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Lords Call For Faster Progress Towards Cannabis-Based Medicine
March 22, 2001Progress towards a cannabis-based medicine for conditions such as multiple sclerosis is too slow, says the House of Lords Science & Technology Committee in a report published today [22 March].
The use of cannabis for any purpose other than scientific research is currently illegal. In November 1998 the Lords Committee recommended, on the basis of the scientific evidence, that the law should be changed to allow GPs to prescribe a suitable preparation of cannabis, in particular to relieve chronic pain and the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. The Government said No.
Two years on, the Lords have revisited the issue. The inquiry heard evidence from Charles Clarke MP, Minister of State in the Home Office, and officials from the Medicines Control Agency and the Department of Health. Written memoranda were received from the Medical Research Agency and GW Pharmaceuticals.
Research into the efficacy of cannabis-based medicines is under way in the UK, publicly funded by the Medical Research Council. The Lords say the track from this research to usable medicines is too long; they note that commercial research by GW Pharmaceuticals seems to be further ahead, both in establishing the efficacy of cannabis for multiple sclerosis, and in developing a sub-lingual spray which seems to avoid the dangers present in smoking herbal cannabis and the difficulties of controlling the dose during oral administration.
The Lords think they detect a change, not in the Government’s official position, but in their tone around this issue. They believe the Government is now willing to amend the law to allow the therapeutic use of cannabis once the clinical trials have been successfully completed. They also note that the Home Office is being more helpful than before to licensed researchers.
Meanwhile, however, therapeutic users of cannabis continue to face the full rigours of the anti-drugs laws. The Lords encourage the police and prosecutors to use their discretion: they say, “In the absence of a viable alternative medicine, ....we consider it undesirable to prosecute genuine therapeutic users of cannabis.”
House of Lords
Research into the efficacy of cannabis-based medicines is under way in the UK, publicly funded by the Medical Research Council. The Lords say the track from this research to usable medicines is too long; they note that commercial research by GW Pharmaceuticals seems to be further ahead, both in establishing the efficacy of cannabis for multiple sclerosis, and in developing a sub-lingual spray which seems to avoid the dangers present in smoking herbal cannabis and the difficulties of controlling the dose during oral administration.
The Lords think they detect a change, not in the Government’s official position, but in their tone around this issue. They believe the Government is now willing to amend the law to allow the therapeutic use of cannabis once the clinical trials have been successfully completed. They also note that the Home Office is being more helpful than before to licensed researchers.
Meanwhile, however, therapeutic users of cannabis continue to face the full rigours of the anti-drugs laws. The Lords encourage the police and prosecutors to use their discretion: they say, “In the absence of a viable alternative medicine, ....we consider it undesirable to prosecute genuine therapeutic users of cannabis.”
House of Lords
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