SCANDINAVIAN `CURE' FOR HABITUAL CANNABIS USERS UNDER TRIAL IN CHRISTCHURCH

Christchurch: A drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in Christchurch
claims a Scandinavian "cure" can enable cannabis users to kick their habit.

The Deanery this week began trials of a low frequency laser-acupuncture
treatment for cannabis users. Staff claim the technology, developed in
Sweden, will stop cannabis use and pave the way to treat other dependencies.

Deanery director Ewen McLeod said more than 80% of Deanery clients who
relapsed into alcoholism had cannabis "somewhere in the mix".

"Our research has shown the majority of those who revert back to alcohol
are cannabis users. If this works - and I'm sure it will - then this will
remove cannabis from the equation and make alcoholism easier to treat."

Mr McLeod, a recovering alcoholic, said the Deanery was the only centre
outside Sweden to try the programme. Swedish company Touch for Life had
tested the lasers on nicotine addicts for the past couple of months and
results had been promising.

"Not only promising, but incredible. All the research indicates this will
be a cure for cannabis," he said.

Mr McLeod said clients were told the four-day residential programme was a
trial, and that they would receive monthly visits to determine the
programme's success. If they agreed to take part, the programme was free
for the period of the trial.

"This is still only a trial run. But I am confident that, for those that
respond to acupuncture, this will be the cure they have been waiting for."

New Zealand Drug Foundation spokeswoman Sally Jackman said claims of a cure
were exciting but should be approached with caution.

She said acupuncture was used to relieve the anxiety many addicts felt when
coming off their addiction but was unsure whether "relief" constituted a cure.

"Using acupuncture to relieve the stress of withdrawal is not a silly idea
at all. But I'm not sure that acupuncture has ever been applied as a cure."