Saved 3 Times: A Personal Story
Our founder, Olivier's journey with cannabis started when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, a type of immune cancer involving white cells, when he was 17 years old. He initially went through an intensive 16 chemotherapy sessions in 8 months at a highly renowned hospital in Paris.
Before each session every patient would meet the doctor. During one of the first meetings, Olivier recalls the doctor advising him to try marijuana to ease the side effects of treatment. According to the doctor's experience and other patients’ feedback, it was the only thing that helped well. The doctor explained that cannabis helps patients to sleep when they have insomnia, to stimulate appetite when they’re not hungry, to suppress nausea, act as a painkiller, as well as helping to put things into perspective and to remain positive.
At that time, Olivier was very sporty and against any drugs, so categorically refused to try it despite the doctor's recommendation.
At the end of the treatment the doctors weren’t sure if Olivier was under or overtreated, and unfortunately, he relapsed at 19 years of age. As the new medical protocol was more aggressive, involving a mixture of chemotherapy and bone marrow allograft, the doctor insisted for Olivier to try cannabis. This time, he decided to give it a shot.
"Despite not knowing anything about cannabis, it would become one of my best allies to fight for my life."
A new horizon opened and from then on things were easier, which was fortunate because to the doctor’s surprise Olivier relapsed again at 22 years of age. This time the treatment involved radiotherapy too.
Olivier's was exposed to the highest possible radition, called 'total body irradiation' or TBI. He had to spend a whole month in a sterilized room being fed through an IV since he couldn’t even swallow his own saliva as it was as painful as engulfing razor blades.
As a result, at 1.8 meters tall Olivier left the hospital weighing only 35kg. He was a bag of bones and couldn’t even stand on his legs to walk as all the muscles melted away.
"The recovery wasn’t easy but thanks to cannabis I made it."
Through his personal life experience Olivier has became a big advocate for the use of cannabis in the clinical setting, particularly for use by people going through aggressive treatment.
"I'm convinced that one day, medical cannabis will be legal globally and prescribed to alleviate countless ailments associated with diseases or side effects."
During those difficult years of treatment, Olivier had several surgeries, and was sometimes given morphine, providing a clear comparison between cannabis and opiod. The side effects of morphine were horrible: paranoia (he tried to unplug himself from the IV to escape the hospital at night thinking doctors were trying to kill him), loss of orientation and spatial configuration, addiction, etc. It was clear what was the best alternative.
Back then medical cannabis wasn’t available and people barely knew the strain, quality or concentration of THC or CBD. Fortunately, today we have high quality products, traceable, and passing through tough tests and standards. We know the THC/CBD ratio as well as other cannabinoids compounds and even the terpenes. We have decades of clinical trials and medical research paving a safe, sound and reliable way for future patients and The Premium Leaf is dedicated to ensure patients no longer need to suffer through treatment as much as they had been.
Benjamin: A Committed Entrepreneur in Morocco
For the past five years, Benjamin Chaker has established himself in Morocco, dedicating his efforts to supporting businesses in setting up operations within the country’s free zones.
Visionary and dynamic, he has assisted numerous companies in establishing and expanding their presence in this economically burgeoning nation, becoming a key player in supporting foreign entrepreneurs and investors.
Together with his partner Olivier, Benjamin identified an opportunity in the medical cannabis sector—a field experiencing significant growth in Morocco due to favorable regulations.
Together, they have developed a business centered on medical cannabis, with the aim of improving patients' quality of life while addressing increasing healthcare needs.
Their ambition extends beyond medical production, also offering a diverse range of products, grounded in an ethical approach and oriented toward wellness.
Driven by a desire to help others, Benjamin Chaker exemplifies entrepreneurial leadership that combines innovation, social impact, and local engagement.
