Pubdate: Thu, 02 Mar 2000
Source: Daily Record and Sunday Mail (UK)
Copyright: 2000 Daily Record and Sunday Mail Ltd.
Contact:  Anderston Quay, Glasgow, Scotland, G3 8DA
Website: http://www.record-mail.co.uk/rm/

MS HOPE ON CANNABIS

SCIENTISTS have shown for the first time cannabis dramatically reduces
some of the most distressing symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

MS sufferers who have taken cannabis illegally have said for more than
a decade the drug had a therapeutic effect although there was no
scientific evidence.

But yesterday, a team of British scientists reported findings which
showed a psychoactive compound in cannabis could prevent muscle tremor
and spasticity caused by MS.

They also demonstrated that synthetic chemicals mimicking the compound
had a similar effect, pointing the way to the development of new
pharmaceutical drugs.
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