Israel is expected to see an increase in medical cannabis patients due to proposed reforms that aim to streamline access. The Health Ministry has released these reforms, which have already caused local cannabis operators’ stock prices to rise. The reforms, set to begin in December, are seen as significant progress for the industry. Although some argue that they don’t go far enough, there is a general consensus that they’re a step forward. The key elements of the reforms are as follows: 1. Transition to “first-line treatment”: Medical cannabis will no longer be a last resort. Starting in December, doctors can prescribe it without patients having to prove they’ve tried alternative drugs for a year. This change is expected to increase the patient demographic, which has been declining since 2021. However, some argue that the bottleneck caused by a lack of prescribing doctors and licenses remains unaddressed. 2. Prescription-based model: Patients will no longer need cumbersome government licenses. Instead, a new prescription model will be implemented, managed by the country’s four official health insurance organizations. Participation in a medical insurance plan with one of these organizations will be mandatory. This change, set to begin in January 2024, will initially only affect around 10% of patients. Patients with cancer, Crohn’s disease, dementia, autism, multiple sclerosis, HIV, and those with less than six months to live will be able to obtain prescriptions from their doctors without a license. Critics argue that this fails to address the needs of those suffering from PTSD, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and other conditions, potentially leading them to turn to opioid alternatives. Speaking to local news publication Maariv, Dr. Ofir Levon, chairman of the Israeli Society of Toxicology in the Medical Association, said, “This should lead to a situation where the patient’s dialogue with the doctor will be more effective, enabling them to try to give the treatment without making too many conditions. We will roll this out in stages, it cannot happen all at once, there is a strong desire for it to happen quickly. HMOs are organizing for this, but this also takes time. The first stages will happen towards the end of the year.” CBD legalization: The reforms will also address the current uncertainty surrounding CBD regulation. The government is considering definitively legalizing CBD and other cannabinoids that are not part of the THC family. From February 2024, Israel will examine the possibility of removing them from the Controlled Substances Act. The definition of controlled substances would then be refined to only include cannabis and psychoactive components with a concentration of THC above 0.3%. Some have expressed disappointment that the government’s commitment was not more concrete. Research: The new guidelines aim to facilitate more cannabis research. They introduce measures to simplify the process of getting new research approved. The document suggests that a clear procedure will be provided to launch clinical trials to prove safety and effectiveness. Importation restrictions on raw materials for research purposes will be eased, allowing for more genetic diversity available to researchers. However, limits on the importation of finished products are expected to remain in place. Restrictions on packaging and advertising: Alongside the liberalization of current rules, the reforms will impose new restrictions on advertising and packaging. There will be a shift towards a more medicalized appearance for products, with colorful and attention-grabbing packaging no longer allowed. A defined packaging standard requiring mostly uniform colors will be introduced. Strain names that are considered tempting may also be banned. The Ministry of Health explains that the current wide variety of packaging is not acceptable in the medical field and increases costs. Limits will also be imposed on the information provided about the active components of strains. Accurate percentages of THC and CBD will no longer be required and may even be banned. This controversial stipulation aims to undermine the preference for high-THC strains, as there is no scientific evidence supporting their superior effectiveness. Some evidence suggests that lower THC doses improve pain relief.

The Israeli Health Ministry has proposed reforms to streamline access to medical cannabis, which are expected to increase the patient demographic and have already caused local cannabis operators’ stock prices to rise¹. The reforms are set to begin in December and are seen as significant progress for the industry. The key elements of the reforms are as follows:

1. Transition to “first-line treatment”: Medical cannabis will no longer be a last resort. Starting in December, doctors can prescribe it without patients having to prove they’ve tried alternative drugs for a year. This change is expected to increase the patient demographic, which has been declining since 2021. However, some argue that the bottleneck caused by a lack of prescribing doctors and licenses remains unaddressed.
2. Prescription-based model: Patients will no longer need cumbersome government licenses. Instead, a new prescription model will be implemented, managed by the country’s four official health insurance organizations. Participation in a medical insurance plan with one of these organizations will be mandatory. This change, set to begin in January 2024, will initially only affect around 10% of patients. Patients with cancer, Crohn’s disease, dementia, autism, multiple sclerosis, HIV, and those with less than six months to live will be able to obtain prescriptions from their doctors without a license. Critics argue that this fails to address the needs of those suffering from PTSD, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and other conditions, potentially leading them to turn to opioid alternatives.

Dr. Ofir Levon, chairman of the Israeli Society of Toxicology in the Medical Association, believes that the proposed reforms will lead to a situation where the patient’s dialogue with the doctor will be more effective, enabling them to try to give the best possible treatment¹.

¹: ¹ Benzinga, “Cannabis Market Evolves In Israel Amid War With Hamas, New Merger On The Horizon”, 22 Nov 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/23/11/35917309/cannabis-market-evolves-in-israel-amid-war-with-hamas-new-merger-on-the-horizon. [Accessed: 23-Nov-2023].

Learn more:

1. benzinga.com2. gov.il3. marketscreener.com4. cannadelics.com5. markets.businessinsider.com