CANNABIS RELIEF

The Government's general position on the issue of cannabis is becoming less
certain. After it had quickly rejected last week's call from the Police
Foundation for a radical softening of its policy, Home Secretary Jack Straw
declared at the weekend that he accepted there was a coherent argument in
favour of legalising cannabis. But he quickly added: "I don't agree with
it."

This is a divisive subject, but we hope there will be a consensus in favour
of the announcement that the first full-scale patient trials of cannabis for
medicinal purposes are to get under way at James Paget Hospital, Gorleston.

It has long been argued that cannabis can bring great pain relief for
sufferers of multiple sclerosis and some debilitating conditions. If the new
trials confirm this, then may common sense prevail.