Innovation in PTSD treatment: Why Israel must embrace medical cannabis
March 19, 2025
About a year and a half ago, our world shattered. Our entire country entered a prolonged trauma, and since October 7, we have witnessed an unprecedented rise in the number of individuals struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, both on the front lines and the home front.
Estimates suggest that by the end of the war, Israel will have between 1.5 to 2 million trauma victims, a number that will require us to address a massive mental health crisis.
Among the most concerning symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder are feelings of meaninglessness, purposelessness, and guilt, alongside helplessness and hypervigilance – symptoms that may lead the ones suffering from them to take their own lives. In such a reality, any treatment that relieves symptoms and has the potential to save lives must be considered a critical component of the national response.
How medical cannabis can help treat PTSD patients
Numerous studies conducted in recent years indicate that one of the most effective yet underutilized methods for addressing these symptoms among PTSD patients is medical cannabis.
A groundbreaking study on the subject was published just a few weeks ago in the UK, where researchers examined the impact of cannabis treatment on approximately 3,800 patients suffering from high levels of suicidal ideation, depression, sleep disorders, and poor overall health. The study measured the effects after three months and again after a year.
A man inspects the leaf of a cannabis plant at a medical marijuana plantation in northern Israel. (credit: NIR ELIAS/REUTERS)
Among patients experiencing suicidal thoughts, cannabis treatment reduced them from 24% to 17% within just three months, with an even higher improvement observed among those suffering from severe depression and suicidality. After a year of treatment, the impact was even more prominent.
Although medical cannabis is legal in Israel, it is not considered a first-line treatment. Patients are required to “prove” that conventional pharmaceutical treatments have failed before they are eligible for cannabis therapy. During this critical waiting period, many will experience worsening symptoms.
Today, however, medical cannabis research is advancing rapidly, and the body of evidence supporting its efficacy continues to grow.
At the same time, there are now innovative and safe methods for consuming medical cannabis – using a metered-dose inhaler (such as SyqeAir, for example). This allows cannabis to be administered as a medical treatment that adheres to the standard of the world of medicine – at a controlled, low dose, adjusted to each patient’s individual needs.
Israel’s healthcare system, along with physicians and mental health professionals, must bear the responsibility to expand their perspective and embrace innovative treatment approaches to significantly mitigate what is poised to become a full-fledged epidemic in the wake of national trauma.
From my personal experience in the field and that of my colleagues, as well as support from clinical studies and evidence, many who have PTSD in Israel – and those enduring chronic pain due to severe injuries – could experience substantial improvement through medical cannabis treatment at a low and metered dose with minimal side effects. This could fundamentally transform their lives, restoring their quality of life to what it was before the events of October 7.
We must recognize this as a legitimate medicinal treatment that is vital for those who need it. This is not just about saving lives; it is a moral obligation to those who have already paid a heavy personal price in the war.
The writer is a psychiatrist, and founder and director of the Idan Hakeshev (Attention Epoch) Center.
