An in depth study of marijuana and it's medical potential in Malaysia.

1. MEDICAL MARIJUANA
AND
ITS POTENTIAL IN MALAYSIA
A CASE STUDY OF MALAYSIANS IN SELANGOR
LILIAN CHRISTIAN SCHMIDT

2. SEQUENCE OF PRESENTATION
1. BACKGROUND OF STUDY
2. PROBLEM STATEMENT
3. LIMITATION OF STUDY
4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
5. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
6. LITERATURE REVIEW
7. DESIGN AND PROCEDURE
8. MEASURES
9. INSTRUMENTS
10. FINDINGS
11. CONCLUSION

3. BACKGROUND OF STUDY
• Marijuana has been used for thousands of years in China for
its medicinal purposes (Lemberg, 1980)
• Recently countries and states have started opening their
doors to the legal usage of medical marijuana
• Malaysia is listed as one of the harshest countries in the world
in relation to marijuana usage and distribution (Sean, 2011)
• Medical Marijuana in Malaysia is essentially non-existent

4. PROBLEM STATEMENT
• Marijuana is a viable alternative treatment to an assortment of
different medical conditions, for which modern medicine seems
less effective towards or to have severe side effects (Grinspoon,
2000)
• There is no law or regulation in Malaysia concerned with the
medical uses of marijuana, disregarding its medical properties
• Marijuana was legally recognized as a form of medication in the
1991 case of Kerry Wiley (Grinspoon, n.d.)
• No study has been conducted on the public´s view of marijuana
and if or if not it could be accepted in this country medically

5. LIMITATIONS OF STUDY
• Insufficient local research materials regarding Malaysia
• Concerns perception and opinions, more research needed for
verifications; e.g. Question 7
• Non-probability sampling method/snowball effect used
• Participating volunteers & information verification
• Categorization & placement of qualitative responses
• Linking the difference between quantitative & qualitative responses
• Classification of marijuana, its social status, religious
concerns, the authorities regard to the topic

6. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
• RQ1 – What is the general perception
of Malaysians residing in Selangor
towards marijuana and its medicinal
uses?
• Q2 –What is the opinion of Malaysians
residing in Selangor concerning the
legalization of medical marijuana for
potential patients?

7. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
• RO1 – To obtain information that can be clearly
analyzed in order to understand the general
perception that Malaysians residing in Selangor
hold towards marijuana and its medicinal uses.
• RO2 – To analyze the potential of legalizing
medical marijuana for potential patients in
Malaysia based on the opinion of
Malaysians residing in Selangor.

8. LITERATURE REVIEW
History of Marijuana in Malaysia
• ‘Hikayat Inderaputera’ 17th century - labeled under the
‘herbal plants and food plants’ found in Malay gardens
(Zakaria, Salleh & Rashid, 2013)
• In 1839 O’Shaughnessy stated Cannabis Indica being
“extensively employed for a multitude of affections” within
the “adjacent territories of the Malays”
• Most commonly mentioned applications were for the
treatment of leprosy and for the relief of asthma (Hutton,
2014)
• Christian Rätsch (2001) in his book ‘Marijuana Medicine: A
World Tour of the Healing and Visionary Powers of
Cannabis’, cannabis indica was not uncommon to Malaysian
traditional healers known as Bomor, pawang or Poyang.

9. LITERATURE REVIEW
Marijuana in Malaysia
• Planting or cultivation of a cannabis plant
– life imprisonment upon conviction, minimum of six whippings
• 200g of marijuana
– penalty of death under Provision 39b of the Dangerous Drugs
Act of 1983
• Drug report, as released by the National Anti-Drug Agency (NADA),
for the year 2013
– 15.96%, numbering 1,255 individuals out of 7864 offenders
– 2009 saw the detection of 5,207 ganja users
• 2010 Parliamentary session- MP Zahrain Mohamed Hashim
requested for the Malaysian government to conduct studies
and look into the rescheduling of cannabis (Seshata, 2014)

10. LITERATURE REVIEW
Current uses of medical marijuana (US/Canada)
• Anorexia
• Intractable skeletal muscular
spasticity
• Arnold-Chiari malformation &
syringomyelia
• Lou Gehrig's
disease (Amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis, or ALS)
• Arthritis
• Lupus
• Ataxia
• Migraines
• Cachexia (wasting syndrome)
• Multiple sclerosis
• Cancer
• Muscular dystrophy
• Cardiopulmonary respiratory
syndrome
• Muscle spasms
• Causalgia
• Myasthenia gravis
• Chronic inflammatory
demyelinating
polyneuropathy
• Myoclonus
• Crohn's disease
• Nail-patella syndrome
• DDD – Degenerative Disc
Disease
• Nausea (including nausea due
to medication)
• Decompensated cirrhosis
• Neurofibromatosis
• Dystonia
• Neuropathy
• Fibromyalgia
• Pain
• Gerd – Gastroesophageal
Reflux Disease
• Reflux Disease
• Glaucoma
• Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
• Hepatitis C
• Seizure Disorders/Epilepsy
• HIV/AIDS
• Spasticity
• Hospice patients
• Spinal cord disease and injury
• Hydrocephalus
• Sjogren's syndrome
• IBS – Irritable Bowel
Syndrome
• Terminal illness if the
physician has determined a
prognosis of less than 12
months of life
• Interstitial cystitis
• Tourettes
(denverrelief.com, n.d. &
leafly.com, n.d.)

11. LITERATURE REVIEW
MARIJAUNA COMPARED TO ALCOHOL/TOBACCO
Figure 2.5
59% of survey respondents answered in
support of Figure 2.5 findings (Question 9)

12. DESIGN & PROCEDURE
• 150 participants
• Collected via hardcopy, 40 (primarily from SEGi)
• Collected via online, 110 (primarily through Facebook)
• Using non-probability sampling & the snow ball effect
• Online survey and data collection obtained through
Google.docs / Google Forms
• Excel was used for data categorization, compilation &
breakdown
– Tables, graphs and pie charts
• Qualitative responses placed into tables and sets
according to frequency or basis of response

13. Measures and Keys
• Study aimed at establishing regard towards marijuana,
its medical uses & acceptance by producing comparative
percentages
– No. of respondents (r.)
• Attempt to measure qualitative aspects held by participants
according to the estimated number of responses translated
into percentages
– No. of responses / estimated no. of respondents (e.r. , r.*)

14. INSTRUMENT
• Survey – 15 Questions + 1
– 15 Quantitative
– 7 + 1 Qualitative
• 3 parts
– Introductory question (general)
– Users only (Questions 3-7)
– All respondents (Questions 1, 2, 8-15)
• Sub-sections
– Questions 1-9 marijuana generally
– Questions 10-13 medical marijuana specifically
– Questions 14-15 marijuana in Malaysia

15. Objective of Questions
• General information for assessment, regards of usage & legality
– Intro. Question
– Questions 2 – 5, 11, 13, 14
• Regarding marijuana, its medical benefits, usage purposes and the
perception held towards it (RQ1)
– Questions 1, 6 – 10, 12
• Regarding the possible legalization of medical marijuana and its
acceptance (RQ2)
– Question 15

16. PILOT STUDY
• Conducted between
– 3rd October 2014 – 10th October 2014
• Changes made
– Add in of qualitative questions and Intro Q.
– Question 13 made qualitative
– Question 15 rephrased to fit RQ2 and RO2
• Conducted online

17. FINDINGS
Perception towards marijuana and its medical uses according to question
No. of respondents Percentage
Question 1 Personal regard
of total responses given Illegal drug 53 14%
Plant 105 29%
Medicine 92 25%
of total
respondents 150 Medicine 92 61%
Question 6 Contributing factors for usage
of total responses given Relaxation 78 38%
As a form of
medication 30 15%
of total
respondents 100
As a form of
medication 30r. 30%
Table 4.5.1: Perception towards marijuana and its medical uses

18. Question 7 Personal medical benefits
of total
respondents 100 Yes 46 46%
No 17 17%
Question 8 Generally dangerous
of total
respondents 150 Yes 54 36%
No 94 63%
Question 9 Least harmful substance by comparison
of total
respondents 150 Alcohol 40 27%
Marijuana 89 59%
Cigarettes 9 6%
Question 10 Legitimate medical usage
of total
respondents 150 Yes 131 87%
No 16 11%
Question 12 Know of someone who could benefit
of total
respondents 150 Yes 78 52%
No 15 10%

19. FINDINGS
Opinions/Perception on the legalization of medical marijuana for potential patients in
Malaysia
No. of respondents Percentage
Question 15 Should it be made legally available
of total
respondents 150 Yes 121 81%
No 29 19%
Table 4.5.2: Perception on the legalization of medical marijuana

20. FINDINGSMedical marijuana’s application according to total collected participant responses (includes contradictory responses)
Medical condition/ uses for medical marijuana No. of responses Medical condition/ uses for medical marijuana No. of responses
Cancer/leukemia/chemotherapy 90 Diabetes 2
Depression/anxiety + relaxation induction 89 Stuttering 2
Pain 49 Cerebral palsy 2
Insomnia/sleep 22 Autoimmune disease 1
Glaucoma 19 Bipolar disorder 1
Epilepsy 12 Dementia 1
Seizures/spasticity/tremors 12 Spinal cord injury 1
Migraines/headache 11 Inflammatory sensitivities 1
Arthritis 9 Antiemetic 1
Nausea 9 Rheumatism 1
Mental disorders/psychological problems 9 Dyslexia 1
Neurological problems 7 Addiction 1
Appetite loss 7 PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) 1
Multiple sclerosis 6 Dietary disorders 1
Parkinson’s disease 6 Constipation 1
HIV/AIDS 6 Palliative care 3
Menstrual cramps/PMS 5 Grow brain cells 1
Alzheimer’s 4 Dopamine production 2
ADD (attention deficit disorder) 3 Improved motor skills 1
ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) 3 Improve lung health 1
Anorexia 2 cancer prevention 1
Table 4.7: Contributing factors for general medical marijuana usage

21. CONCLUSION
• High percentile of people have tried marijuana – 67%
• Clear positive regard to the legalization of marijuana
medically for the benefits of potential patients – 81%
– 62% of non-users
• Studies and research findings exist globally and can be
utilized as references
• Malaysia has high potential for the legalization of
medical marijuana for possible patients
– Legal cases
– Requests to government
– Local movements

22. CLOSING STATEMENT
An appropriate response to the situation faced in Malaysia
was given by the forth school of Islam, the Hanafi, made prior
to the 14th century claiming that marijuana was not to be
labeled the same as ‘khmar’ (alcohol) and that using hashish
(marijuana) in small amounts or for medical purposes is
acceptable, but not for intoxication.
(Dixon, 1972)

23. SURVEY QUESTION REFERENCES
Question 2
Keeping in mind that all of your answers in this survey are confidential,
have you, yourself ever happened to try marijuana?
Question 2 reference
(63.) Keeping in mind that all of your answers in this survey are
confidential, have you, yourself ever happened to try marijuana?
(Quinnipiac University, 2014)
Question 3
If ‘Yes’ what was/is your method of intake? More than one answer
permitted.
Smoking
Ingestion via food or drink
Question 3 reference
(13a) In what form have you usually taken cannabis for medical
reasons?
- eaten as a cooked recipe (biscuits, cookies etc)
- drunk as tea
(Swift, n.d.)
Question 4
If both, which did/do you prefer?
Smoking
Ingestion via food or drink
Equally A & B
Question 4 reference
Considering all the ways you have tried cannabis, which way helps or
helped you most with your medical condition?
(Swift, n.d.)
Question 6
What is/has been a major contributing factor for your personal use of
marijuana? More than one answer permitted.
Curiosity
Relaxation
As a form of medication
Spiritual elevation
Peer pressure
Question 6 reference
(312) Why did you try it? (survey on alcohol and marijuana)
[ ] TO EXPERIMENT
[ ] TO EASE FRUSTRATION
[ ] TO GAIN SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE
[ ] DON’T KNOW
[ ] NO RESPONSE
(Douglas, 2006)
Question 7
In your opinion, does/did marijuana use have any medical benefits for
you? Condition should be medically diagnosable/identifiable by a
doctor.
Question 7 reference
Are you still using cannabis for any medical
condition(s)?
Yes/No
(Swift, n.d.)

24. Question 9
Which is the least harmful of these substances in your opinion?
Alcohol
Marijuana
Cigarettes
Question 9 reference
"Which of the following substances would you say is the MOST harmful
to a person's overall health: tobacco, alcohol, sugar, or marijuana?"
(CBS News Poll, 2015)
Question 10
Do you think marijuana has legitimate medical uses?
Yes
No
Question 10 reference
"Do you think marijuana does or does not have legitimate medical
uses?"
(CBS News Poll, 2015)
Question 11
Do you know of any diseases/condition/illnesses that use medical
marijuana as a form of treatment?
Question 11 reference
Please indicate those conditions for which you have used cannabis in an
attempt to gain relief. (please tick those that apply)
(Swift, n.d.)
Question 15
In your opinion, should medical marijuana be made legally available for
potential patients in Malaysia?
Question 15 reference
Do you [support or oppose] allowing the use of marijuana for medical
purposes if prescribed by
a doctor?
(Goucher Poll, 2013)

25. Thank You
Question and answer session