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Friday, July 11, 2008

Big Pharma Is in a Frenzy to Bring Cannabis-Based Medicines to Market

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By Paul Armentano, AlterNet. Posted July 5, 2008.

While the the American Medical Association claims pot has no medical value, Big Pharma is busy getting patents for marijuana products.


Stop Arresting Smokers
The US government's longstanding denial of medical marijuana research and use is an irrational and morally bankrupt public policy. On this point, few Americans disagree. As for the question of "why" federal officials maintain this inflexible and inhumane policy, well that's another story

One of the more popular theories seeking to explain the Feds' seemingly inexplicable ban on medical pot goes like this: Neither the US government nor the pharmaceutical industry will allow for the use of medical marijuana because they can't patent it or profit from it.

It's an appealing theory, yet I've found it to be neither accurate nor persuasive. Here's why.

First, let me state the obvious. Big Pharma is busily applying for -- and has already received -- multiple patents for the medical properties of pot. These include patents for synthetic pot derivatives (such as the oral THC pill Marinol), cannabinoid agonists (synthetic agents that bind to the brain's endocannabinoid receptors) like HU-210 and cannabis antagonists such as Rimonabant. This trend was most recently summarized in the NIH paper (pdf), "The endocannabinoid system as an emerging target of pharmacotherapy," which concluded, "The growing interest in the underlying science has been matched by a growth in the number of cannabinoid drugs in pharmaceutical development from two in 1995 to 27 in 2004." In other words, at the same time the American Medical Association is proclaiming that pot has no medical value, Big Pharma is in a frenzy to bring dozens of new, cannabis-based medicines to market.

Not all of these medicines will be synthetic pills either. Most notably, GW Pharmaceutical's oral marijuana spray, Sativex, is a patented standardized dose of natural cannabis extracts. (The extracts, primarily THC and the non-psychoactive, anxiolytic compound CBD, are taken directly from marijuana plants grown at an undisclosed, company warehouse.)

Does Big Pharma's sudden and growing interest in the research and development of pot-based medicines mean that the industry is proactively supporting marijuana prohibition? Not if they know what's good for them. Let me explain.

First, any and all cannabis-based medicines must be granted approval from federal regulatory bodies such as the US Food and Drug Administration -- a process that remains as much based on politics as it is on scientific merit. Chances are that a government that is unreasonably hostile toward the marijuana plant will also be unreasonably hostile toward sanctioning cannabis-based pharmaceuticals.

A recent example of this may be found in the Medicine and Health Products Regulatory Agency's recent denial of Sativex as a prescription drug in the United Kingdom. (Sativex's parent company, GW Pharmaceuticals, is based in London.) In recent years, British politicians have taken an atypically hard-line against the recreational use of marijuana -- culminating in Prime Minister Gordon Brown's declaration that today's pot is now of "lethal quality." (Shortly thereafter, Parliament elected to stiffen criminal penalties on the possession of the drug from a verbal warning to up to five years in jail.) In such an environment is it any wonder that British regulators have steadfastly refused to legalize a pot-based medicine, even one with an impeccable safety record like Sativex? Conversely, Canadian health regulators -- who take a much more liberal view toward the use of natural cannabis and oversee its distribution to authorized patients -- recently approved Sativex as a prescription drug.

Of course, gaining regulatory approval is only half the battle. The real hurdle for Big Pharma is finding customers for its product. Here again, a culture that is familiar with and educated to the use therapeutic cannabis is likely going to be far more open to the use of pot-based medicines than a population still stuck in the grip of "Reefer Madness."

Will those patients who already have first-hand experience with the use of medical pot switch to a cannabis-based pharmaceutical if one becomes legally available? Maybe not, but these individuals comprise only a fraction of the US population. Certainly many others will -- including many older patients who would never the desire to try or the access to obtain natural cannabis. Bottom line: regardless of whether pot is legal or not, cannabis-based pharmaceuticals will no doubt have a broad appeal.

But wouldn't the legal availability of pot encourage patients to use fewer pharmaceuticals overall? Perhaps, though likely not to any degree that adversely impacts Big Pharma's bottom line. Certainly most individuals in the Netherlands, Canada, and in California -- three regions where medical pot is both legal and easily accessible on the open market -- use prescription drugs, not cannabis for their ailments. Further, despite the availability of numerous legal healing herbs and traditional medicines such as Echinacea, Witch Hazel, and Eastern hemlock most Americans continue to turn to pharmaceutical preparations as their remedies of choice.

Should the advent of legal, alternative pot-based medicines ever warrant or justify the criminalization of patients who find superior relief from natural cannabis? Certainly not. But, as the private sector continues to move forward with research into the safety and efficacy of marijuana-based pharmaceuticals, it will become harder and harder for the government and law enforcement to maintain their absurd and illogical policy of total pot prohibition.

Of course, were it not for advocates having worked for four decades to legalize medical cannabis, it's unlikely that anyone -- most especially the pharmaceutical industry -- would be turning their attention toward the development and marketing of cannabis-based therapeutics. That said, I won't be holding my breath waiting for any royalty checks.

Oh yeah, and as for those who claim that the US government can't patent medical pot, check out the assignee for US Patent #6630507.

__________________________________________________ _____


Inventor(s)

* Hampson, Aidan J.
* Axelrod, Julius
* Grimaldi, Maurizio

Assignee

* The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services

Application
No. 09/674028 filed on 02/02/2001

Current US Class
514/454Tricyclo ring system having the hetero ring as one of the cyclos

Field of Search
514/454Tricyclo ring system having the hetero ring as one of the cyclos

Examiners
Primary: Weddington, Kevin E.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

* Klarquist Sparkman, LLP

US Patent References
2304669, 4876276, (3S-4S)-7-hydroxy-Ɗ6 -tetrahydrocannabinols
Issued on: 10/24/1989
Inventor: Mechoulam, et al.5227537, Method for the production of 6,12-dihydro-6-hydroxy-cannabidiol and the use thereof for the production of trans-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
Issued on: 07/13/1993
Inventor: Stoss, et al.5284867, NMDA-blocking pharmaceutical compositions
Issued on: 02/08/1994
Inventor: Kloog, et al.5434295, Neuroprotective pharmaceutical compositions of 4-phenylpinene derivatives and certain novel 4-phenylpinene compounds
Issued on: 07/18/1995
Inventor: Mechoulam, et al.5462946, Nitroxides as protectors against oxidative stress
Issued on: 10/31/1995
Inventor: Mitchell, et al.5512270, Method of inhibiting oxidants using alkylaryl polyether alcohol polymers
Issued on: 04/30/1996
Inventor: Ghio, et al.5521215, NMDA-blocking pharmaceuticals
Issued on: 05/28/1996
Inventor: Mechoulam, et al.5538993, Certain tetrahydrocannabinol-7-oic acid derivatives
Issued on: 07/23/1996
Inventor: Mechoulam, et al.5635530, (3S,4S)-delta-6-tetrahydrocannabinol-7-oic acids and derivatives thereof, processors for their preparation and pharmaceutical compositions containing them
Issued on: 06/03/1997
Inventor: Mechoulam, et al.5696109, Synthetic catalytic free radical scavengers useful as antioxidants for prevention and therapy of disease
Issued on: 12/09/1997
Inventor: Malfroy-Camine, et al.6410588Use of cannabinoids as anti-inflammatory agents
Issued on: 06/25/2002
Inventor: Feldmann, et al.

International class
A61K 31/35 (20060101)

 

 

 

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He Is a Fantastic Writer and Is Covering the WSOP or the W.S.O.P for Taopoker.com .
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Iggy the Midget Survives and Cashes at the WSOP

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Congrats to Iggy the Midget for cashing at the Wsop and Surviving thru to day 4.

 

Posted by compncards
Day 3 Concludes

1,307 players started Day 3 of this year's Main Event. Brian Schaedlich started the day in the chip lead, but as fate would have it he would finish the day with only 22,000. The money bubble burst with Steve Chung being the unfortunate bubble boy. On a brighter note for Chung, he will not leave totally empty-handed. His seat for next year's Main Event is locked in, courtesy of Harrah's.

A new chip leader emerged in Jeremy Joseph, who enters Day 4 with 1,470,000 in chips. Jeremiah Smith, Owen Crowe, Alexander Kostritsyn, and Dag Martin Mikkelsen round out the top five in chips. Many pros were eliminated today including Jennifer Harman, Vanessa Rousso, Phil Gordon, and Thor Hansen. Two prior Main Event champions remain in the field. Phil Hellmuth will enter Day 4 looking for his 12th bracelet, while Johnny Chan will seek his 11th bracelet and third Main Event Championship.

Due to an extended bubble period, Day 4 will start Friday at 1 p.m. PDT. As always, PokerNews will be here to bring you all the exciting action. Please join us next time as we march towards a new World Champion.

Iggy the Midget Survives and Cashes at the WSOP

Welcome to the Donkey Show.

Congrats to Iggy the Midget for cashing at the Wsop and Surviving thru to day 4.

 

 

Posted by compncards
Day 3 Concludes

1,307 players started Day 3 of this year's Main Event. Brian Schaedlich started the day in the chip lead, but as fate would have it he would finish the day with only 22,000. The money bubble burst with Steve Chung being the unfortunate bubble boy. On a brighter note for Chung, he will not leave totally empty-handed. His seat for next year's Main Event is locked in, courtesy of Harrah's.

A new chip leader emerged in Jeremy Joseph, who enters Day 4 with 1,470,000 in chips. Jeremiah Smith, Owen Crowe, Alexander Kostritsyn, and Dag Martin Mikkelsen round out the top five in chips. Many pros were eliminated today including Jennifer Harman, Vanessa Rousso, Phil Gordon, and Thor Hansen. Two prior Main Event champions remain in the field. Phil Hellmuth will enter Day 4 looking for his 12th bracelet, while Johnny Chan will seek his 11th bracelet and third Main Event Championship.

Due to an extended bubble period, Day 4 will start Friday at 1 p.m. PDT. As always, PokerNews will be here to bring you all the exciting action. Please join us next time as we march towards a new World Champion.

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

The World Health Organization Documents Failure of U.S. Drug

The World Health Organization Documents Failure of U.S. Drug Policies
Bruce Mirken
RINF
Tuesday 08 Jul 2008


The United States has some of the world’s most punitive drug policies and has led the cheering section for tough “war on drugs” policies worldwide, but a new international study suggests that those policies have been a crashing failure. A World Health Organization survey of 17 countries, conducted by some of the world’s leading substance abuse researchers, found that we have the highest rates of marijuana and cocaine use.

The numbers are startling. In the United States, 42.4 percent admitted having used marijuana. The only other nation that came close was New Zealand, another bastion of get-tough policies, at 41.9 percent. No one else was even close. The results for cocaine use were similar, with the United States leading the world by a large margin.

This study is important because it’s the first time a respected international group has surveyed drug use around the world, using the same questions and procedure everywhere. While many countries have their own drug use surveys, the questions and methodology vary, and comparisons between countries are difficult. This new study eliminates that problem.
Some of the most striking numbers are from the Netherlands, where adults are permitted to possess a small of marijuana and purchase it from regulated businesses. Some U.S. officials have claimed that these Dutch policies have created some sort of decadent cesspool of drug abuse, but the new study demolishes such assertions: In the Netherlands, only 19.8 percent have used marijuana, less than half the U.S. figure.


Even more striking is what the researchers found when they asked young adults when they had started using marijuana. Again, the United States led the world, with 20.2 percent trying marijuana by age 15. No other country was even close, and in the Netherlands, just 7 percent used marijuana by 15 — roughly one-third of the U.S. figure.
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy tried to dismiss the study, Bloomberg News reported:


Trying to find a link between drug use and drug enforcement doesn’t make sense, said Tom Riley, spokesman for the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy in Washington. “The U.S. has high crime rates but we spend a lot on law enforcement and prison,” Riley said yesterday in a telephone interview. “Should we spend less? We’re just a different kind of country. We have higher drug use rates, a higher crime rate, many things that go with a highly free and mobile society.”

Funny, ONDCP takes precisely the opposite line whenever a state considers liberalizing its marijuana laws. In a March press release, deputy Drug Czar Scott Burns railed against a New Hampshire proposal to decriminalize marijuana, saying such a move “sends the wrong message to New Hampshire’s youth, students, parents, public health officials and the law enforcement community,” and would lead to “more drugs, drug users and drug dealers on their streets and communities.”

Back in 2002, denouncing a proposed marijuana law reform in Nevada, ONDCP distributed a list of talking points to prosecutors specifically slamming the “extremely dubious” Dutch system of regulated sales, saying, “Increased availability of marijuana leads to increased use of marijuana and other drugs.”

In fact, ONCDP’s latest excuse for the failure of U.S. drug policies — that enforcement and penalties don’t really have much effect on rates of use — is probably just about right. But it also dynamites any justification for our current marijuana laws. The WHO researchers put it this way:

The U.S., which has been driving much of the world’s drug research and drug policy agenda, stands out with higher levels of use of alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis, despite punitive illegal drug policies. … The Netherlands, with a less criminally punitive approach to cannabis use than the US, has experienced lower levels of use, particularly among younger adults. Clearly, by itself, a punitive policy towards possession and use accounts for limited variation in nation level rates of illegal drug use.”
For this we arrest 830,000 Americans a year on marijuana charges?
http://rinf.com/alt-news/culture/th...-policies/4050/

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McCain

"Bush's 3rd Term"

PageRank? What about Page Rank

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I find it funny that over the last 5 days All we have been hearing from all the Poker Bloggers is something about Page rank and Google.  page rank Who gives a fuck about their page rank ohh yeah all the Poker Blogger shills care about their page rank cause they aren't writing just for the hell of it.

I mean I would care about my page rank but then This Donkey Show sucks so I don't have to worry about the Donkey Shows page rank.  page rank isn't what it is all about. Stop Worrying about your page rank cause it will not Improve your page rank one bit because the first rule of Page Rank is to Not talk about page rank.

Right there Folks is your Big Problem Don't break the #1st rule of page rank and maybe your page rank might Improve. Yes you got that right don't talk about page rank and maybe your page rank will get better. Better yet everyone keep Complaining about your page rank cause that is always fun to read 20 fucking bloggers complaining about their page rank and how Google is Bending them over with out a Kiss first.

 

Head on over To Dr Pauly’s Tao of Poker. To read the Best Poker Blogger there is. I am Guessing Pauly isn't worried about his page rank.

He Is a Fantastic Writer and Is Covering the WSOP or the W.S.O.P for Taopoker.com .
So Stop reading My crap and head over and read Dr Pauly’s Tao of Poker.

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Monday, July 07, 2008

THINGS THAT ARE DOWNRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHEN DRUNK

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THINGS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN DRUNK

1. Innovative
2. Preliminary
3. Proliferation
4. Cinnamon

THINGS THAT ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN DRUNK

1. Specificity
2. Anti-constitutionalistically
3. Passive-aggressive disorder
4. Transubstantiate

THINGS THAT ARE DOWNRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHEN DRUNK

1. No thanks, I'm married.
2. Nope, no more booze for me!
3. Sorry, but you're not really my type.
4. Taco
Bell ? No thanks, I'm not hungry.
5. Good evening, officer. Isn't it lovely out tonight?
6. Oh, I couldn't! No one wants to hear me sing karaoke.
7. I'm not interested in fighting you.
8. Thank you, but I won't make any attempt to dance, I have no coordination. I'd hate to look like a fool!
9. Where is the nearest bathroom? I refuse to pee in this parking lot or on the side of the road.
10. I must be going home now, as I have to work in the morning.

Head on over To Dr Pauly’s Tao of Poker. To read the Best Poker Blogger there is.

He Is a Fantastic Writer and Is Covering the WSOP or the W.S.O.P for Taopoker.com .
So Stop reading My crap and head over and read Dr Pauly’s Tao of Poker.

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