REHAB CENTRE TRIES LASER AS 'CANNABIS CURE'

A Christchurch drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre claims a
Scandinavian method can cure cannabis users of their habit. The Deanery
began trials using low frequency laser-acupuncture for cannabis users
yesterday. Staff claim that the new technology, developed in Sweden,
will stop cannabis use and pave the way to treat other dependencies.

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

"Our research has shown the majority of those who revert to alcohol are
cannabis users. If this works then it 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 trial the programme. The Swedish company Touch for
Life had tested the lasers on nicotine addicts "for the last couple of
months", and results had been promising, he said.

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

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

New Zealand Drug Foundation spokeswoman Sally Jackman said claims of a
cure were exciting, but should be approached with caution. Acupuncture
was used to relieve the anxiety many addicts felt when coming off their
addiction, but was unsure whether "relief" constituted a cure, she said.

"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."