According to a recent report by Israel’s Ministry of Health, the country’s medical cannabis program onboards more than 109,000 patients and allocates more than 4.2 tons of cannabis per month, 56% of which is for “pain,” usually in amounts including between 20 and 40 grams per month.
Still more patients
The Israeli medical cannabis program continues to open up to more and more patients. The rate of increase nevertheless decreased slightly in December 2021 compared to November and only increased by around 1,300 patients, compared to an average increase of around 3,000 new patients per month during the year 2021. In total, at the end of December 2021, the number stands at 109,352 patients treated with medical cannabis in Israel.
Patients treated with cannabis in Israel
In terms of the monthly amount of cannabis that patients are entitled to, it continues to increase. In December, it reached around 4.22 tonnes, of which 89.5% in flowers and around 10.5% in extraction (CBD and/or THC oil).
This is, however, eligibility data, not actual “distribution” data that the Israeli Health Ministry does not release so far. According to local sources, the actual use would represent 85% of the eligibility.
Quantities of medical cannabis available in Israel
The majority of patients treated with medical cannabis are for pain (56%), i.e. more than 61,000 of the 109,000 patients. In second position, an “others” section, with more than 15,000 patients, or around 15% of all prescriptions for medical cannabis. This section discusses health conditions that are not on the list of indications, without the Israeli Ministry of Health providing information about which diseases are included in this section.
Most patients, about 23% of them, hold a license for 30 grams of cannabis per month, 20% of patients hold a license for 20 grams per month and 20% for 40 grams. The rest is distributed between 50 grams (14%), 60 grams (8%), 70 grams per month (4%) and the rest with 80 grams or more.
