cannabisnews.com: Cannabis May Have Long-Term Benefit for MS - Study Cannabis May Have Long-Term Benefit for MS - Study Posted by CN Staff on September 10, 2004 at 09:04:11 PT By Patricia Reaney Source: Reuters Exeter, England -- Cannabis-based treatments may have longer-term benefits for multiple sclerosis patients, scientists said on Friday. The findings of a short, 15-week trial of MS patients published last year were inconclusive because although patients reported relief in muscle stiffness, rigidity and mobility, the findings could not be confirmed by physiotherapists.But Dr John Zajicek, of the Peninsula Medical School at the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth in southwestern England who headed the study, told a conference there seemed to be further benefits for patients who continued treatment for a year. "In the short term-study there was some evidence of cannabinoids alleviating symptoms of multiple sclerosis; in the longer term there is a suggestion of a more useful beneficial effect, which was not clear at the initial stage," he said.Cannabis contains more than 60 different cannabinoids. The most active is thought to be tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).The 667 patients in the original study, which was reported in The Lancet medical journal, were given a cannabis extract or capsules with a synthetic version of THC or a placebo for 15 weeks. About 80 percent of patients opted to continue the treatments for up to a year."We have generated interesting results which suggest there may be long-term benefits," Zajicek told a news confernece at the annual meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.But he added that more research is needed to confirm the findings, which will be published later this year.MS, which affects about one million people worldwide, is a disease in which immune system cells destroy the myelin sheath that protects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.Although cannabinoids have been used in medicine for thousands of years, until recently there has been little scientific evidence of any therapeutic values.Last year, the Netherlands became the world's first country to make cannabis available as a prescription drug for cancer, HIV and MS. In the United States it is used to treat weight loss in AIDS patients and nausea and vomiting in cancer sufferers. Source: Reuters (UK)Author: Patricia ReaneyPublished: September 10, 2004Copyright: 2004 Reuters UnlimitedRelated Articles:Cannabis Study Encouraging for MShttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19467.shtmlMarijuana Chemical Reduces MS Painhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19195.shtmlMS Patients Trying Marijuana for Symptoms http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18968.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #9 posted by FoM on September 12, 2004 at 08:45:26 PT DeVoHawk Some people might not know that Cannabis is Marijuana but people are smart and will check by using Google or any search tool and type in the name Cannabis and it won't be long until Cannabis is a well known name. It's hard to fool people in the Internet age is how I see it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by DeVoHawk on September 12, 2004 at 03:31:34 PT Mass Money Media I use the terms marijuana and cannabis also. I was just hinting to the fact that the average american would not know what cannabis is so they would miss the point of this article. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on September 11, 2004 at 19:54:28 PT DeVoHawk I try to use Cannabis because Dr. Russo said that was it's proper name but I use the name marijuana too. I see them interchanged but when it is from the UK or a medical article they seem to use the name Cannabis. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by DeVoHawk on September 11, 2004 at 18:06:44 PT Cannabis vs Marijuana Any else notice that this article and the one at yahoo use the word cannabis but marijuana appears nowhere in the articles. Apparently when you spread propaganda one uses the word marijuana and when you tell the truth it is called cannabis. Could this be to distance any positive effects associated with marijuana(cannabis)? [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by breeze on September 11, 2004 at 05:14:35 PT Dankhank- That is one heck of a good idea!!! Thanks!:) [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Virgil on September 10, 2004 at 19:37:31 PT Dankhank, The MS societies That is what gets me about what cannabis can do for illness. All the societies that claim to work for those that suffer from an illness are all but silent. How many people in the US suffer from MS did not know about cannabis as relief before Montel and also, after Montel.Montell has done more for telling people about cannabis for MS than all the state societies that are to be working for MS. That is what is going to get a lot of people angry, especially if cannabis can postpone or otherwise prevent pain and injury from MS. They will be dealing with betrayal of those that they trusted, just as people once thought the USG was wonderful, except for giving away money to the poor and the foreign nations. There are now people dealing with the betrayal of the USG, and those feelings have a power of their own in calling peoples steadfast loyalty to the USG to doubt.Dr. Hulda Clark has a large following on a MS board at Yahoo. Her thinking is that the white blood cells have malfunctioned. Whatever does cause it, the annual $28 billion NIH budget cannot answer. Of course they could not undertake research to see what long-term use would have on MS, especially with abundant consumption.MS is really one horrible disease. People can fall repeatedly on occassion and they have to worry about broken hips and other injuries that might turn them from a functioning person to a person that is to sit with attendance until the end comes.It is damning to the prohibitionist call to say we need more study, when it is their prohibition that intentionally blocked all research, even in the private sector. People call that real gall to call for research that they have intentionally halted. I do have one thought on MS that concerns me as it is a personal issue since my sister has progressing MS. MS is more prevelant in countries the further you go away from the equator. It may sound elementary, but I really wonder if sweeting in hot countries helps the body remove toxins. On a basic level you have to think that the body is attacking the nerve linings because it is trying to remove something to protect the body.The UK will eventually move to let GW Pharma's Sativex on the market, as they cannot wait and let Canada beat them to it. It will be a huge event for several reasons, the least of which is not the wave of betrayal that people will realize in their institutions and in their governments. The AARP article may light a real fire in some people's bellies, that in turn embarasses the UK government into saying enough has been too much and end the taboo or not taboo question.It is all murder for profits, just like the paramilitaries in Colombia walk up on a pro-union leader and shoot him dead. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Virgil on September 10, 2004 at 11:56:26 PT Cannabusiness in Cologne, Germany The following is a copy and paste of an announcement at http://www.hempcity.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=446&highlight=Hello to all Hemp friends, the waiting is over now...there are only two weeks left and than the CannaBusiness begins...9th International CannaBusiness® in Cologne! 3 Days Cannabiz in CologneThe Palladium in Cologne is the new market place of the hemp branch. International experts from the hemp branch will meet here from September 24-26th 2004. By popular demand, the exhibition hall will be open on all three days to all kinds of visitors, i.e. to trade visitors and the public alike. The first CannaBusiness® in Cologne takes place entirely under the motto “Cannabiz-in-Cologne.de“. In conjunction with the grow! magazine and hanfdemo.de, the preparations are made for a both exciting and relaxing hemp weekend.Hemp Hemp Hooray Besides the nova-Institute and the International Association for Cannabis as Medicine (IACM), Cologne is also home to the Hemp Demo Cologne (www.hanfdemo.de) and the grow! magazine. Reason enough for close cooperations. For the first time, the „Cannabiz-in-Cologne.de“ Weekend will take place this year, conjointly informing about hemp. In addition to the HempDemo and the CannaBusiness®, a live concert will be performed in the E-Werk on Saturday evening ranging from singer/songwriter Goetz Widmann to funky grooves of the Geiles Institut and finally leading to the tribal psychedelic trance show of the Star Sounds Orchestra. Another highlight is the special exhibition “Szene Comix” with Gilbert Shelton (Freak Brothers, USA), Gerhard Seyfried (DE), Bringmann & Kopetzki (DE) and Steve Stoned (DE) who will sign their works at the CannaBusiness®. Furthermore Joseph Pietri, former international cannabis smuggler and gourmand, has announced himself to present the initial German edition of his book “The King of Nepal” for the first time.Programme for the „Cannabiz-in-Cologne.de“ WeekendFriday, 24th of September 11:00 a.m. till 07:00 p.m. Intern. CannaBusiness®, Palladium from 07:00 p.m. Exhibitor/Trade Visitor PartySaturday, 25th of September Palladium 11:00 a.m. till 07:00 p.m. Intern. CannaBusiness® 11:00 a.m. till 07:00 p.m. „Szene Comix“ 11:00 a.m. till 07:00 p.m. Book premiere: “The King of Nepal” 12:45 p.m. Departure of shuttle busses to the Hemp DemoHemp Demo (Start: Roncalliplatz/Dom; End Roncalliplatz/Dom) 02:00 p.m. Opening speech Werner Sack / magistrate in a juvenile court, Frankfurt 02:15 p.m. Start of the second Hemp Demo Cologne 03:00 p.m. Final manifestations with Marcel Hafke (chairman of the Young Liberals), Tilmann Holzer (Association f. Drug Politics) and Hans-Christian Ströbele (assisting chairman of the faction Bündnis90/die Grünen) 3:15 p.m. Departure of shuttle busses to the CannaBusiness®E-Werk 06:00 p.m. E-Werk opens for evening show 07:00 p.m. Intro with Götz Widmann 07:30 p.m. live: Das Geile Institut ( Austria ), starting the German tour 2004 with new CD live: Star Sounds Orchestra, on their “Music for Qigong Dancing” - World Tour 2004/2005, featuring Irina Mikhailova, the Diva of World Music 11:00 p.m. Resident DJ-Disco at the E-Werk or alternatively 11:00 p.m. electronic “High-Fly” presented by DJ Joyrider, DJ Puls and DJ Tao, at the Café am Park (Mütze), Berliner Straße 77Sunday, 26th of September 11:00 a.m. till 06:00 p.m. Intern. CannaBusiness®, Palladium Please inform yourself about potential programme changes (and the artists) on our homepage www.cannabusiness.com / www.cannabiz-in-cologne.deCONTACT Tri Tec GmbH / Fon +49 234- 935 79 70 / Fax +49 234- 935 79 75 orga cannabusiness.com http://www.cannabusiness.com./ [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by CorvallisEric on September 10, 2004 at 09:53:35 PT Yahoo For those of you who like the Yahoo News message boards, this is now the top Health story. As usual, much trolling and stupidity, but some good comments on both sides:http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040910/hl_nm/health_cannabis_dc_3 [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Dankhank on September 10, 2004 at 09:44:54 PT: Information needed by ... the MS society of America.The state one here in Oklahoma is in Tulsa.I regularly send them e-mails of stories I find here and elsewhere regarding efficacy of Cannabis for MS.Everyone should find local MS organizations and communicate with them. Medicate [ Post Comment ] Post Comment