We're here at Spannabis, in the World Cannabis Conferences.
This afternoon, the Spanish Observatory of Medicinal Cannabis (OECM)
has been presented by
Guillermo Velasco, Carola Pérez and Mariano García de Palau.
They are the managment team of the Observatory,
so to speak: Carola is the president.
Ok, who wants to tell us a little bit about the Observatory,
which are its main tasks, etc.
Guillermo, for example...
The Observatory is an entity formed,
as I said before, by patients, physicians
and researchers with a common interest, to push
the use of therapeutical cannabinoids, especially in Spain.
We basically gather testimonies from patients
who really need and use cannabis
derivatives to treat their medical conditions.
Many times, because they don't have any alternative.
From physicians who are really interested
on treating patients with cannabinoids,
and then, from researchers who somehow
can provide scientifical evidence
of the therepeutical properties of cannabinoids.
Then, we joined efforts thanks to Carola's initiative,
who is the true alma mater of this project.
It'd be impossible without her,
she really encouraged us
to act together to bring changes in our country.
Changes with regard to people having more knowledge
on the medicinal properties of cannabinoids
and how to use them,
also to cause a legal change
which truly allows patients
to access medical marijuana legally,
also cannabis-derived medicines.
We're talking about three levels: researchers, patients and doctors...
Let's start with Carola, the president.
She started with "Dos Emociones" (Two Emotions),
which was a platform for medical marijuana users, right?
Yes, we created the Association,
although it is important to stress that we do not supply cannabis.
It's a project created with my parents,
because if I had known cannabis before
I'd probably have never needed 10 surgeries
caused by neurostimulators.
My parents said that if we could avoid
people going through
what I went through,
we should tell patients about it.
Then, in "Dos Emociones" we advice and inform
patients about their treatments.
We must not forget that patients are in a situation
of legal insecurity, of sanitary insecurity,
they're affraid and stigmatized,
going through really serious situations.
I mean, they're not patients suffering from a headache,
we're helping people to die, as Mariano can confirm, using it as a paliative.
Children who are terminally ill, with many...I was terminally ill
so "Dos Emociones" was born to help people
know what is CBD,
what is THC, how to use them, what dosages to use...
I didn't know about the endocannabinoid system,
I didn't know what amount to vaporize...
they may seem basic things,
but most patients don't know about them.
We receive our patients, we explain them all that,
they meet other patients...they're split into different pathologies, we meet...
and from there we had the idea of taking a step forward. And how to do it?
Along with specialists and experts,
who are physicians and researchers.
You said that we didn't know about cannabinoids,
about the endocannabinoid system, about dosages
or vaping...exact, Sativas, Indicas...
Mariano, is the Spanish sanitary sector
really aware of the endocannabinoid
system and how it works?
Absolutely. Remember that 4 or 5 years ago, we had a similar interview...
5 years later the endocannabinoid system is still not mentioned
in the study program of the Universitat Central de Barcelona,
where I studied medicine.
But things have changed a lot during these years.
Cannabis science has evolved significantly during the past years,
as Carola mentioned before.
CBD is a molecule that has only been used lately,
for 4-5 years, and despite we had it at hand for a long time
we didn't know about it...so we're just creating
a base of knowledge which has to become
the cornerstone of all future research.
Exactly. On your presentation
you told us that one of your main goals
is to standarize products like oils ,
THC and CBD extracts,
promote research, talk to physicians and doctors...
there's a lot to do,
both at scientific and outreach level.
Of course, spreading this information is crucial.
With Carola, Guillermo...everyone agrees
that it would be great to have a global database,
to be globally connected.
Those who are working with cannabinoids,
conducting research...
these people are in constant contact.
On the contrary, physicians are not in contact,
it seems that if you say certain things...
in health issues, information belongs to all of us.
Private information on health issues is a crime.
So it is very important
to spread and share this info
with sectors that don't know about it, that have the wrong information,
and from that point everyone is free to read, study and choose.
I guess that's the bigger problem.
We all know that this plant is stigmatized,
and one of the goals of the Observatory
is cannabis legalization,
at least its therapeutical use.
Carola, you've been talking a lot lately
with different political parties,
you've been with them at the Congress.
You've been with Ciudadanos to raise a Non-legislative motion.
What's the feedback from politicians?
Do you think this motion will progress in coming months?
Well, the feedback is positive as long as you explain things clear.
One of the things
that we're learning
is that politicians have no idea about this issue.
When you tell them
that you need to vaporize
certain type of plant to get certain effects,
like getting some sleep or improve your mood,
they start to understand.
But it's very difficult if nobody tells them.
At human level, we've seen politicians with tears in their eyes,
who have realized about what's happening.
Also, the politician as a person
and his political party have nothing to do.
We're surprised because we see that this goes on, that we'll have to draft
models and guides, that they didn't close the door in our face.
That's great.
How would that motion work in your imagination?
In an ideal world...how do you think
it should be carried out?
Well, details are crucial here.
The fact that they want to talk about it doesn't mean they're going to regulate it.
As we said,
the ideal would be to regulate cannabis production,
either by private companies or by the government.
To have licensed people who could produce it
and manufacture derivatives from it.
For example, in Colorado ( USA )
you have diverse options of use
depending on your purpose.
We need to know how it'd be distributed,
either in drug stores or dispensaries.
Will we have specialized shops,
where patients with - or without – medical cards
can get their medicine or their prescription?
We must define all that.
The proposal is simple.
What are the basic aspects
of the Motion raised at the Congress?
We've presented four points.
From standarization of the product
to regulation of Cannabis and its derivatives.
And now, we just have to...
well the Observatory observes, right?
The most important thing is to see what happens in other countries
and take the best of each one
to develop our own model.
But we're still in the yes/no debate.
I mean, this is going to be a tough battle,
we still have lots of meetings to do,
and for the moment the first step would be to hear
"Do you want free Sativex?" and to reply "No".
We must break down this first wall,
and then we'll be on the next stage,
which is to study different models
and see which one is the best for us.
Certain things that happen in Spain do not happen in other countries,
everything is different and the Observatory
just tries to go ahead
and go on with our struggle. We want
the patient to be able to grow his plants,
to go to a club or a dispensary or a pharmacy and get it,
to be given a vaporizer instad of a neurotransmitter.
Because a vaporizer is a therapeutical tool for me. That is our model,
but we have so many things in mind that
we must stop and think about it,
see what has happened in other countries, pros and cons, right?
We still have a lot to debate
with ourselves and with politicians,
because perhaps we end up getting more or less than we're demanding...
I think we all feel hopeful that this will go on.
We really hope, as well as you do,
that the ideal scenario will soon come.
Thanks a lot Mariano, Guillermo and Carola,
for sharing your time with us and best of luck with your project.
Thank you for all your support.
Thanks. Thanks a lot.
One big hug Mariano...
Thank you...as always!
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét