Israel’s cannabis regulation for patients
Patients that decides to apply for a medicinal marijuana permit, would need to have a recommendation from a specialised physician (specialised in correlation with the patients condition). In any case, applications signed exclusively by a generalist wont be considered. The different forms will then be processed by a senior physician in the medical cannabis unit of the ministry of health.
7 medical conditions are considered as an indication for the use of medicinal cannabis in Israel:
* Oncology conditions
* Gastroenterology conditions
* Pain conditions
* Infection disease conditions
* Neurology conditions
* Palliative conditions
* Psychiatric conditions (namely PTSD)
Applications are approved within no more than 45 business days. Once approved, the permit are being printed and signed by a physician in the medical cannabis unit. The unit itself decides which of the 8 different Israeli cannabis growers will supply the cannabis to the patient (patients can ask for a specific grower when applying though). The permit Is than being transferred to the grower, who in it’s turn contacts the patient.
Permits are usually approved for time periods of 6-12 month. The permit holder, and only the permit holder, can purchase the marijuana. If desired, a patient can ask to have a “transporter” on his behalf, and than an additional person will appear on the permit under that title.
The grower Tikun-Olam has a shop in centre Tel aviv and another distribution point in Zefat medical centre. The remaining 7 growers has distribution points in the Abarbanel mental health centre in Bat-Yam, next to Tel-Aviv. Patients can also order a cannabis delivery to their home. 4 of the growers work with an external Cannabis delivery service, and Tikun-Olam has its own Internal delivery service.
Exporting cannabis from Israel
Exporting of cannabis from Israel is illegal at the moment. nevertheless, in August 2017 an interministerial committee formed by the ministry of finance and the ministry of health has concluded that exporting marijuana from Israel could add up to 4 billion NIS a year to the country’s GDP. Hence, the committee has supported the approval of cannabis exporting.
The Israeli government has already assigned the ministry of health with drafting a layout for a Cannabis medicalization reform that would help the export possibility.
Cannabis research and development regulation in Israel
Israel is formally supporting research and development in the medicinal cannabis field. Nevertheless, the issue is still highly regulated and engagement in heavy bureaucracy is required. A verity of forms needs to be filled and sent to the ministry of health in order to obtain a permission for researching cannabis. For further information on this specific issue please feel free to contact us.