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) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?232 (Chronic Pain) 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. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek