma views its pharmaceutically standardized whole-plant medical
marijuana products as superior and preferable to vaporizing or
smoking medical marijuana flowers to address medical conditions and
symptoms, and is certainly entitled to this view. However, many
patients do not share this view and find that they can titrate their
doses and find relief just fine through vaporizing and smoking the
herbal flowers of the cannabis plant itself. According to GW
Pharma's own literature, dosage and titration of Sativex is highly
variable from individual to indivdual. Vaporizing a preferred
relatively consistent strain of herbal marijauna flowers can also be
easily titrated, and vaporizing in particular largely avoids burning
plant material that results in tars and other carcinogenic compounds
being produced. Patients also find this is much cheaper than paying
through the nose for pharmaceutical products that are in their
judgement no better in the medical relief provided.

If only this difference of opinion could be gentlemanly, live and let
live, where patients who prefer to cultivate and vaporize their
medicine for relief at a much lower cost are free to do so alongside
those who prefer to place their trust in the standardized titratable
liquid medical marijuana extract that GW Pharma offers. Alas, GW
Pharma has partnered with Bayer, and with standard slick industry
marketing PR strategy, has retained former Deputy Director of Demand
Reduction for the Office of National Drug Control Policy Andrea
Barthwell. GW Pharma plans to sick Ms. Barthwell and its attorneys
on medical marijuana advocates and organizations who illustrate the
efficacy of medical marijuana by virtue of GW's standardized
marijuana extract medicines. Most regrettably certain medical
marijuana "patient advocates" and "reformers" also seem to be
involved, although hopefully not because they are investors. GW
Pharma wants to eradicate its main non-patentable competition, and is
perfectly willing to on the one hand champion the incredible history
of safe use of medical marijuana when it suits its marketing
objectives, but on the other contributes to the hysteria maligning
medical marijuana as "unacceptably dangerous" outside of its
standardized extract delivery system it has developed and brought to
market.

GW Pharma's Sativex, along with GW's other medical marijuana products
in development, may just be the next Marinol (synthetic THC in a pill
developed and marketed in the late 1980's), which many patients find
less preferable to addressing their symptoms then vaporizing actual
medical marijuana flowers. With Marinol, the government arbitrarily
rescheduled "synthetic THC in sesame oil developed and sold by
Pharma" out of Schedule I, while leaving medical marijuana flowers in
Schedule I and patients using medical marijuana flowers for relief
subject to all the terrors of the out of control drug war.
Apparently GW Pharma would be more than happy to see the same happen
for its "standardized marijuana extracts sublingually administered,
developed and sold by Pharma, that we don't want to call or associate
with medical marijuana", leaving medical marijuana flowers and
patients subject to the drug war police state as always.

Patient advocates and reformers cannot allow this to happen again.
Patient advocates and reformers need to do some serious
soul-searching to know when quibbling and nit-picking on behalf of GW
Pharma is helpful for patients, and when they are acting as a
smokescreen for the monster GW is becoming. Electoral reform started
out great but turned into a travesty, and that's being paralleled by
GW. It would be great for GW and the reform community to get along,
and agree on a message that GW's products prove on a certain basic
level the medical efficacy of medical marijuana, leaving alone the
route of delivery (i.e. smoking versus vaporizing/sublingual dosing).
Unfortunately, it looks like the reform community has to take on GW's
denial of its products' intrinsic identity with medical marijuana
directly and as a priority. We hope that ASA, CSDP, MPP, DRCNET,
NORML and others have the cajones to do so.

[coco_artist]

As usual Binky, you bring us the news that really matters to us. Thank you.

[Binky]

Thanks kiddo,

Good to see ya still around:)

[darnpj]

Thanks folks,,

just to say Thank you for sharing something that many of us might not have ever seen or heard! You have my hand on your steadfast approach to our cause and as one human to another we are the blocks that will build the road to a better tommorow for us but for the future for sure.
And if we can just get around the small minds that have control of the god given right of our own to make ourself feel better and that it will not bother anyone but the people in control unfortunatly that have the small minds. but We Must Endeavor To Persevere....Sorry did not mean to sound off in your thread. thanks oha masta wehatna. darnpj

[1JoeSky_IVXX]

Another good one Binky

[bobbyD]

when Sativex arrives at my pharmacy i will pick up RX and try it,,, and if it helps me suffer less than i could care less who makes the 50 billion dollars on it i will continue to use it.

Kudos to GW they did what ALL other pharma companies have not done, and that is to conduct a double blind clinical drug trial using a drug made of PURE marijuana they make and PROVED their drug benefitted people with MS.

it is THIS FACT alone that i have to support them for,, they proved peope with MS will have a better life using marijuana.

their testing proved marijuana works,, and i dont think it rerally matters how they got it into us,,, it works,, so it will be good in any form.

personally i have an issue with my lungs, form having pneumonia, a few times,, over the last couple years,,, a Sublingual spray sounds fantastic for me,,, i cant afford a 1000 dollar volcano varorizer,,,

i would also love to try the medical marijuana PATCH when they come out with one,,, or even better long lasting oil capsules.

as far as them getting rich,, well welcome to our society ,, we are based on making money and making businesses,,, its not a criminal act to reap rewards of millions invested,,, specially if your medication shows it is effective,, how many other crap drugs have i been fed that dont work and the pharma giant makes money,,,.

well Bayer owns 48% of it,, the dudes from GW needed cash to make it in the long run,, now they will,, how is this a crime,,,

they are doion what the makers of my Kadian Morphine do,, separating them from the street drugs,,, heroine,, its the same thing basically but they say theirs is medication,,

i will try this drug and if i benefit from it,, i am very happy to make my healthcare system pick up the tab,,,for it as i will continue using it,,,

i will get off the OTHER drugs before i will drop this one over some political positions from some person,,

does the writer of this origional post the DR, , well does he have MS and would he benefit from using Sativex????

if not i would tell him to be quiet and mind his bizness,, go drink his booze,,

ban all alcohol before i will say anything negative about a pure marijuana medication that can possibly help me and be BETTER, Healthier, than if i smoke my pot for the rest of my life,,,

i cant see being helathy and smoke a 1/2 ounce per day for the next 40 years or more.

so i want a pot mister,a pot patch,on my arm,, good strong pot pills,

it woulkd be easier to travel than a suitcase full of pot cookies,,,

bobbyD soon to be Sativex user. ;)

[micah]

Bobby i read an article on a similar product called cannamist. On the site http://www.thevics.com/cannamist.htm, you will find directions to make your own mmj spray. Perhaps you could give us a comparison between the 2 products for other members who are interested in trying Sativex......micah
________
oxygen vaporizer (http://oxygenvaporizer.com)

[nancerella]

Thanks again Binky.

[zigzag1a]

it's alcohol based no good for liver problems.

[Buffalo Bill]

It is all about the almighty dollar! As long as Bayer and the rest of the pharmacuetical industry has major influence in Washington, the Feds will never legalize it for medicinal reasons. Unless the pharms can figure out a way to control the bud business for profit.....

[Grant]

I've said this before and I'll say it again HOARD SEEDS!

If you think you'll be able to find genetics, grow your own or even buy a baggie off a friend in another couple years think again. Corporate greed will rule cannabis from here on in.

Soon Monsanto and Bayer will be in control of seeds for cannabis meds that produce sterile seeds. One off stuff. If you think you will be able to grow your own meds and cut into corporate profits you are only fooling yourself.


I for one am certainly NOT looking forward to smoking corporate meds. That is if you can even smoke what they will offer.

We may soon be able to get relief in a spray bottle but will lose the pleasures and rituals of rolling a doobie and tasting that wonderful flavour.