National –
The Ministry of Public Health aims to develop and include marijuana oil entitled “Ganja Oil (Deja Formula)” in Thailand’s National List of Essential Medicines, said Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, yesterday, August 26.
According to the Minister, “Ganja Oil (Deja Formula)” has displayed positive results in a number of medical studies in terms of improving patients’ satisfaction and their quality of life.
“Ganja Oil (Deja Formula)” is a marijuana product that is developed under the Department for a Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) experiment in which we monitor the patients’ health progress when using certain products in traditional treatment. The project has been reviewed since last year by the ethics committee in research with the Ministry of Public Health.” Said Anutin.
Doctor Pakakrong Kwankao, head of the Empirical Evidence Centre at Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital, said that the marijuana treatment model in the hospital was applied in both medical tablets and in Thai traditional medical recipes in order to release pain in neuropathic-pain patients and patients with end-stage cancer who were no longer responsive to modern medicine.
The doctor told the associated press: “The marijuana treatment has been operated for 12 months. So far, about 133 prescribing patients tended to have their quality of life improved, especially in cancer and neuropathic-pain patients.”
“The treatment showed that marijuana extracts helped improve their appetite, sleep, and made them feel better. It also had no harmful side effects on the liver, kidney or blood pressure, so it was relatively safe for non-kidney or liver disease patients.”
Currently, the Revised Draft of the Narcotics Act to approve a medical marijuana plantation has been introduced to the Thai cabinet committee and is under consideration by the Council of State before being brought to the National Assembly.
“The Ministry of Public Health would also develop a “marijuana platform” to give information about medical marijuana to the public online before the Ganja Oil was formally introduced to in National List of Essential Medicines and Thai medical treatment.” Anutin concluded.
Photo Courtesy: Bangkok Post and Thansettakij
