Children in Israel suffering from severe seizure disorders will now be able to use medical cannabis, the Israeli health ministry ruled yesterday.
The move came after 15 families appealed denials for their children and threatened to leave the country for Colorado if the ministry denied them. (Editor’s note: that seems to be the popular move lately).
According to the Health Ministry, parents and children should be able to legally access cannabis through the country’s medical marijuana system “within a few days or weeks”. The ministry said they would begin reviewing pediatric seizure cases that were previously denied immediately.
Epilepsy and seizures are currently not an approved condition for medical marijuana in the country, but an exception will now be made for minors. Adults suffering from seizures can apply to the ministry for a special hearing for consideration on a case-by-case basis.
According to the Times of Israel, there are more than 13,000 medical marijuana patients in the country of about eight million people.
