cannabisnews.com: US Govt's Patent on Pot & End To The War on Drugs





US Govt's Patent on Pot & End To The War on Drugs
Posted by CN Staff on November 18, 2008 at 12:15:11 PT
Editorial
Source: Salon
USA -- If we can hope for one thing in the upcoming Obama presidency it is a serious rethinking of the sinister, decades long War on Drugs. For those who dismiss this as a stoner wet dream, or a trivial, peripheral issue, I would suggest that this war is one being waged directly upon the citizens of this country, not by terrorists, or drug cartels, but by our own government, purely for profit and control, and it impinges on all our lives.
One in every 100 Americans is in jail. We have the highest incarceration rate in the entire world. Forfeiture laws allow for the seizure of money and property in drug busts with little or no oversight, and provides a hefty income stream to law enforcement. It is not surprising that police, district attorneys, and the prison guard union consistently lobby against grassroots initiatives which seek to modify our failed drug policies and bring them into alignment with common sense and human decency.The lynch pin of this war is cannabis, and the enemies of this once highly respected herb are legion.When Richard Nixon tore up the Shafer Report which he commissioned to review Federal marijuana policies, he did so because the report recommended legalization. By burying the report and launching his self-styled War on Drugs, Nixon saw a way to silence the hippies and peacenik's who opposed that other war, the one in Viet Nam.For more complex motivations, the Clinton and Bush II administrations specifically targeted the medical marijuana movement because they rightly saw it as the beginning of the end of Just Say No (Reagan's and Bush I's singularly successful strategy to silence any public discourse on the topic of drugs and our society).After all, hockey moms, and joe-six-pack can easily laugh at dehumanized pot-heads, and dismiss them as deserving neither respect nor defense, but a cancer patient, or someone with MS or seizure's?So naturally the Drug Czars, and their minions in the ONDCP try to discredit claims that cannabis is medically useful, and hoist the canard that poor, sick people are being used to further the agenda of those that just want to get high.Which brings me to the subject of this post: The US Government's patent on medical cannabis. In what is either a humongous slip-up, or simply a matter of greed trumping rationale, the Dept. of Health and Human Services filed for and was awarded a patent on the medical benefits of cannabinoids derived from cannabis, based on studies done at the National Institute of Health. The patent (#6,630,507) awarded in 2003, states unequivocally that cannabinoids are neuroprotectants and anti-inflammitory, and as such are useful in the prevention and treatment of a wide variety of diseases including stroke, trauma, auto-immune disorders, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and HIV dementia. That's prevention and treatment, mind you.Which begs the question, why is cannabis still classified as a Schedule I substance, having “no current use for medical treatment in the United States?” Leaving aside the point that it is now legal for medical treatment in 13 states, the answer is simple, if cannabis were to be reclassified, the scientific community in this country would go full-steam ahead with research into its healing properties (as they are already doing overseas). Medical professionals across the nation would be able recommend cannabis without fear of interference from the federal government. The culture of silence that has been imposed on mainstream media would dissolve, and a true discussion about the pros and cons of this issue would emerge.Which is why it is so delicious to see existence of this patent move inexorably (albeit glacially) toward common knowledge. If there is one thing that the American people can't abide (beside high prices as the gas station) it's hypocrisy and believing we've been suckered. Hence the downfall of Edwards, Foley, Craig, and the boiling outrage against the financial bail-out. Those in office who champion a change in our drug policies, claim there is no political will to make a shift. I would postulate that political winds shift very quickly when the right fires are lit. When the American populace fully understand the extent to which we are being flummoxed and ripped-off as a result of these bone-headed policies – that we, indeed, are the flunkies – change will follow quickly upon its heels.The stunning victory of Proposal 1 in Michigan (which brought legalized medical cannabis to the midwest), and Question 2 in Massachusetts (which made possession of small amounts of cannabis a record-free misdemeanor) despite massive opposition by the usual suspects, sounds a lot like chimes ringing in a new age of rationality.Whether we will see another near 1,000,000 people arrested next year for cannabis related offenses is still a question, but the days of Just Say No-thing about the our crazy drug policies is definitely over.Oh, and for those of you who are interested, the Feds are offering their cannabinoid patent for licensing. Let's see how long it takes to get picked up.Complete Title: US Govt's Patent on Pot, and an End To The War on DrugsSource: Salon (US Web)Published: November 17, 2008Copyright: 2008 SalonWebsite: http://www.salon.com/Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/lBfCTn4aCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #25 posted by FoM on November 19, 2008 at 17:40:04 PT
OT: A Song I Like
I was folding clothes and this song popped into my head. That's how I look at the whole big picture.It's The End Of The World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine...)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eyFiClAzq8
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Comment #24 posted by observer on November 19, 2008 at 17:13:01 PT
Dealing with Reality
I like SNL, and like their sketches on things. But outside of show biz - in the real world, I mean - ignoring things like stop signs, for example, or "Bridge Out!" warnings isn't exactly what you'd call a survival strategy. Sometimes it is best to acknowledge reality, so that we may better deal with what is really happening, instead of what we wish or hope might happen. Sometimes reality isn't what we want, and it isn't all that pretty. Having hope is always good, but that's not to say, "Don't be prepared." If you prepare, then you must think about the unhappy, pessimistic possibilities, as well as the happy, hopeful possibilities. Critical thinking isn't really the same as screaming, "Kill it! Kill it!" No one is suggesting anything be killed, but I do endorse a healthy dose of critical thinking. 
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Comment #23 posted by observer on November 19, 2008 at 16:56:28 PT
Cartoon Idea
frame 1: The silhouette (as viewed from the back) of a couple kissing in a covertable car. A sign reads "Lover's Lane".frame 2: Male, fumbling for something: "Don't worry honey, I have some prophylaxis, right here!frame 3: Male whips out his large marijuana joint, and lights it!frame 4: "US Patent 6630507 - Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants ... This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases."frame 5: The pair viewed from the front this time, revealing they are an elderly couple, happily sharing a marijuana cigarette. (Maybe change that from a car to be a couch in front of a TV, to avoid linking it with driving.) 
ref:, Marijuana and Sex (Terry Necco; 01 Sept, 1998) 
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Comment #22 posted by FoM on November 19, 2008 at 16:35:28 PT
observer 
Being pessimistic is irrating to some people including me. It's like the character on SNL they called Debbie Downer. Having a positive, calm and hopeful manner can change things. In my life I have gained more by being positive and usually fell flat on my face by being negative. How we approach reform will matter under an Obama Administration. He likes to reason but I don't think he likes angry exchanges.
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Comment #21 posted by observer on November 19, 2008 at 16:28:47 PT
Won't Be As Bad
All I can say is he sure won't be as bad as McCain's pick would have been.Yes, true ... It could have been much worse. Sometimes political appointments are made for window dressing, to look tough even as they are giving us our freedoms back. We have to be optimistic and filled with hope. I always hope I am wrong when pessimistic and right when optimistic. Sometimes we do get our freedoms back again, don't we? 
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Comment #20 posted by FoM on November 19, 2008 at 15:05:33 PT
OverwhelmSam 
All I can say is he sure won't be as bad as McCain's pick would have been. I'm not worried about it at all. I have never expected drugs to be legalized or anything like that.
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Comment #19 posted by OverwhelmSam on November 19, 2008 at 14:59:52 PT
I Hate To Be Preumptious But,
Obama's picks for cabinet positions is looking bad for us:Emanuel Rahm - Chief of Staff - Drug Warrior
Eric Holder - Department of Justice - Drug Warroir
Tom Daschle - Secretary Health and Human Services - Drug Warroir
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Comment #18 posted by observer on November 19, 2008 at 14:19:42 PT
Cannabis Prophylaxis - Your Shield of Protection 
US Patent 6630507 - Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants
US Patent Issued on October 7, 2003Abstract: Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA 
receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the 
treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such 
as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids 
are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in 
limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and 
trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's 
disease, Parkinson's disease and HIV dementia. Patent 6630507 B1 http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6630507.html
Be safe and protected ... cannabis can be used for prophylaxis, too! 
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Comment #17 posted by ezrydn on November 19, 2008 at 13:55:42 PT
Sorry -- Ya Got Me Conphuzzed
After going to the Comment One link, I found what I was looking for.Thanks.
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Comment #16 posted by ezrydn on November 19, 2008 at 13:49:54 PT
Link to Offer to License
In the story, it says that the patent is available for licensing. I'm only asking for the link to the government page (since they own the patent) where they are making the offer. It'd be nice to have.
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Comment #15 posted by Hope on November 19, 2008 at 13:28:32 PT
The patenting and, supposed, licensing,
I suspect, are actually some sort of prohibitionist plan to erect insurmountable walls and hurdles to stop any research and use of cannabinoids in this country.
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on November 19, 2008 at 12:11:02 PT
ezrydn 
If you mean the link to the article it is on Comment #1
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Comment #13 posted by ezrydn on November 19, 2008 at 11:12:52 PT
Link, Please...
"Oh, and for those of you who are interested, the Feds are offering their cannabinoid patent for licensing."Could you post a link to this "offer?"Thanks.
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Comment #12 posted by Hope on November 19, 2008 at 10:56:50 PT
The words... so true... of this editorial
brought tears to my eyes. I had to walk away from it for awhile. I've shed these same tears so many times.This so called "War on Drugs" and the war on cannabis and cannabis users is so wrong and so disgusting. It's so serious. People are killed and lives are ruined by the  so called "Drug Warriors" in their bloody, violence fueled endeavors.I'm furious and amazed when people say that ours is a "Trivial, peripheral issue" and that it's irrelevant in the entire scheme of things. People with that attitude are extraordinarily deceived and stupid.They "Don't care" because they've been taught not to care by a huge and truly evil machine... powerful, hate and ignorance fueled people within our own government. They raid our homes. They kill our children and our pets. They take our property, our rights, our inherent liberties, our freedoms, our futures, our hope and, apparently, all too obviously, have a ball doing it. They are so hideously un-American, in so many, many ways...in my opinion. They are true and dangerous nut-cases. They've destroyed and tainted so much in their zeal to burn down the barn to get rid of what they perceive as a few "mice". Their completely intolerant prohibitionist policies and behavior are remarkably stupid, cruel, punitive, crazily self righteous, and they are inordinately powerful in their ability to kill and persecute. That makes them incredibly dangerous to the life and safety and well being of every individual in the world today and humanity, as a whole.
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on November 19, 2008 at 05:51:55 PT
OverwhelmSam
I saw Bill Maher say that Obama has basically out smarted him and others. What he meant was Obama has it together and winds up making decisions that are better then some people think. I believe Obama is a serious thinking person with a vision he plans on following. The next 8 years will be very interesting.
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Comment #10 posted by OverwhelmSam on November 19, 2008 at 05:36:07 PT
Hey Guys! Walters and Souder Too!
What if Obama appointed drug warriors to ONDCP, DEA and Justice Department, to name a few, and then made them support marijuana legalization? Man I'd love to see the look on their faces.
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Comment #9 posted by magnum on November 18, 2008 at 23:07:02 PT:
Stupid Medical Marijuana Laws In Nevada
I have a state of Nevada Medical Marijuana card as prescribed by my doctor. Funny thing is that although you can grow 7 plants legally for your own use (good luck trying in this dry desert), there is no place of any kind where you can walk into a government or otherwise owned store, and purchase marijuana for medical use, as they do in California and other states.However, they are quick to charge a $150 yearly renewal fee for the card, $32 fees at DMV so they can put your picture on the card they print out and laminate, and a $10 notary fee. That's $192 for you to be able to use marijuana for medical reasons, but you still have to go out on the street and try and find a dealer to buy it from. Boggles the mind...magnum
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Comment #8 posted by magnum on November 18, 2008 at 22:59:29 PT:
Government Pot Revenues Needed
Imagine for a moment that the US government decided to decriminalize marijuana and sold it in government controlled stores. The millions of dollars the government will earn, which it badly needs, could then be used to help needy citizens. magnum
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Comment #7 posted by afterburner on November 18, 2008 at 22:58:27 PT
The Disjointed Octopus of Health
FDA (the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) is an agency of HHS (the United States Department of Health and Human Services). For the FDA to state that cannabis has no medical use while the HHS parent patents medical uses of cannabis is the height of government hypocrisy. Perhaps, the tentacles of this ungainly octopus will get so entangled in one another that the need for reorganization will become glaringly obvious to all but the most dogmatic profiteers. 
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on November 18, 2008 at 18:19:00 PT
Video: KOHD Tours a Legal Marijuana Grow
November 18, 2008http://kohd.com/news/local/64768
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Comment #5 posted by HempWorld on November 18, 2008 at 13:16:29 PT
It's about money, and we, the people, are paying
with our lives ...
On a mission from God!
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Comment #4 posted by Graehstone on November 18, 2008 at 13:05:15 PT
Quick!
Somebody patent Milk, I betcha you'd make a killing, lol.
I am hoping that what we are seeing are the last throws of prohibition and the lackeys that made it so as they are scrambling to get the upper hand on this.
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Comment #3 posted by museman on November 18, 2008 at 12:28:00 PT
what?
"..the Dept. of Health and Human Services filed for and was awarded a patent on the medical benefits of cannabinoids derived from cannabis.."Oh please. Isn't it enough to so blatantly rub the federal governments hypocrisy in our faces, but they are going one step further to PATENT WHAT WAS NOT INVENTED, DISCOVERED, CREATED, or MODIFIED by them? There goes paradise...again. I suppose someone thinks that this is somehow GOOD news?FREE, LIBERATE, UNBIND, THE 'BURNING BUSH' FOR EVERYONE
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Comment #2 posted by MikeC on November 18, 2008 at 12:20:20 PT
Attorney General concern...
The guy that Barack Obama may instill as the Attorney General has a very troubling past regarding his position on marijuana. Here are a couple of excerpts from articles I've found:"US Attorney Eric Holder urged District Council Member Charlene Jarvis (D) to introduce legislation increasing marijuana penalties within the District. Jarvis complied, and under the provisions of the Jarvis bill, the possession of more than one and one-half ounces of marijuana will become a felony, punishable with up to a five-year sentence. Currently, marijuana offenses are a misdemeanor in the District, regardless of the amount.""The drive for a D.C. Medical Marijuana Initiative was actually sparked by a proposal earlier this year by Eric Holder, then the federal prosecutor for the District to make possession of more than one and half ounces of marijuana a felony, subject to a five year mandatory minimum sentence. (Mr.Holder was nominated for the position of Deputy Attorney General, a position that required Senate approval."Now, I should point out that these were dated mid-late 90's but I have seen nothing that would lead me to believe that he's changed his opinion.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on November 18, 2008 at 12:18:54 PT
To Comment On Above Article
http://open.salon.com/content.php?cid=45266
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