Cannabis beats pain - Canadians

Tuesday August 31st, 2010

Patients allowed to smoke cannabis at home gained significant release from chronic pain, according to a new scientific study.

In the research, full strength cannabis was compared with a placebo, stripped of the most powerful ingredient in the drug.

The Canadian researchers say the findings demonstrate the drug can help relieve the misery of people with chronic neuropathic pain, caused by injuries such as traffic accidents or side-effects of surgery.

Just 21 people took part in the research conducted by McGill University, Canada, and reported in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Researcher Dr Mark Ware said: "This is the first trial to be conducted where patients have been allowed to smoke cannabis at home and to monitor their responses, daily.

"For these patients, medical cannabis is sometimes seen as their last hope."

He added: "This study marks an important step forward because it demonstrates the analgesic effects of cannabis at a low dose over a shot period of time for patients suffering from chronic neuropathic pain."

Writing in the same journal, Dr Henry McQuay, of Balliol College, Oxford University, UK, says: "This trial adds to the trickle of evidence that cannabis may help some of the patients who are struggling at present."

Canadian Medical Association Journal August 30 2010

Tags: Drug and Alcohol Abuse | North America | Pain Relief | Pharmaceuticals

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