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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Relief for MS sufferer as cannabis chocolate arrives
The Northern Echo
Thursday 14 Jul 2005 A MULTIPLE sclerosis sufferer who depends on cannabis-laced chocolate to keep pain at bay has spoken of her relief when new supplies arrived. But Pauline Taylor, 53, from Durham, is angry that she suffered ten days of pain until more of the chocolate arrived. She plans to write to Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt urging her to reconsider a decision not to license a cannabis-based MS drug, which is now legal in Canada. Instead, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency has ordered new trials. For the past 20 years the former nurse has suffered from MS, a progressive, crippling condition that can produce intense pain. By trial and error, Ms Taylor found that the illegal controlled drug cannabis was the only way she could get pain relief and improve her mobility. At first she smoked cannabis joints, but six months ago she switched to safer cannabis-laced chocolate provided by a non-profit-making network called THC4MS, dedicated to providing symptom relief to MS sufferers. But following recent police raids, which led to five arrests, the regular supply of cannabis chocolate has been disrupted. Ms Taylor had to wait more than a week before a new pack was delivered to her home. "I did suffer during that time. When my pain gets worse I can't do my voluntary work or go out. With the chocolate I can walk a little bit and move around more easily," she said. Ms Taylor cannot understand why a cannabis-based drug is not legally available. Recently the Canadian authorities licensed a cannabis spray for use by MS sufferers after a successful trial. However, after a UK trial, British authorities decided more tests were needed.
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