As many advances as we’ve seen in the legal cannabis movement, there are still some patients who are unable to ingest the plant medicine in the forms that are currently available to them. Some patients would be harmed by smoking and can’t use vaporizers. Others have issues taking cannabis extracts orally. One Czech caregiver is helping solve this issue and bringing much-needed relief to patients who otherwise wouldn’t be able to access it.
The answer for these patients, according to Czech caregiver Martin T., is cannabis suppositories. Suppositories are solid medical preparations that are inserted into the rectum, and then dissolved into the bloodstream. Because of Martin T.’s work, patients are now using cannabis suppositories to treat various ailments. Leafly even called suppositories the future of cannabis medicine.
According to Leafly, Martin initially got the idea for using the suppository method after meeting with Canadian cannabis patient Rick Simpson. Simpson was getting solid results treating his cancer with cannabis oil, but he told Martin T. that he was getting too high to function and wanted to try something different. That’s when Martin came up with the idea for suppositories.
Martin got right to work on developing the suppositories. He infused butter, a bit of shea butter and coconut oil with the extract and made rectal suppositories. After that, patients loved them. The suppositories are especially effective for those patients suffering from digestive or urinary issues. These suppositories are a natural part of the evolution of medical cannabis.
Perhaps the biggest patient benefit for those looking to try the suppository alternative is the fact that suppositories can have far fewer psychoactive effects than traditional methods of ingestion. Suppositories provide all of the healing benefits of cannabis extracts while keeping the feeling of being high to a minimum.
On top of the other benefits, they also begin to act almost instantaneously, because the contents enter the bloodstream almost immediately after being administered. Suppositories are also very easily produced.
Thanks to Martin, suppositories have recently seen a rise in popularity in Central Europe, where he practices. He says the majority of his patients opt for suppositories. It is only a matter of time until they catch on here in the States, once again showcasing the versatility and healing power of the cannabis plant as medicine.
