SCOTS PATIENTS GIVEN CANNABIS FOR PAIN RELIEF

Unique Drug Trial At Glasgow Hospital

CANNABIS is being prescribed to NHS patients in Scotland for the first time.

A trial of the controversial scheme to offer cannabis-based medicines as
pain relief has started at one of the country's biggest hospitals.

Doctors at Glasgow's Gartnavel Hospital have been given the green light to
offer the drug to patients as part of the ground-breaking research study.

The prescription pilot means that doctors will be able to offer the drug to
MS sufferers and other patients with long-term pain relief problems.

Last night, a spokeswoman for the hospital confirmed that the West Glasgow
hospitals ethics committee had granted approval to the trial project.

She said: "It's a research study and the benefits of the treatment will be
reviewed by doctors."

The drug is understood to be administered orally to patients in the form of
a capsule or a spray used under the tongue. Both medicines are made from
cannabis derivatives by drug companies.

But patients will not get "high" after chemists isolated the active
painkilling ingredient of marijuana.

It is not known how long the study will last and whether it will be
extended to other hospitals.

The revelation comes just a week after the Sunday Mail revealed how police
forces are no longer prosecuting people caught with personal amounts of the
drug.

It is mainly out-patients at Gartnavel who have been offered the chance to
take part in the pilot scheme.

Multiple sclerosis sufferers have long campaigned for the drug to be
available on prescription, claiming it most effectively tackles their pain.

But the Glasgow hospital is prescribing cannabis-based relief to other
patients, including those suffering post-operative pain.

MS sufferer Anne Brankin, 57, applied to join the research scheme at
Gartnavel but was told all the places had already been taken.

Mrs Brankin, of Blackburn, West Lothian, said: "I have tried cannabis and
it certainly helped relax me when I had spasms.

"A few other sufferers told me they also used it. But what nearly all MS
sufferers will tell you is that they will try anything to relieve the pain.

"We would like to see cannabis controlled and hopefully this study will go
some way to make this happen."

Nancy Malcolm, 49, was diagnosed with MS 26 years ago.

The mother-of-two from Stirling added: "I am quite sure every MS sufferer
would try cannabis if they thought it would help."

But one patient, who is recovering from surgery, was surprised to be
offered cannabis by his doctor.

He said: "I was shocked when the doctor asked if I wanted to join the project.

"I've suffered from terrible pain since a leg operation and have tried all
other kinds of treatment.

"I'm a dad and I suppose I was just surprised to hear a doctor offer me a
drug that I had always been told was illegal."