Canada becomes Sativex country

GW's plant-based medicine approved for pharmacies

Sativex is a combination of plant-derived delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). The ratio of THC to CBD in Sativex is 2.7 mg to 2.5 mg per spray, which ensures a standardized dose is delivered each time it is used. It's administered via a spray pump which places Sativex spray under the tongue or on the inside of the cheek.






"It's hard to explain to someone who has never felt this type of pain. It's like being plugged into an electric socket all the time," said Steve Walsh, who used Sativex in clinical trials and who suffers from MS. "At times, putting on clothes or anything touching me can be too much to take."

According to Dr. Allan Gordon, Director of the Wasser Pain Management Centre in Toronto, "Effective pain control and management are extremely important in a disease like MS. The approval of Sativex in Canada reflects the urgent need for additional treatment options in the field of neuropathic pain in MS."

Dr. Geoffery GuyDr. Geoffery GuyA happy Guy






Single molecule synthetics like Dronabinol, which is marketed as Marinol, have been found to be ineffective by many medical pot patients, who say they'd rather smoke cannabis than use Marinol pills.



Guy enthusiastically contacted Cannabis Culture to announce Canadian approval for Sativex.


Since then, he has grown more than 300,000 "numbered, registered plants," most of which have been selectively bred to produce unusually high percentages of one of many active ingredients in whole marijuana- cannabinoids- that Guy extracts for use in his pharmaceutical cannabis medicines.

Guy's plants are proprietary strains of cannabis originally procured from Dutch marijuana research company Hortapharm. Dr. Guy doesn't personally use marijuana, booze or coffee, but his company cultivates more marijuana than anyone else in the world.




These drugs are the results of medical research GW began in 1998. Almost single-handedly, GW's scientists and doctors have proven to skeptical scientists and regulators that marijuana's medical benefits- described derisively as "merely anecdotal" and "unproven" by drug warriors- are scientifically verifiable.


Guy's scientific team includes the world's top cannabis researchers, including Dr. Raphael Mechoulam and Dr. Roger Pertwee.

Bayer the bear?

In May, 2003 Guy sold marketing rights for Sativex to Bayer, a major German pharmaceutical company. Guy viewed Bayer's interest as proof that cannabis medicines had finally become legit.



Dr. Guy views Malmo-Levine's criticisms as "one-sided attacks" rather than "fair reporting."


GW is not alone in the race to develop cannabis medicines, but Guy says his company's use of organically-produced natural cannabis extracts is innovative, proprietary and medically efficacious.

Other companies, such as Solvay, create and market synthetic products like Marinol, a chemical THC analog, which has long been criticized because its synthetic "single cannabinoid" approach can produce negative side-effects while failing to relieve symptoms it is prescribed for. Guy says Sativex has side effects that are very minor and easily controlled with proper dosing and medical supervision.


"It may be hard for some advocates to believe, but there are millions of people who are quite satisfied with the way their consciousness works, but who want safe, symptomatic relief from a medical condition so they can get on with their life by working, taking care of their children, and being productive members of society," Guy says. "They aren't looking to get ?stoned,' quite the opposite. Our products will extend the reach of cannabis to people who would never have been comfortable smoking a joint, bong or vaporizer."

To further the goals of people who want to medicate without getting high, Guy's research team developed precise cannabinoid combinations and dosage methods that allow patients to self-medicate with precise control and with zero risk of harming their lungs.

In order to meet the needs of patients who want cannabinoid medical benefits but don't want to be stoned, the company's research has uncovered the inner workings of the subjective feeling of being "high," and how this feeling is related to medical effects and unwanted side-effects.

Guy says patients are advised to use small amounts of medicine so blood levels of cannabinoids build slowly. Patients seek relief from pain, muscle spasms and other symptoms, but they do not want to be "high," he says.

During clinical testing, some patients experienced panic when they perceived that they had become "intoxicated." Other unwanted effects included dizziness, dry mouth, and increased heart rate. Most of these problems are solved when patients self-adjust dosage, or when GW provides gentler formulations or regimens.

"The incidence of side-effects is very minor; cannabis has lived up to its reputation of being one of the safest drugs humans can use," Guy says. "We have seen our cannabis medicines provide better relief than traditional medicines that are far more dangerous for patients than cannabis ever could be."

Safety is a key factor in GW's research and product development, and this has led the company to develop a way to administer cannabinoids without relying on the combustion of cannabis.


Guy says his company's system of sprays, inhalers, and vaporizers will take harm reduction and cannabis delivery to new levels.

"People currently believe that using one of the many models of vaporizer that are on the market will provide them with fully-utilized, totally-clean cannabis vapors, but this is not true," Guy says. "Cannabinoids cannot be properly vaporized using the kinds of heat sources and chambers that we see on the market right now. There is still some burning of plant material taking place, people are still inhaling carcinogens, and there are irregularities in the quality and design of these vaporizers that prevents people from getting what they think they are getting."



"If we create the vaporizer we envision, patients will dial in the exact relief they want, push a button, and get a controlled dose that will provide safe, effective relief for a variety of conditions," Guy promises. "There will be no smoke. Patients will get 98% volatilization of the cannabinoids they need in doses just high enough to achieve the medical effects they seek."

Big bad GW?

When the deal uniting Bayer and GW was announced, GW's critics jumped all over it, alleging that Bayer is an evil company and that GW's embrace of Bayer indicated bad intent.

David Malmo-Levine said: "Bayer is arguably the worst corporation on earth. They are the inventors and propagators of Aspirin, Heroin, Mustard Gas, forced labor, the Nazi party, Zyklon B, death labor, Tabun and Sarin nerve gas, parathion, Codex, Cipro, Baycol, Baygon, Fenthion, Baysiston, TDI Olaqunidox, PPA's, PCB's and other such wonders. Bayer has the worst ethical track record of any company this author knows of."

Dr. Ethan Russo, a long-time cannabis researcher who now works for GW, says Malmo-Levine "seems to be against the entire system of intellectual property, corporations, scientific research, medical progress, and patents."

"In almost every area of human endeavor, from journalism to medicine to the music industry, individuals and corporations create unique ideas and products and then seek to protect their work through copyrights and patents," Russo explains. "Even if marijuana was totally legal, most people would not conduct the kind of scientific research that GW is conducting. This research uses cannabinoids to extend lives, cure diseases, and relieve disease symptoms. GW has helped legitimize cannabis medicines, and the company has a right to protect its discoveries and its investments."

What about Malmo-Levine's charges that Bayer worked with Hitler's government and continues to be an unethical company?



"We will indeed be taking out ?plant variety rights' on a number of strains that we developed as part of our R&D program. These rights prevent other parties using our specific strains to produce plant extracts without our permission. GW has only sought patent protection for strains we created; there are plenty of other varieties for people to use, they just can't use strains we developed," Guy said. "If people get into trouble for growing cannabis plants, it will be from the police for breaking the law, not from us. If somebody stole our genetic material or our products, that would be breaking the law, but our patents and commercial interests in no way further the drug war."


Dr. Geoffery GuyGreen gold rush

Whether or not Guy's intentions, patents and business interests pose imminent monopolistic or plant patent threat to cannabis users and growers in general, there's evidence that GW is only one of many companies seeking to cash in on the cannabis "gold rush."


When asked about rumors that GW and Bayer were also wooing Canadian licensed medpot patients, Guy and other GW spokespersons acknowledged that his company had contacted "numerous federal exemptees" who "expressed interest in utilizing Sativex as soon as it would be legally available."



Recreational marijuana smoking became very popular in Western countries beginning in the 1960's. Medical marijuana has been increasing in popularity since the 1980's.

From the 1960's until the mid-1990's, the only source for marijuana was Dutch cannabis coffeeshops, and the black market, comprised of smuggling cartels, clandestine dealers, commercial growers, and home growers.

In a reverse echo of Malmo-Levine's allegation that GW benefits from prohibition, most marijuana industry insiders admit that prohibition benefits black market growers and dealers because prohibition is the artificial price support that makes marijuana so profitable for them. If it wasn't for prohibition, a lot of people would have trouble growing $400 an ounce pot to help pay their mortgages.

The cannabis black market, cultivators, and Dutch coffeeshops could accurately be described as a "monopoly" that has until now controlled the supply and price of marijuana. But now, that underground monopoly has competition. The Dutch government is trying to close cannabis coffeeshops while at the same time growing its own medical marijuana and supplying it to pharmacies. The scheme appears to have failed, because the Dutch government's cannabis is lower quality and higher priced than coffeeshop cannabis.


GW Pharmaceuticals and other companies grow marijuana and market its active ingredients to patients. Individuals, compassion clubs and consortiums are trying to cash in on Health Canada medical marijuana licenses by getting licensed patients to grow and sell large amounts of cannabis, and by selling cannabis to licensed patients who can't grow their own. More and more compassion clubs are opening; retailers like Bud Buddy and Jay's Joints are selling marijuana on the Internet.

