Cannabis relieves arthritis pain

According to Doctors at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath, Cannabis could be used as a legitimate treatment for rhuematios arthritis, as well as the many other diseases it's believed to provide relief for. Raising hope for 60'000 rhuematoid arthritis sufferers in the UK, reseaerchers have said that it could significantly reduce the symptoms of the disease, including the inevitable pain.

It's was also found to increase the quality of sleep and ease inflammation. Previous studies have found it to be an effective treatment for Crohn's disease, Multiple sclerosis, and, surprisingly, as an appetite supressant.

Researchers insist that the 'high' is a valuable part of the therapy and cannot be removed.

During the study, David Blake, professor of bone and joint medicine at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, took 56 patients who were suffering from arthritis. Monitored over 49 days, half were taking leading cannabis-based medcine 'Sativex', the other took a placebo

Patients took the medicine in the evening via a mouth spray and started with one dose, gradually building up to a maximum of six doses.

On a scale of 0-100, patients in the placebo group estimated that their level remained the same at 50, whilst those who were given sativex estimated that ther pain went down from 48 to 33.

Researchers now want to conduct wider research to back up the findings