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."

[TBall]

What fun is a pain medication that you can't feel? After surgery I want a prescription that warns me not to drink or operate heavy equipment.

[serinde]

...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.

FYI - I tend to approve of legalizing drugs, and have many libertarian leanings. Yet I have never smoked pot or taken any illegal drug in my life. (The legal ones I take are bad enough, thank-you.) Thus, not all those that have views you don't agree with are merely potheads, and these constant insults are wearing thin.

I'm still waiting for one of your clique to tell me exactly why drugs should not be legalized, when alcohol and tobacco ARE legal and have serious negative aspects to their use. Please explain to me this contradiction and hypocritical stance.

(Without mentioning children or continuing the personal insults, if possible.)

[tacticalogic]

Something new, without all the negative side effects of what's already out there, could be wonderful for those that need it.

Cannabis works on a whole different set of receptors in the brain than opiates. This could be a godsend for people who suffer from chronic pain, but have built up a tolerance to opiates.

[gdani]

There was articles about Hawaii and othjer places producing crops of pot high in Mercury due to the volcanic nature of their soil.

It was well over a year ago. For a week it was in several papers.

Happy hunting!

So, you're a liar.

[Dakmar]

I try and keep it very simple for YOU. I'm not like F. Lee

That's obvious, you can't even argue a simple point without resorting to ad hominem attacks.

[tacticalogic]

Dogma is a comfortable refuge for people who fear critical reason. You have to be right, because you cannot fathom, and could not survive being wrong.

[MrLeRoy]

If they debate it further, it is due to addiction

In fact, marijuana is less addictive than caffeine---and FAR less addictive than alcohol. If you were arguing from principle, you'd also support the banning of alcohol.

[Physicist]

Please explain to me this contradiction and hypocritical stance.

They're drunks.

[tacticalogic]

but I still get them from time to time without that...

I get away with an occasional Kahlua and coffee. I think the caffeine, being a vaso-constrictor, helps conteract the alcohol vaso-dialator effect.

[serinde]

Libertariams have many leftists agendas and platforms.

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

Hate to break it to you, but I hold several libertarian views and am highly conservative.

(Please note the small "l" in my statement. That detail actually means something.)

Comparing ideas based on less govt. and fewer govt. interferances in daily life with leftist agendas such as larger govt. and greater govt. control of everyone's lives - and calling them the same - simply doesn't make any sense.

[headsonpikes]

I think the best part of these colloquies is the highminded exchange of empirical evidence, untainted by partisan fervor.

Don't you agree?

[gdani]

I AM RASHIONAL = NON LIBERTARIAN

TYPO! LOL

Are you so pea-brained that you can't tell when someone is making fun of you?

(As if you have any business pointing out other people's typos given your non-sensical, misspelled, gramatically incorrect ramblings).

[MrLeRoy]

CA Guy seems to have done what Drug Warrior cowards do best---flee.

[A CA Guy]

You mean like when I make fun right back!

[A CA Guy]

You mean like when I make fun right back?

[A CA Guy]

I am doing what few addicted warriors can't, making $$$$$$$$$$$

[MrLeRoy]

You mean like when I make fun right back?

I mean like when you avoid responding to substantive posts, like 107.

[tacticalogic]

I am doing what few addicted warriors can't, making $$$$$$$$$$$

The calculated perjorative "addicted warriors" notwithstanding, I think I agree with you for once.

[MrLeRoy]

I am doing what few addicted warriors can't, making $$$$$$$$$$$

Most drug users are not addicts---and many supporters of legalization are not users. I use no drugs, including the deadly addictive legal drugs tobacco and alcohol; that's my choice, and other adults should be free to make their own choices. It's called FREEDOM ... you should look into it.

[dcwusmc]

Good rant. Lucid and logical. Which is why it will be lost on the WODDIES, to whom facts and rational argument are like holy water and garlic to a vampire... come to think of it, WODDIES are rather like vampires in many ways. They want to suck your life blood from you; they want to convert you to the dark side; they are, once created, almost impossible to get rid of; they come busting in your door during the wee hours of the night, as if daylight were deadly to them... even though a proper search warrant says they may not enter your home after dark... so they lie, too... on their BLANK warrants. Hmmm, maybe we need to re-read Bram Stoker to learn how to kill the bast@rds...