cannabisnews.com: Scots Patients Given Cannabis For Pain Relief Scots Patients Given Cannabis For Pain Relief Posted by CN Staff on June 29, 2002 at 19:22:47 PT By Lorna Hughes -- Exclusive Source: Sunday Mail UK Cannabis is being prescribed to NHS patients in Scotland for the first time. A trial of the controversial scheme to offer cannabis-based medicines as pain relief has started at one of the country's biggest hospitals.Doctors at Glasgow's Gartnavel Hospital have been given the green light to offer the drug to patients as part of the ground-breaking research study. The prescription pilot means that doctors will be able to offer the drug to MS sufferers and other patients with long-term pain relief problems. Last night, a spokeswoman for the hospital confirmed that the West Glasgow hospitals ethics committee had granted approval to the trial project.She said: "It's a research study and the benefits of the treatment will be reviewed by doctors."The drug is understood to be administered orally to patients in the form of a capsule or a spray used under the tongue. Both medicines are made from cannabis derivatives by drug companies.But patients will not get "high" after chemists isolated the active painkilling ingredient of marijuana.It is not known how long the study will last and whether it will be extended to other hospitals.The revelation comes just a week after the Sunday Mail revealed how police forces are no longer prosecuting people caught with personal amounts of the drug.It is mainly out-patients at Gartnavel who have been offered the chance to take part in the pilot scheme.Multiple sclerosis sufferers have long campaigned for the drug to be available on prescription, claiming it most effectively tackles their pain.But the Glasgow hospital is prescribing cannabis-based relief to other patients, including those suffering post- operative pain.MS sufferer Anne Brankin, 57, applied to join the research scheme at Gartnavel but was told all the places had already been taken.Mrs Brankin, of Blackburn, West Lothian, said: "I have tried cannabis and it certainly helped relax me when I had spasms."A few other sufferers told me they also used it. But what nearly all MS sufferers will tell you is that they will try anything to relieve the pain."We would like to see cannabis controlled and hopefully this study will go some way to make this happen."Nancy Malcolm, 49, was diagnosed with MS 26 years ago.The mother-of-two from Stirling added: "I am quite sure every MS sufferer would try cannabis if they thought it would help."But one patient, who is recovering from surgery, was surprised to be offered cannabis by his doctor.He said: "I was shocked when the doctor asked if I wanted to join the project."I've suffered from terrible pain since a leg operation and have tried all other kinds of treatment."I'm a dad and I suppose I was just surprised to hear a doctor offer me a drug that I had always been told was illegal."Note: Unique drug trial at Glasgow hospital.Source: Sunday Mail (UK)Author: Lorna Hughes Published: Sunday, June 30, 2002Website: http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/Contact: http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/contactus/ Related Articles & Web Sites:Chronic Cannabis Use in PDF Formathttp://freedomtoexhale.com/ccu.pdfRenewed Hope for Cannabis Trials http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13234.shtmlMS Patients in UK Face New Battle to Get Cannabis http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12902.shtml Further Trials of Cannabis Medicineshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12515.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by Industrial Strength on June 29, 2002 at 22:03:00 PT I wonder... If the Olde English herb would be as bad as the beer? I remember the first, and last, time I ever drank a 40 of Olde English. Sprawled out on my friends bathroom floor, head resting on the toilet seat and no matter how much I threw up that terrible feeling just would not evaporate. The Beatles "1" cd played in an endless loop on the boombox perched atop the toilet, alot of Beatles songs now bring me back to that moment...That is some awful beer. No other brew has made me vomit from what would be like four bottles. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on June 29, 2002 at 20:22:03 PT pppp You have quite an imagination and make us laugh! Jack Daniels 420! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by pppp on June 29, 2002 at 20:06:57 PT ...Clan MacDoobie... ......I hope the Scottish are the first to fully legalize Marijuana,,,because the Scottish would be really good at growing special varieties of weed...Way up in the highlands,(no pun intended),,they would be growing special strains within their clans..kinda like they did with Scotch Whiskey!.....Clan MacIndica,,,,Johnnie Walker Green ,,Highland Mist..........of course,,after that,,the producers of fine Canadian whiskeys would get in on the game, ,,with...:Green Velvet........and I guess after that,,all the worlds liquor producers would jump on the bandwagon.... ..Jack Daniels 420......Young Grand Dad.....BuddWiser.....Schmoke-inoff....Miller High Life...Colt 420...Olde English 420 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment