Pubdate: Mon, 18 Apr 2016
Source: Manteca Bulletin (CA)
Copyright: 2016 Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.mantecabulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3670

MEDICAL POT BACKERS LEERY OF EPILEPSY DRUG

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An experimental epilepsy drug made from 
cannabis plants grown in England is complicating the medical 
marijuana debate in hospitals and statehouses.

Epidiolex is a nearly pure extract of cannabidiol, or CBD, with 
little of the tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, that gets traditional pot 
users high. CBD products are the current rage in medicinal pot 
products, and activists fear that if the maker of Epidiolex manages 
to get FDA approval it could undercut the political momentum of the 
medical marijuana movement.

Anup Patel, a pediatric neurologist who oversees Epidiolex 
(pronounced eh'pih-DYE'-uh-lehx) clinical trials at Nationwide 
Children's Hospital in Columbus, insists the drug contains the 
optimal known marijuana compound for treating seizures. He cited a 
study that found children can be hurt by using the whole plant.

Patel laments that children with epilepsy are being used - including 
during an unsuccessful Ohio ballot campaign last year - to push for 
medical marijuana legalization.

"People are mixing terms, mixing ideas," he said. "I'm not sure if 
that's just because of confusion, lack of knowledge or on purpose."

Karmen Hanson, the expert on marijuana policy for the nonpartisan 
National Conference of State Legislatures, said the two sides are at odds.

"The argument for traditional (whole-plant) medical marijuana is that 
people know what works for them - whether they're going to make their 
own concentrates or vape or combust, use flowered products, oils, you 
name it - so they want to protect their ability to do that," she said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom