Cannabis Science Inc (fka CBIS)

[Smokin Moose]

Rx Medical Marijuana in Israel
Cannabis (Marijuana) has been legal in Israel since 1999. It was originally intended for terminal cancer and AIDS patients, but today it is used to treat a wide variety of ailments and illness, including Parkinson’s, Tourette Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, chronic pain and shell shock (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD).

The medical establishment in Israel is increasingly recognizing Cannabis’ effectiveness in treating illness. Until 2005, there were only 10 patients who received cannabis from the Israel Ministry of Health. Now the number is well over 3000 patients.

Unfortunately, as of June 2010, the patient-license-holders of medical marijuana within the Israel Medical Marijuana system no longer receive FREE each month their monthly supply of Medicinal Grade Medical Marijuana (Cannabis)...not that what was being distributed was exactly of "medical quality" from the three (ONLY) licensed national growers. For the first 8 months of my license this last year, I did not pay even one dollar or one shekel (but then again, from the 3rd through 6th month there were severe shortages where no patient received his full monthly amount, and what was supplied was sticks and stems and seeds and wet marijuana which was heavier on the day of receipt, and less weight a few days later) - unlike other chemical medications prescribed, Medical Marijuana was supplied absolutely free to all patient-recipients. What was an excellent Government Program, has now ended.

Patients must now pay for medical marijuana in Israel, which for sick patients undergoing medical treatment or physical therapy, it is not easy to make a living. Currently one must pay 360 shekels per month for the marijuana, and an additional 180 shekels per month for home-delivery if one cannot travel to one of two (ONLY) distribution centers. An additional 118 shekels "registration fee" is required by all 3 growers as an additional (needless) expense. Being that the average family (2-person) income in Israel is only 7,000 shekels, to pay 540 shekels per month is a significant portion of one's income. If one decides to travel to pick up the marijuana personally, then let's not forget travel expenses + lost wages that day.

Let's not forget the shortages that occur on a regular basis because of the increase in demand from licensed patients, yet the Police won't allow any new growing licenses to be issued. This is simply cruel to not supply enough, to supply low-quality, to refuse patients to grow for themselves, and then force patients to buy from only these three licensed national growers.

At the Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital’s Bone Marrow Transplantation department, patients including children and babies are treated using drops of oil derived from Cannabis. “It has no side effects and is largely effective in treating patients,” said department chief, Professor Reuven Or. “I would say it is effective in 80 percent of patients, which is a lot.”

Professor Or continued, “It stimulates the appetite and minimizes nausea and vomiting, which is of great importance in Oncology. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which helps in cases of infection or inflammation caused by radiation. Along with this, Cannabis eases the coping process for patients – it improves their morale and lowers depression, and these are important parameters for patients battling disease.”

According to Dr. Yehuda Baruch, the doctor who approves all applications for medical marijuana, "the potential market in Israel reaching tens of thousands of medicinal Cannabis users, with each one paying NIS 5 or 10 per gram of the drug, or NIS 5,000 to NIS 10,000 per person per year."

Though this is legitimate since no business can operate without a profit, it is also legitimate that we sick patients shouldn't be forced to buy crap weed when we can grow medicinal-quality marijuana ourselves for much less.

We at IRXMJ.ORG are a charity, and seek to be entirely donor-funded so that sick patients do not need to pay from their own pockets - ever - they have enough things to worry about, enough other expenses for their medical treatment, physiotherapy, + other prescription medications they are taking (in addition to life expenses such as rent, bills, food, children, etc.), and we feel this act of kindness of giving medical marijuana to them for free will help them to increase morale and recover from their ailments, GOD-willing, asap.

(Some info taken from the following web sites):

http://blog.mpp.org/medical-marijuana/israel-to-have-1200-medical-marijuana-patients-by-september/06222009/

Please note: Tikun Olam in the following article started to take 8 shekels per gram (100 grams x 8 = 800 shekels = approx. 200 USD per month directly from patients! - and then the Ministry of Health regulated that they could only take 360 + 180 + 118 shekels - so much for their insisting that patients never pay!)

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1094284.html