I have to go with David on this one. Marinol is a medical scam foisted upon patients by a puritanical and hypocritical DEA. While there are tons of web sites denouncing this cruel fraud, the best and most reasonable (IMO) is that of NORML
Marinol vs Natural Marijuana
The conclusion of this study says it all
[quote]Oral synthetic THC, legally available by prescription as Marinol, often provides only limited relief to a select group of patients, particularly when compared to natural cannabis and its cannabinoids. Patients often experience minimal relief from Marinol and many experience unwanted side effects. In addition, many physicians are hesitant to prescribe the drug, and some patients are unable to afford it. Despite Marinol's legality, many patient populations continue to risk arrest and criminal prosecution to use natural cannabis medically, and most report experiencing greater therapeutic relief from it.

The active ingredient in Marinol is a synthetic analogue of only one of the compounds in cannabis that is therapeutically beneficial to patients. By prohibiting the possession and use of natural cannabis and its cannabinoids, patients are unnecessarily burdened to use a synthetic substitute that lacks much of the therapeutic efficacy of natural cannabis and its cannabinoids. [/quote]
P.S. As a consolation prize to EricS, this same NORML study also has a chapter on how great the vaporizer for marijuana is for providing real relief to cancer patients.
Charm