Patients Say Doctors Wary Of Prescribing Medical CBD Oil

Monday, March 6th 2017, 6:47 pm

By: Aaron Brilbeck

Even though the state legalized the medical use of oil from marijuana plants to treat seizures, doctors seem reluctant to prescribe it in Oklahoma.

It’s important to note, that this is Cannabidiol oil and not medical marijuana. That’s the oil that comes from marijuana plants and does not get patients high. Still, a lot of doctors are turning their patients away from it.

Mark Dvorak, of Norman, is trapped in his own body.

“It just keeps getting worse and worse as time goes along” Dvorak said.

He suffers with hereditary spastic paraplegia, a rare genetic disorder that leaves him unable to walk and in constant pain.

For 17 years, he was addicted to opiates that doctors prescribed to dullen his pain.

“So I just wound up taking opiates for the duration of it, just to get by. For quality of life, but, man, the opiates finally just took a hold of me,” he said.

So, Dvorak quit cold turkey. Now, he wants to try Cannabidiol oil, but his doctors told him if he wants it, he has to move to Colorado.

“It’s too grey of as area to even explore,” he said.

Majority Leader, Rep. Jon Echols authored the bill that legalized the oil. He said doctors seem confused by the law.

“One of the problems we’re running into now is getting the education out to the medical community, something that is so accepted in so many other states,” Echols said.

Echols’ message for Oklahoma doctors: “This is legal. You have the ability to do this in the state of Oklahoma, and these patients can’t try it without you.”

And Dvorak said that’s all he’s asking for; a chance to try.

“There’s tough times and there’s some up times but them up times keep me going a little bit longer,” Dvorak said.