The Cause of Medicinal Side Effects
BBC News World Edition, Friday 2nd July 2004
Headline:
“More than 10,000 people a year may be dying because of bad reactions to medication”,
From the desk of Patricia (Cannabis Granma) Tabram:
A study suggests 6% of people are admitted to hospital, because of adverse reaction to drugs. (Article in the British Medical Journal, stated on BBC World News)
In 1948, Cannabis, along with a number of other herbal remedies were dropped from use and they were replaced by synthetic drugs. The principle involved was this.
Herbal treatments were analysed and the active ingredient was isolated. It was assumed that there was one active constituent, which had the healing effect. Its molecular structure was analysed and could be reproduced by manufacturing synthetic molecules, which had the same make up. These molecules were usually made up from a raw petroleum base, in other words, structured out of base, which was made from crude oil.
Although plant based medicines are still used, 60 – 70% are now “Synthetic” and for the pharmaceutical industry there are two advantages in this. First they have total control over the purity of the product, and secondly since the medicine is manufactured, they can take out a patent on the molecular structure and so charge royalties on the product, even if another company manufactures it.
In the ensuing 57 years, the pharmaceutical industry has got far beyond replicating herbal molecules and now continually invents new synthetic medicines according to their patients’ needs and those of the medical profession. This can be a hit and miss situation, which is why drug testing is a long process.
One researcher said recently. These molecules are now so complex that if one amino acid is missed out, or added in too large an amount, then it changes the whole effect of the medicine. The content of the bodies of patients vary considerably and may contain toxins, which also act to change the response of the drug.
This causes what the medical profession calls ‘side effects’. Some of the side effects are only discovered after the medicine has been released onto the market. However, the pharmaceutical companies are obliged to list all known effects in the packaging. Some medications have up to 90 side effects listed. Some side effects only emerge after prolonged use.
Medications are now being produced to treat the side effects of medicines previously taken. 15,000 people a year are admitted to hospital to treat the “side effects” OF THE MEDICATION THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN. (This is probably an underestimation)
That is why I medicate with Cannabis; – I feel I have a human right to medicate with Cannabis when modern medication is so bad.
Why can’t we be like the areas in Australia in the South, and North East, where every household is allowed to grow 5 Cannabis plants per year, to meet personal needs. Or are we not as democratic as Australia?
Why have the government not allowed this information to be spread around this country, instead of just to the rest of the world. People in Great Britain, do not usually listen to the world news, and very few people – apart from Doctors – read the British Medical Journal – Or have the government put a stop on British Newspapers reporting the “real news”.
Most of Europe and nearly 90% of countries around the world have stopped the Prohibition on Cannabis and are allowing Medicinal Users the right to grow, between one and five plants at a time, thus getting rid of National and International dealers.
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