MS TRIAL OF CANNABIS RESULTS IN CONFUSION

Cannabis helped to relieve symptoms in many patients with multiple
sclerosis, but doctors say today they could find no physical proof of
improvement.

The first large scale trial of an active part of cannabis for people
with MS has produced a mixed result. Doctors' objective measurements
showed no reduction in limb stiffness, but more than half the patients
said this had improved.

Overall, more patients taking the active drug, tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC), reported that spasticity or limb stiffness, pain, spasms and
sleep had improved compared with those taking a dummy drug.

The trial, published in The Lancet, was funded by the Medical Research
Council. It involved 630 people with MS who were given THC or a
placebo for 15 weeks. In another part of the study 576 of the patients
answered a detailed questionnaire.

Many sufferers have found that cannabis provides relief from MS
symptoms and have broken the law in using cannabis, a class B drug. It
is due to be downgraded to class C.