It's a completely different medication. I've never had Vicoden. Cesamet is a cannabinoid that's been synthetically made in the lab, however it chemically resembles THC that's found in marijuana. It's a medication that's been on the market for some time now, though generally used for applications such as the side effects of cancer treatments, or to increase appetite in HIV/AIDS patients.

It's also extremely effective for helping to ease the pain of certain types of pain, including nerve pain. That's where the pain specialist came in for me. My neurologist recommended we try a cannabinoid, and I had to go through referral to the pain doc for the prescription. I'm not sure how it works for these medications in other locations.