GW Pharma has filed in Great Britain for approval of the cannabis-based drug Sativex, developed for treatment of muscle stiffness related to multiple sclerosis, the Daily Telegraph reported Sept. 6.

Sativex has already been approved for use in Canada, but not in the U.S.; it could become the first marijuana-based medicine in the U.K. Great Britain's MS Society said that a "very significant number" of MS patients would benefit from the drug, noting that many already are using marijuana purchased on the street to alleviate their symptoms.

GW Pharma officials were optimistic that the drug would be approved for sale in the U.K. within the next 12-15 months. ''We have a sizable body of positive clinical data to support the efficacy and safety of Sativex in MS spasticity," said GW's Stephen Wright.