Ailing Catalans to try cannabis

[Dualpower]

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<div ="sh">From news.bbc.co.uk:



Ailing Catalans to try cannabis
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<div ="cap">Some cannabis studies have raised concerns about mental illness</div>
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Barcelona is planning a pilot scheme to decide whether cannabis can be used to help patients with painful illnesses.
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There is still disagreement between the Catalan
authorities and the Spanish government over whether the pills will be
available at chemists for the trial.
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Madrid would prefer to see the results of a purely hospital-based trial before sanctioning wider use.
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Dozens of Barcelona chemists back the project - set to include patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis and Aids.

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The Catalan regional authority - or Generalitat - has
said it is ready to start the project later this year, using four
hospitals and 60 pharmacies.
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But the Spanish Health Ministry told the BBC News
website it was still waiting for Barcelona to present the final details
of the scheme. </font>



A ministry spokeswoman said she did not think the
pharmacies would be taking part yet - not until in-hospital trials had
been carried out and evaluated.
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Supervision
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The Barcelona Pharmacists' Association, Collegi de Farmaceutics, which proposed the project, says the use of chemists is key.
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They say pharmacies allow closer interaction with
patients and controlling the use of the cannabis pill would be no more
complicated than morphine or methadone.
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The association, which offers information leaflets on
therapeutic cannabis use to the public, says it is aware that a
significant number of patients already use the drug for therapeutic
purposes.
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"This implies risk, since the absence of medical
supervision and the variability of the active drug substances contained
in the plant make it very difficult to ensure correct dosing and
follow-up of consumption," it says on its website.
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A UK study of cannabis-based drugs last year revealed
patients using cannabinoid compounds could find relief from some of the
painful symptoms of MS.
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Doctors in the Netherlands were allowed to start prescribing medicinal cannabis to patients in 2003.
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Several studies have also linked the drug to mental
health problems, such as depression and schizophrenia, and respiratory
illness.
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