The MS Society Cymru says availability of drug is good news for sufferers in Wales

Wales has become the first country in the UK to approve a cannabis-based drug for sufferers of multiple sclerosis.

Health Minister Mark Drakeford has approved the cannabis-based oral spray Sativex to treat Welsh patients experiencing symptoms of muscle spasms and stiffness.

Consultants in rehabilitation medicine have hailed the recommendation as a “significant milestone for the treatment of spasticity”.

Sativex, a mouth spray designed to alleviate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, will be available on the NHS in Wales

A cannabis-based drug designed to alleviate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis is to be made available on prescription in Wales, health officials have confirmed.

Sativex, an oral spray made from two chemical extracts from cannabis plants, has been approved for used by the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group.

Wales' Health Minister Mark Drakeford said he hoped the spray would help ease the suffering of those who have to live with the reality of MS.

The decision was welcomed by the Multiple Sclerosis Trust, which said it hoped the decision would prompt England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to follow suit.

The number of adults using illicit drugs in England and Wales rose by an estimated 230,000 to 2.7 million over the past year, crime survey figures show.

The increase was driven by more people saying they had used cocaine, ecstasy, LSD and ketamine. Nearly 1 million people – or 3% of adults – used class A drugs including powder cocaine, heroin and ecstasy in 2013/14.

The Home Office statistics from the crime survey of England and Wales show that cannabis use remained stable, with about 2 million people aged 16 to 59 smoking or otherwise consuming it over the past year.

Most of the increase – 180,000 of the 230,000 extra illicit drugs users – comprised teenagers and young adults aged 16 to 24, who make up 1.1 million of the total number of drug users.

A local authority in Wales is trying to find out who put cannabis plants in public floral displays.

The large plant pots had been put out in Newport to brighten up the city, but officials were shocked to discover 20 of the illegal plants hidden in amongst the flowers.

By the time police had been informed, however, the plants had been harvested.

The council said it will be looking at CCTV of the areas to try and identify the culprits.

“It’s a serious issue and we will be informing the police and checking our CCTV cameras,” said a spokesperson.

Gwent Police said the fact that the plants had now gone was problematic.

New research exploring the impact of a licensed and regulated cannabis market.

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