As the debate around medical marijuana rages on, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a synthetic version of the substance. The recently approved Syndros, manufactured by Insys Therapeutics, is a liquid form of dronabinol, a synthesized version of THC.
“Syndros is the first and only FDA approved dronabinol solution for oral use,” said Dr. John N. Kapoor, Chairman, CEO and President of Insys, in a press release. “It is a liquid that is easy-to-swallow and allows for the dosage to be titrated to clinical effect.”
But despite its similarities to THC, Syndros lacks the ability to get its users high and is missing many of the beneficial cannabinoids that are present in marijuana; known as the “Entourage Effect,” these cannabinoids work together and compliment each other in ways that are still unknown to scientists.
Syndros has been approved for treating nausea induced by chemotherapy, as well as weight loss related to AIDS.