cannabisnews.com: Cannabis Trials Are 'Delaying Tactic'





Cannabis Trials Are 'Delaying Tactic'
Posted by CN Staff on August 20, 2003 at 14:42:32 PT
Mrs Ivol said the drug was proved to relieve pain 
Source: BBC News 
A government-funded trial in which NHS patients are to be given cannabis has been dismissed a "delaying tactic" by campaigner Biz Ivol. The study, which is being run by the Medical Research Council (MRC), aims to find out if the drug really can help to relieve pain. But Ms Ivol, a wheelchair-bound Multiple Sclerosis sufferer, said that clinical trials into cannabis had been conducted by every government for more than 30 years.
The 55-year-old, who lives on Orkney, takes cannabis to relieve the pain of MS and has campaigned for the drug to be made legal. Successive governments She was taken to court earlier this year accused of supplying cannabis to others but the case was dropped on the grounds of Ms Ivol's health. She said: "It just feels like another delaying tactic, saying they have got to do clinical trials. "I've got files full of clinical trial results going back to 1970. "They have done these clinical trials over and over again and it seems that every successive government uses the excuse that you have got to wait for clinical trial results. "I can name a professor not too far away from me who has been doing clinical trials since 1970 with cannabis and MS." In the new MRC trial, scientists will randomly select 400 patients who have undergone surgery from 36 hospitals across the UK to take part in the study. Researchers will ask the patients about their pain and general well-being at least once every hour while they are awake, over a six hour-period. The patients will be able to request additional pain relief at any time. Ms Ivol said: "They must realise that there are thousands of people with loads of different illnesses right throughout Britain using cannabis for pain relief. Why don't they just ask them?" She said painkillers prescribed by doctors have nasty side effects and can kill people. "I don't see why people can't just grow the plant and use it as they want it." "Cannabis has never killed anybody and they do know it is a very effective pain relief", she said. "The only trouble with using cannabis is that you never know how strong it is going to be. Because every time you get it, it is a different plant from a different country. "It would be lovely to have it regulated so you know what strength you are using." Source: BBC News (UK Web) Published: Wednesday, August 20, 2003Copyright: 2003 BBC Contact: newsonline bbc.co.ukWebsite: http://news.bbc.co.uk/ Related Articles & Web Sites:Thc4MShttp://www.thc4ms.org/Legalise Cannabis Alliancehttp://www.lca-uk.org/Cannabis on Trial for Pain Relief http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17108.shtmlEnd of a Desperate Legal Battle? http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16756.shtmlWoman Defends Cannabis Use http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16648.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by lag on August 20, 2003 at 17:10:32 PT
Awesome
I mean, really...haven't these trials been going on for a long time. And just because Nixon kicked his trial under the carpet, doesn't mean it's not legitimate (I mean, he turned out to be a president who almost got successfully impeached...which prolly means his lack of endorsement can be considered an actual endorsement). Either way...I agree, it is most likely a stalling tactic.
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