The Medicalization Of Marijuana In Israel

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Israel has a lot to brag about, including being the nation with the highest ratio of college degrees to the population. The country also publishes more research papers and scientific journals per capita than any other country, making them the leader in cannabis research as well. The ongoing research and usage of medical marijuana is even funded by the Israel government and their Ministry of Health, allowing adequate research materials and resources for the most effective results.
 
MECHKAR is Israel's medical marijuana distribution center, and operates in the Abarbanel mental hospital, serving 12,000 medical marijuana patients today. The facility is growing and expanding at a very fast rate, with results offering compelling evidence of the medicinal benefits and potential of the plant. During the center's formative years, however, it was a difficult situation.
 
Boaz Wachtel, a politician who co-founded the Ale Yarok political party in Israel, is dedicated to reforming drug laws in his home country. While working with Howard Lotsof in the United States during the 80's (on the psychoactive substance, ibogaine), Wachtel was inspired by how individuals could bring about change-not only in public opinion, but in policy reform as well. In the early 90's, he began work back home in Israel towards what would become the MECHKAR Center.
 
In 1995, the Israeli parliament granted a committee to oversee and conduct research on cannabis and its medicinal properties. Heading the committee was Raphael Mechoulam, a professor in medical chemistry who is known for the isolation and synthesis of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Together with Wachtel, the committee went on to make breakthroughs in cannabis research, despite the limited and dire circumstances in the beginning: for the first few months, they were given a very small room with no air-conditioning to do their work. The government also did not give financial support at first, so the committee had to think up ways to get the ball rolling on their own. Initially, they considered cooperation with the local police, asking for confiscated marijuana to be used for their research. But the cops were hesitant about giving drugs to sick people, and didn't want to have that kind of responsibility looming over them. After much deliberation, meetings, and brainstorming options, the committee decided that their best option would be for patients to grow their own cannabis.
 
Simultaneously the committee was making efforts to educate and inform the medical community as well as the public about cannabis, by conducting conferences and media outreach programs. Dr. Yehuda Baruch, head of the Abarbanel hospital, would eventually assume the role of running the then-newly formed Medical Cannabis Initiative Program.
 
In 2007, after nearly a decade, the first licensed patient was allowed to grow 50 plants. The Ministry of Health soon decided it was only fair for other people to be able to do the same thing, and so 18 growers were issued the same license in the first wave. From 2008 to 2009, MECHKAR was serving 1,800 patients. At first, growers would give out the medicine for free, but this soon showed to be unsustainable. The medical marijuana industry generates an annual income of $40 million per year, and in Israel the fee is $100 a month, regardless of the amount a patient needs.
 
Unlike the U.S.A., Israel does not have the same kind of pot culture-the stoner stereotype is not prevalent, and the majority of the public actually fears the “high” that medical marijuana could induce, worrying about hallucinating and behavioral changes. Because of this cultural difference, it is no surprise that there are not a lot of recreational pot users in Israel as one might think, even if hash has been a part of their history since ancient times. Mimi Paleg who heads and directs the MECHKAR, is responsible for teaching patients how to take in their medical marijuana. She finds them the right kind of strain, educates them on the properties of cannabis, and helps them through the procedure, whether its sublingual candy drops, baked edible goods, or traditional combusting/smoking. In America, where states have legalized medical marijuana, many patients come in for mild ailments such as nausea, insomnia, anxiety, or even occasional migraines. In Israel, marijuana is used as a last-resort remedy, and is often only prescribed to patients near the end of their lives or with serious conditions such as HIV/AIDS and cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
 
For PTSD patients and people with other mental-related health problems, it is harder to get a hold of medical marijuana. This is because mental illnesses are not taken as seriously in Israel as it is in say, the U.S.A. They have a culture that is less tolerant of people who claim they need professional help for their depression, anxiety, and other disorders. For these patients, they must work closely with a doctor for a whole year, and only when all other possible medications fail can they avail of a medical marijuana license. The fact that MECHKAR is situated in a mental health facility allows for the public to be more accepting and understanding towards mental health issues.
 
The government suggested importing marijuana from the Netherlands as it was more convenient, but Pegel, Wachtel, and those working in MECHKAR went against it in protest. They pressed that importation could cause other issues, one being the possibility of medical marijuana becoming a drug for the elite. In the end, the government listened and Israel continues to grow its own herb. Today, there are eight farms supplying 12,000 patients (and growing) in Israel, distributed by MECHKAR. Because stoner culture isn't as prevalent in Israel, the social stigma surrounding medical marijuana is not very daunting-marijuana is seen and treated purely as is, which is a medicine.