Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:


After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.

UK: Cannabis to be in chemists this year

Emma Hartley

The Times

Saturday 22 Mar 2003

---

HIGH street chemists will dispense cannabis-based prescription medicines
for the first time in 30 years, the Government announced yesterday.

Bob Ainsworth, a junior minister at the Home Office, said that a company
that was licensed to carry out clinical trials had given an "extremely
positive" report to the Medicines Control Agency.

Mr Ainsworth told the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee: 'We could
be in a situation to make cannabis- derived medicines available before
the end of the year.'

GW Pharmaceuticals is testing an under-the-tongue spray that could be
prescribed to patients for multiple sclerosis as well as for nerve
damage pain and disturbed sleep.

The Home Office said: 'The Home Secretary said some time ago that he
would be prepared to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act to allow the
prescription of cannabis-based medicine as a form of pain relief. But
that's only if clinical trials establish that there are therapeutic
benefits.'

Further research is testing the effectiveness of cannabis-derived
treatments to relieve pain in patients with cancer and in those with
spinal cord injuries.

The main ingredient in the medicines being tested does not contain the
active compounds found in recreational cannabis and does not have the
effect of intoxicating the patient.

 

 

 

After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back. 




This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.

Feel free to link to this page!