DUTCH HOSPITAL TESTS CANNABIS USE FOR MS PATIENTS

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch teaching hospital said Thursday it would
shortly start a study on the usefulness of cannabis to help multiple
sclerosis (MS) sufferers.

``There are indications cannabis products can contribute to the alleviation
of complaints and symptoms which can occur with patients suffering from
MS," the Free University hospital said in a statement.

MS is a chronic and often painful degenerative disease of the central
nervous system whose symptoms range from fatigue to loss of motor skills,
impaired vision and paralysis.

Although some five percent of MS patients regularly use cannabis, there has
hardly been any medical research on its effectiveness, the hospital said.

The study will compare the safety, tolerance, and efficiency of two
cannabis products in capsules against placebos on 16 MS sufferers over 20
weeks.

Results are not likely to be published before next year.