Thought some of ya might find this interesting......

[thatsMRSc2u]

Feds Patent Pot
Are they confused in Washington, D.C., or just deceptive? That is the burning question. You be the judge. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency "The FDA noted "that no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use." This statement was released to the general public after the Feds filed a patent on pot, to corner the market on many of its medicinal uses.

As virtually everyone who has had access to the media will tell you, U.S. drug enforcement officials stand by the notion that there is no medicinal value to marijuana.  Yet when cameras shut off and microphones have been put away, our government has quietly worked to profit on future marijuana medicines.

Consider U.S. patent #6,630,507, entitled Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants. Filed in 2001, this patent, which was subsequently granted in 2003, gives us an insight into the canny duplicity that has characterized U.S. government policy toward marijuana. In the patent, assigned to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the applicants state the following: "Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and HIV dementia."

"U.S. patent #6,630,507 entitled Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants. Filed in 2001, this patent, which was subsequently granted in 2003, gives us an insight into the canny duplicity that has characterized U.S. government policy toward marijuana. " - Chris Kilham, Fox News Health
To open a copy of
U.S. Patent #6,630,507, click on the image, abve (it will open as a standard PDF file).

Let me sort this out for you. Basically the patent states that cannabinoids, the active compounds in marijuana, show benefits for treating stroke, heart attack, inflammation, and autoimmune disorders, and may be beneficial in the treatment of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and HIV. That's not bad for a plant with no purported medicinal value.

To bolster their argument for a patent on the effectiveness of cannabinoids against many common, life-threatening diseases, the HHS goes further, citing a list of studies showing that cannabinoids also possess anti-epileptic properties, protect the brain, fight arthritis, and help in cases of glaucoma.

There is a large and ever-growing body of science demonstrating that the active compounds in cannabis possess a multitude of beneficial properties. If you surf PubMed (The National Library of Medicine's online medicinal database), you will find studies that affirm the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and protective properties of pot. And remember, that database is run by the U.S. government. In fairness, there are also studies showing that in some populations, use of cannabis can produce anxiety and imbalanced mood, and can be especially disorienting in cases of schizophrenia. Like any substance, cannabis works for some and not for others.

As of August 3, 2010, a simple search of "cannabis" on PubMed reveals 12,582 published scientific papers on cannabis. Not all of those papers concern positive medicinal benefits of cannabis, but many do.

Ever since the ground-breaking work on cannabis and pain conducted by Dr. William Shaunessy in the late 1800s, cannabis has been increasingly recognized for its medicinal properties. Cannabis aids in the relief of many types of pain, most notably pain associated with multiple sclerosis. Ingestion of cannabis either by inhalation or by eating it improves appetite, and is of value to HIV sufferers, wasting diseases and chemotherapy patients, helping them to eat, put on weight and improve immune function. Cannabis helps with glaucoma (a leading cause of blindness,) by reducing pressure in the eye. Cannabis was once included in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, and was sold at drug stores. Additional studies show powerful protective properties, and this may lead to the development of a broad variety of cannabinoid-based medicines.

So here is a question. Is it fair and right for the U.S. government to vigorously deny any medicinal benefits of marijuana while they seek profits in filing a pot patent? I personally think that the answer is no. As time goes on, if you want to develop a marijuana medicine for oxidation, inflammation, pain, heart attack, stroke, or neuro-protection, you will be prohibited from doing so because of the "Pot Patent." And if marijuana medicines emerge for the diseases described above, this will happen under the auspices of that patent, and the Feds will reap the profits.

The debate over cannabis in society has increased in frequency and volume, especially, over the past 20 years. Various laws affecting the cultivation, sale and possession of cannabis have changed. Fifteen states plus the District of Columbia now have medical marijuana laws. A dozen states have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cannabis. Marijuana is a multi-billion dollar cash crop that plays heavily in the economies of several states, notably California and Hawaii. And the science on cannabis as a beneficial medicine grows steadily, as researchers peer into the chemical soul of this plant and conduct rigorous experiments.  Looking ahead, I see broader decriminalization, more medical inquiry into the plant, and eventually a product that is sold and taxed like alcohol and tobacco. Hopefully in the process, marijuana medicines will gain broad distribution, to aid people whose health can be greatly improved by these remedies.

"Much of the prevailing public apprehension about marijuana may stem from the drug's effect of inducing introspection and bodily passivity, which are antipathetic to a culture that values aggressiveness, achievement, and activity." – The New Columbia Encyclopedia.

Chris Kilham writes a weekly wellness column for FOX News Health , as The Medicine Hunter.

[Patriot]

Interesting.  Once again, we see government saying one thing at the public microphone while doing somthing behind the curtain that seems contradictory, at best.  Happens at all levels of government, from local school boards to the highest levels in D.C.

Could it be that their motive is something other than money/profit?  Could it be another move in the social engineering game?  Maintain control over things that work and that people may need.  If they own the patent on what works, do they not then control the future means of distribution (via licensing etc,)?  Under Obummercare, isn't it HHS who sets up the panel that will decide who gets what treatment based on the economic interests of the government?

In any case, this seems to be yet another extension of the hand of government into extra-constitutional affairs.  Ultimately at the behest of unaccountable bureaucrats and most likely, unconfirmed appointees.

[thatsMRSc2u]

Maintain control over things that work and that people may need.  If they own the patent on what works, do they not then control the future means of distribution (via licensing etc,)?

well...DUH  .....not exactly rocket science to figure that out! While everybody is busy bitchin about the red-herrings, as in words in the pledge or prayer in the school or sex ed in school or tolerance ed in school or any number of other "carrots" like whether or not obama put the right hand over his heart etc etc etc, the really important stuff is slippin under the radar....like this one, or federal control ,as in outlawing ,of herbal medicines period, control of water rights, everyday food production. Everybody pays attention to gun control.....but if all these other things go...the only thing that guns gonna be good for is shootin yourself, and it DIDNT just start with OBAMA..........anybody who thinks that has been livin in a vacuum.

[Patriot]

well...DUH  .....not exactly rocket science to figure that out!

Given your following statement, perhaps it is as tough as rocket science for many folks...

While everybody is busy bitchin about the red-herrings, as in words in the pledge or prayer in the school or sex ed in school or tolerance ed in school or any number of other "carrots" like whether or not obama put the right hand over his heart etc etc etc, the really important stuff is slippin under the radar....

Though it shouldn't be rocket science, at the very least a large number of Americans can't read the radar screen very well.

[jarhead]

I don't know a lot about pot--hack hack(clearing my throat- , I was a product of the 60's,OK ? ) I had a good friend that had leukemia. when he was taking chemo the Dr's were amazed that he actually gained weight---and did up until the final rounds before his marrow transplant. Why did he gain weight? Toke toke --I don't have a clue. If it helps, let them puff away

[thatsMRSc2u]

   join Willy Nelsons Tea-Pot party LOL I did. (got a cool bumper sticker too) Seriously tho, I am all for legalizing it and I'm not embarassed to say it in public

[Diane Amberg]

Like any irritant it's hard on the lungs, but probably not as bad as cigarette tobacco because of all the additives that are put in it. Just my opinion. I still wouldn't want people driving under it's influence, as with any other things that could alter reaction time or be mind altering in any way. But that's just me.

[thatsMRSc2u]

 Diane I really mean no disrespect to you. I'm not supporting "hey lets get baked and drive to new york city" here........yeah smoking it may irritate your lungs but like you said none of the chemical additives like tobacco...although if the government gets their hands on it I'm sure there will be.....there is more than one way to get it....eating, tinctures, etc. It truly has medicinal value not to mention other uses.

As far as for recreational purposes I'd lots druther some guy got baked as hammered.....for real.

[Diane Amberg]

I do understand you, really.

[Roma Jean Turner]

Agree with you Mrsc.  Sounds like the government is getting ready to hand it over to the drug companies to make a lot of money on.  Their version will cost a lot more, be 1/2 as effective and you can bet they will make sure there is no fun involved.