Insys Therapeutics donated $500,000 opposing marijuana legalization in Arizona - The DEA has now approved their synthetic marijuana drug Syndros.
In a not-so-remarkable turn of events, one of the strongest supporters of
Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, Insys Therapeutics has developed and gained DEA approval for their new synthetic THC drug, Syndros.
Let us travel back in time for a moment and really take in the hypocrisy this large pharmaceutical company (which also manufactures the
deadly painkiller Subsys fentanyl) and the DEA has toward the advancement of MMJ research and legalization.
In September, the anti-legalization initiative, Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, received a donation of $500,000 from Insys. This donation made up one third of the contributions to the initiative, and according to
campaign finance records, was one of the largest single contributions to any anti-legalization campaign. Until this donation, legalization supporters – the men and women of Arizona – had out-fundraised opponents 3-to-1.
The pharmaceutical company made their stance on marijuana clear. However, the DEA has now given Insys the green light to start producing and distributing their synthetic version of THC, Syndros under a Schedule II classification. Syndros utilizes the components in THC that assist with hunger and nausea, the synthetic version will be marketed toward AIDS and cancer patients.
But why not just help legalize and use marijuana? The answer is obvious... they can't make money that way. Instead of investing in actual marijuana research and development, it's cheaper and easier to develop synthetic variations that simulate the actual beneficial effects of marijuana on suffering patients.
This isn't the first time Insys has been caught up in shady dealings either.
As mentioned before, Insys manufactures their own brand of
fentanyl, which is 50-100 times more potent than heroin, Oxycodone or morphine. It has also contributed to the already dramatic climb in opioid addiction and overdose. The company is currently facing state and federal investigations, as well as a shareholder lawsuit, over allegations that Insys utilized improper marketing tactics to doctors in attempt to boost sales of the drug.
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On February 2016, a
former sales rep for Insys pleaded guilty to fraud charges due to a kickback scheme involving Subsys fentanyl sales. Then, on August 2016, two former employees pleaded not guilty after they were arrested due to accusations for partaking in a similar kickback scheme for the drug. If you're unaware, a kickback scheme is a form of negotiated bribery where commission is paid to the bribe-taker in exchange for services, and in this instance, highly addictive opioid sales.
Let all of that marinade for a second: A pharmaceutical company under investigation for illegally boosting sales of a proven highly addictive and deadly drug, spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to block legalization for a drug they created a fake version of.
This is where the issue with the DEA's approval for Syndros comes in. The Drug Enforcement Agency under federal law is tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States. They are the ones who classify substances in schedules to let the general population know which drugs can get you thrown into jail, and which you can buy from your local pharmacy.
The motivations of the DEA are thrown into question when they back a drug manufactured by a morally controversial pharmaceutical company. When marijuana is grown in its natural plant form, it is an illegal and
"highly addictive" drug with no accepted medical value. But when a pharmaceutical company develops a synthetic version that would likely cost patients
more, the DEA is much more open minded.
The DEA's Schedule II classification of Syndros came after the FDA
approved it last July. The Food and Drug Agency stated the synthetic marijuana effectively treated nausea and vomiting in chemo patients, and alleviated weight loss associated with AIDS patients. The DEA
did note the potential for abuse, which is now receiving a fair amount of criticism, considering they basically compared it to regular marijuana.
https://twitter.com/tomangell/status/844560928431624193
The DEA is currently attempting to shift blame to the FDA in classic "Well
they did it first" fashion. However, that falls through, considering the
FDA has publicly advised the DEA to reevaluate its classification system. Simply put, the FDA has told the DEA it cannot properly research the medical validity of marijuana...
because of the DEA's classification of it.
Thanks, Nancy.
Overall, it's ridiculous the DEA would approve a synthetic version of a drug with a natural counterpart that remains a Schedule I, all under the guise of keeping American's safe from addiction. If that was their main concern, they would be addressing the credibility of a pharmaceutical company that is under investigation for illegally boosting sales of a
real highly addictive gateway drug
and killer.
