DTAM lists 15 types of sickness eligible for ganja smoking
DTAM announces 15 conditions eligible for ganja prescription, including chronic pain and cancer.
The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) on Thursday announced a list of 15 types of sickness for which doctors can issue prescriptions for patients to buy marijuana buds to smoke in order to alleviate symptoms.
Dr. Thewan Thanirat, DTAM's deputy director-general, said his department would design the prescription form for purchasing cannabis buds, which would be published in the Royal Gazette within two days. He explained that the prescription form is necessary after the Public Health Ministry issued a directive to classify cannabis buds as a controlled herb, available only with a medical prescription. The directive took effect on Thursday.
According to Thewan, the 15 conditions that doctors may consider for prescribing ganja buds are:
- Chronic pain
- Spasms
- Cramps
- Joint pain
- Muscle stiffness
- Cancer
- Nausea and vomiting
- Parkinson's disease
- Seizures
- Asthma
- Insomnia
- Loss of appetite
- General anxiety
- Alzheimer's disease
- Depression
- And others
Thewan stated that seven types of licensed medical practitioners would be authorized to approve the purchase through the prescription form: medical doctors, traditional medicine doctors, applied traditional medicine doctors, dentists, pharmacists, Chinese traditional medicine doctors, and folk healers.
The ganja prescription forms will list the names and medical license numbers of the practitioners, Thewan added.
The prescription form will also specify the quantity of ganja to be used per day, and each prescription cannot authorize the use of more than a 30-day supply at a time.
He further mentioned that DTAM would also offer online training for the relevant practitioners to ensure they prescribe ganja use appropriately.
