Israel: Medical Cannabis Gains Wider Acceptance

srael looks set to up its quota of medical cannabis patients to over 5000 by the end of the year.
It has permitted 5 more doctors to prescribe medical cannabis, in answer to the Israeli medical ministry’s estimates that more than 5000 medical cannabis patients will be using government sanctioned medical cannabis come the end of 2010.
Image According to a health ministry official, in the future department managers in the kupot holim, the Israeli health maintenance organizations, will be able to prescribe medical marijuana to patients.
The ministry estimates that in 2010 there will be an increase of 66 percent in the permits for medical marijuana, allowing treatment for about 5000 patients. In future, the ministry expects tens of thousands of patients to be treated with medical marijuana.
Most prescriptions for medical marijuana are given to patients suffering from chronic pain, including patients with fibromyalgia, cancer, HIV/AIDS, neurological disorders, multiple sclerosis, asthma and glaucoma, as well as to Israel Defense Forces veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.