Doctor I Liked Your Medicine

Medicinal Cannabis has been a heated topic of discussion in recent times due the recent referendum and how CBD helps those in society who need safe and cheap pain relief.

Medical marijuana is Cannabis that is prescribed by a doctor or medical professional. Like all medicines, the results vary from person to person. This medicine should be taken with the guidance of a medical professional, especially those who are suffering from serious health conditions. 

Cannabis based medications treat a wide variety of conditions and illnesses. These illnesses range from chronic pain, cancer symptoms, neurological disorders, as well as emotional distress.

There are a number of ways that the plant has been modified in order to increase the healing properties. Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) oils and sprays are the most commonly prescribed forms of medicinal marijuana. CBD is a non-psychoactive substance, meaning patient will not get high. THC is often mixed with higher levels of CBD to create a safe, therapeutic dose for the patient.

The other forms are the gel capsules and soft gels (currently unavailable in New Zealand) and the ‘vaping cannabis flower’ (available in late 2020).  

2017, new legislation legalised the development of the Medical Marijuana industry and medicinal cannabis became accessible to those who need it.

The Medicinal Cannabis Scheme came into effect on the 1st of April 2020.
This scheme improves a patient’s access to quality medicine and products.

Even with these regulations and legislations in place, licensed companies need time to produce or import products. It could take months, or even years to ensure high quality product for patients. This has sparked some concern from patient advocates as there will be a long wait time and it is likely it will still be costly. 

The cost of Medicinal Marijuana can vary, commonly the cost is around $200-$300 dollars for a two-month supply. 

The imported product, Sativex™, is a balanced oral spray of 2.7mg of THC and 2.5 mg of CBD per 100µL. A months supply of Sativex™ costs between $1100-$1400. However, prices have been decreasing over the last few years and varies between pharmacies.

*Dr. Smith, a general practitioner, looked into the process in place for patients trying to obtain a prescription, found there is ‘a high cost and a lot of paperwork involved for those who will likely benefit from CBD use’. Though they didn’t not specify how, they believe a lot of people who use marijuana recreationally or self medicate do so in a largely unhelpful fashion, causing themselves some psychological damage.

Dr. Smith believes the reasons the costs are so high is due to the quality control standards. Smith stated that “Most commonly prescribed medications within New Zealand are government subsidised. The government will only subsidise medications that are proven to benefit or when no alternative options are available. Cannabis does not meet this criteria, however, that doesn’t necessarily mean they shouldn’t subsidise it, especially in certain cases where CBD would be beneficial”.

*Name has been changed.

Georgia is a 22-year-old Waikato University student who has severe endometriosis. She tried everything; from Tramadol which stopped working, to codeine which also became ineffective, and then morphine.

Georgia decided enough was enough, and gave medical marijuana a try. 

She finds it “funny because people have a lot of stigmas around what marijuana does to the brain. When I was taking opioids it just wiped me out, I felt like I was a zombie walking around. I barely remember some days at university, and assignments were such a struggle. There was no way I could possibly get my brain to focus because I just had everything numbed”.

Despite all of this, it is close to impossible for Georgia to get a prescription of medical marijuana. 

If the 2020 referendum had been successful, the legalisation of cannabis would have made access to CBD easier for people like Georgia. CBD and THC products would have been safer, cheaper, and more readily available. Patients (and others) would have been able to grow their own ‘weed’ for their own personal use.

The referendum is not legally binding, the current government is under no obligation to uphold the results, which were very close to a 50/50 split. In other countries where cannabis have been legalised the governments have made the decision, and over time the population has become more understanding of the benefits outweighing the perceived negative aspects of the drug.

If you, or you know someone seeking to get a prescription for medical cannabis, please go seek advice from your GP or experts in medicinal cannabis.

Here are some helpful links to get you started:

• The Green Doctors
• Cannabis Clinic New Zealand
• Cannabis Care