HUNT FOR CANNABIS CURE

THIS year will see two separate research initiatives which aim to
establish if cannabis does have medicinal properties.

One carried out by a private company, GW Pharmaceuticals, will involve
an aerosol mixture of pure cannabis.

The second, organised by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, will
examine whether the active ingredients in cannabis can be extracted
and formulated into a new medication.

If the research results are accepted as valid by the World Health
Organisation, then other pain sufferers will be able to use cannabis
on an individual 'named patient' basis until the law can be changed.

GW Pharmaceuticals spokesman, Mark Rogerson explains: "We are
producing an extract from the whole plants, which is a bit like syrup.
It will be delivered to the patient in the form of a heated vapour
because cannabis needs heat to work.

"Patients will use a very clever device rather similar to the
nebulisers used by people with asthma." I about six months time, two
trials will be carried out, overseen by the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society. One, involving 300 volunteers, will establish whether
cannabis can relieve post-operative pain (pain following surgery).

The other, with 600 volunteers, will check if the drug can relieve
muscle spasms in people with multiple sclerosis.

It has been estimated that 1000 people with MS already use cannabis
illegally to relieve muscle spasm.