TOKING COULD EASE MS

Researchers Say Smoking Marijuana Could Benefit Patients

TORONTO -- The first large clinical trial looking at whether marijuana
actually has a medicinal effect for people with multiple sclerosis has
found there is probably a clinical benefit from taking the drug.

The British trial was designed to see if doses of cannabinoids, the
active compounds in cannabis, reduce spasticity in people who have MS.
While it made no discernible difference on that front, people who
received the drug had less pain, slept better and had better mobility
than people who received a placebo.

"It's fair to say that in the study, we did not see an effect on that
pure muscle stiffness," said Dr. Alan Thompson of the U.K. MS research
group, which conducted the trial.

The study, which will be published Saturday in the British medical
journal The Lancet, is expected to be keenly scrutinized by both sides
in the heated debate over whether marijuana belongs in the medicine
cabinet.

Anecdotal evidence suggests the drug is helpful for managing the
symptoms of a range of ailments but those opposed to its use argue
there is precious little scientific proof to back up the claims.

A Canadian MS researcher praised the study, saying she hopes it leads
to legal changes.

"Aside from the research and moving ahead that way, I hope this study
will also stimulate some better, more rational laws regarding cannabis
for medical purposes," said Dr. Luanne Metz, a neurologist and a
professor of clinical neurosciences at the University of Calgary.

The research team followed 611 people with multiple sclerosis from
across Britain. Participants were randomly assigned to receive oral
cannabis extract, a synthetic version of a cannabinoid known as
tetrahydrocannabinol or THC or a placebo.