Gw pharma

[cannamancan]

Just some info I've been reading :)

"My professional view of cannabis as a substance is that it appears to be a remarkably safe substance in comparison to most medicines prescribed today. The more I learn about this plant the more fascinated I become. It has through its various constituents multiple effects of therapeutic interest, many of which are now being validated by the enormous growth in basic cannabinoid research." - Dr Geoffrey Guy, Chairman of GW Pharmaceuticals.
On the 11th of June 1998, the campaign for the availability of medical marijuana received a boost, as a UK-based company, GW Pharmaceuticals received a license from the Home Office in order to conduct research into the medicinal uses of cannabis. The company had noted the large amounts of evidence that cannabis has beneficial effects on a number of medical symptoms. They then set out to conduct controlled clinical trials to evaluate these with a view to producing a final product to bring relief to thousands of sufferers to whom existing pharmacological treatments do not suffice. GW Pharmaceuticals thus became the only company in the UK licensed to provide raw cannabis materials for trials.


Is this legal?


Research on medicinal cannabis is generally forbidden under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. GW Pharmaceuticals applied to the Home Office in order to receive permission to conduct these vital trials. They receieved two licences:
A Cultivation Licence, allowing GW Pharmaceuticals to grow cannabis plants from seed or by cloning, subject to strict conditions.
A Possession and Supply for Medical Research licence allowing GW Pharmaceuticals to store cannabis in specified secure conditions, and supply the stored cannabis solely for research purposes.



GW Pharmaceuticals then collaborated with the Dutch plant-breeding company Hortapharm which allows GW Pharmaceuticals to use any of Hortapharm's cannabis plant varieties, and provide assistance in the cultivation of their own, in return for the development of devices to safely administer the cannabis medication into patients.
The first cannabis seeds were sown in July 1998, and by November 1998, GW Pharmaceuticals had a healthy crop of 5000 cannabis plants growing in the agreed secure storage structure in the South of England. It was thought that during the research about 20000 plants would be needed, most of which would be cloned off the 5000 grown from seed.


In January 1999 the first harvest was taken. Plants were cut off above the stem, dried, and then transferred to a laboratory.


In June, an application was made for GW Pharmaceuticals to establish a partner company in Canada to continue its investigations in more detail.

By November, the clinical trials were well underway. According to the company, humans were monitored whilst ingesting different extracts of cannabis through varied delivery devices for the first time. This formed part of the Phase 1 trial which was completed without problems. The results of this study allowed the selection of the best cannabis extracts for further testing. Significant differences may be expected in the effectiveness of plants which differed in the ratios of the cannabinoids.


The trial procedure
As with any other medication, for cannabis to be 'officially' proved an effective and safe medicine, it needs to go through several medical trials. These typically occur in 3 phases.
Phase 1 establishes the 'safety' of the drug. Healthy subjects ingest variable amounts of the drug and their physical functions are monitored to ensure no harm occurs to them. As a result of this, a safe dose-range can be established.
Phase 2 establishes the 'efficacy' (effectiveness) of the medication in potential patients. A small group of people suffering from the relevant affliction are medicated and studied to see whether the drug is in any way effective. This allows sensible tests to be developed and provides a mechanism for interpreting results.
Phase 3 involves much larger scale trials involving hundreds of potential patients. Typically comparisons between the active compounds, placebos and different medicines are taken. Special issues are considered such as special target patient groups (e.g. children) and interactions with other drugs.


By April 2000, GW Pharmaceuticals had received a clinical trial exemption certificate from the Medicines Control Agency. This was permission from the UK medical authorities to start a Phase 2 trial, involving patients who had multiple sclerosis, severe pain, spasticity and related conditions. The trials took place in several locations but commenced in Great Yarmouth's James Paget Hospital, initially under supervision by Dr Willy Notcutt. In this case, the trial was to establish the effectiveness of pain relief using a cannabis-based sublingual spray. Trials soon expanded into other areas of the country, including their first 'off-shore' research location in Guernsy.
Overall, the Phase 2 trials went well, and by May 2001 started its Phase 3 trials, involving many more patients living in more diverse locations. Hundreds of patients were involved, in a cross-country coordinated study based in Oxford. At this stage, £12 million had been spent on the trials, and the company hoped to be able to produce its first authorised prescription medicine in 2003, which would be targeted at patients who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis, arthritis, cancer pain and spinal cord injuries amongst others. This medicine would as far as possible attempt to try and let the patients gain medical benefits without psychoactive 'side effects' and without the health dangers related to smoking. The method of delivery was such that the patients could adjust their doses individually to provide the best level of benefit without side effects. In addition the company received an Investigational New Drug approval from Health Canada, allowing them to commence further Phase 2 trials in Canada - the first step in the 'international roll-out of GW's product activity'.



At the same time, GW Pharmaceuticals were seeking admission into the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange. They wished to raise £16 million from investors, in order to fund the expansion of the already-large trials, their cultivation and production facilities and to allow research to take place in other places in Europe and America. They gained entry to the Stock Exchange and floated with unprecedented success - raising £25 million from investors, showing perhaps the interest, excitement and practical success of the trials so far.


The general success of the trials gives hope of a change of law allowing thousands of sufferers to relieve their illness via a relatively safe medication.


The current Phase 3 trials some of GW Pharmaceutical's products are going through are in effect the final stage in preparing an application to the Medicines Control Agency for a Product Licence Approval

This Product Licence is an endorsement by the medical authorities of the UK that a medicine is safe and effective. The Government still has the final say - even when cannabis has been proven to be an unusually safe and effective medicine, it still won't be able to be used under the current law. However, the UK Government has indicated that if GW Pharmaceuticals are granted a licence, it would be willing to change the Misuse Of Drugs Act 1971 to allow the prescribing of a cannabis-based medicine.


This has lead GW Pharmaceuticals to suggest in 2001 that the day you can walk into your Doctor's office with a severe medical complaint and receive a prescription for legal, pure, safe and affordable cannabis-based medication may only be 2 or 3 years away.


2010 update


Sativex still hasn't been properly licenced as a medicine, but was made avaiable in 2006. It can now be prescribed, but is very hard to get.

[cannamancan]

Q. How do cannabinoids work?

A. Only in the last two decades, a natural cannabinoid receptor system has been discovered in the human body. It is by interacting with these receptors that cannabinoids exert many of their pharmacological effects. The discovery of the cannabinoid receptor system has sparked renewed interest in the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids by providing important new targets for drugs. There are at least two types of cannabinoid receptors in mammalian tissues, CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are present in the brain and spinal cord and in certain peripheral tissues. CB2 receptors are expressed primarily in immune tissues. There is preliminary evidence to suggest that additional cannabinoid receptor types may exist. The cannabinoid system also interacts with many other neurotransmitter/neuromodulator systems, such that cannabinoids affect almost every body system.


Q. Is GW researching other cannabinoids besides THC?

A. GW has conducted considerable research into CBD (cannabidiol), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. CBD has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-psychotic, anti-convulsant, and other properties. It is also believed to mitigate many of the side effects of THC. GW has also commenced a clinical development programme of its novel cannabinoid product, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV). THCV has shown promise in pre-clinical studies as a potential treatment for obesity, diabetes and related metabolic disorders. A range of other cannabinoid molecules are undergoing early research evaluation.
GW is interested in researching as many of the cannabinoids as possible. We are also interested in some of the non-cannabinoid contents. There are some ingredients in cannabis that have very potent pharmacological activity but which are not cannabinoids.



Q. What trials has GW conducted?

A. To date, GW has completed clinical trials in over 3,000 patients, including over 20 Phase II and Phase III trials. These trials are conducted around the world and have included patients with a range of different medical conditions, including multiple sclerosis, cancer pain, neuropathic pain, and rheumatoid arthritis. For more information on the target therapeutic areas for Sativex and the clinical trials completed to date.

Q. What research is required to obtain regulatory approvals for GW’s products?


A. GW's clinical trials programme is being carried out by a team of pharmaceutical professionals experienced in drug development and, in particular, the development of plant-based medicines and drug delivery systems. GW's team is also supported by a number of prominent scientific advisers in this field in Europe and North America. In general, each step in developing a pharmaceutical product must be tested under a range of conditions including extremes to simulate error. The test methods themselves need to be validated across the range of values expected. A development programme for regulatory approval has three main objectives: QUALITY, SAFETY and EFFICACY. QUALITY relates to consistency of the product throughout production and in its final presentation and packaging. This will also include long term testing of stability in order to establish an acceptable shelf life. The starting material will need to be tested for contaminants (which should be absent) such as pesticide and fungicide residues, fungal and microbial toxins, heavy metals, etc. Each test is performed many times. SAFETY Regulatory authorities require evidence from controlled studies and in depth critical review of the literature by experts in order to assess safety. GW has embarked upon this costly and time consuming undertaking to be able to provide sufficient evidence of appropriate quality to satisfy the regulatory authorities. The safety of the drug in clinical usage is continually monitored throughout the entire clinical development programme as well as following regulatory approval. EFFICACY Prior to submission of a dossier for regulatory approval there are three phases of clinical research:
Phase I. These are studies generally in healthy volunteers where the safe dose range of the drug is established. Phase I programmes are typically run in dedicated clinical pharmacology departments which do nothing but early-phase safety studies. Subjects may be exposed to increasing doses of the drug whilst all bodily functions are closely observed and blood samples taken to assess blood levels of the drug. Sometimes subjects are asked to perform tasks (e.g. exercise) or, more appropriately for cannabis-based medicines, batteries of intensive cognitive and psychometric function testing. The data from these studies assists in establishing appropriate dosage schedules to be used in the Phase II studies.
Phase II. These studies are generally carried out in small groups of patients. Usually specific aspects of the patient's condition are studied to demonstrate the effect, if any, of the drug on defined endpoints and to establish a dose/response relationship if present. In these studies the clinical endpoints are validated for their use in larger studies (i.e. are we asking the right questions or doing the right test to best evaluate the therapeutic value of the drug under test). Some drugs which are seemingly similar may require very different measures of efficacy. We suspect cannabis may well be one that requires very close attention to the clinical endpoints.
Phase III. Having established an acceptable dose range and validated the clinical endpoint in a range of conditions and having shown therapeutic benefit in the smaller Phase II studies then larger scale studies are undertaken. Hundreds of patients may be entered into each study and may receive active or placebo or active and placebo in a random order. Sub groups of responding patients are identified and so are interactions with other medicines that the patient may take. Special target patient groups will be studied at this time - young, old, renal impaired etc.

Q. How are these cannabinoid medications administered to patients?

A. GW's first product, Sativex, is administered as a measured dose oral (oro-mucosal) spray that is absorbed by the lining of the patient’s mouth. This method of administration enables patients to titrate (adjust) their dose to achieve symptom relief without incurring an unacceptable degree of side effects.



Q. Do patients get high when using GW’s cannabinoid medications?

A. One of the cannabinoids in Sativex is THC whereas the other principal cannabinoid is CBD, a non-psychoactive molecule. Evidence suggests that CBD may modulate many of the unwanted effects of THC. Hence, through the incorporation of CBD and the utilization of an oromucosal spray delivery system which is administered through careful self-titration (dose adjustment) and which keeps THC from entering the blood too rapidly., most patients are able to separate the thresholds for symptom relief and intoxication, the 'therapeutic window', so enabling them to obtain symptom relief without experiencing a 'high'. Patients emphasise that they seek to obtain the medical benefits without intoxication. There is no evidence from Sativex clinical trials that patients obtain a high akin to that sought by recreational cannabis users.
All of GW’s non-Sativex cannabinoid research focuses on cannabinoid molecules other than THC. These other molecules are not psychoactive.

Q. What is GW's position on crude herbal cannabis?

A. GW has never endorsed or supported the idea of distributing or legalizing crude herbal cannabis for medical use. In both our publications and presentations, we have consistently maintained that only a cannabinoid medication--one that is standardized in composition, formulation, and dose, administered by means of an appropriate delivery system, and tested in properly controlled preclinical and clinical studies--can meet the standards of regulatory authorities around the world, including those of the FDA. These criteria are also mandatory if the modern medical model—informed patients working with, and being advised by, knowledgeable physicians to identify appropriate treatment options--is ever to be attained with a cannabinoid medication.
We have also repeatedly stressed that these regulatory processes provide important protections for patients, and we believe that any cannabinoid medication must be subjected to, and satisfy, such rigorous scrutiny.


Q. Why not just let patients smoke cannabis?

A. In GW's opinion, smoking is not an acceptable means of delivery for a medicine. We believe that patients wish to use a medicine that is legally prescribed, does not require smoking, is of guaranteed quality, has been developed and approved by regulatory authorities for use in their specific medical condition and is dispensed by pharmacists under the supervision of their doctor.
The national regulatory processes of the UK, US, and other countries have been developed over the past century to protect patient health and safety. GW believes that all medicines should undergo these review and approval processes before they are made available to patients.
Sativex, like other medications in development, undergoes rigorous controlled clinical trials to examine its safety and efficacy.
We believe our program demonstrates that it is possible to develop a cannabis-derived medication in accordance with modern medical criteria, and therefore, that is the approach that should be taken, as is the case with all other medications prescribed for serious medical conditions.


Q. Why has GW devoted so much time and effort to make a cannabinoid pharmaceutical product?

A. Sativex is a cannabinoid pharmaceutical product standardized in composition, formulation, and dose, administered by means of an appropriate delivery system, which has been, and continues to be, tested in properly controlled preclinical and clinical studies. Crude herbal cannabis in any form--including a crude extract or tincture--is none of those things.
We believe that most patients and most physicians should accept only a product that meets the standards of modern medicine. Since the company’s founding in 1998, GW has consistently maintained a single objective: to develop modern medicines that satisfy international standards for quality, safety, and efficacy, while also meeting the medical needs of seriously and chronically ill patients.
Moreover, GW has conducted its program exclusively in accordance with the parameters of modern medical and pharmaceutical practice.
GW is entirely focused on creating cannabinoid medications that can be made available on prescription to patients 1) whose conditions have been shown to benefit from such medicines and 2) who wish to obtain their medical treatment from their physicians in accordance with the standards of modern medical practice.


Q. How does GW produce its cannabinoid medications?

A. GW's cannabinoid medications are derived from standardised extracts of proprietary cannabis plant varieties bred to exhibit a pre-determined content of cannabinoids. These extracts are incorporated into pharmaceutically-appropriate drug delivery technologies and then undergo pre-clinical and clinical testing prior to submitting applications to national regulatory authorities

Q. What are cannabinoids?

A. Cannabinoids are a group of chemical compounds found only in the cannabis plant. Different cannabinoids appear to have different pharmacological effects. Over 60 different cannabinoids have so far been identified but the role and importance of many of these has yet to be fully understood. Cannabinoids known to have pharmacological effects of therapeutic relevance include Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Cannabidiol (CBD), Cannabinol (CBN), Cannabichromene (CBC), Cannabigerol (CBG) and Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV). Certain cannabinoids have been shown to have analgesic, anti-spasmodic, anti-convulsant, anti-tremor, anti-psychotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-emetic and appetite-stimulant or appetite-suppressant properties.

Q. What does GW do with the herbal material?



A. GW uses plant material in order to extract the cannabinoids and other pharmacologically-active components from the plant. The extract is then formulated and incorporated into appropriate dosage forms. Each step is carefully quality-controlled and subject to strict Standard Operating Procedures, as well as international Good Manufacturing Practice standards.
GW utilizes the cannabis plant material solely to develop its cannabinoid pharmaceutical products. GW does not provide herbal cannabis to outside researchers.

Q. Where does GW grow cannabis?

A. GW's cannabis plants are grown under computer-controlled conditions in secure glasshouses at a secret location in the UK. GW has developed a highly sophisticated cultivation process to ensure plant material grown is of sufficient quality and consistency to be suitable for incorporation into pharmaceutical products.
Strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are followed to ensure non-contamination by chemicals, infestation or fungal growth, consistency of content, methods of harvest, drying, primary extraction, storage and onward consignment. Temperature, humidity, total light and photoperiod are all controlled by computer.
The facility is situated in the South of England but for clear security reasons we do not divulge the precise location.

Q. Why does GW cultivate its own cannabis plants?


A. The absolute requirement for a plant-based medicine from a regulatory point of view is "control of starting materials". A drug in its manufacture goes through many processes, each of which need to be monitored and strict quality controls applied. This process control and QC would be invalidated if the starting materials (i.e. the herbal materials) were of poor or inconsistent quality. Laboratory analysis of GW’s selected chemovar lines demonstrates that the cannabinoid ratios are very consistent. Such high levels of consistency are unusual in plants and are very important in applications made to medical regulatory authorities.
GW's foremost consideration therefore is the cultivation of highly consistent plants with defined cannabinoid ratios. Total yield of one or other cannabinoid is relatively less important than consistency. We have a number of chemovars (varieties characterised by their chemical content) chosen for their composition and morphological traits i.e. hybrid vigour and disease resistance.
GW cultivates cannabis in order to be able to control the starting materials for the in-house production of GW’s cannabinoid pharmaceutical products. GW does not distribute herbal cannabis to outside researchers or institutions.

[taylor]

Nice and informative, cheers cannamancan.

[cannamancan]

GW: Pharmaceutical Cannabis To Go Global In 2012
BRITISH GW Pharmaceuticals are set to make their global footprint in 2012 as they move into Australia, Africa, The Middle East, Asia (not China or Japan) while expanding their business in the areas they have already been able to make an impact in – much of Europe and North America.




Geoffry Guy - GW Pharmaceuticals Executive Chairman


GW Pharmaceuticals this year are starting three Phase IIa trials on patients with diabetes, metabolic diseases and, in the first quarter of 2012, ulcerative colitis.
This means that they are just working with patients to figure out the prescription dose that they will then proceed to give to all the patients in Phase IIb, where they will then determine if the drug has been as effective at this prescribed dose. Phase III trials for cancer pain are currently being recruited for with use of Sativex also. On GWPharm.com Executive Chairman Geoffry Guy says;


“We have embarked on a substantial Phase III programme for Sativex in cancer pain, a major market opportunity…”


This means a larger scale trial and how the drug compares to the current ‘golden standard’ treatment. When GW scientists proclaim that a drug with no side effects or addiction is rarely seen in pharmaceutical drugs you can imagine that these trials will probably pass with flying colours.
The British Government also agree that there is a major market opportunity for Sativex. This is why they were granted a marketing authorization before The National Institute of Heath and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have even approved it or the Home Office have taken advice from its advisory council, the ACMD, on how to reschedule cannabis. This process is underway, cannabis medicine is being delivered to patients – but at a large financial cost to the NHS and to very few patients that it is intended for and who desperately need it. Reporting on GWPharm.com’s financial section;


GW has delivered another robust set of financial results, with substantially increased revenues yielding a profit for the period and a strong cash position. With Sativex now launched in the UK and Spain, an increasing number of additional European approvals and launches for Sativex now expected and the recent agreement with Novartis to commercialise Sativex across a broad region of the world, Sativex should provide GW with a platform for significant growth in the coming years.


Sativex sales were predominantly lifted by its launch in the UK, Germany, Spain and Denmark during 2011 but it has also been approved in Czech Republic, Italy, with Sweden and Austria expected in the coming months.
A post on Proactiveinvestors.co.uk in November 2011 read:


In the twelve months to end September, GW posted a pre-tax profit of £2.5 million, below last year’s £4.6 million profit, but ahead of expectations for 2011.’
Revenues reached £29.6 million, in line with revenues of £30.7 million in 2010, as Sativex sales jumped 59 percent to £4.4 million, while milestone income amounted to £5.3 million compared to £11.2 million a year earlier. The group’s cash position has increased from £25.2 million at the end of 2010 to £28.3 million.




Packaging for an emerging new market? Or swapping our cannabis for your cannabis?


Other names in the Big Pharma family such as Novartis and Bayer are being contracted for distribution rights over the cannabis product and GW have now admitted beyond all doubt that Sativex is cannabis, delivered in doses similar to a mild smoked joint. [I will be releasing a story chaining the evidence together to hopefully make this an indisputable fact. Black and white. Side by side. Sativex is Cannabis and you can make it yourself.]
A cannabis withdrawal drug is about to be trialled in Australia, shockingly that drug is Sativex, so we have the situation where a pharmaceutical company is ready to supply the Big Pharma companies – with world-wide levels of distribution – with cannabis, to replace cannabis. Their cannabis, not our cannabis… GW are a global organization with a legal profit of over £2million (before tax – boo hoo poor them) for growing 300 metric tonnes of cannabis in wet weight (thats 30 metric tonnes dried/smokable/extractable).


Beyond Europe, we look forward to working with Novartis to commercialise Sativex in a number of key emerging markets.


As for a major market opportunity for Sativex in cancer I wonder how the patient would feel when they had their house raided, were arrested, traumatized, treated like a criminal and potentially a terrorist, detained in poor condition (remember this is a cancer patient), forced to defend themselves in silence in front of a Judge biased with Western Patriarchal and Political prejudices and then faces 14 years in prison. Surely growing 300 metric tonnes of cannabis isn’t cause for a medical defence?



Well it is if you are Geoffry Guy…



Stay tuned and subscribed for more top UK Cannabis News and exposure of the GW Pharm monopoly.

[cannamancan]

Clears view of gw & the home office...




GW Pharmaceuticals is engaged in a corrupt relationship with the British government. It has been granted an unlawful monopoly of medicinal cannabis and is now selling its super-strong, super concentrated 51% THC skunk concentrate Sativex at 10 times the price that organised crime sells cannabis for on the streets.


Freedom of information requests and licensing applications from other businesses are all refused out of hand. The Home Office is intent on unlawful and corrupt protection of GW’s commercial interests.


GW sells one 10ml bottle of Sativex to the NHS for around £175. Pharmacologically identical products are available in medical marijuana dispensaries in the US at around $20 for a 50ml bottle.


Meanwhile, GW’s cronies in the Home Office maintain and promote the lie that there “is no medicinal value” in cannabis. When health authorities refuse to fund GW’s extortionate prices and sick people grow their own plants, virtually for free, the Home Office steps in with its cruel, corrupt and cowardly policy and sends them to jail.


GW and the Home Office also conspire to deceive that Sativex contains only THC and CBD in order falsely to distinguish it from cannabis. In fact, it is an whole plant extract containing all the 100+ cannabinoids, terpines, flavonoids and other compounds that occurr naturally in the plant. Sativex IS cannabis.


GW, its hired doctors and nurses and the Home Office also promote the lie that Sativex does “not produce the euphoria associated with recreational cannabis”. Yet in the Sativex summary of product characteristics (SPC), a statutory document, “euphoric mood” is described as a “common” side effect.


This is corruption, falsehood and organised, systematic deceit of the British people on a grand scale.

[Bobby Digital]

fucking big pharma and government hand in hand like always.... twats

[TIKTOK]

I've been reading the GW website regularly for a couple of years now and every month they add new spin. This time I notice the overuse of "cancer pain". Why do they single out "cancer pain" as opposed to "acute" or "chronic" pain?

I reckon in the not too distant future we'll be reading headlines like "DOCTORS RELATE SHRINKING TUMOURS TO PAIN RELIEF DRUG SATIVEX" and "EXPERTS DISCOVER PAIN DRUG KILLS CANCER CELLS". Then a new multi billion pound growth industry will be formed for the chosen few to invest in

[sorbyl]

It's always easier to gauge something if I have something similar to measure it against.

So let's compare Amsterdam medical grade weed prices to that £175 ripoff you mention and see how it compares. It should be a good comparison as cannabis sales are totally exempt of all taxes and duties, and Jack Herer is the cheapest weed on the Dampkring menu except the floor sweepings.
http://www.coffeeshopmenus.org/Dampkring/Menus/Dampkring.html
http://www.coffeeshopnieuws.nl/index.php/blog/3-articles/31-a-little-coffeeshop-economy

So it's 8E/g or 224E per oz
And we could maybe squeeze 7g of oil from that oz (let's pretend faires do this for free in dead of night).
So 1g of oil would be 32E plus fairy food.

Sativex is dispensed in UK in 11ml bottles.
Now 1g of water = 1 ml, so how much oil is needed at 32E/g to make up 11ml?
I don't know, but if it is half the density of water then that would be 5.5g and 5.5g of untaxed Dutch Jack Herer with no extraction costs would be 176E.
Add fairy food and it sounds about right.

[Hillbilly]

No mater what GW Like Monsanto and DuPont are just out to make money by keeping cannabis illegal, So F them IMO..

[Bobby Digital]

It's always easier to gauge something if I have something similar to measure it against.

So let's compare Amsterdam medical grade weed prices to that £175 ripoff you mention and see how it compares. It should be a good comparison as cannabis sales are totally exempt of all taxes and duties, and Jack Herer is the cheapest weed on the Dampkring menu except the floor sweepings.
http://www.coffeeshopmenus.org/Dampkring/Menus/Dampkring.html
http://www.coffeeshopnieuws.nl/index.php/blog/3-articles/31-a-little-coffeeshop-economy

So it's 8E/g or 224E per oz
And we could maybe squeeze 7g of oil from that oz (let's pretend faires do this for free in dead of night).
So 1g of oil would be 32E plus fairy food.

Sativex is dispensed in UK in 11ml bottles.
Now 1g of water = 1 ml, so how much oil is needed at 32E/g to make up 11ml?
I don't know, but if it is half the density of water then that would be 5.5g and 5.5g of untaxed Dutch Jack Herer with no extraction costs would be 176E.
Add fairy food and it sounds about right.

the thing is mate, they grow the weed and dont pay primo prices for it, you can grow a oz for 20 quid in the uk easy, so do the math from that :)

[sorbyl]

So how is that different from what the Dutch growers do?

I'm saying you pay the same price for the cheapest weed in Amsterdam as you do for Sativex.
If you disagree with that then pick a hole in my sums.
Otherwise I just owned you.

[cannamancan]

Well first of all you would get a lot more than 7 grams of oil from an oz of weed ! I used to get more or less that from an oz of trim

First you said this...

And we could maybe squeeze 7g of oil from that oz

Maybe is guess work ! So there's no point carrying on trying to pick a hole in your maths because you did it for us straight away , and yes maybe could be classed as an estimate which is a mathematical term but if you estimate wrong (as you have done) then the rest of your equation is just gobbledygook :)

me and the mrs today have been pricing up sativex for someone close to us who's recently been diagnosed with ms , the cheapest we have found it actually available to us was fucking extortionate and totally unaffordable , so bobby d saying that you can grow an oz of primo green for £20 is cheaper than buying sativex and buying weed.

[Hillbilly]

It's always cheaper to grow then buy and you can buy 1.1 CBD to THC strains now so you can get the same Med in a way by growing and not pay some Co. that wants it to say illegal for you to grow so they can make money and LOL at how they make money by growing something that's illegal for you to do and would be the same med!