OPINION: I was lucky enough to spend a few days on the South Island last week, transporting an old car from Timaru to Wellington.
In addition to being able to enjoy some of the God-given macadams of the South Island in a 40-year-old GT car, it gave me a chance to meet some old companions. One was Dion, an old family friend who lives in a retirement village on the outskirts of Christchurch.
Dion led an active life, spending 50 years cultivating in Canterbury and the Highlands. He is a good rider and an even better fisherman, which is what he did for the next 20 years.
From Rakaia salmon to the monstrous trout of Benmore and the left-wing races in Haast, he survived two women and ended up having to move to a retirement village a couple of years ago at the age of 88. suffering from spinal pain and arthritis as a result of his illness. physical life.
CHRISTEL YARDLEY AND CHRIS MCKEEN
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But what really cost him was losing his independence. He made a poor invalid. This caused him to suffer panic attacks and hypertension. With the help of some professionals he tried a variety of antipsychotic drugs to level up. But the side effects were severe and did not seem to work.
Earlier this year he suffered a panic attack while being visited by a couple of younger friends. One of them took cannabidoil (CBD) to help her sleep and offered Dion a drop of the olive oil-like compound.
Splash
Doctors are still very careful when prescribing CBD oil.
Although Dion had always enjoyed Speights and a weird bottle of Highland Park, he had never tried cannabis (in any way) in his life. But he thought “what the hell” and put his full dropper under his tongue.
Within minutes he began to calm down and control his breathing. He thought it was like the frightening fog parting and the sunlight coming in.
Dion then got a supply of CBD oil. The rest home was circumspect and uniformed. So he went to his doctor. He was also cautious, as he had never prescribed any.
He was in good company. According to the New Zealand Medical Journal, 79 per cent of New Zealand GPs have concerns about prescribing medicinal cannabis. And no wonder.
DOMINICO ZAPATA / STUFF / Waikato Times
Medicinal cannabis plants growing in a high security facility.
Doctors have had little solid research on the benefits of CBD oil (or tinctures or creams) and have a legal and ethical obligation not to hurt.
Dion then spoke to the local chemist. He was surprised to find that the chemist was happy to supply it, after finding an approved supplier shortly after the medical cannabis scheme went into effect in April last year.
An old hippy neighbor in the nursing home told Dion that she could connect him with the local “green fairy,” but that sounded dubious. And Dion is not a dubious man.
He ended up finding a Wellington doctor who was among the 21 percent of doctors who are happy to provide medical cannabis to patients, and specifically thought that CBD oil might help Dion and not react negatively to the other. medicine he was taking.
Kevin Stent / Things
Mike O’Donnell: “According to the New Zealand Medical Journal, 79% of New Zealand GPs are concerned about prescribing medical cannabis.”
After a Zoom consultation, the CBD doctor wrote to Dion’s doctor and the nursing home in support of an initial 25 milliliter bottle. And finally, Dion got her drug bottle.
The great news is that it works and has no side effects. The bad news is that this process took most of three months.
This is bad for patients and bad for a fledgling local industry where about 40 companies are trying to get off the ground.
So if you or someone you know thinks CBD oil might help control your pain, mental health, or insomnia, what is the best approach? From what I can tell, there are four basic steps.
Do your research first. Find solid evidence that CBD has been found (in some format) to address the symptoms or cause of the disease. Also, contact your local pharmacy to confirm that they have access to the products.
Local medical cannabis company Ora Pharm offers an online portal that is helpful in helping you make evidence-based decisions about the use of medical cannabis. There is also a very useful application to integrate CBD oil into your wider medical care.
Second, send an email to your GP with the findings of your research and your desire to try the drug. Keep in mind that medicinal cannabis in the form of CBD can be prescribed for medical conditions for a year. Make it clear that you are not looking for THC-containing products.
FIRST
Growing Dope follows New Zealand-based medicinal cannabis company Rua Bioscience.
Third, book an appointment with this GP to present your case. Probably a double appointment so that the discussion is not rushed. All is well, they will agree on a small trial so let’s see how it goes.
If your GP isn’t convinced it’s in your best interest, look for another GP. There are currently no websites that can find you to do this for you, so you should do some online research or chat with the Medicinal Cannabis Council.
It’s not any of the drugs, but dear old Dion considers things to work. And he’s not the only one.
All that is needed now is for the system to be normalized to ensure that patients receive the benefits and that the new local industry can move forward and thrive.
– Mike “MOD” O’Donnell is a professional director, writer and facilitator. Her Twitter id is @modsta and she also prefers Highland Park to Hooter.
