Pubdate: Sun, 26 Jun 2005
Source: Arizona Republic (AZ)
Copyright: 2005 The Arizona Republic
Contact:  http://www.arizonarepublic.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Wendy Koch
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)

NEW FORM OF POT ON THE MARKET IN CANADA

Canadians now have access to a legal spray alternative to medical marijuana.

Beginning this week, multiple sclerosis patients with constant tingling pain
can get a doctor's prescription for a new drug, Sativex, derived from the
marijuana plant.

The under-the-tongue spray, approved only in Canada, is one of several
emerging alternatives to smoking pot for medical relief. The new
pharmaceuticals, some of which may not enter the U.S. market for years, may
alter the public debate about medical marijuana.

"People ... who don't want to break the law" will use the spray, says Dr.
Lester Grinspoon, professor emeritus at Harvard University and an advocate
for legalizing pot use. "They're elevating the debate on medical marijuana."

But Grinspoon expects many new users will find they prefer smoking
marijuana. "There is no holding back medical marijuana. It's going to
happen," he says.

Tom Riley, spokesman for the White House's Office of National Drug Control
Policy, agrees there's change ahead. But he says the new drugs will lessen
the controversy over medical marijuana.

Riley says the Bush administration, which has opposed medical pot use, would
welcome alternatives that are scientifically proved to be safe and
effective. Several Republicans, led by Rep. Mark Souder of Indiana, cited
the availability of Marinol - a pill with the active pot ingredient THC - in
arguing against a bill to protect medical pot users from federal
prosecution.

The U.S. House broadly defeated that bill last week. Its rejection followed
a Supreme Court ruling earlier this month that allows federal prosecution
even if smokers are following state laws. Currently, 10 states allow medical
pot use.

"This is a burgeoning field," says Dr. Andrew Mattison, co-director of the
Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at the University of California-San
Diego. "There's probably going to be great potential with the Sativex
compound."

Sativex is a whole plant extract that contains THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)
and CBD (cannabidiol) as main ingredients. The user gets quick relief but
does not get high. About 20,000 MS patients in Canada with chronic nerve
pain could find relief with the spray.

Mark Rogerson, spokesman for Sativex maker GW Pharmaceuticals, says the
British firm is taking the first step toward U.S. regulatory approval. But
he says the U.S. market, while "very big and attractive" is also "very
difficult."

Solvay Pharmaceuticals, maker of Marinol, is also seeking U.S. regulatory
approval for a spray version of its drug. It is conducting trials with the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration's oversight but expects the approval to
take years. Its spray would give users relief within minutes. The pills take
about two hours to reach peak effect.

Marinol is the only legal pot alternative in the USA. Approved in 1985, it
is used to treat anorexia in AIDS patients and nausea and vomiting in
chemotherapy patients. It contains only THC, one of about 400 compounds in
the marijuana plant.

"We estimate 25,000 prescriptions are written for Marinol every month in the
United States," says Kevin Rose, Solvay's director for specialized markets.

Grinspoon says many users who've tried Marinol don't like it as much as
marijuana, complaining that they have a hard time swallowing the pill or
that it takes too long to work.

The alternatives have the advantage of being smokeless, but they're costly.
A vial of Sativex costs $124.95 in Canada, which provides 51 sprays, enough
for 10 days for the average user. That amounts to about $375 monthly.
Currently, insurers are not covering it. Marinol, which has been on the
market 20 years, also costs hundreds of dollars monthly. Many insurers cover
it.
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MAP posted-by: Josh