The full interview with the doctor can be found at
https://magazin-konopi.cz/ondrej-slama-potencial-konopi-v…
Dr. Ondřej Sláma is the head of the emergency and palliative care department at the Masarykov Oncology Institute – the largest facility treating cancer in the Czech Republic. He often uses therapeutic cannabis in the care of terminally ill patients. He is one of the pioneers in the application of cannabis in pain relief and cancer treatment in the Czech Republic.
When did you first prescribe cannabis and what led you to it?
About six months after medical marijuana was legalized. The main reason is because I have seen many patients using cannabis products in cancer palliative care, an area in which I have worked for many years. The use of cannabis in cancer treatment is likened to “phoenix tears” and cannabis extraction is often done by hand. I realized cannabis was something that patients and their families had high hopes for, and in fact many responded very well. That is why I find it so necessary and beneficial that we begin to legalize cannabis treatment and make it available to patients following a doctor-prescribed treatment protocol.
How many patients are you currently prescribing medical cannabis treatment for?
Currently, I have 25 patients under my care. However, it should be said that the patient population for which I prescribe cannabis is quite specific. Tahese are patients with advanced cancer who come for treatment at the oncology department. The duration of these patients’ visits to our clinic is several weeks or months. That means, when I prescribe cannabis to some patients, they are not long-term users but patients who are enjoying the last few months or weeks of their lives.
What is the doctor’s average dose of cannabis for patients?
The severity and frequency of pain and the most common signs help us determine the appropriate dosage of medical marijuana. Most of our patients need between 2 and 4 grams per month, which is quite a small dose…