Get Smart about Cannabis™

Submitted by Stephanie Annis on Fri, 11/06/2015 - 06:58

Edibles are becoming one of the fastest growing cannabis products. The Governor of Colorado, John Hickenlooper, recently commented to Michael Smerconish in an interview with CNN on 24th Ocotober, that their success with edibles would be dependent on how well they were regulated. Saying, "how do you explain a product that is laced with THC."

It is essential to know the "real" ingredients. Most recipes start with canna-butter or canna-oil (like olive oil) to cook into the food. Making canna-butter or canna-oil is an easy way to make an extract which you can then cook into brownies, cookies, or any other food. However, caution must be taken because butter can become rancid; though, this is a rare and over the top concern, as most patients, cooks and manufacturers of edibles are aware of safe kitchen procedures.

The safety of edibles depends upon the kitchen in which they are made; just like any other food product. With some of our state governments opening the doors to cannabis it is vital to make sure the important facts on edibles are understood.

Edibles require the same labeling as any other food product which is sold in the United States. Unfortunately, the United States has not federally legalized cannabis. Therefore, the production of any edible cannabis product is a violation of Federal Law, specifically Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules, because they do not meet the criteria of the United States FDA. Even when they are in complete compliance with state law.

A little known fact, the FDA approved Marinol which is synthetic Delta-9-THC in a pill form. Marinol is manufactured by Banner Pharmacaps, Inc. located in High Point, NC for AbbVie Inc. North Chicago, IL.

The FDA reclassified Marinol from a Schedule II to a Schedule III narcotic.   Marinol is the only known medication to be reclassified to a lower classification; meaning it’s safer than originally thought. Which begs the question, why is the FDA not working with states and why have they not changed their political stance on medical cannabis?

What patients need to know when considering Marinol. Because Marinol is pharmaceutically synthesized it is extremely potent in it’s lowest dose. My one and only experience with a Marinol prescription was just before Michigan legalized, approximately 2005. My primary doctor agreed to write a prescription and I tried “legal” pharmaceutical synthetic delta-9-thc aka Marinol for the first time.

The over powering appetite it gave me was uncomfortable. I felt as if I had a pit in the bottom of my stomach and it couldn’t be filled. Even with the lowest dose of Marinol, I always had this over powering urge to eat. Marinol, the few occasions on which I did take the medication turned me into a glutton; I could not stop eating. Everything from the icky feeling it gave me to the results of gluttony made it clear. My cannabis therapy (see Stephanies story) was going to be all natural.

On marinol.com, in the section for prescribers one of the warnings states “Seizure and seizure-like activity have been reported in patients receiving MARINOL Capsules during marketed use of the drug and in clinical trials.” However, there are such negative medical issues reported by patients using natural medical cannabis.

Edibles can be a great option for a cancer patient who needs to eat but does not want a “high”; personally, I have never felt any type of reaction from an edible; however, new patients without cannabis experience should start slowly.

Food preparation is an important roll in every cannabis patients’ life. If you are concerned about buying edibles making your own is not hard. Many patients have turned to making their own edibles, oils, and tinctures. The theory being, when you make your own, you know what goes into it.

However, when we dine at a restaurant or buy prepackaged foods we can only rely on labeling to tell us what’s in the product. Therefore, it is vital the Federal government and the FDA stop with the “reefer madness” position, acknowledge cannabis, THC, and CBD’s which offer life saving medications, as well as "potentially" safe recreational products.

MARINOL.com Copyright @ AbbVie Inc. North Chicago, IL 60064

MARINOL® (dronabinol) Capsules.

U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration Office of Diversion Control