Asthma

Cannabis acts as a bronchodilator (it dilates the small airways of the lung), and may suggest a possible use in the treatment of asthma. Cannabis smoking is obviously inappropriate for treatment of asthma due to the irritant effects of the smoke, however The House of Lords acknowledged that cannabinoids seemed to work as effectively as conventional asthma drug treatments.

If cannabis was found to be effective in both asthma & glaucoma, it might be particularly useful for people suffering from both disorders, as many treatments for one of these conditions are not advised where the other is present.

Above are brief summaries of evidence on some proposed new indications for cannabis-based medications. Many other therapeutic applications have been suggested and sometimes supported by anecdotal evidence in conditions such as mental illness, high blood pressure, anti-tumour effects, brain injury & Tourette's syndrome.

The Medicines Control Agency stresses that efficacy can only be ascertained by undertaking controlled scientific trials, and that anecdotal data is unacceptable. The
Multiple Sclerosis Society and the British Medical Association accept this view.

The only well controlled trials to date have been those investigating anti-nausea properties. In Multiple Sclerosis there have been six (with only 41 patients). Some consider it a matter of urgency, as the drug is already used by many MS sufferers (illegally) and due to a lack of treatments at present. The same applies in the field of pain control, where there have been no new drugs for many years.