Marijuana Mouth Spray: The New Pain Reliever?

[Woodmonkey]

A new marijuana mouth spray aimed at relieving pain is being reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in clinical trials, USA Today reported.

Sativex is one-part tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the main chemical responsible for the “high” that marijuana users feel, and one-part cannabidiol, a related-compound.

However, British manufacturers GW Pharmaceutica said the drug won’t make its users feel high. Its intended goal is to treat pain and relieve symptoms from ailments such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases.

Sativex is approved in Canada for two groups of patients — adults with advanced cancer who feel moderate to severe pain and are taking the highest narcotic dose they can tolerate, and adults with multiple sclerosis with nerve pain.

Currently, there are two synthetic cannabinoid pills in the United States — Marinol and Cesamet, which are FDA-approved to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Marinol also is FDA-approved to treat appetite loss associated with AIDS.

The Source