Frequently Asked Questions
Cannabis can have a relaxing effect on the body and mind. It can also be used as a painkiller, as an anti-inflammatory, and to prevent weight loss, nausea and vomiting. In some cases cannabis promotes sleep and appetite.
There is sufficient scientific evidence to demonstrate that cannabis is effective for the treatment of:
- Pain, muscle cramps and convulsions caused by MS and spinal damage
- Nausea, diminished appetite, emaciation and weakness caused by cancer and AIDS
- Nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy or radiotherapy to treat cancer, hepatitis C and HIV infections and AIDS
- Chronic pain – especially if caused by the nervous system. Examples include damaged nerve bundles, phantom pain, facial neuralgia and chronic pain that remains following recovery from shingles
- Gilles de la Tourette syndrome
- Therapy-resistant glaucoma
Also, more and more information and positive feedback is being received from patients and doctors concerning the efficacy of cannabis for other disorders. However, this is has not yet been sufficiently scientifically demonstrated. Examples include Crohn’s disease, colitis ulcerosa, epilepsy, pruritus (itching), migraine, rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, ADHD and brain trauma.
See also our Conditions page.
Bedrocan’s medicinal cannabis is being made available in more and more countries. Our site contains a list of countries where Bedrocan is available.
I AM A PATIENT
No, you cannot order medicinal cannabis from Bedrocan. Bedrocan’s products are available exclusively on prescription. Your GP or treating specialist can prescribe Bedrocan’s medicinal cannabis. Provided that your government issues medicinal cannabis in your country, you can take the prescription to your own pharmacy.
You can also collect Bedrocan products in the Netherlands with a valid European doctor’s prescription. You can take this prescription to any Dutch pharmacy. It is however advisable to check whether the pharmacy stocks medicinal cannabis.
Medicinal cannabis oil made of cannabis produced by Bedrocan is exclusively available on prescription from a number of Dutch pharmacies. Please check our contact page for the latest list.
Bear in mind that you can only take medicinal cannabis back to your own country with an import licence. You should therefore always start by contacting the authorities in your own country. The Dutch Office for Medicinal Cannabis issues the export licence once the import licence has been issued.
Please note: Medicinal cannabis oil cannot be exported from the Netherlands.
I AM A COMPANY
Bedrocan produces medicinal cannabis as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). Bedrocan does not produce cannabis oil.
Orders for cannabis flos can be placed directly with the Dutch Office for Medicinal Cannabis (OMC). This government agency is responsible for distribution and export. Follow the procedure given on the OMC website. For advice you can always contact us directly.
No, Bedrocan does not sell vaporizers. Bedrocan is however currently working on the development of its own vaporizer: the Bedromedic®. This vaporizer will be sold in the future as a medical appliance. Until that time, Bedrocan recommends using the following vaporizers:
The prices of each product differ between countries. The price in the Netherlands is set by the Office of Medicinal Cannabis.
Also read the article A fully standardised product, but with different prices. How come?
Yes, all Bedrocan products are gamma-irradiated by an external irradiation firm. This method sterilises products and gives them a longer shelf life. The irradiation is done on behalf of the Office of Medicinal Cannabis.
Cannabis naturally contains a number of micro-organisms that can cause dangerous infections in people with a poor state of health. Irradiation with gamma rays destroys these micro-organisms, such as bacteria and fungi.
Irradiation does not adversely affect the quality of the product or people’s health. Nor is the product made radioactive, as is sometimes thought.
Does irradiating cannabis make it carcinogenic?
Irradiating cannabis does not make it carcinogenic. Carcinogens are only caused in very small quantities when food containing a lot of fat, such as meat and eggs, is irradiated. Cannabis does not contain any fat, and this process therefore does not occur.
No, Bedrocan does not use any pesticides. During the cultivation process Bedrocan only uses biological crop protectors to repel harmful insects. Also, Bedrocan only grows cannabis indoors, so that there are no external factors that can cause contamination. Strict hygiene measures prevent contamination with germs.
More information about our method.
Following each harvest the cannabis is tested by an independent laboratory for the presence of undesirable substances such as heavy metals, pesticides and contamination with other pathogens.
The products are also tested for substances such as THC and CBD. Bedrocan’s products always have the same composition and therefore always contain the same quantity of active substances. This is government controlled.
Batches of medicinal cannabis are not released until they have been fully approved.
Also read Consistency through standardisation.
The Dutch Office for Medical Cannabis (OMC) exports medicinal cannabis to various countries on request. This can also be done for individual patients. Follow the procedure given on the OMC website.
Please note: Medicinal cannabis oil is not exported from the Netherlands.
For this purpose you can contact the Dutch Office for Medicinal Cannabis or Fagron in Germany. The German company Bionorica supplies cannabis extracts directly to German pharmacies. These products are made of Bedrocan materials.
No rights can be derived from these FAQs. The information has been obtained from sources including our website and brochures of the Office for Medicinal Cannabis (OMC).
Where mention is made of medicinal cannabis, this refers to the products Bedrocan®, Bedrobinol®, Bediol®, Bedrolite® and Bedica®.