I don't understand the drug industry. Ok, ok, nobody does. Let me be more specific: I don't understand what's going on with one of my glaucoma drugs, Xalatan
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There are different manifestations of glaucoma and different drugs attack different types (or aspects of the same types). I don't know what specifically marijuana does to help glaucoma and so can't say which drug makers should be concerned. (If anyone should be concerned. They're not going to write prescriptions for the raw plant, right? I assume they'll package it in a pill or some such, which I imagine is way less exciting to the pot fans.)
The active principle of marijuana (chemical name: tetrahydrocannibinol, USAN (US Adopted Name, i.e. "generic drug name"): dronabinol) is available in capsules as Marinol (tm), a Schedule-III Controlled Substance to increase appetite in "wasting" diseases such as HIV/AIDS. (Yes: the "munchies" are for real!) I've dispensed it, although I currently have no patients on it.
But advocates of "medical marijuana" claims it only works for their purposes if smoked in natural leaf form. I'm skeptical, but...whatever. So the states where it's legal permit -- in theory -- the dispensing of real weed. Who's gonna grow it, who's gonna sell it...that's another issue entirely. Don't look at me %^).
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But advocates of "medical marijuana" claims it only works for their purposes if smoked in natural leaf form. I'm skeptical, but...whatever. So the states
where it's legal permit -- in theory -- the dispensing of real weed. Who's gonna grow it, who's gonna sell it...that's another issue entirely. Don't look at me %^).
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