FAQs

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.

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.

For some countries separate rules apply, this is the case for the Canadian market where import and export of medicinal cannabis is restricted.

Please note: Medicinal cannabis oil is not exported from the Netherlands.

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 of 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 can be placed directly with Bedrocan. The Dutch government agency Office of Medicinal Cannabis (OMC) is responsible for issueing the export license. Follow the procedure given on the OMC website. For advice please contact us.

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.

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?

Bedrocan’s medicinal cannabis is being made available in more and more countries. Our site contains a list of countries where Bedrocan is available.

In the Netherlands, the prices for prescription CBD oil vary between 50 and 150 euros for a bottle of 10ml. The price depends on the concentration of CBD.  There are a number of pharmacies in the Netherlands that prepare CBD oil according to pharmaceutical guidelines (GMP). This oil meets the highest requirements, has a constant composition and is guaranteed to contain no THC.

Please check our Dutch contact page for the pharmacies contact details.

CBD oil contains cannabidiol as active ingredient, a component from the cannabis plant. CBD is a non-psychoactive substance, which does not give you a ‘high’ feeling.

You should preferably buy CBD oil from the pharmacy because it meets the highest pharmaceutical quality requirements. Most of the times, the CBD oil that you can buy online or at the drugstore does not contain the amount of CBD that is stated on the label. The origin of the raw materials (industrial hemp fibre) is often unclear. It is also possible that the oil is contaminated with heavy metals or pesticides. The production of this CBD oil is not controlled by the government in most countries. These oils are sold as a nutritional supplement.

Also read: Label accuracy of unregulated cannabidiol (CBD) products: measured concentration vs. label claim

Medicinal cannabis oil is oil made of pharmaceutical quality standardised medicinal cannabis. Medicinal cannabis oil is made using the products Bedrocan®, Bediol®, Bedrolite® and Bedica®.

This oil may contain THC, depending on which materials have been used. These oils are produced in a pharmaceutical setting. The active substances are listed on the packaging. This is the only controlled cannabis oil.

The following pharmacies in the Netherlands can supply medicinal cannabis oil with THC and/or CBD: the Transvaal pharmacy in The Hague, MYCB1 in Amsterdam and Clinical Cannabis Care in Breukelen. The cannabis oil is only available on prescription. All Dutch pharmacies can supply dried cannabis flos. There are five types. These are supplied in 5 gram jars, in flos or granulate form.

In the Netherlands, the prices for prescription CBD oil vary between 50 and 150 euros for a bottle of 10ml. The price depends on the concentration of CBD.  There are a number of pharmacies in the Netherlands that prepare CBD oil according to pharmaceutical guidelines (GMP). This oil meets the highest requirements, has a constant composition and is guaranteed to contain no THC.

Please check our Dutch contact page for the pharmacies contact details.

CBD oil contains cannabidiol as active ingredient, a component from the cannabis plant. CBD is a non-psychoactive substance, which does not give you a ‘high’ feeling.

You should preferably buy CBD oil from the pharmacy because it meets the highest pharmaceutical quality requirements. Most of the times, the CBD oil that you can buy online or at the drugstore does not contain the amount of CBD that is stated on the label. The origin of the raw materials (industrial hemp fibre) is often unclear. It is also possible that the oil is contaminated with heavy metals or pesticides. The production of this CBD oil is not controlled by the government in most countries. These oils are sold as a nutritional supplement.

Also read: Label accuracy of unregulated cannabidiol (CBD) products: measured concentration vs. label claim

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. Also read Irradiation does not affect medicinal cannabis.

There are various ways of administering medical marijuana / cannabis: inhalation with a vaporizer, drinking cannabis tea, via foods, or by taking concentrated extracts or oils. Even though smoking is the best known method, it is advised against for health reasons. Smoking cannabis releases toxic substances such as tar, ammonia and carbon monoxide.

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.

Medicinal cannabis is cannabis that is dispensed exclusively by pharmacies and is used as a medicine. Bedrocan’s medicinal cannabis is of pharmaceutical quality and meets the highest standards. As with ordinary medicines, the composition of the active substances in our cannabis is always the same.

Bedrocan’s products are also guaranteed to be free of pesticides, heavy metals, bacteria and fungi. Each batch is tested for this by an independent laboratory.

THC is a constituent of cannabis that is also known as dronabinol. THC is the best known of all the cannabis constituents. It is what creates the ‘high’ from using cannabis, but also has medicinal effects. It is known, for example, that THC contributes to improving sleep and appetite and also suppresses muscle spasms, nausea and vomiting.

Bedrocan has published an introductory text to the therapeutic use of cannabis. This brochure gives health care professionals, regulators and patients insights into the medical and scientific aspects.

Go to our download page to get a free copy.