The therapeutic value of cannabinoids in MS: real or imaginary?

This issue of Multiple Sclerosis contains three interesting papers that claim beneficial effects of cannabinoids on symptoms in MS patients. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study by Vaney et al. aims at determining tolerability, safety and efficacy on spasm frequency of an oral cannabis extract (standardized capsules containing 2.5 mg tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 0.9 mg cannabidiol (CBD), dose-escalating up to a maximum of 30 mg THC per day) in MS patients with refractory spastiCity.7 Fifty-seven patients were enrolled, 50 of whom were included in the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis and 37 of whom (65%) completed the trial perprotocol (28 days, of which 14 days of active treatment). The ITT analysis showed no statistically significant differences between active treatment and placebo. How-