Sativex...and its legallity?

[rotax]

I just read a new article about Sativex, made with CANNABIS. Grown "secretly".
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...Germany-launch-for-cannabis-drug-Sativex.html

So, this large pharma company can GROW an illegal substance, extract its THC into a tincture of sorts, give it a new name, and SELL the Cannabis under that name....and not get put in prison for life???

Does law enforcement not concern themselves with these "secret" grow ops/farms? And why? Are they paid off?
For something of this size, they've got to have LOTS of plants to support this, why wouldn't that draw attention of DEA?
And just as this Sativex product gets big, the feds raid a bunch of state run MMJ operations/businesses...hmmm And Legislature tries to ban/repeal states MMJ laws already in place. Hmmmm.... Wonder what the gov-big pharm wants to peddle onto all those MMJ patients.

Growing cannabis in secret is OK, just as long as you re-brand your end product w/ a new name, got it!

I bet cannabis's Schedule 1 status doesn't change, but why wouldn't Sativex be put under the same status?

This countries government has zero respect from me anymore, such a cluster f, and full of money grubbers. As long as we get a hefty pay off, we'll look the other way. What a great example to give to the rest of the citizens let alone people of the world.

 

[Nycdeisel]

Where are you located? You do realize this has not much to do with the US.

I have heard about this drug, and was looking forward to hearing new info about it since its the first pharmaceutical product anywhere as far as I know to use real botanical cannabis(in the US there are certain synthetic cannabinoid pills from one or a few big pharma companies) as an ingredient.

Besides that I cant say anything else about it as I really dont know much. just that you thought the US feds should be involved in something overseas(dont know that they are not involved with anything thats not in this part of the world though)

 

[VWFringe]

i love it,
from wikipedia...
"The product has been exported from the UK to a total of 28 countries to date."

important to note this company is in the UK, and i don't think they're exporting to the USA, but have been to Canada for some time.

You will and already can see a LOT of spin on stories about this company, so take it with a grain of salt, they're basically just a grow-op with legal pharma standing in the UK who said they were starting by trying to breed a strain with no THC, then they were going to build their phenotype from there. So it probably sounded good to government officials. I don't know much about cannabis in the UK.

EDIT: I understand the objections of the cannabis user community to the idea of big pharma taking over, but I think if the public starts clamoring for something like this it will only serve to shed light on the current mis-information campaign.

 

[WatTyler]

Not quite the same 'cos I don't think Sativex get's you high. I think it's separated specific cannabinoids and explicitly excludes THC. It seems to be a different 'flavour' to the medical research over here (UK)- more about trying to get the beneficial physiological effects without the high.

And I understand GW Pharmaceuticals has a license from the UK Home Office. It's top secret to the public, not Government.

If the DEA want to come and stick their nose in on my soil, well I'll have something to say about that! I've heard of the 'special relationship' but we're not the DEA's bitch quite yet

But hey, Sativex seems a great drug for some sufferers. And it's a valid product- not everyone wants to get high when taking medicine for their Multiple Scerosis, especially if they've got to drive or focus at work. I can't really argue against research into the beneficial potential of the different cannabinoids in a pharmecutical context. I guess it's the big corpprate pharma business aspect that doesn't sit well with folk, but that's modern global life, love it or hate it. It's still principally about healing, and it's a different issue to the fucked up politics and legality issues. I don't wanna deny people their cannabinoids, and if they want a non-psycho active extract that's fine with me too.

Edit, crikey, I'm slow again. It was just the OP when i started typing......

What I wrote above is largely bollocks. I followed VW's wikipedia link and saw that it does actually have THC. I had read about it years ago and must have got the wrong idea or something

Each spray of Sativex delivers a fixed dose of 2.7 mg THC and 2.5 mg CBD.

 

[VWFringe]

viva la THC!

yeah, i remember hearing they were working to develop a strain with no THC, and I reached for my balls

glad that didn't happen

 

[rotax]

Thanks, good info. Wasn't aware it was a UK product, thus less DEA intrusion and scheduling conflicts. Not that country borders have stopped DEA before. Example: Mark Emery a Canadian who was removed from his country and put into US prison...for selling seeds.

Anyway, thanks for the additional info. The "non-high" logic is a good one.

But there are US politicians supporting this drug as a way to fight "medical marijuana" laws in my state.
I just don't believe anyones ONLY option to medicine should be via pharmacutical companies. Specially cannabis, which ANYONE can grow/produce. And thats what many anti-[medical] cannabis groups are saying. "Why do we need medical marijuana if there is Sativex/Marinol?" as if supporting pharma companies is the only option people should support.


I still find it shady that a pharma company can get away with huge secret grow ops...
I'm probably being too hard on it, it is prob a good thing, but saying that ONLY a pharma company can get away with it is the true issue I have with it I guess.