The case in summary: Doctor Aina Mumbi, known as the “Cannabis doctor”, has been partially stripped of her authorization by the Norwegian Health Authority. Mumbi has broken the law by helping import cannabis to patients using medical certificates. She cannot now work as a doctor without being employed by another doctor with the right type of specialization. The supervisory authorities have received reports of concern from both the police and the health system. Mumbi has received statements of support from patients. The supervisory authorities have also received these. The Norwegian Health Authority says they will not comment on the case. Mumbi is worried about what will happen to the patients she has been responsible for. She plans to appeal the decision. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. She is known by the nickname “Cannabis doctor” because for several years she has been in favor of a more extensive use of cannabis for medical purposes. Mumbi is the professional manager at the Eikaklinikken in Oslo, and has been a substitute doctor in Åmot municipality in Innlandet 2016-2018. Now the Norwegian Health Authority believes that she has broken the law after she helped import cannabis to patients, using medical certificates. The decision means that she cannot work as a doctor without being employed by another doctor, who has the right type of specialisation. In this current case from the Norwegian Health Authority, it is the business at her private clinic that has been investigated, not the Eikaklinikken – I didn’t sleep last night. My whole life has been turned upside down after what has now happened, says Aina Mumbi. This is of several types of cannabis for medical use. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / Knut-Sverre Horn No comment from the Norwegian Health Authority Acting department director Vigdis Malt Marøy in the Norwegian Health Authority says they will not comment on the case. At the same time, she confirms that they have “deferred implementation of the decision” until 14 March. The idea is that this should give Eikaklinikken time to “set up”, for the sake of follow-up with patients. Cannabis for medical use. Photo: Marthe Svendsen / news Believes the regulations prevent many people from receiving treatment There are over 1,100 people who receive cannabis medicine in Norway. Consequently, cannabis is still little used as medicine in this country. But more and more pain patients want it. It has become more and more common in countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands and Canada, and thus Norwegians would also like to try it. Although the clinic has until March 14, Mumbi is still worried about what is happening to the patients she has been responsible for. At the clinic, 81 drug addicts receive health care. – Many of these do not have many other places to get help, she says. – Haven’t you now challenged the regulations? – You have to be able to say that. I received a message the other day from a colleague that I had to stop civil disobedience towards the Norwegian Health Authority. Mumbi admits that she has not followed previous orders from the State Administrator for the Interior. – I have nevertheless considered that my way of doing it is correct, she says. Photo: Alexander Nordby / news Mumbi believes that the Norwegian regulations for the medical use of cannabis prevent many patients from receiving treatment that they could benefit from. – We will appeal this decision, she says. Accusations of excessive cannabis imports There have been reports of concern about Mumbi, both from the police and the health system. In 2021, there was a report from the police that one of her patients had been caught for drink driving, with a blood alcohol level of 1.2. The Norwegian Health Authority believes it was due to the fact that the patient had used cannabis from the Netherlands, for which she had provided a customs declaration. This is of several types of cannabis for medical use, which can be imported from the Netherlands. Photo: Paal Wergeland / news – 1.2 alcohol per thousand measured on a person who uses cannabis is something completely different from alcohol, she replies. She believes that this method of conversion gives an incorrect picture, and that this driving was not unreasonable. In two other cases, it was a senior physician at Innlandet Hospital in Gjøvik who made contact. They said that she had helped patients in drug-assisted treatment to import cannabis from the Netherlands. The Norwegian Health Authority believes that these patients did not have diagnoses that give rise to the legal import of cannabis. – I believe that this was not illegal in the first place. Secondly, I completely disagree on medical grounds, she says. Statements of support from patients At the same time, there have also been two statements of support from patients in favor of Aina Mumbi. One says that life has changed “really for the better” after using medical cannabis. Aina Mumbi receives support from patients who have received medical cannabis. Photo: Alexander Nordby / news The other contacted Mumbi due to the absence of the original GP. The patient says that she was the first doctor to ask questions that one should expect all doctors to ask their patients. Furthermore, the patient believes that supervision cases are being opened far too quickly against doctors who think differently. – Only investigations over the phone The State Administrator in the Interior has previously gone through 24 of her records. Here are some of the conclusions: Many of the patients use addictive drugs from the past. Mapping of this use is insufficient. There is a lack of mapping of mental disorders, beyond what the patient himself states. No assessment and justification for diagnoses. Many of the patients were only examined over the phone, without attending in person. Mumbi says that the use of the telephone was due to infection measures during the corona epidemic. She says that after the epidemic she has switched to regular consultations where possible. As regards the lack of mapping, she believes that it has largely been rectified since 2022, and does not understand that this is now a point in the matter. Clinic named after a profiled doctor The Eika clinic, where Mumbi is the specialist, was started in late 2021. It started after the profiled doctor Sverre Eika died suddenly that autumn. A couple of years earlier, he had set up a street clinic for drug addicts in Oslo. Several volunteers in collaboration with the association Tryggerere Ruspolitikken therefore took the initiative to set up Eikaklinikken. – What are you doing now? – I still don’t know. The most important thing I am working on now is to secure measures for the patients at Eikaklinikken, says Mumbi. – After it’s settled, I don’t know what I’m going to do with my life. I’ll have to think about that when everything has calmed down. – My whole life has been turned upside down after the decision in the Norwegian Health Authority, says Aina Mumbi at Eikaklinikken. Photo: Alexander Nordby / news
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“Cannabis doctor” Aina Mumbi has been partially stripped of her authorization by the Norwegian Health Authority – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
