cannabisnews.com: Study To Pin Down Marijuana Doses for Chronic Pain





Study To Pin Down Marijuana Doses for Chronic Pain
Posted by CN Staff on December 22, 2003 at 13:28:41 PT
By CBC News Online Staff
Source: CBC
Montreal -- After years of delay, a Canadian study on the value of marijuana as a pain reliever is underway in Montreal. Dr. Mark Ware, a professor of family medicine and anesthesia at McGill University, treats patients with severe, chronic pain. His clinical trial aims to determine the therapeutic value of cannabis for these patients under real-life conditions. Health Canada had held up the study, but the department has now given permission to a supplier to release its product for the trial.
Many of Ware's patients sought prescriptions for medicinal marijuana after other painkillers failed.Yanick Drapeau injured his spinal cord in a motorcycle accident 18 months ago and is still in great pain. "It's like electricity on my leg," said Drapeau. "Like a big shock every day." Drapeau took morphine every day but the side effects were too much for him. Marijuana eased the pain without making him groggy, he said. Doctors may sanction the use of cannabis as a medical treatment, but they lack scientific facts to pass on to their patients. "I wouldn't know how to prescribe it because to my knowledge, there have been no studies of smoked marijuana," said Dr. Francois Lehmann, chair of family medicine at the University of Montreal. To determine the best dosages, Ware's enrolled 32 patients with neuropathic pain. Their skin is very sensitive to touch or temperature, like a sunburn that can't tolerate air flowing over it, he said. The patients smoke a pipe, now licenced as a medical device. "We're specifying that they use a certain amount three times a day for a five-day period," said Ware. Patients will randomly rotate through different strengths of cannabis at home and report back. Patients hope the study will result in easier access to the pain killer. Early results are expected in early 2005. Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Published: December 22, 2003Copyright: 2003 CBCContact: letters cbc.ca Website: http://www.cbc.ca/Related Articles & Web Site:Canadians for Safe Accesshttp://www.safeaccess.ca/Research on MMJ Produces No Resultshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16785.shtmlMcGill Seeks Pot Exclusivity Deal http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15839.shtml
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