One of the most common questions patients ask is the simplest: does my condition qualify? Israel's medical cannabis programme covers a broad and expanding set of indications across physical and mental health. This guide summarises the main qualifying conditions and the clinical thresholds attached to them — but the list is a starting point, not a guarantee, because eligibility ultimately rests on a specialist's judgement.
This guide is informational and is not medical advice. Eligibility is determined case by case by a licensed specialist and the Ministry of Health.
How eligibility works now
The decisive change came with the reform that took effect in January 2024, which dropped the long-standing requirement that cannabis be used only as a "last resort" after all conventional treatments had failed. Instead, the rules now emphasise the specialist physician's discretion to prescribe cannabis within their area of expertise for a wide range of qualifying conditions (Journal of Cannabis Research, 2025). Rules taking effect in December 2025 expanded that specialist authority further (Cannabis Regulations, 2025).
In short, qualifying is less about ticking a box on a fixed list and more about a relevant specialist documenting that cannabis is clinically appropriate for you. That said, the recognised indications cluster into a few clear groups.
Physical health conditions
Oncology. Cancer patients with active oncological disease, or those undergoing chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiotherapy, are among the most established categories — both for symptom control and for the side effects of treatment (Ministry of Health).
Chronic pain. Chronic neuropathic pain is a major indication, typically requiring a pain-clinic recommendation and a history of standard treatments that have not provided adequate relief. Notably, chronic pain remained under the direct authority of the Medical Cannabis Unit even after much prescribing was devolved to the health funds (Journal of Cannabis Research, 2025).
Inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis qualify, generally where the patient has a history of immunomodulator treatment.
Neurological conditions. Multiple sclerosis (under specialist care, where standard treatment has not succeeded) and Parkinson's disease (diagnosed by a neurologist, with specific symptom criteria) are recognised indications.
Epilepsy. Severe epilepsy with frequent seizures that remain uncontrolled despite multiple antiepileptic medications is an established category, and paediatric epilepsy has been one of the most prominent uses of cannabis-derived treatment in Israel.
Mental health conditions
PTSD is a recognised indication and, like chronic pain, stayed within the Medical Cannabis Unit's direct remit. Israel's large population of veterans and trauma patients has made PTSD one of the most closely watched areas of the programme (Journal of Cannabis Research, 2025).
Tourette syndrome with functional impairment, and dementia accompanied by behavioural disturbance, are also recognised. Following the 2024 reform, children on the autism spectrum under the age of five may qualify, subject to individual approval from the head of the Ministry's Mental Health Division (Ministry of Health).
Conditions still assessed case by case
Beyond the core list, the move toward specialist discretion means other conditions can be considered where a relevant specialist makes the clinical case. This is the practical effect of removing the rigid last-resort framework: the question shifts from "is my exact diagnosis on the list?" to "will a specialist in my condition recommend this treatment and document why?"
What this means in practice
If your condition falls into one of the groups above, the path is relatively well-trodden — the key is reaching the right specialist. If it sits outside them, eligibility is not impossible, but it depends more heavily on individual clinical judgement and, in some cases, central review.
Either way, the mechanics of applying are the same. See our step-by-step guide on how to get a medical cannabis licence in Israel, and the broader Patient Access hub for context on costs, products and pharmacies.
Compiled and reviewed by Tamar Levin, Editor. Sources are linked inline. This guide is informational and is not medical or legal advice; consult a licensed physician about your own treatment.
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