The extent of cannabis use for MS symptoms

In a recent survey of MS patients in South London and Kent, almost a third of respondents had tried cannabis for symptom control, and most of those who had never used it said that they would if it were available on prescription.The investigators who conducted the trial say their impression is that many MS patients use cannabis for medicinal purposes, despite the limited evidence to support its use. They sent questionnaires to 337 MS patients and received completed responses from 254 (75%) patients. The survey found that 43% of respondents had used cannabis at some stage. Of those who had used it before, 68% (75/110) had used it to alleviate symptoms of MS. Just over one in ten respondents (12%) had used cannabis for symptom relief during the previous month. Pain and spasms were common reasons for cannabis use, and the authors say that a large proportion of patients reported benefit. They note that their results, along with results from previous trials, suggest that cannabis may be both beneficial and well-tolerated in a small proportion of patients with symptoms resistant to other therapies.Independent risk factors for cannabis use included being married or having a long-term partner, smoking, and an increasing disability. The most frequent concerns about using cannabis for MS symptoms included the lack of research on its medicinal use, potential harm from smoking tobacco with cannabis, risk of dependence, interference with other treatments, cognitive and mood effects, financial costs, and possible stigma.In the same issue of Multiple Sclerosis another report describes the effects of long-term administration of an oral cannabinoid, Sativex. The study found that the long-term use of the drug maintains its effect in those who perceive initial benefit.An editorial accompanying both reports points out that a large-scale, multi-centre trial of cannabis is currently underway in the United Kingdom. The CUPID (cannaboid use in progressive inflammatory brain disease) study will evaluate the effects of oral THC on 500 people with MS over three years....