Marinol (dronabinol) is synthetic THC rescheduled

Marinol (dronabinol) is synthetic THC rescheduled (downgraded) by FDA from Schedule 1 to Schedule II (permitting medical use) in 1986.  In 1999, Marinol was further relaxed to Schedule III. Unimed  Pharmaceuticals, Inc. apparently bought the patent from NCI in 1981. Marinol was first approved by FDA for nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy, and later approved to treat appetite loss associated with weight loss in people with AIDS. The patent having expired some years ago, dronabinol is now offered as a generic drug by several manufacturers. IMS Health -- a company that provides information, services and technology for the healthcare industry -- states $135 million in total US product sales of dronabinol for 2012.