Cannabis drug 'fights pain without high'

BBC On Line ^ | Wednesday, 21 August, 2002 | Unsigned

[aculeus]

Scientists have developed a cannabis-based medicine which relieves chronic pain without any of the "high" normally associated with the drug.

They believe the discovery could pave the way for cannabis-based medication to become available by prescription within two years.

Much of the controversy surrounding the medicinal use of cannabis has centred on fears that it would be used solely for its mood-altering effects.

However, scientists at the University of Massachusetts in the United States say their discovery should help authorities to overcome these fears.

Dr Sumner Burstein and colleagues say early trials of the medication in animals and healthy patients have been promising.

The medication, called ajulemic acid or CT3, has been manufactured in laboratories.

It maximises the medicinal effects of tertrahydrocannabinol - the key ingredient of cannabis - without any of the mind-altering effects.

'More effective'

In animal tests, this compound was found to be between 10 to 50 times more effective at reducing pain than tetrahydrocannabinol.

Those tests showed that ajulemic acid was very effective at preventing the joint damage associated with arthritis and relieving the muscle stiffness associated with multiple sclerosis.

The compound was tested last year in 15 healthy volunteers in France. That study reported no side effects or mood changes in those participants.

A further trial on 21 patients with chronic severe pain is currently underway in Germany.

Dr Bernstein said the results of each study had been promising.

"The indications so far are that it is safe and effective," he said.

Dr Bernstein added that the compound could replace a wide variety of current medicines used to fight pain.

"We believe that [the compound] will replace aspirin and similar drugs in most applications primarily because of a lack of toxic side effects."

Dr Bernstein acknowledged that some patients may wish to experience the mood-altering effects of cannabis by taking this compound.

But speaking at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston, he added: "The medical community wants efficacy without this effect."

A spokeswoman for the UK's Medicinal Cannabis Research Foundation said: "We believe it would be premature to comment on the merits of ajulemic acid before more rigorous testing in patients has been carried out, but look forward to seeing the results after further study."

[A CA Guy]

Geat = Great

[A CA Guy]

Dam straight, their desire is for vice, not legitimate medications for actual needs. IMO!

[Khepera]

We'll have your Jug ready.

[steveo]

The compound was tested last year in 15 healthy volunteers in France who promptly surrendered after the study.

[WindMinstrel]

good point about the vice thing. We really need a department to prevent vice, and preserve virtue. Don't you agree?

[Malcolm]

I'm sure that there is a medicinal use for pot, but that's not why all the Libertarians are on FReep advocating it's legalization. They just want to be able to smoke it, period. I have nothing against medical use of pot, but I do against legalization along the lines of alcohol. The negative effects on children alone rule out that as a responsible goal. Someone criticized Bob Barr on here yesterday, saying that the people have a "right" to decide this. There is no specified right to possess nor smoke pot, and no specified right to referenda. So much for the pot-smoking crowd being Constitutional nuts. They're just the regular variety.....

[WindMinstrel]

wow, so we should ban anything that could be bad for you, Malcolm? That seems pretty strong, no?

[RipSawyer]

Can't have people altering their moods now, can we?

[WindMinstrel]

There is no specified right to possess nor smoke pot, and no specified right to referenda.

Ahh, that's right -- I had forgotten that the only rights we have are those specified. Everything not forbidden is mandatory, right?

[headsonpikes]

"There is no specified right..."

Last words of Louis XVI....;^)

[Destructor]

"Dam straight, their desire is for vice, not legitimate medications for actual needs. IMO!"

Really! Let's start a movement for medicinal Marijuana "without the high," and see how many of the noble potheads will support it. Wouldn't take a fortune teller to predict that outcome!

[Neckbone]

Wow, it took you 2.5 lines of text to claim that you're watching out "for the children" this time! You're getting slow.

[A CA Guy]

I agree 100% on what you said.
I also must say, this is a conservative place and Libertariams have many leftists agendas and platforms.

I know people are free to post here, but the Libertarians are NOT conservative.

[A CA Guy]

Well, I understand that some people have all their taste only in their mouth!

[A CA Guy]

Buy a dog, play a CD! And, good luck to you.

[Trailerpark Badass]

I have nothing against medical use of pot, but I do against legalization along the lines of alcohol. The negative effects on children alone rule out that as a responsible goal.

That's right, we wouldn't want kids to be able to go into a store and buy pot as easily as they can now buy booze.

[gdani]

Without the high, for most I bet it's goodbye! LOL

This coming from someone who claimed that a short while ago the news was just *filled* with stories about how pot smokers were going to get sick and possibly die because "of the mercury in the ground where pot is grown".

Yet everytime I ask for even one, single link to such a news story you haven't provided one. I wonder why?

(Apparently, the WOD'ers feel it's OK to lie if it serves their purpose.......but then I already knew that).

[A CA Guy]

We shouldn't start-up everything that is bad for us because some want cheap highs through illegal drugs when their life is lacking.

[A CA Guy]

I agree with your suggestion that few if any potheads and Libertarian political friends would accept it without the high.

[WindMinstrel]

that made no sense. Could you rephrase it?