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| | From: Niddy_Bum (Original Message) | Sent: 5/15/2007 8:43 PM |
MARINOL is approved for two uses. MARINOL treats nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy in patients who have failed to respond adequately to conventional treatments. MARINOL also treats appetite loss associated with weight loss in people who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It attaches to special receptors in the brain—much like a key fits in a lock. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved MARINOL to treat nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy in patients who have failed to respond adequately to conventional treatments. The FDA also approved MARINOL to treat appetite loss associated with weight loss in people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). If you have HIV/AIDS, your health care professional may prescribe MARINOL to help stimulate your appetite. MARINOL is a soft gelatin capsule It is available in three strengths: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg MARINOL must be swallowed whole to work effectively. Do not crush or chew the capsules. Remember to take MARINOL only as directed by your health care professional |
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Marinol, a registered trademark of Unimed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is the commercial name for a product containing dronabinol, an analog of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is a naturally occurring component in cannabis (marijuana) Routes Oral Marinol is an FDA-approved cannabinoid and is prescribed as an appetite stimulant, primarily for AIDS, chemotherapy and Gastric Bypass patients. Compare Sativex, a mouth spray for neuropathic pain of multiple sclerosis sufferers approved for use in Canada and in the US as of 2006. While Marinol can serve as an anti-emitic and appetite booster, its immunomodulative effect should be taken into account in the treatment of any compromised immune condition. Marinol is known to produce side-effects similar to cannabis (marijuana) intoxication. Some have posited that Marinol lacks beneficial properties of cannabis, which contains more than 60 cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD), thought to be the major anti-convulsant that helps multiple sclerosis patients, and cannabichromene (CBC), an anti-inflammatory which may contribute to the pain-killing effect of cannabis. Others have countered that the effects of all of cannabis's cannaboids have not been completely studied and are not fully understood to be beneficial. It takes over one hour for Marinol to reach full effect, compared to minutes for smoked or vaporized cannabis (marijuana). Some patients accustomed to inhaling just enough cannabis smoke to manage symptoms have complained of too-intense intoxication via Marinol's predetermined dosages. This powerful psychoactive effect, however, has led to recreational use of Marinol. Many have said that Marinol produces a more acute psychedelic effect than cannabis. Although Marinol is available for free to those who can demonstrate financial need to Roxane and Unimed Pharmaceuticals, some users have complained that it effectively costs more than cannabis.
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"Medical" Marijuana - The Facts - Medical marijuana already exists. It's called Marinol.
- A pharmaceutical product, Marinol, is widely available through prescription. It comes in the form of a pill and is also being studied by researchers for suitability via other delivery methods, such as an inhaler or patch. The active ingredient of Marinol is synthetic THC, which has been found to relieve the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy for cancer patients and to assist with loss of appetite with AIDS patients.
- Unlike smoked marijuana--which contains more than 400 different chemicals, including most of the hazardous chemicals found in tobacco smoke-Marinol has been studied and approved by the medical community and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the nation's watchdog over unsafe and harmful food and drug products. Since the passage of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act, any drug that is marketed in the United States must undergo rigorous scientific testing. The approval process mandated by this act ensures that claims of safety and therapeutic value are supported by clinical evidence and keeps unsafe, ineffective and dangerous drugs off the market.
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There are no FDA-approved medications that are smoked. For one thing, smoking is generally a poor way to deliver medicine. It is difficult to administer safe, regulated dosages of medicines in smoked form. Secondly, the harmful chemicals and carcinogens that are byproducts of smoking create entirely new health problems. There are four times the level of tar in a marijuana cigarette, for example, than in a tobacco cigarette - Morphine, for example, has proven to be a medically valuable drug, but the FDA does not endorse the smoking of opium or heroin. Instead, scientists have extracted active ingredients from opium, which are sold as pharmaceutical products like morphine, codeine, hydrocodone or oxycodone. In a similar vein, the FDA has not approved smoking marijuana for medicinal purposes, but has approved the active ingredient-THC-in the form of scientifically regulated Marinol.
- The DEA helped facilitate the research on Marinol. The National Cancer Institute approached the DEA in the early 1980s regarding their study of THC's in relieving nausea and vomiting. As a result, the DEA facilitated the registration and provided regulatory support and guidance for the study.
- The DEA recognizes the importance of listening to science. That's why the DEA has registered seven research initiatives to continue researching the effects of smoked marijuana as medicine. For example, under one program established by the State of California, researchers are studying the potential use of marijuana and its ingredients on conditions such as multiple sclerosis and pain. At this time, however, neither the medical community nor the scientific community has found sufficient data to conclude that smoked marijuana is the best approach to dealing with these important medical issues.
- The most comprehensive, scientifically rigorous review of studies of smoked marijuana was conducted by the Institute of Medicine, an organization chartered by the National Academy of Sciences. In a report released in 1999, the Institute did not recommend the use of smoked marijuana, but did conclude that active ingredients in marijuana could be isolated and developed into a variety of pharmaceuticals, such as Marinol.
- In the meantime, the DEA is working with pain management groups, such as Last Acts, to make sure that those who need access to safe, effective pain medication can get the best medication available.
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