Pubdate: Wed, 09 Nov 2005
Source: Scotsman (UK)
Copyright: The Scotsman Publications Ltd 2005
Contact:  http://www.scotsman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/406
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)
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Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

CANNABIS 'EASES PAIN CAUSED BY ARTHRITIS'

CANNABIS can significantly ease the pain of rheumatoid arthritis, a
study revealed yesterday.

Taken in medicine form, the Class C drug was shown to reduce pain,
improve quality of sleep and ease inflammation.

Scientists insist the element of the drug which creates a potential
"high" is an essential therapeutic component of the treatment and
cannot be removed.

The authors of the study are now calling for a larger trial to back up
their findings to help the 600,000 rheumatoid arthritis sufferers in
the UK.

The trial was led by David Blake, a professor of bone and joint
medicine at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, in
Bath, and the University of Bath.
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MAP posted-by: Derek