SCIENTISTS' CANNABIS BREAKTHROUGH

Scientists have announced a major breakthrough which they say could pave
the way for cannabis to be prescribed on the NHS. The team based at
Aberdeen University has developed a method of making the drug soluble for
the first time.

That means cannabis could be used in sprays, aerosols or injections -
removing one of the objections to the medical use of the drug.

GPs have opposed the use of the drug because it had to be smoked, which
caused cancer risks, or eaten, which is an unreliable method of taking the
drug.

Now Professor Roger Pertwee believes the cannabis could be available
through the National Health Service within five to 10 years - if not sooner.

The House of Lords' science and technology committee has recommended that
the drug should be made available now for medical purposes.

The UK Government - through the Medical Research Council - is currently
carrying out a ?1m trial involving 600 Multiple Sclerosis patients to
assess the medical benefits of the drug.

Drug Companies

Professor Pertwee, a reader in neuropharmacology at the Scottish
university, is recognised as the country's leading researcher into the
medical benefits of cannabis. He is also secretary of the International
Cannabis Research Society.

His team's research has already attracted the interest of major drug
companies in the UK and the USA, where some states allow cannabis to be
used medically.

Professor Pertwee, who has been researching cannabis for 30 years, believes
"thousands" of Multiple Sclerosis patients in the UK are already using the
drug to relieve their chronic pain and muscle spasms.

"I agree with the government that more data should be available before
prescribing the drug," he said.

"But having said that I would make cannabis available on the NHS now
because a great many people are using it to relieve chronic pain and they
are doing that through the black market.

"I would rather they used cannabis under medical supervision."

He has developed and patented the new cannabis compound in collaboration
with Boston-based Dr Raj Razdan and Virginia-based Dr Billy Martin.

"Water soluble compounds also make the delivery of the drug easier and less
toxic," said Professor Pertwee.

"If we can get rid of some of the unwanted effects of cannabis it may be
able to help a great many conditions.

Pain Relief

"If we can't then its benefits will be limited to relieving chronic pain."

He is currently working on removing the "high" from cannabis, a step which
involves work on the body's nervous system.

"Unfortunately the same receptor upon which cannabis acts is also the same
target for the pain it is trying to relieve," said Professor Pertwee.

"But it may be possible to have target drugs which block out or minimise
the high of cannabis but allow its pain-relieving qualities to work."

The UK Government banned the medically prescribed use of cannabis in 1971,
but in recent years there has been a growing reluctance by prosecutors to
take such users to court.