Questions & Answers

Marijuana is a name for the cannabis plant commonly called social use. The origin of the name marijuana is probably Mexican.

Cannabis is not defined as a medicine but still as a “dangerous drug”. At the same time, there are several cannabis-based drugs on the market and many remedies on the shelf that are at a level of quality and safety close to the drug.

The cannabis plant as well as many other plants have volatile compounds called terpenes. Some of the most common are: Pinene, for example, is a terpene that helps with anxiety and asthma. Alpha finan smells like pine or rosemary and beta finan smells more like basil or parsley. Sativa strains that contain high levels of finan help increase concentration and alertness. Limonene is found in citrus fruits and cannabis from Sativa varieties. Lemon is known as an antidepressant. It is also known to have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-cancer properties. Linalool is found in many plants but is mostly associated with lavender. Known as a sedative, anticonvulsant, anti-bacterial. Terpineol has a floral scent. It is mainly found in indica varieties and causes a feeling of drowsiness. Myrcene has an earthy scent. Found in abundance in the hops plant, a cousin of cannabis, from which beer is made. Indica strains are rich in Myrcan and its presence is one of the reasons why Indica strains are known to help with sleep problems.

In people with a family history of mental illness there is also a risk of a psychotic attack using high percentages of the psychoactive component.

One way to overcome the risk of anxiety or a psychotic attack is to use strains rich in CBD.

Compared to tobacco, heroin, alcohol and other drugs, cannabis is not physiologically addictive. A patient who has started using cannabis for medical purposes may become addicted to the good and pleasant feeling and continue to use it even when there is no medical reason for it.

Medical cannabis should be taken regularly and preferably at regular hours to achieve a good effect and it is advisable to increase the dose very slowly and gradually. On the first day start with one inhale after eating before bed. On the second day, if there are no side effects, take one inhale after eating in the morning and before bed at night – and continue for another two days. You can combine the use of inhalation and oil under the tongue. All in accordance with the instructions of the attending physician for the first time, it is recommended to start using cannabis in a relaxed atmosphere and to be equipped with a cold and sweetened drink and edible items such as fruit or a sweet snack. Drink 2-3 sips of cold drink before each inhale.

The law prohibits driving under the influence of alcohol and / or other drugs as long as a person is treated with cannabis and up to 21 days after last use because the cannabis breakdown substances remain in the urine for up to 21 days after use. When applying for a medical cannabis license the patient signs that he has been explained the law regarding driving. It is very important to know that if a person drives under the influence and injures a person, he does not have insurance coverage.

Procedure 106 of the Ministry of Health List of Contracts. Conditions that do not appear in the list will be discussed in light of the medical documents that will be presented.

No. The Israeli Drugs Ordinance explicitly states that “any part” of the cannabis plant or its extraction is prohibited by law, except for oil extracted from the seeds and does not contain cannabinoids at all – this oil is called hemp oil. This oil is nutritious and very healthy mainly because of the ratio of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in exactly the ratio needed by our body.

In taking cannabis oil under the tongue, after the saliva dries, there is a relatively rapid absorption directly into the bloodstream through the oral mucosa. The onset of effect is about half an hour to an hour and lasts about two to four hours. Faster effect than eating cannabis and less prolonged as well. Convenient for adults and children who are not interested or unable to inhale cannabis by smoking or steaming.

Inhalation has a rapid effect within a few minutes as the active ingredients in the plant reach the bloodstream and brain directly. Evaporation of a crushed inflorescence or evaporation of cannabis oil in a device designed for this purpose, called a vaporizer, also allows the user to enjoy the health benefits of the terpenes in the plant, which are usually destroyed by smoking a cigarette containing cannabis. In evaporation there is less damage to the lungs, as there is no smoke but inhalation of vapors of active ingredients in the plant. Inflorescence vapor compared to smoking Inflorescence is less dangerous to health as there are no combustion products and therefore no toxic substances inhaled into the bloodstream. Many devices and vaporizers are available at different prices and in different versions, some of which can be temperature calibrated, an advantage in the context of certain terpenes and cannabinoids in the plant.

Cigarette smoking is harmful. The smoke contains thousands of toxic chemicals and most of them are carcinogenic. The three main hazardous substances in cigarette smoke are nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar. Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in the blood and thus reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the tissues in the body. Accelerated atherosclerosis in the presence of carbon monoxide. Nicotine reaches the brain within seconds and releases catecholamines that increase blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen consumption in the heart muscle. Tar, the main carcinogenic substance in cigarettes. Even when a person rolls the shredded cannabis and smokes it without tobacco containing nicotine, he is still inhaling burning, unhealthy products. Smoking also damages the facial skin.

It is not recommended to mix tobacco with crushed cannabis as there is damage in smoking tobacco, the burning substances are toxic and carcinogenic. The burning point of tobacco is different from the burning point of cannabis. The effect of the cannabis is less good.

Applying an oil containing the ingredients of the cannabis plant on the skin may improve the appearance of the skin, especially when there are skin diseases like seborrhea and psoriasis. There is usually no psychoactive effect from spreading cannabis oil on the skin.

There are oils extracted from different cannabis strains, for example a particular strain of an inflorescence and at the same time an oil with the same name, extracted from this inflorescence. Many companies prepare oil that is a mixture of several varieties, for example, “day oil” will usually contain several Sativa varieties and “night oil” will usually contain several indica varieties. Oil for severe pain will usually contain a higher percentage of THC.

The cannabis plant contains hundreds of active ingredients. When substances were isolated from the cannabis and tested for their effect, they did not give the same effect as that given by the cannabis plant or an extract from the whole plant. That is, the entire entourage is important for optimal impact.

Tincture is a solution obtained from soaking a plant in alcohol. Extraction of the cannabis plant is obtained from soaking the plant in a solvent other than alcohol such as olive oil or coconut oil.

When you inhale from a joint or a rolled cigarette with cannabis you will feel it within minutes. Usually it takes up to 10 minutes to get the typical high-feeling, sometimes accompanied by dizziness, of course depending on the type of inflorescence you inhale. When taking a drop of oil under the tongue, the sensation comes a little later than inhalation, usually up to 40 minutes and even lasts a little longer, about two to three hours, depending on the type of oil and whether or not it contains THC.

Rick Simpson, a Canadian citizen who cured himself of skin cancer using a concentrated oil from the cannabis plant. The preparation of concentrated cannabis oil is named after him. Preparation begins with soaking a 97% alcohol-crushed cannabis inflorescence. In this way the resin in the plant, which is a fatty substance, goes out to alcohol and then the alcohol evaporates and the pure resin remains. In order to make the oil active, which contains THC and not THCA, heating is needed, an action called decarboxylation.

Rick Simpson oil is usually given to cancer patients in order to reduce or cure a tumor.

The strains are varied according to what is available from the suppliers. Some believe that it is important that a high percentage of the oil contains THC close to 80-90% however in some tumors and especially in women it is important for a high percentage of CBD and even 50%: 50% or 70%: 30%.

It is advised to dilute the oil at the beginning of the treatment in a 1: 1 ratio with coconut oil, for example, in order to more easily control the amount given to the patient, in order to be precise, since the dose must be increased very gradually.

Any specialist physician may recommend medical cannabis treatment in accordance with Ministry of Health guidelines. The guidelines of the Ministry of Health are called Procedure 106.

In 2013, the Ministry of Health determined procedure 106, which aims to establish procedures regarding licenses to use cannabis for medical purposes. The procedure lists the conditions required to obtain a license to use cannabis.

This means that a patient has received conventional prescription drugs to treat a disease that he suffers from and does not benefit or does not respond to. Under “drug therapy,” various treatments are also included, such as spinal pain: injections under mirroring, radio waves, or epilepsy, for example, a ketogenic diet and a pacemaker and gliologic analysis.

Cannabis has been used for thousands of years in religious medicine and ceremonies. Historically, politically and economically, cannabis is still considered a dangerous drug. In 1937, it was outlawed by the United States and is still considered by the federal law in the United States as a dangerous and addictive drug under category I. Without a medical benefit in Israel, the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance of 1973 is subject to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961. In other words, cannabis is not a dangerous drug, only legally defined as such.

There isn’t a documented cannabis overdose in literature, and most certainly not of non-psychoactive CBD component. When taking a very high dosage of THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis there are sometimes nausea and vomiting, panic attack, dizziness, hyperactive senses, short-term memory disorder and a sense of lost time. There is no mortal danger, however the “bad trip” feeling is quite unpleasant. It may be overcome by a shower, drinking natural citric juices, taking vitamin-C, or just laying down and letting the feeling pass.

There isn’t a maximum dose for cannabis intake. Consumed quantities vary individually, as are the effects. We usually start with a low dosage and slowly increase until achieving the desired effects, which may occur even on low doses.

During the heating process a chemical reaction occurs in which a molecule of carbon dioxide is released, as in the acidic state of THCA turns to THC, or CBDA turns to CBD. There is a difference in effect between acidic molecules and non-acidic molecules. For example THCA has no psychoactive effect while THC does.

The trimmed inflorescence is decarboxylated by smoking or evaporating. Another method is to spread the trimmed inflorescence on a baking sheet, and heating it in the oven at 130c for twenty minutes. If there is a higher percentage of CBD in the inflorescence, it’s recommended set the temperature even higher than 130 degrees and for double the term 40 minutes. Once the inflorescence has undergone decarboxylation, it can be mixed with any kind of food, however fat-rich foods are preferable.

The recommendation for treatment by medical cannabis will be submitted by a specialist in the field in question, for example: when it comes to Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis, the treating neurologist.If this is the neurologist who is working with the recommendation of a psychiatrist who examined the patient.If this is Crohn’s disease, Gastro will file the request.

In the first year of treatment, the license will be limited to periods of three months each time and renewal of the license will be subject to examination and a joint recommendation by the attending physician. (Neurologist, orthopedist, gastro, etc.)

Medical follow-up, with the physician whose details are listed in the license that gave the recommendation for cannabis. Every three months at least in the first year of treatment, and from the second year of treatment – at least once every six months.

The initial dose of cannabis treatment will be 20 g / month (about 0.6 g / day) of the cannabis product type in which the concentration of active ingredients is the lowest. Should the doctor decide to increase the dosage, a detailed request will be made. Should it be accepted, the increase in dosage will be gradual and on steps of 10 grams each time. In some cases, the doctor may decide to start at a dose of 30 grams.

When there’s a willingness to help by a family member, a courier should be added to the cannabis license. In such a case, an ID photo must be added. Only the person listed as the courier can the deliver the cannabis for the patient.

The online form together with the additional documents must be faxed to 02-6474810 or to IMCA@Moh.Health.gov.il and it is important to call by telephone to 08-6268000 in order to confirm that they received the documents.

The renewal of the license should be submitted at least 45 working days before the expiry of the license, together with a follow-up treatment report detailing the need for continued treatment, together with the findings to assess the effect of cannabis treatment during the period since the license was granted. A consumption table must be attached.

a chart in which the patient’s records cannabis intake each day, whether in oil droplets inhalations, so that the quantities and corresponding effects can be seen. Should an increase in dosage be requested, the chart should show that the prescribed sum ended before the end of the month.

An appeal letter may be submitted along with an “appeal form” attached to which is published on the Ministry of Health website https://www.health.gov.il/ and will include details from the treating physician of the reasons why in his opinion the “manager” erred in their decision.

It is best to eat before taking cannabis because there is sometimes a drop in sugar, even a light meal (examples: a slice of bread with a spread or yogurt, soft drink)

It is usually important to eat before taking cannabis and because of the risk of low blood sugar, it is not recommended to fast and take cannabis. It is possible to eat according to Judaism as “as an olive” as is customary when taking medications that should be taken with food. In any case consult your physician.

 According to the instructions of the Ministry of Health, the license to use medical cannabis is valid only in Israel. Patients traveling abroad and in need of cannabis can contact the embassy of the destination country and inquire about the policy of traveling with cannabis and, if there is no problem, translate the license with a notary. It is also important to clearly state the possession of legal medical cannabis and show the translated license.

בהתאם לעדכון משרד הבריאות ממאי 2017, מטופלים יכולים לצרוך קנאביס גם מחוץ לביתם. שמן קנאביס רפואי או צריכה באידוי, ניתן לצרוך בכל מקום. אין לעשן במקומות ציבוריים ולא בקרבת אנשים אחרים.

 Children as adults can be treated with cannabis with emphasis on CBD because there is no desire to make children feel “high”. In cases of drug-resistant epilepsy or autism, CBD oil is sometimes given, and sometimes at night, a small dose of oil with slightly more THC.

In Israel it is illegal to grow cannabis.