FURTHER TRIALS OF CANNABIS MEDICINES

Tests on cannabis's medicinal use are being expanded Trials of
cannabis-based medicines are to be extended to see if the drug is effective
at reducing pain in a wider range of conditions.

GW Pharmaceuticals, based in Salisbury, Wiltshire, is already looking at
whether cannabis-based medicines reduce three types of pain, including
general pain associated with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Four new trials will be established to look at how effective the medicines
are in treating:-

pain in spinal cord injury sleep disrupted by pain in multiple sclerosis
(MS)sufferers nerve-damage pain in MS General nerve-damage pain,
specifically allodynia, a condition where people feel pain from something
which does not normally hurt, such as clothes brushing across skin

The three existing trials look at the medicines' effects on cancer pain and
brachial plexus injury - a severe form of nerve-damage pain, as well as
general MS pain.

Altogether, around 600 patients from around the UK will be involved in the
seven trials of the medicines, which are administered via an
under-the-tongue spray

Deeper Research

Last October the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, said cannabis may be
legalised for medicinal use.

GW Pharmaceuticals aims to seek regulatory approval from the Medicines
Control Agency for its medications in 2003.

A spokesman for GW Pharmaceuticals explained why the company was now
focussing on these four new areas of research.

"What we were finding was that the pain in MS was seriously disrupting
sleep patterns.

"There were people who hadn't had a decent night's sleep for a decade or more.

"We are also looking at allodynia. In the past, people have been put on
antidepressants, which its transpired have some effect, but they have a
large number of side-effects too."

In addition to the other main areas of research into spinal cord pain and
nerve pain in MS, the company is also carrying out early research into
using cannabis-based medicines to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Anecdotal Evidence

GW Pharmaceuticals' spokesman added: "We are going deeper and wider into
existing areas of research, such as the medicines' effect on MS."

Chris Jones, Chief Executive of the MS Trust welcomed the extension of the
company's trials: "Many of the 85,000 people with MS in Britain suffer from
symptoms such as muscle stiffness, spasms (spasticity), pain and sleep
disturbance.

"For many of these people, there is anecdotal evidence that suggests
cannabis has provided significant symptom relief, seemingly without
side-effects.

"We therefore welcome any new research into possible licensed cannabis
based medicines."