Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Synthetic versus Natural
For scholars of psychological warfare, the debate over synthetic pharmaceutical cannabinoids versus natural cannabis is illustrative. Reading the U.S. Department of Justice propaganda, one is left with the impression the pharmaceutical derivative is the prescribed answer to our health needs, but if one reads the NORML literature on the topic, it's clear there is more to it than the government would like you to know.
For instance, aside from the ridiculously high price of the pharmaceutical version, the natural product is safer, more effective, and enables users to self-administer just the right dose as needed. The pharmaceutical version, however, has serious side effects, lacks the ameliorating compounds found in the natural plant, is slow acting, and cannot be administered to suit the level of relief the individual patient needs.
Of course, in the end, the debate is really about government control, law enforcement agency budgets and pharmaceutical company profits, not what is in the best interest of public health. At least from the government side, that is, and they are the ones with guns.
For instance, aside from the ridiculously high price of the pharmaceutical version, the natural product is safer, more effective, and enables users to self-administer just the right dose as needed. The pharmaceutical version, however, has serious side effects, lacks the ameliorating compounds found in the natural plant, is slow acting, and cannot be administered to suit the level of relief the individual patient needs.
Of course, in the end, the debate is really about government control, law enforcement agency budgets and pharmaceutical company profits, not what is in the best interest of public health. At least from the government side, that is, and they are the ones with guns.
