Taking the fun out of marijuana. - By William Saletan - Slate Magazine »
Posted By chevydog 7 months ago in Science & TechnologySativex is a cannabinoid pharmaceutical product standardized in composition, formulation, and dose, administered by means of an appropriate delivery system, which has been, and continues to be, tested in properly controlled preclinical and clinical studies. Crude herbal cannabis in any form—including a crude extract or tincture—is none of those things.
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chevydog
Chevy is a currently unemployed chemical engineer/MBA who has in the past worked in a variety of engineering and financial positions for major chemical ...
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chevydog7 months ago
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FTA:
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In the case of Sativex, two positions are under attack: the left's lazy tolerance of recreational marijuana in the guise of legalizing medical marijuana and the right's opposition to medical marijuana on the grounds that it's just a pretext. -
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earthlingerer7 months ago
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I'll take the fun out of prescriptions...
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The price for the active ingredient(s) in these products can vary widely. In the US, Marinol costs about $2 per milligram of THC. In Germany, dronabinol goes for about $1 per milligram. In Canada about $0.75 per milligram (about $2 per spray from this Sativex which costs about $125 for 50 sprays.
In the Netherlands, where they actually sell "sterile" marijuana at REAL pharmacies, produced as a pharmaceutical product, and available ONLY by prescription, one milligram of THC costs about $0.06 per milligram.
But when you have medicare paying for it, who needs medical marijuana when you have these processed chemicals?
Who pays for Medicare?-
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chevydog7 months ago
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I don't remember any prices from the article. But it wouldn't surprise me if any of these drugs were expensive. They only constitute a minimal portion of the plant; and it takes some chemical processing to get them.
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i guess I'm one of those sort of on the right who feels that medical marijuana is sort of a pretext. Seems that this is probably the best "put up or shut up" thing I'd seen; hence the posting. One always hears "legalize it and tax it". This looks pretty close to that, except that it does take the romance out. As a cynic, I'd say once one takes the romance and the feeling that one is thumbing one's nose at the law out the demand for this will drop greatly.
As to who pays-- we all do of course. Even if this were covered under standard medical insurance, the rates would be adjusted to include its cost. Of course, if it's really expensive and not covered by insurance, doctors would look really hard to find something cheaper.
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Eagle_Eye7 months ago
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"Do you want the reefer or the spray?" If it is any thing like the marinol, I'll take the reefer which is quicker acting, provides far more control over nausea and pain.
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Seriously, I don't understand why they have to fool with Mother Nature, what God created for medicine should be left alone. They are only doing it to make money and now we know why it is not legal, because the drug companies can't profit off of it.-
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chevydog6 months, 4 weeks ago
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Don't really think that's the case, EE. There are lots of reasons -- all interlocked, interrelated to the point one it's hard to seperate them. Some are not rational, but more emotional. And by and large, we've honored them more in the breach than in the keeping. But drug profits are way down the list. I guess I've never bought into the "Big Pharma" paranoia. Or the organic food thing; or alot of the hype about "natural" whatever .
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This kind of thing does make money however. The quality control is a valid point. Any home-grown thing has more variance to it, even if only in aesthetics. And that variability will from time to time be reflected in the clinicl effect. My own personal opinion is that medical mj is more wanted (for various reasons) than needed. Methinks that this stuff and its cost will tend to take a lot of the "want" out of the picture.
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truthiness6 months, 4 weeks ago
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I'm an epileptic.
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I've consulted with my neurologist on marijuana as an effective secondary drug (meaning it works well in support of other meds but not by itself)
he agrees it works well. that the studies I have cited from other nations are accurate.
he says federal law prevents American studies from occuring, which prevents him from providing me with an accurate recommendation on how much I should use or how often.
it is frustrating to me, to know that effective treatment is available, but that I have to work with a trial an error method because the govt is more concerned with politics than science or health.
none of this is about protecting americans. if it were, they would ask fr the medical studies to know the facts.
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