For years people with Multiple Sclerosis have illegaly smoked cannabis for it's therapeutic effects, claiming that it helped relieve muscle spasms and incontinence and that walking and general mobility can be much improved after smoking a joint.

Cannabanoids, thought to be the active ingredients in cannabis that help MS are not a potent as cannabis itself which ha over 3000 chemically active substances.

Now scientists have proven that Cannabis is an effective treatment. They also found that synthetic chemicals mimicking the compound have a similar effect.

This could mean the development of commercially available alternatives that mimic the effects.

Dr David Baker, from the Institute of Neurology, said: "Although not a cure, our research suggests that cannabinoids can play a crucial role in controlling some of the neuro-muscular problems seen with MS."