Britain’s first trial into the medical use of cannabis has been given the go
ahead. The Medical Research Council is to fund a £950 000 clinical trial
into the use of cannabis as a therapy for multiple sclerosis. John Zajicek, a
consultant neurologist at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, will recruit 660
patients from across the country who suffer significant muscle spasms, a common
symptom of the disease.
During the three-year study, patients will take capsules containing either
cannabis extract, tetrahydrocannabinol (the plant’s main active ingredient) or a
placebo. “The study has been set up to answer the simple question: does cannabis
have any therapeutic benefit for MS sufferers?” says Zajicek.
