cannabisnews.com: Follow The Drug War Money





Follow The Drug War Money
Posted by CN Staff on April 25, 2006 at 07:21:47 PT
By Paul Campos
Source: Rocky Mountain News 
USA -- This is the story of two drugs. The first, dexfenfluramine, was the active ingredient in the weight loss drug Redux. Although it was available in the U.S. and Canada for only about 18 months, it killed hundreds of people, and severely injured thousands more. The second is marijuana. Over the past several decades, tens of millions of people across North America have used this drug regularly. It has, as far as anybody knows, killed no one.
Anyone interested in the politics of science should study the Food and Drug Administration's treatment of these two drugs. Redux was originally rejected for approval by the FDA, because of laboratory studies suggesting it would cause primary pulmonary hypertension - a particularly gruesome and generally fatal disease - in a small number of users. The FDA panel reviewing the drug considered it too dangerous, given that Redux produced an average of only seven pounds of weight loss when compared to a placebo. This seemed eminently sensible: after all, who could argue that a drug producing so little weight loss was anything other than a cosmetic product? And surely the FDA wouldn't approve a brand of lipstick on the grounds that it was likely to cause just a small percentage of its users to suffer horribly painful deaths. Yet it turned out that a whole bunch of very well-paid obesity researchers were willing to argue for Redux's approval. Under enormous pressure from the pharmaceutical industry and its academic hirelings, the FDA reversed course in the spring of 1996, and approved the drug for sale. The results were predictable: reports of primary pulmonary hypertension associated with use of the drug began appearing in the medical literature. In addition, some users were suffering heart valve damage, and needed major surgery. Redux was quickly pulled from the market, but the damage had been done. Over the last eight years, hundreds of cases of primary pulmonary hypertension have been linked to Redux, while more than 1,200 of the drug's users have undergone major surgery for heart valve damage. Wyeth, the drug's maker, has paid out billions of dollars in damages, and faces possible bankruptcy as more claims are settled and go to trial. Meanwhile, the FDA has just announced that it will continue to treat marijuana as a Schedule I drug. Drugs are supposed to be placed in this category only if they have a high potential for abuse and no medical value. Bruce Mirken of the Marijuana Policy Project points out that, under current federal law, doctors are free to treat their patients with cocaine, methamphetamine and morphine. All these drugs are far more dangerous than marijuana - a drug that 11 states, including Colorado, now allow doctors to prescribe to their patients they believe may benefit from it. "I have friends who are alive today because of medical marijuana," Mirken told me. "These are people who suffered unbearable nausea from chemotherapy or retroviral drugs - nausea that only marijuana was able to bring under control." I asked Mirken about the FDA's statement. "The bottom line is that this is another sign that science at the FDA has given way to politics. They just pretend research evidence for the medical value of marijuana doesn't exist. But in fact quite a bit does - even though the federal government has done everything it can to keep this research from being conducted. "They're terribly afraid of such research, because any serious scientific study of the subject is going to reveal how little basis there is for their claims. Continuing to demonize marijuana is the key to the drug war, and the drug war pays the salaries of a lot of people." The same thing, of course, could be said about the war on "obesity." Paul Campos is a professor of law at the University of Colorado. Source: Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)Author: Paul CamposPublished: April 25, 2006Copyright: 2006, Denver Publishing Co.Contact: letters rockymountainnews.comWebsite: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/IOM Reporthttp://newton.nap.edu/html/marimed/Potheads and Sudafedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21777.shtmlAll Smoke - Slatehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21776.shtmlMMJ Advocates Slam ‘Politicized’ FDA Reporthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21774.shtml
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Comment #16 posted by Hope on April 26, 2006 at 08:27:37 PT
and
Keeping us in your hearts, as you will be in ours.
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Comment #15 posted by Hope on April 26, 2006 at 08:26:59 PT
The GCW
Don't "retire" on the praying for us.
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Comment #14 posted by Toker00 on April 26, 2006 at 06:58:11 PT
Thank you GCW, and Mrs. GCW.
Thank you, God's Cannabis Warrior. God allows for retirement. Your Love is Our's, and Our Love is Yours.Toke.
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Comment #13 posted by Hope on April 26, 2006 at 06:55:42 PT
Right on,Kaptinemo!
And Whig, what you said is true. "There are Many of us this time in order that none should have to be sacrificed."(RChandar, maybe The GCW's situation might offer you some advice and comfort.)There are many of us. Don't anybody be sacrificing a relationship that means something to them. We're going to right a terrible wrong, but we don't need any more "casualties" of any kind.
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Comment #12 posted by kaptinemo on April 26, 2006 at 03:26:47 PT:
In our hearts and minds, the GCW
The GCW always reminded us of the (yes, I'll say it) spiritual aspect of the struggle we are engaged in. Although I am always hesitant to ascribe such motivations to people, what we are dealing with - cannabis prohibition - is fundamentally evil, as it was the product of the baser desires of less enlightened souls masquerading as the arbiters of the 'Greatest Good'. The GCW always reminded us that there were other forces at work, forces for good and change, and that those forces powered the best in people. He will be sorely missed. (Hand salute!) 
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Comment #11 posted by whig on April 25, 2006 at 22:40:25 PT
The GCW
I always have problems writing to people who I know may not be reading and responding, I feel like I am writing to an audience other than the person it seems addressed to. But in case this should be read by the GCW himself, You bless Us with Your presence. God speed to you and to your Wife who is more important than all the rest of us to you as She should and must be. There are Many of us this time in order that none should have to be sacrificed, and we are promised the kingdom, not the cross this time.
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on April 25, 2006 at 22:31:22 PT
If we ever hand out medals and awards for
work done amongst us. The GCW is one of my nominations for one.
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on April 25, 2006 at 22:29:16 PT
The GCW
can certainly retire with a beautiful record of service to our cause.Thank you again.You the man.
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Comment #8 posted by Hope on April 25, 2006 at 22:27:28 PT
The GCW
has told this nation and the world more times about "The very first page of the Bible", and "Every seed bearing plant...", probably more than anyone in history.He also gave us the now common expression, often used by many of us, for jailing and imprisoning of cannabists...."Caging humans"... for using a plant.Thank you The GCW and more power to you and blessings and blessings...according to His will.We love you.
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Comment #7 posted by Hope on April 25, 2006 at 22:23:00 PT
The GCW
You're words are wonderful to hear. You have done a lot and your marriage is more important than any activism. Way to go and I'm glad it's going well.You've done a lot, GCW. Thank you and many blessings, forever and ever.Love you always, dear friend.
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Comment #6 posted by JustGetnBy on April 25, 2006 at 22:11:02 PT
     GCW
Your goodness/kindness/ love shines through. It has been my pleasure to share a thought with you now and then. Bon VOYAGE....
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on April 25, 2006 at 17:04:45 PT
The GCW
I am so happy for you. Thank you for all you have done and if you never do anymore it is more then you ever had to do and it has accomplished much. Only eternity will tell the whole story I believe.  My husband is more important then activism. If my husband was in anyway upset with me and he asked me to stop I would. He is my soul mate. I share my life with him and I love him. It's very important to keep our families at the top of the list. God Bless You Too.
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Comment #4 posted by The GCW on April 25, 2006 at 16:57:19 PT
FoM,
FoM and everyone and anyone interested,I just noticed an E-mail from FoM asking if I am alright.I Am and I appreciate the concern.I Am kind of moving on and foward. Activism was consuming much of My time, of which much of it was taken from My family and the anger was often reflected to My wife which was compromising My marriage. Other issues need to be tended to in My life. My wife is sweet and I love Her with all My heart and activism went as far as I want to go. I accomplished a lot, am comfortable with what was done, and I did it. My family right now will get more from My time. I Am cooking and helping in the kitchen and before I was at the computer too much and not helping out enough. I gave it My all and would not take it back. Balance would be a sensible consideration except that the level of activism I was reaching left a foul taste in My wifes feelings. She comes before activism.My children are awesome and divorce became and issue I was facing and I have made a choice for My wife and My children. After about 6 months, I assure everyone here at C-news, I made the right decission. Now, My marriage is better than ever.I have heard the petitions to make initiative state wide, are being circulated here in Colorado and normally I would be a part of helping that campaign. I Am afraid of what will happen with out hard working help because even though most of Colorado is hip to cannabis, it will take hard work to get it on the ballot. There are many hard working people here; I just felt that My help was good and made a difference; I hope people dig deep and produce the results We and earth needs.I hope everyone prays, loves one another and listens to Christ God Our Father.  
FoM, I don't know what to say. You helped make what I did, happen. I want to scream, THANK YOU. Thank You all.So Much.And realize, as Much as You did, and as much as I did and as much as We all do, it is Christ God Our Father at the helm.It is Him, He is real and He is going to win.People, including regular church goers, who wish to cage humans for using what God said He created and said is good on the first page of the Bible is making a grave mistake.In case I don't come back, can I kiss You all and say good bye? Hold Me.Let Me hold You.As I wipe the tears of joy from My eyes.I love You all very much.I hope You understand.FoM, knows My e mail (although I have hardly looked at it in months in case anyone wants to send thoughts. 
Love,The Green Collar Worker(Just one of many.)
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Comment #3 posted by whig on April 25, 2006 at 13:10:17 PT
billos
For what it's worth, they did the same thing with GHB, which is Schedule I except when it's prescribed as the pharmaceutical Xyrem which is Schedule III.
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Comment #2 posted by billos on April 25, 2006 at 11:25:30 PT
             Scheduled Drugs
Let me see....THC in raw form is a Schedule I drug but synthetic THC in the form of marinol is a Schedule III drug??Isn't this "scheduling" the delivery device and not the drug itself?????
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Comment #1 posted by whig on April 25, 2006 at 09:32:38 PT
Cheer
Push 'em back. Push 'em back. Way back!
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