Frequently asked questions about CBA Apotheek and medicinal cannabis

Yes, a prescription from a general practitioner or medical specialist is always required for medicinal cannabis. In many cases, we can also accept a prescription issued by a doctor within Europe, provided it meets Dutch legal requirements. Once we have received your prescription, we will carefully review it and contact you to discuss the next steps.

No, that is not necessary. You will continue to receive your regular medication from your own pharmacy. CBA Apotheek is an additional service and only provides medicinal cannabis on prescription.

Yes, a prescription from any EU country is valid. We will be happy to review your prescription to check whether it meets Dutch legal requirements.

THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) are the two best-known active compounds from the cannabis plant. Although they often occur together, they each have different effects. THC is mainly used for pain relief and insomnia, while CBD is more commonly used for neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and epilepsy, and also has anti-inflammatory properties.

In some cases, a combination of THC and CBD is prescribed, as they can enhance each other’s effects or reduce each other’s side effects. The most suitable composition depends on your medical situation and is always determined in consultation with your doctor.

As a pharmacy, we always provide dosage advice. We usually start with a low initial dose, which is then carefully increased every two days. In this way, the dosage is built up step by step, allowing you to safely and responsibly find out which dose is most suitable for you. The final dosage varies for each patient.

In some cases, interactions may occur. If your medication already has a central sedative effect, such as sleeping pills, antipsychotics, antidepressants, or opioids, extra caution must be taken in consultation with the pharmacist at CBA Apotheek. It is therefore important that you always discuss your complete medication overview with the pharmacist. Our pharmacist will carefully review this, possibly already during the intake. If you choose not to have an intake, the pharmacist will still ask about your medication use in order to check this, so that possible interactions with medicinal cannabis can be ruled out.

That varies per patient, form of administration, and dosage. Sometimes you may notice improvement within a few days, while in other cases it can take up to 14 days before the effects become noticeable.

At the prescribed low doses, you will experience little to no side effects. As with any medication, side effects may occur. Possible side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, and dry mouth. Always consult your doctor and pharmacist if you experience any symptoms. We advise not to drive any vehicles during the first two weeks of use.

The risk of dependence with medicinal use is low, especially when the treatment takes place under the supervision of a doctor and pharmacist. Recreational use carries a higher risk.

As soon as we have received your prescription, we will carefully review it and prepare the medication for you. You will receive an online payment request by email. If we receive your payment on working days before 3:00 PM, your medication will be shipped the same day free of charge via PostNL. It is also possible to collect it from our pharmacy on site.

Orders placed and paid for on working days before 2:30 PM are usually delivered within 1–2 working days. In urgent cases, the medication can be collected from our location the same day.

Through the website of the CAK ( Medicines when travelling – CAK ), you can apply for a so-called Schengen Certificate to take your medication with you when travelling. Be sure to arrange this in time. For countries outside the EU, it is best to contact the embassy of the country concerned.

We handle your medical data with strict confidentiality and in accordance with GDPR (privacy regulations). Only authorized staff have access to your file. If you wish, your medical data can be made visible to your own doctor and pharmacy via the National Exchange Point (LSP). If you do not wish this, your data will remain accessible only to CBA Apotheek.