MARIJUANA-LIKE DRUG ELUDES SCIENTISTS

As Ricky Williams fights social anxiety disorder with marijuana, scientists
are working to take advantage of the plant's anti-anxiety properties while
avoiding the drug's side effects.

Ricky Williams' claim that marijuana helps stave off social anxiety may have
scientific merit, but developing a drug that could produce similar results
will take years, medical experts said Thursday.

In lab animals, higher levels of cannabinoids -- the compounds found in
marijuana, and which occur naturally in the brain -- sometimes decrease
anxiety.

Scientists are trying to develop a drug that would replicate this effect in
humans. But even under the rosiest circumstances, it will take nearly a
decade to bring the drug to market.

In the meantime, scientists recommend against smoking marijuana to relax.

''One of the reasons humans use marijuana is because it reduces anxiety,''
said Cecilia Hillard, a professor of pharmacology at the Medical College of
Wisconsin.

``On the other hand, the reason most often cited for stopping using
marijuana is that it causes anxiety.''

Daniele Piomelli, the scientist who is developing the cannabinoid-based
drug, is more blunt.

''Cannabis is not a very good medicine,'' he said.

PROMISING TESTS

A compound Piomelli developed at the University of California at Irvine
slows the breakdown of the canabinoids that occur naturally in the brain.

Tests in mice and rats suggest this may reduce anxiety without causing the
memory loss, appetite increase and decrease in cognitive function associated
with smoking marijuana. Human trials of the compound are slated to begin
within two years, Piomelli said.

But drugs that work in mice often fail in people, and several experts said
they were not aware of any studies that used marijuana to treat anxiety in
humans.

Scientists following federal recommendations have studied marijuana to treat
multiple sclerosis, advanced HIV and cancer-related pain. The government has
approved a marijuana-like drug to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea.

It's more difficult for psychiatrists to study marijuana.

''It's kind of hard to do that research, because of the illegal nature of
the drug,'' said Dianne Chambless, a University of Pennsylvania psychologist
who studies social-anxiety disorder.

THERAPY

Chambless said therapy for social-anxiety disorder often helps patients
relax by understanding that the whole world is not judging their every move
- -- which might not be the case for a star running back like Williams.

''For most people with social anxiety everybody really isn't watching you or
judging you, but for people in his position, people really are,'' she said.
``It's a very tough position to be in.''