Pubdate: Wed, 17 Dec 2003
Source: Cleveland Free Times (OH)
Copyright: 2003 Cleveland Free Times Media
Contact:  http://www.freetimes.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1385
Author:  Larry Seguin

A MOVING TALE

My deepest sympathy goes out to Mr. Stan White for his loss of a son to 
cancer. (A Father's Tale, Dec 3). Thank you to the editor of the Cleveland 
Free Times for sharing the story with your readers.

Marinol is synthetic THC in a capsule with vegetable oil. THC is difficult 
to digest in that form and, even if it were in a more easily digestible 
form (such as heated in oil to free the active compounds), it still takes 
too long to digest to be effective for someone who is violently ill at the 
time. Smokeable THC is the only way around vomiting.

Marinol is an extremely expensive pill ($25-40 per day) and is often 
unavailable to many pharmacies due to excessive DEA regulation. Black 
market marijuana is not only more effective than Marinol it is cheaper and 
easier to obtain. The FDA approved Delta-9-THC, the active and most 
demonized ingredient in marijuana, as Marinol in 1986. It is so safe that 
the DEA down scheduled Marinol in 1999. Essentially the FDA and DEA is 
saying marijuana has medical value and is safe. Yet 2,000 are arrested 
every day for using marijuana.

Larry Seguin,

Lisbon, New York
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