The Cancer Patients' Attitudes toward Cannabis Oil Treatment, Medical Cannabis Clinic, Detudom Crown Prince Hospital, Ubon Ratchathani Province
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Abstract
Cannabis was previously used as a medicine and, in 1979, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared cannabis or marijuana as a narcotic. In 2019, cannabis was unlocked for medical use in Thailand. Since then Detudom Crown Prince Hospital has offered medical cannabis services, and most of its recipients (57%) are cancer patients. This study involved a sample of 25 cancer patients between July and September 2020; most of them were female, aged 50–59 years. Its aim was to explore cancer patients' attitudes toward cannabis oil [DTAM GANJA OIL (Deja formula)] in cancer treatment, learn what patients knew about medical cannabis, identify the reasons why cancer patients chose cannabis oil as an adjunctive treatment with modern medicine, and survey the side effects caused by using cannabis oil in cancer patients. The results showed that all the 25 patients had positive attitudes because cannabis oil helped them sleep better, wake up refreshed, relieve pain, and eat better. Therefore, they wished to use cannabis oil together with modern medical treatment. Among all patients, 23 had not known before about cannabis at all, but they used it because of word-of-mouth communication, only 2 had little knowledge, 92% had no side effects, and all (100%) with positive attitudes would like to use cannabis oil with their current treatment.
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