JERUSALEM, Nov 4 (AFP) - Israeli hospitals will soon be able to dispense pain pills made locally from marijuana to their cancer and AIDS patietns, hospital officials said Thursday.

The pills are made from tetra-hydro-cannabinol, or THC, a marijuana component isolated in 1964 by Israeli researcher Rafi Meshulam of the pharmacy school of Jerusalem's Haddassah Hospital University.

The medication will be provided to patients who are in immense pain, and suffer nausea and appetite loss, such as patients with cancer or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

The health ministry has already approved the pills, and they are being manufactured. The pills will be sold only by prescription.

Cannabis or marijuana is known to be an effective pain-killer but governments which have declared it illegal have fought shy of approving its use as such because of its allegedly harmful effects.

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