Global Cannabis Overdose Crisis Confronted with Innovative Controlled-Dosing Inhaler
'The Whole World Is In Overdose,' Says CEO Of Company Behind Cannabis Inhaler That Enables Controlled Dosing.
"The medical establishment has largely concluded that cannabis is perhaps the best treatment for people with PTSD," Dr. Eytan Hyam, executive medical chairman of Syqe Medical and former director-general of Israel's Health Ministry, recently told The Jerusalem Post.
However, there's the ongoing issue with the dosing, which his company is trying to address with an original medical marijuana inhaler.
"One problem, however, is that people often go over the required amount, roll a joint every now and then, and consume too much, which can cause side effects. The unique Syqe inhaler comes with capsules that are loaded into the inhaler, and it's impossible to consume more cannabis than what the doctor prescribed. The device also tracks the amount of cannabis consumed," Hyam explained.
According to the Tel Aviv-headquartered company, the SyqeAir Inhaler is a device that allows patients to effectively and accurately manage their medical cannabis treatment, ensuring optimal therapeutic benefit. The SyqeAir Inhaler is CE (European standard) and MDL (Health Canada) approved and clinically validated by three clinical trials and real-world evidence publications, demonstrating its safety and efficacy. The company started selling the inhaler in 2019.
In February 2023, Syqe Medical signed an agreement with the Israeli Ministry of Defense to supply the SyqeAir Inhaler and Cartridges to all veterans prescribed medical cannabis by inhalation through the company’s platform. This agreement allows veterans treated with medical cannabis using the SyqeAir Inhaler and Cartridges to obtain them directly in the same way they access pharmaceutical drugs.
The Dosing Problem
"The doctors have a problem," Hyam told the outlet. "Most of them believe in cannabis, but only 4% prescribe cannabis. Why is that? Cannabis is not a medication. If I, as a doctor, give a patient Optalgin, I prescribe 500 mg. I don't know how much will enter the bloodstream, but I have confidence that it was checked out. I can't do that with cannabis. Some individuals take a stronger puff, while others take a weaker one, and the concentration in the blood varies significantly among them."
SyqeAir division CEO Hagit Kamin stressed that worldwide, 81% of medical marijuana users will have adverse effects because 90% smoke it, making it hard to get the proper dose. She further explained that the majority of medical marijuana patients turn to smoking instead of consuming oil because of its much faster effects. Syqe inhaler is said to provide relief in five minutes, without smoking and getting high.
In fact, the amount one inhales in a day with a cigarette is more than you get with the inhaler in a month, CEO explained. The dose with SyqeAir is sufficient for the patient, she added, because people who smoke marijuana tend to smoke much more than necessary. "This entire country – in fact, the whole world – is in overdose."
To ensure precision, Syqe acquires material from Holland's Bedrocan, the company that supplies standardized medical marijuana, grown in "clean rooms." Furthermore, they don't buy it directly from them, but from the Dutch Health Ministry.
With SyqeAir, patients can have personalized treatment as prescribed by his or her physician, there are personal reminders for inhalation times and doses, reminders for license renewal, and updates for regular maintenance.
The company has 124 employees in Israel and global partners in Malta and Australia and has plans to expand to Europe.
by Nina Zdinjak
