Israel’s Council for Higher Education has, for the first time for a major university, given approval to a course on medical cannabis. The course will take place at Ariel University.
The course was initiated and is being led by Dr. Michael Dor. Dor is a lecturer at the university’s Faculty of Health Sciences, and is also a chief adviser of the nation’s Health Ministry.
According to Dor, 117 students have been accepted into the course. The course includes:
- a look at the history of medical cannabis
- an examination of the current laws and regulations
- a look at the active ingredients in the plant
- cannabis farming including an examination of current technology and techniques used
- a look at its social implications including an examination of changing attitudes
- The course is exclusive to those who are studying in the field of medical administration and have completed at least one year of other studies.
In Israel the recreational use of cannabis is entirely illegal. However, the medical use of cannabis is legal for those who receive a prescription from a physician and become registered with the state.
According to a new survey presented in June at the Sixth International Jerusalem Conference on Health Policy, over 90% of patients enrolled in Israel’s medical cannabis program report significant improvements in symptoms such as pain and nausea (there are currently over 20,000 people enrolled in the program). The survey was conducted by researchers at Ben-Gurion University
Those wanting to learn more about Ariel University’s medical cannabis course can visit their website by clicking here.