I'm a little disappointed

[Mark Gordan Smith]

Quote: This patent specifically restricts any further tests, studies or research into the medical benefits of cannabis until the patent runs out in 2023.

I know sweet very nothing about U.S politics.
So my daft question is: Will not the powers that be simply lobby the government for another xx years patent?

 

[Emilya Green]

no, or nothing would ever hit the over the counter market... the companies that developed the drugs would hold onto their patents forever

 

[Auggie]

no, or nothing would ever hit the over the counter market... the companies that developed the drugs would hold onto their patents forever

Except for ONE little thing.
"The powers that be" that holds the patent is the United States government. They have demonstrated that, as a group, 'the powers that be' have no problem with changing laws to suit them, or just ignoring them altogether.

So, can the government renew the patent?
They can do any damn thing they wish.

 

[Emilya Green]

They can do any damn thing they wish.

There is a fine line between this and outright revolution... Government must be cautious.

Even now we are in open but mostly passive revolt of these policies... but if they tried renewing this lockdown of all things cannabis after this patent runs out, I would expect a nationwide backlash and refusal to comply, the likes of nothing we have seen before in America... especially if they made it clear that at the same time, big Pharma was allowed to use these substances in order to make products to sell to us.

 

[Auggie]

Even now we are in open but mostly passive revolt of these policies...

Yup. Agree.
Even the 'authorities' are in open but passive revolt.
Result is anarchy.

But, I don't see MJ as being the catalyst. Just not a big enough deal to most of the population.

 

[Emilya Green]

Yup. Agree.
Even the 'authorities' are in open but passive revolt.
Result is anarchy.

But, I don't see MJ as being the catalyst. Just not a big enough deal to most of the population.

You might be surprised how vocal the seniors and vets are starting to get about it... it becomes a bigger deal with each passing day.

 

[Auggie]

You might be surprised how vocal the seniors and vets are starting to get about it... it becomes a bigger deal with each passing day.

There is bigger deals tho.
And the volume of the vocalizing has been, necessarily, reduced.
I am old, and white, and male.
I am not safe.
Especially if I become 'vocal.'

I need to avert my eyes, keep my mouth shut ... and shuffle on.

 

[Heathen1812]

Hey all,

Like the title says, I'm disappointed, rather at how low the participation is in this sub-forum. Politics, and my beliefs is kinda what spurred my interest in growing, but looking through this forum, not many participate or engage in the political discussions. That has to change. For so long people have distanced themselves from politics, and I feel thats the reason why the US is so screwed up right now. Do you all feel ok giving the government 25% or more of your income and happy with the returns you are getting? I sure don't.

Right now there is a candidate for Governor in Texas that is hell bent on changing many things, and cannibus is a priority for him. If we aren't active politically then things won't change. We really should have more discussions on the politics and laws surrounding cannibus. I really thought that was a major point of these forums. You have to be engaged and you have to vote if you expect change to happen. Hearts and minds.

With that said, I'd like to hear some ideas on what you all think would be good initiatives to start so we can live our lives the way we want without looking over our shoulder.

We'll always have to look over our shoulders as long as Feds keep their heads in the sand.

 

[Dr Fish]

This forum is not about Politics.. We are told by at least one member, to limit what we say to, pot ,weed or what ever you want to call it.. I'm a Vet, I joined the US Army, served 3 years 64, 65, 66.. Never have considered myself a loser, or stupid for doing that.. I saw my duty and I did it..
If you don't have a heart, or need one, if you don't have a brain, or need one, if you don't have courage. or need it, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.. He'll see to it you'll get what you deserve..
If this is to be deleted, I'd like more than one mod to read it.. Save our pot plants from the man behind the curtain..

 

[TorturedSoul]

On the national level, things are much different. The USDHHS owns the one and only patent that the government owns, legally or not. This patent specifically restricts any further tests, studies or research into the medical benefits of cannabis until the patent runs out in 2023.

I thought it expired last year. Wasn't it granted some time in 1999? April 21, maybe?

Regardless, that's not how patent protection works. You create some kind of engine that runs on angst, and get a utility patent for 20 years. I can't market my own angst-powered engine for those 20 years (depending on how broad your patent is, of course; if it's some specific thing that doesn't apply to my designs/builds, that's different). But I can research angst-powered engines to my heart's content, build any number of prototypes, et cetera. I can even build a non-commercial angst-powered engine for my own private use.

This is how, when a patent expires, other entities can immediately bring their versions of the products to market.

Released five years ago.

 

[Emilya Green]

I thought it expired last year. Wasn't it granted some time in 1999? April 21, maybe?



Released five years ago.

nope... look it up, spring of 2023

 

[TorturedSoul]

Hmm... October, 2023?

 

[Emilya Green]

Is it october? I have sawdust in my brain... I don't rightly remember.

 

[TorturedSoul]

Wait - is it a utility patent or a design patent? A utility patent is good for 20 years, but (IIRC) a design patent only lasts for 14.

In general and on the balance, it's not really a bad thing when the NIH people obtain a patent. It tends to license them to other entities so that the thing will end up getting used, instead of patenting a thing as a means of ensuring that it doesn't. Or to patent a thing and then quietly sit on it unless/until another entity happens to discover the thing and create/sell products (etc.) based on that thing, and then sue that other entity for a huge amount of money (and future royalties). Also, while the NIH often offers/sells exclusive licenses, they're not always "completely" exclusive. Using that angst-powered engine as a rough analogy, you might license the technology to me exclusively to build/sell angst-powered automobiles, or their engines - but offer a license to someone else ("exclusively") to design/build products for the home, intended primarily as a means of reducing the angst of people who live in those homes. Or the license might be total and complete exclusivity. There's a section of the NIH website that lists patent licenses being offered (or there used to be, at least).

Of course, that doesn't take into account politics. The head of the NIH is appointed by the President, and it is a "child agency" of the DHHS, the head of which is also appointed by the President. That doesn't always - or even usually - effect things like this, but it can.

I haven't really kept up with the goings on at Kannalife, the licensee of this particular patent. If I'm not mistaken, it was acquired in some kind of stock trade deal by a company that was originally incorporated (in Delaware, of course) in 2013, that started out intending to develop and sell smartphone apps to other companies, then decided they'd sell web design services to businesses. I think the resulting entity was later purchased by the Medical Marijuana, Inc. holding company - a company that seems to have lots of capital for something that appears to have a stock price of a penny . Or maybe I read that wrong, IDK. I did see some pictures of several of the corporate officers and subsidy heads. They all appeared to have... that look. The one that, when you see it on a person, you instinctively put your hand firmly on your wallet, check to make sure your daughter is safely behind a locked door far away, and then slowly back out of the room they're in so that you are at no time in danger of turning your back on the person. <SHRUGS>