The Canadian government has just delivered a body blow to the U.S.
government's irrational prohibition against the medical use of
marijuana. Today, Canada approved the prescription sale of a natural
marijuana extract -- for all practical purposes, liquid marijuana --
to treat pain and other symptoms caused by multiple sclerosis.
In short, the Canadian government has just certified that virtually
everything our own government has been telling us about marijuana is
wrong. Please visit 
http://www.mpp.org/donate2088 to help the
Marijuana Policy Project capitalize on this opportunity to lobby
Congress and select state legislatures to make medical marijuana
legal
in the U.S.
Sativex, produced by GW Pharmaceuticals in Britain, is literally
liquid marijuana. It is nothing like Marinol, the synthetic THC pill
sold in the U.S. and sometimes falsely touted as an adequate
substitute for marijuana. Rather, Sativex is a whole-plant extract,
containing the wide variety of naturally occurring compounds called
cannabinoids that are unique to marijuana. It also contains trace
elements of other compounds in the plant, which scientists believe
contribute to its therapeutic value.
Sativex is to marijuana as a cup of coffee is to coffee beans. If
Sativex is safe and effective, marijuana is safe and effective.
And Sativex is safe and effective. Studies have shown significant
effect against pain and other symptoms caused by multiple sclerosis
and other debilitating conditions, and over 600 patient-years of
research have established a remarkable record of safety.
Sativex should certainly be approved in the U.S., but the process may
take years -- if it is allowed to happen at all, given our federal
government's reflexive hostility to the medical use of marijuana.
And more importantly, now that we know beyond doubt that marijuana is
a safe, effective medicine, how long will our government continue to
arrest patients who use it?
Please visit 
http://www.mpp.org/donate2088 to give MPP the money we
need to continue lobbying to end our government's war on medical
marijuana users.
Even if Sativex is approved in the U.S. someday, it won't be the
answer for every patient now benefiting from medical marijuana.
Different strains of marijuana work better for some conditions and
less well for others. Sativex just comes in one formula, and it won't
be right for everyone.
And Sativex will be expensive. Will we force patients to buy a pricey
pharmaceutical version of a plant they could grow themselves for
pennies? We could end up with a policy every bit as silly as telling
coffee drinkers that they can buy a cappuccino, but they'll be
arrested on sight if caught in possession of coffee beans.
Visit 
http://www.mpp.org/sativex.html to learn more about the issues
associated with Sativex.
With Canada taking such a significant step toward recognizing
marijuana's safety and effectiveness as a medicine, it's becoming
harder and harder for U.S. officials to defend arresting and
imprisoning medical marijuana patients in our own country. Help us
hammer the nails into prohibition's coffin by visiting
http://www.mpp.org/donate2088 to make your most generous donation
today.