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Due to status, a. there is no huge global demand and b. large-scale global supply of medicinal cannabis is flat out impossible. And I'm not saying that's a good

Due to status, a. there is no huge global demand and b. large-scale global supply of medicinal cannabis is flat out impossible. And I'm not saying that's a good state of affairs, but it can't go on a list of essential medicines that need global availability because it's clearly not essential and not globally available. Also, calling some BS on the big pharma conspiracy stuff w/r/t cannabis/cannaboids. Sure, when there wasn't a prevailing wind they're going to lobby for anti-drug laws, but now in the US, South America etc. there is. They can't really be amoral money grabbers if they start ignoring the money -- if "they" (as some bloc) are what you're saying, then what, they're not going to not bother with cannabis-derived pain relief drug research?

varispeed 5y ago
I'd say the supply is purely artificial problem. If the medicine was mandated as essential, the supply issue would have been solved within a year. I am sure that in many countries or jurisdictions it was possible to beat big pharma lobby (for example in the US by direct ballot initiatives), however, there are countries where big pharma is actively blocking adoption of this medicine because in case of chronic pain, one of the major money makers, they risk losing a good chunk of profits. Here in the UK senior doctors (that happen to be shareholders or involved in others ways with those companies) lie public in the face that there is no evidence medical cannabis actually works and block any routes for prescriptions to be available on the NHS.
taneq 5y ago
> large-scale global supply of medicinal cannabis is flat out impossible Just because of legal issues or is there some logistical issue? I can't imagine it's any harder to commercialize than tobacco and left unchecked that was huge.
- RobertKerans 5y ago
  It's got nothing to do commercialisation. It's illegal in well over half the countries in the world, so issues are legal and logistical. And it's going to a bit hard to persuade, say, the UAE that it should be added to the list. Just because research seems to strongly suggest it (or more specifically derivatives of) can be very helpful for certain conditions doesn't mean it's going on a list of critical medicines that have to always have a large global supply available anytime soon.
  - taneq 5y ago
    Yeah, fair point. Bit hard for the WHO to label something essential when it's widely illegal.

varispeed 5y ago

I'd say the supply is purely artificial problem. If the medicine was mandated as essential, the supply issue would have been solved within a year. I am sure that in many countries or jurisdictions it was possible to beat big pharma lobby (for example in the US by direct ballot initiatives), however, there are countries where big pharma is actively blocking adoption of this medicine because in case of chronic pain, one of the major money makers, they risk losing a good chunk of profits. Here in the UK senior doctors (that happen to be shareholders or involved in others ways with those companies) lie public in the face that there is no evidence medical cannabis actually works and block any routes for prescriptions to be available on the NHS.

taneq 5y ago

> large-scale global supply of medicinal cannabis is flat out impossible Just because of legal issues or is there some logistical issue? I can't imagine it's any harder to commercialize than tobacco and left unchecked that was huge.

RobertKerans 5y ago
It's got nothing to do commercialisation. It's illegal in well over half the countries in the world, so issues are legal and logistical. And it's going to a bit hard to persuade, say, the UAE that it should be added to the list. Just because research seems to strongly suggest it (or more specifically derivatives of) can be very helpful for certain conditions doesn't mean it's going on a list of critical medicines that have to always have a large global supply available anytime soon.
- taneq 5y ago
  Yeah, fair point. Bit hard for the WHO to label something essential when it's widely illegal.