Please see my recent blog regarding the US patent in 2003 by the Federal government for CBD. In addition, the patent boldly also states the many benefits of CBD and other cannabinoids.

The application was applied for April 21, 1999 and was finalizing in 2003. The findings were published in Drugs R D. 2003;4(5):306-309 which is almost 10 years ago and I have wondered why this happened at that time. Well, this article, explains very clearly that GW was looking for and obtained support and I presume a lot of cash from Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Bayer was involved with GW before 2003 and the patent by the Feds in 2003 is no coincidence. Please read here, the abstract of GW Pharmaceuticals actions.

Here is the text of the abstract from the study:

Cannabis-Based Medicines – GW Pharmaceuticals: High CBD,
High THC, Medicinal Cannabis – GW Pharmaceuticals, THC:CBD

Drugs R D. 2003;4(5):306-309

ABSTRACT

GW Pharmaceuticals is undertaking a major research programme in the UK to develop and market distinct cannabis-based prescription medicines [THC:CBD, High THC, High CBD] in a range of medical conditions. The cannabis for this programme is grown in a secret location in the UK.It is expected that the product will be marketed in the US in late 2003. GW’s cannabis-based products include selected phytocannabinoids from cannabis plants, including D9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). The company is investigating their use in three delivery systems, including sublingual spray, sublingual tablet and inhaled (but not smoked) dosage forms. The technology is protected by patent applications. Four different formulations are currently being investigated, including High THC, THC:CBD (narrow ratio), THC:CBD (broad ratio) and High CBD. GW is also developing a specialist security technology that will be incorporated in all its drug delivery systems. This technology allows for the recording and remote monitoring of patient usage to prevent any potential abuse of its cannabis-based medicines.GW plans to enter into agreements with other companies following phase III development, to secure the best commercialisation terms for its cannabis-based medicines. In June 2003, GW announced that exclusive commercialisation rights for the drug in the UK had been licensed to Bayer AG. The drug will be marketed under the Sativex((R)) brand name. This agreement also provides Bayer with an option to expand their license to include the European Union and certain world markets.GW was granted a clinical trial exemption certificate by the Medicines Control Agency to conduct clinical studies with cannabis-based medicines in the UK. The exemption includes investigations in the relief of pain of neurological origin and defects of neurological function in the following indications: multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal cord injury, peripheral nerve injury, central nervous system damage, neuroinvasive cancer, dystonias, cerebral vascular accident and spina bifida, as well as for the relief of pain and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis and also pain relief in brachial plexus injury. The UK Government stated that it would be willing to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 to permit the introduction of a cannabis-based medicine.GW stated in its 2002 Annual Report that it was currently conducting five phase III trials of its cannabis derivatives, including a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a sublingual spray containing High THC in more than 100 patients with cancer pain in the UK. Also included is a phase III trial of THC:CBD (narrow ratio) being conducted in patients with severe pain due to brachial plexus injury, as are two more phase III trials of THC:CBD (narrow ratio) targeting spasticity and bladder dysfunction in multiple sclerosis patients. Another phase III trial of THC:CBD (narrow ratio) in patients with spinal cord injury is also being conducted. Results from the trials are expected during 2003.Three additional trials are also in the early stages of planning. These trials include a phase I trial of THC:CBD (broad ratio) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, a phase I trial of High CBD in patients with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, and a preclinical trial of High CBD in various CNS disorders (including epilepsy, stroke and head injury).GW Pharmaceuticals submitted an application for approval of cannabis-based medicines to UK regulatory authorities in March 2003. Originally GW hoped to market cannabis-based prescription medicines by 2004, but is now planning for a launch in the UK towards the end of 2003.Several trials for GW’s cannabis derivatives have also been completed, including four randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III clinical trials conducted in the UK. The trials were initiated by GW in April 2002, to investigate the use of a sublingual spray containing THC:CBD (narrow ratio) in the following medical conditions: pain in spinal cord injury, pain and sleep in MS and spinal cord injury, neurop spinal cord injury, neuropathic pain in MS and general neuropathic pain (presented as allodynia). Results from these trials show that THC:CBD (narrow ratio) caused statistically significant reductions in neuropathic pain in patients with MS and other conditions. In addition, improvements in other MS symptoms were observed as well.Phase II studies of THC:CBD (narrow ratio) have also been completed in patients with MS, spinal cord injury, neuropathic pain and a small number of patients with peripheral neuropathy secondary to diabetes mellitus or AIDS. A phase II trial of THC:CBD (broad ratio) has also been completed in a small number of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, as has a trial of High CBD in patients with neurogenic symptoms. A phase II trial has also been evaluated with High THC in small numbers of patients for the treatment of perioperative pain. The phase II trials provided positive results and confirmed an excellent safety profile for cannabis-based medicines.GW Pharmaceuticals received an IND approval to commence phase II clinical trials in Canada in patients with chronic pain, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury in 2002.Following meetings with the US FDA, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Office for National Drug Control Policy, and National Institute for Drug Abuse, GW was granted an import license from the DEA and has imported its first cannabis extracts into the US. Preclinical research with these extracts in the US is ongoing.

This discussion is interesting. I have smoked pot since I was 12 years old and started smoking daily when I was in my mid 20s. I am now 45. I have not had a drink in more than 2 years now but never once thought about stopping pot when I first went to AA. I don’t condone it as a way to “get sober” as I don’t think pot is for everyone. I became pretty uncomfortable at AA once I realized that everyone else considered it the same as alcohol. As I have done my whole life, I don’t tell people that I smoke pot, including AA people. I have told a couple of people I trust in AA to get it off my chest and see what they would have to say about it. They were supportive to varying degrees but suggested I keep it to myself.
As you pointed out I came to AA because I am powerless over alcohol and it absolutely made my life unmanageable. It has taken 2 years away from everyday drinking, heavy drinking, to realize all the nuances of unmanageability. I do not believe my life is unmanageable because of pot, caffeine, nicotine, jerking off or anything else. The booze was killing me and ruining every relationship I have/had. Pot makes me less anxious and want to watch TV. I like pot. I like the way it makes me feel. Maybe I’m in denial but I have thought a lot about it and other than it being illegal I don’t see anything harmful for me.
I can understand how trading pot for alcohol is absolutely not the way to stop drinking but I’ve always smoked and always drank. I knew I had to stop drinking or else. I’m not so convinced about pot.
As I told my AA friend – on Nov.2, 2009 I would have gone to a meeting for pot smokers with a desire to stop drinking if there was one. So, I want to AA instead.
If you ever are able to arrange a meeting and can make it available online, I would like to attend.

Regards

Dr. Frankel replies:
I totally understand and agree. People all around the world use all sorts of medicines, herbs, drinks, sex acts, etc to help them feel better. It is universal. It is not a matter of right and wrong but that is the labeling that is generally applied. Harm reduction therapy, i.e. using cannabis to replace alcohol just makes sense. There is plenty of data to support it and personally I cannot be the judge of what is “right and wrong”. I am a physician and am better at deciding what is safer or more effective. When one applies this logic, there is no question that cannabis is safer. You don’t need any studies to prove this, although there are plenty. The fact for you and for many others is that your life is now in control and you are doing well; before, with alcohol, your life was unmanageable as you state and now it is manageable. Pretty simple. Not broken, don’t fix it.

As I have stated in many prior blogs, CBD or Cannabidiol, is the “missing link” in cannabis. It is very similar in chemical structure to THC, but has no psycho activity or “stony” feeling and has wonderful analgesic and other properties. With regard to MS, this has been very well studied and GW Pharmaceuticals in England has been producing a very helpful cannabis whole plant extract including CBD for use with MS patients. Although it is not legally available in England nor the US, it will be over time.

In the meantime, a number of medical cannabis collectives in Los Angeles do have tinctures, or drops under the tongue, that are quite similar to Sativex and at least “empirically” seem to work quite well on my MS patients.

In my experience, if agents of the government at any level come and seize property, it is because the owner was involved in some illegal activity. I presume the feds felt this collective was doing something illegal, else why would they smash it? The most serious issue in my opinion, is that they very, very rarely arrest the collective management.

So, why would the authorities destroy a business and not arrest anyone? This is generally the case. I do choke when I say this, but shouldn’t they arrest this people so we can then defend ourselves even if our business was already destroyed? What happened to due process? What happened to trial before your peers? By not arresting anyone, they just get away with it.

So, with sadness, I am suggesting that IF authorities are going to destroy or seize property, there should be due process, notification, filed charges and give the collective or any other business, the right to defend itself.

Then, these patients come in, make donations and walk out with bags of cannabis products. I am certain that after a few days, the shelves are becoming empty again and more cannabis products are needed.

Of course I am being sarcastic, but really, the law treats the delivery of cannabis differently than it’s being on the shelves.

Scotty never beamed in weed. Cars driven by humans come to the store and walk in with the medicine. So, how do or how SHOULD collectives receive their products? How should or how can law enforcement even begin to know what is “legal” or “legal enough” for enforcement to leave the transporter alone? How do the collectives know what is legal and what is not legal? To the best of my knowledge, the only distinction is the “Letter of Designation”.  I must say that not only does law enforcement not know about this but most collectives do not know or understand this.

You can be a legal patient and be a legal member of a collective but that does not give a patient the right to transport cannabis to a collective or to sell it. The patient certainly do need to be patients and members of the collective, but they also need a critical document, signed by the management of the collective. I have pasted below a sample “Designation” letter.  This is a legal statement that this legal patient is “DESIGNATED” TO GROW OR TRANSPORT.

I, Name of Collective Manager, declare as follows:

The information contained in this declaration is true of my own personal knowledge or on my information and belief, unless stated otherwise.

1.            I am an officer and director of the nonprofit medical marijuana patient collective (hereinafter “The Collective”). I am responsible for the management of the Collective, hold a position of authority within the corporation and am authorized to execute this declaration on behalf of the Collective.

2.            The Collective is incorporated as a California nonprofit corporation under the name COLLECTIVE NAME HERE , and operate as a nonprofit medical marijuana collective of qualified patients pursuant to Health and Safety Code §11362.5 (“The Compassionate Use Act of 1996” enacted as Proposition 215); Health and Safety Code §11362.7 et seq. (“The Medical Marijuana Program Act”); and, the California Attorney General’s August 2008 Guidelines for the Security and Non-Diversion of Marijuana Grown for Medical Use.

3.            In order to obtain medicine from the Collective, a person must (a) be a member of the Collective, (b) be a qualified patient with a valid recommendation from a physician licensed to practice medicine in California authorizing the patient to use marijuana for the treatment of a serious medical condition, and (c) possess valid identification establishing that he or she is at least 18 years of age and a resident of California, as required by law.

4.            The Collective obtains marijuana for its patients exclusively from members of the Collective, and pays only for the out-of-pocket costs and labor for the time spent cultivating, processing and transporting the medicine to the Collective for safekeeping, as required by law.

5.            Patient Name is a member of the Collective, and has been since DATE This member has been duly authorized to transport medicine on behalf of            patients of the Collective.

6.            Cultivation and transportation of medical marijuana by this member of the Collective is authorized under Health and Safety Code §§11362.65 and 11362.77.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the statements made in this declaration are true and correct, and that this declaration was executed on November 8, 2011 in Venice, California.

________________________________           ______________________________

Signature of Authorized Collective Manager      Printed Name Representative