Twenty five years ago, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first prescription drugs based on the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

This year, British pharmaceutical company GW Pharmaceuticals is doing research for cannabis-inspired or -infused medicine that could be coming to American shores as early as next year.

Americans for Safe Access is an organization that aims to advance legal medical marijuana therapeutics, according to its website. Sativex has proven to be effective in treating the symptoms of multiple sclerosis and other health issues, according to the article.

‘When Sativex becomes available by prescription to the general public, we will welcome it as another cannabis-based medicine,’ said Kris Hermes, media specialist for the organization.

Sativex would be the world’s first pharmaceutical product developed from raw marijuana instead of synthetic equivalents. It is created from marijuana’s two active ingredients, delta 9-THC and cannabidiol. The pot-based mouth spray is aimed to be treatment for cancer pain and only needs approval from the FDA.

Canada, New Zealand and eight countries in Europe have approved it for relieving muscle spasms in patients with multiple sclerosis. In the United States, 16 states and the District of Columbia allow medical marijuana.

In 2011, the Drug Enforcement Administration ruled that marijuana has ‘no accepted medical use’ in opposition of the hundreds of studies proclaiming the benefits, according to a July 11, 2011, Time magazine article.

Susan Scholl, internship coordinator for the Department of Public Health, Food Studies and Nutrition at the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics at Syracuse University, said she disagrees.

‘I am in favor of the medicinal use of marijuana. I think we can continue to do research,’ Scholl said. ‘I do believe it helps many people with certain chronic conditions.’

However, she said she has wavering support for Sativex because breath sprays are not the most effective means of delivery for most medicines, including relieving pain in cancer patients.

She said she suspects the spray may be a way to gain governmental acceptance without smoking the product. Scholl said Marinol, a similar medication in capsule form, is more effective, but its effects aren’t felt as quickly compared to when the drug is inhaled.

‘There is no such thing as a 100 percent ‘safe’ drug,’ Scholl said.

Carter Oakley, a sophomore television, radio and film major, speaks from a firsthand family experience with medicinal marijuana and said he sees no issues with the use of it.

‘If it works for someone, then there is no reason why they shouldn’t be able to use it, especially when there’s much more potent pain relievers out there,’ Oakley said.

Ana Ally, a freshman mechanical engineering major, said she also supports medicinal marijuana and its research.

‘At this point, it’s a political issue because there is a negative image that’s associated with marijuana, but Congress needs to put behind its support in it. There is no point in banning it, especially if it’s helping people feel better,’ Ally said. ‘There are much worse drugs out there that have been legalized. The issue is political, not medical as it should be.’

tadoychi@syr.edu 

Published on January 31, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Tedi: tadoychi@syr.edu