Response to Home Office
October 24 2001 - 2:00AM
UK Regulatory
RNS Number:0512M
GW Pharmaceuticals PLC
24 October 2001
GW Pharmaceuticals plc
("GW or "the Company")
GW Welcomes Home Secretary's Statement on Cannabis-Based
Medicines
GW Pharmaceuticals plc, the company licensed by the Home
Office to develop cannabis extracts into non-smoked
prescription medicines, warmly welcomes the Home
Secretary's statement yesterday to the Home Affairs
Select Committee. The statement confirmed that, "subject
to the satisfactory outcome of phase three of the
clinical trials currently being carried out, he would
approve a change to the law to enable the prescription of
cannabis-based medicines".
Throughout the Company's history, GW has worked closely
with Home Office officials and provides regular updates
to the Home Office on the progress of its clinical
trials. GW's phase three clinical trials commenced
earlier this year and the Company remains on track to
make its first submission to the Medicines Control Agency
("MCA") in 2003. Following MCA approval of GW's non-
smoked cannabis based medicinal extracts, yesterday's
announcement re-confirms that the Government intends to
permit the prescription of these medicines by doctors.
Dr Geoffrey Guy, Executive Chairman, said: "GW's
programme is dedicated to providing patients suffering
from multiple sclerosis, cancer, arthritis and other
serious medical conditions with prescription medicines
which harness the medical effects of cannabis without the
harmful effects of smoking. We are delighted that the
Home Secretary continues to recognise the potential
importance of these medicines for patients."
In yesterday's statement, David Blunkett, Home Secretary,
also stated that he was considering re-classifying
cannabis under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 from Class B
to Class C. In doing so, Mr Blunkett stressed that
reclassification is quite different from
decriminalisation or legalisation and that cannabis will
remain a controlled drug and using it a criminal offence.
Enquiries:
GW Pharmaceuticals plc 01980 619 000
Dr Geoffrey Guy, Executive Chairman
Justin Gover, Managing Director
Weber Shandwick Square Mile 020 7601 1000
Kevin Smith/Graham Herring
Website
www.gwpharm.com
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