The first marijuana clinic has opened at a state hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima province.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul officially opened the clinic at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital in the northeastern province on Saturday.
The clinic, a first at a large hospital, will serve two groups of patients in the initial phase. The first involves those suffering from diseases that could be alleviated by ganja oil. They include muscle pain from multiple sclerosis; epilepsy that can no longer be treated by modern medicine; and neuropathic pain and nausea caused by chemotherapy for cancer treatment.
The other group involves patients treated by Thai traditional medicine such as those with chronic diseases which cause certain symptoms such as sleeping difficulties, lack of appetite, sharp chest-to-stomach pains, hoarseness, constipation and muscle pains and limb weakness in stroke patients.
The clinic is manned by one doctor and three registered traditional medicine practitioners. Another 10 will be sent for training.
Some 100 people came to seek treatment in the first group and 500 in the second group.
The Bhumjaithai Party leader said the ministry was trying to treat patients with marijuana, both in modern and alternative medicine.
“The treatment will be supervised by trained doctors and practitioners. The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation has given three formulas of ganja oil to state hospitals. More will be produced to give to all hospital.”
He added that practitioners who mix their own ganja formulas based on olive and coconut oil could submit them for validation. If they are not harmful, they will be allowed for supervised use.