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| Marijuana Medicine Tests Pot's Potential |
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Posted by CN Staff on August 01, 2005 at 08:55:20 PT By Susan Taylor Martin, Times Correspondent Source: St. Petersburg Times 
Burlington, Ontario -- Since she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 13 years ago, Alison Myrden has suffered from pain so intense it feels like "lightning going off in my face." To reduce her agony, Myrden, 41, has long taken dozens of prescription pills a day, including the powerful Dilaudin. Now, though, she has a new weapon in her arsenal: Sativex, billed as the world's first cannabis-based drug. "I think it has good potential," says Myrden, squirting Sativex into her mouth from a small sprayer. "It's really fabulous that the government has taken marijuana seriously and is making a medicine of it." This spring, Canada became the first country to approve Sativex, a prescription drug for MS that contains tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and other active ingredients of the Cannabis sativa plant. The drug went on sale throughout Canada in mid June, just a week after the medical marijuana movement in the United States was dealt a major setback by the U.S. Supreme Court. Sativex is so new and expensive that few Canadians are using it so far. But given the timing of its debut, it has highlighted the divergent views on marijuana's therapeutic benefits. Sativex "is an important step, but why should this whole field be centered in Canada and England instead of the United States? It's because of the repression of science in the United States," says Rick Doblin, whose Sarasota-based Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies funds research of marijuana's medical effects. But the U.S. government's Office of National Drug Control Policy, which deems marijuana a dangerous drug, says many of those touting its therapeutic use want to legalize its recreational use as well. "Of course we would look at any medicine proven safe or efficacious," says spokesman Tom Riley. "But the medical marijuana issue has been kind of larded with hype for a number of years by a lot of people with agendas in this area." Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.sptimes.com/2005/08/01/Worldandnation/Marijuana_medicine_te.shtml Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL) CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #17 posted by Hope on August 04, 2005 at 07:22:09 PT |
| Hello. Our voice is getting louder every day. Thanks for joining us. It's hard to speak up when you know that someone would love to snatch you and throw you in a cage for trying to get some relief from your pain. You are very brave, and it does take bravery to vent your opinion in a struggle against punishment mad authorities. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #16 posted by afterburner on August 03, 2005 at 20:51:12 PT |
| You've got mail. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #15 posted by FoM on August 03, 2005 at 20:16:49 PT |
| Welcome to CNews. I too hope that medical marijuana will be legal in all the states. [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #14 posted by Angela42 on August 03, 2005 at 19:45:21 PT:
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| I have alot of health problems. I have used all kinds of things for my fibromyalgia pain, nerve damage and muscle death in my leg, and nothing helps. The pain in my leg is a crushing feeling like I have a truck on it, all the time. I feel that prescription drugs caused the Rhabdomylosis in my leg. I am now in a wheelchair. Whats better to be in a wheelchair from prescription drugs, or be up and walking around and functioning with a little pain relief from Cannabis? I have used cannibas in the US even though it is illegal. I do much better on it than alot of the prescription drugs. It has got to be legalized. I hate having to sneak around and try to find it. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #13 posted by Hempcanadian on August 02, 2005 at 14:12:19 PT |
| test [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #12 posted by dankhank on August 02, 2005 at 11:04:17 PT |
| it'a still up ... 82% ---No [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #11 posted by PainWithNoInsurance on August 01, 2005 at 23:28:34 PT |
| Do you think Marc Emery should be extradited to the U.S.? http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/2005/08/02/1155855-sun.html I urge everyone to cast your vote here. Canada seems to be country that listens to its people (unlike the U.S.) and I urge everyone to vote. Please vote Now. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #10 posted by FoM on August 01, 2005 at 22:13:33 PT |
| Good night to you too. These are trying times. [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #9 posted by runruff on August 01, 2005 at 22:10:35 PT:
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| I go to sleep uneasy knowing that the Bushsnake is still in the white house. Namaste [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by dongenero on August 01, 2005 at 13:40:56 PT |
| I guess that may work where they have universal health care. The the Gov't. can take your tax dollars, pay off the Big Pharma that got them elected and the corruption goes round and round. Just send more tax dollars. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by dongenero on August 01, 2005 at 13:36:50 PT |
| $125....3 1/2 days......sorry. What a deal.
[ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by dongenero on August 01, 2005 at 13:35:46 PT |
| MS pateient Myrden goes on to say in the article: "I'm really excited this is available," she says of Sativex, "but you have to realize the natural form is just as good if not better." I'm guessing that $150 worth of raw cannabis used in a vaporizer would last far longer than 3 days. If you could grow your own, $150 goes a long way. Buy a couple packs of quality seeds, create hundreds more seeds from your first grow and never have to spend another dime except for some organic fertilizer or electricity and light bulbs if you grow indoors. Oooo the big pharmaceuticals surely hate that idea! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by jose melendez on August 01, 2005 at 13:21:40 PT |
| From the photo caption: "A sprayer of Sativex, billed as the first cannabis-based drug, costs multiple sclerosis patient Alison Myrden of Canada $125 and lasts 3 1/2 days. " . . . and they wonder that we call them CORRUPT! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by potpal on August 01, 2005 at 13:19:53 PT |
| Sent this to the sptimes...
http://www.conquestdesign.com/uncler/index.html [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by potpal on August 01, 2005 at 11:21:56 PT |
| Sativex...billed as the world's first cannabis-based drug. NOT.
http://www.medicalmarijuanaprocon.org/pop/history.htm
http://www.jackherer.com/chapter06.html Maybe, only if you discount the use of the herb itself. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on August 01, 2005 at 10:50:54 PT |
| "That it comes in spray form and is obtainable only by prescription "is a little more reassuring because it's less apt to be abused," says Dr. William McIlroy, the society's medical adviser. "The majority of doctors in Canada don't want to be known as the primary source of smoked marijuana." What? Hasn't Dr. McIlroy read the published study on the Volcano vaporizer? I guess he isn't too strong on keeping up with scientific research to help his patients. Sounds like an incompetent doctor to me. What else has he missed that could help his patients? I would never want to spend my money on a closed-minded professional, in any field. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by Jim Lunsford on August 01, 2005 at 09:26:00 PT |
| No one has ever used a prescription drug for pleasure! Valiums, xanex, qualudes, oxycotin, etc. All for pleasurable highs which frequently turn lethal. However, for a drug which has never resulted in an overdose, and quite likely has hundreds of medicinal purposes, as well as spiritual, we can't be having people get high! Ignore the government! Render unto Ceasar what is his. Which is nothing! Wage peace! Reverend Jim [ Post Comment ] |
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