Recent research has shown that cannabis is an effective treatment for multiple sclerosis patients. Although patients with multiple sclerosis initially believed that the improvement in symptoms was due to psychological factors, subsequent research revealed that cannabis can actually decrease stiffness and muscular spasms common to those with multiple sclerosis. Studies that have confirmed the beneficial effects of cannabis on multiple sclerosis patients have been conducted in controlled long-term medical trials.

A team of researchers from the Peninsula Medical School, Exeter, UK, published the results of several short-term and longer-term studies that examined the effects of cannabis on multiple sclerosis patients in 2003. These studies included 600 patients suffering from advanced-stage multiple Sclerosis.

Participants were split into two distinct groups. The first received equal amounts of cannabinoid compounds, while the second received placebo medication over a period 15 weeks. The majority of cannabinoid-treated patients experienced significant symptomatic improvement. They had less muscle pain, and were confronted by milder muscular spasticity (less severe muscular spasm).

The control group, which consisted of patients who were given placebo medication, experienced no improvement in their overall condition. This was contrary to the group that received cannabinoid compound over the entire study period.

The study was repeated to verify the validity of the findings, and to dispel any doubts about the efficacy of cannabis in relieving multiple sclerosis symptoms. The second study involved the same subjects and was conducted over 12 months.

This time, the participants were split into three distinct groups rather than two as in the previous experiment. The first group received pills of D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the active component in cannabis, the second group received natural cannabis extracts, while the third group received placebo medications.

Patients were examined and evaluated by a team comprising neurologists and physiotherapists at the conclusion of the experiment. Patients in the first group experienced the best results. The majority of patients who received the same doses of THC saw significant improvements in their symptoms. Patients in the second group saw slight improvement in their symptoms while patients in the third group did not notice any changes.

Although these studies show that cannabis can be used to treat multiple sclerosis, medical experts aren't convinced. Doctors may be able to use cannabinoid compound in multiple sclerosis treatment in the near future after further research and additional studies.