Cannabis In Israel
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The possession, use, and distribution of cannabis without a license in the State of Israel are violations under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance. A decade ago, despite these regulations, enforcement was relatively lax, partially influenced by a political movement advocating tolerance. Over the years, the enforcement approach has progressively become more lenient. As of 2021, cannabis use has been fully decriminalized, with it being treated as an administrative infraction primarily when used in highly visible public places. There is a possibility that cannabis may be legalized for recreational use by adults aged 21 and older in the future, with regulations akin to those for alcohol. Public and cross-party political support for the complete decriminalization of cannabis increased in the 2010s with increasing usage for both medical and recreational purposes, and the establishment of a political party primarily devoted to this cause; on July 19, 2018, the
Knesset The Knesset ( , ) is the Unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Israel. The Knesset passes all laws, elects the President of Israel, president and Prime Minister of Israel, prime minister, approves the Cabinet of Israel, cabinet, and supe ...
approved a bill for decriminalization, although the supporters of recreational cannabis use insisted that this did not represent complete decriminalization. The law came into effect on April 1, 2019. On June 25, 2020, further legislation designed to decriminalize possession of up to 50 grams of cannabis began its passage through the Knesset. Under current rules, citizens caught using cannabis in public cannot be arrested if they have no previous record of cannabis use, but may face fines of up to 1000 NIS. The money collected from these fines is used to support education and rehabilitation programs.
Israeli scientists Israeli may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the State of Israel * Israelis, citizens or permanent residents of the State of Israel * Modern Hebrew, a language * ''Israeli'' (newspaper), published from 2006 to 2008 * Guni Israeli (b ...
have conducted research into the properties and medical applications of cannabis since the 1960s, with notable discoveries first made by
Raphael Mechoulam Raphael Mechoulam (; 5 November 1930 – 9 March 2023) was a Bulgarian-born Israeli organic chemist and a professor in the Department of Natural Materials at the School of Pharmacy in the Faculty of Medicine of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. ...
and Yechiel Gaoni of the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; ) is an Israeli public university, public research university based in Jerusalem. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann in July 1918, the public university officially opened on 1 April 1925. ...
, who isolated
THC Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a cannabinoid found in cannabis. It is the principal psychoactive constituent of ''Cannabis'' and one of at least 113 total cannabinoids identified on the plant. Although the chemical formula for THC (C21H30O2) de ...
from
cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...
in 1964 and later discovered
anandamide Anandamide (ANA), also referred to as ''N''-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) is a fatty acid neurotransmitter belonging to the fatty acid derivative group known as N-acylethanolamine (NAE). Anandamide takes its name from the Sanskrit word ''ananda ...
, and cannabis has been legal to use for medical purposes since the 1990s. A survey in 2017 found that 27% of Israelis between the ages of 18 and 65 had consumed cannabis in the last year, up from 8.8% in 2009, the highest rates of annual cannabis usage in the world, followed by Iceland and the US at 18% and 16% respectively.


Medical cannabis

THC, the psychoactive chemical component in marijuana that causes a high, was first isolated by Israeli scientists
Raphael Mechoulam Raphael Mechoulam (; 5 November 1930 – 9 March 2023) was a Bulgarian-born Israeli organic chemist and a professor in the Department of Natural Materials at the School of Pharmacy in the Faculty of Medicine of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. ...
of the
Hebrew University in Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; ) is an Israeli public research university based in Jerusalem. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann in July 1918, the public university officially opened on 1 April 1925. It is the second-ol ...
's Center for Research on Pain and Yechiel Gaoni of the
Weizmann Institute The Weizmann Institute of Science ( ''Machon Weizmann LeMada'') is a Public university, public research university in Rehovot, Israel, established in 1934, fourteen years before the State of Israel was founded. Unlike other List of Israeli uni ...
in 1964. Marijuana for medical use has been permitted in
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
since the early 1990s for cancer patients and those with pain-related illnesses such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis,
Crohn's disease Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that may affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, abdominal distension, and weight loss. Complications outside of the ...
, other chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. Patients can smoke cannabis, or ingest it sublingually via oil. In 2004, the
Israeli military The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, an ...
began using
tetrahydrocannabinol Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a cannabinoid found in cannabis. It is the principal psychoactive constituent of ''Cannabis'' and one of at least 113 total cannabinoids identified on the plant. Although the chemical formula for THC (C21H30O2) de ...
(THC), one of the active ingredients in cannabis, for experimental treatment of
post traumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that develops from experiencing a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, warfare and its associated traumas, natural disaster, traffic collision, ...
(PTSD) of soldiers. In 2012, the number of registered patients using medical cannabis was about 10,000. There are eight government-sanctioned cannabis growing operations in Israel, which distribute it for medical purposes to patients who have a license from the Ministry of Health and a prescription from an authorized doctor, via either a company's store, or in a medical center. The Tikkun Olam Company has developed a variety of cannabis strains and marijuana-derived products that are reported to provide medical benefits. These products contain different levels of CBD and THC for optimum efficacy, depending on the medical condition they are taken for. CBD is the Cannabis substance that is believed to be an anti-inflammatory ingredient, which helps alleviate pain. THC in low levels does not cause a "high". Tikun Olam has now developed a range of 230 different varieties and is considered one of the leading medical cannabis suppliers in the world, while the Israeli-American company Cannabics Pharmaceuticals is aiming to put the medicinal compounds of cannabis into a sustained-release capsule in standardized doses. In 2017, it was reported that the Israeli medical cannabis industry could soon be worth "hundreds of millions of dollars", with research innovation in the area being backed by Israel's Ministry of Health. Currently there are about 26,000 registered medical cannabis users, with the number expected to double by 2018.


Import

The importation of medical cannabis to Israel has become increasingly important as the country's medical cannabis program and market size continues to grow. Since January 2020 Israel allows for the importation of medical cannabis products from countries that have a similar regulatory framework to Israel. In 2022 Israel imported more than 33,000 kg of medical cannabis, in comparison to a total of 22,000 kg in 2021, mainly from Canada,
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
,
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
and
Lesotho Lesotho, formally the Kingdom of Lesotho and formerly known as Basutoland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Entirely surrounded by South Africa, it is the largest of only three sovereign enclave and exclave, enclaves in the world, t ...
, making Israel the largest importer of medical cannabis products in the world. The Israeli Ministry of Health oversees all imports, ensuring that all products meet Israeli health regulations. In second half of 2022 new importing regulations were introduced by the Ministry, a procedure 109, is a set of guidelines for the process of approving applications for the import of a dangerous drug of the cannabis type for medical use and research.


Export

In April 2017, with global demand growing, Israel gave medical cannabis companies the green light to start exporting their products, with analyses estimating that the measure could generate Israel some $267 million per year. It was reported that formal legislation was coming but could take months to complete. An inter-ministerial report said in August 2017 that exports could add four billion shekels to the Israeli economy. Israel is considered to have a climate that is especially good for producing cannabis, with the "perfect level of humidity", according to Tamir Gedo, the head of BOL Pharma, one of the companies authorized to grow and distribute medical cannabis.


Research and Innovation

Israel is considered a global leader in medical cannabis research and innovation. Research and innovation in the area is supported by the Ministry of Health and currently being dedicated 8 million
shekel A shekel or sheqel (; , , plural , ) is an ancient Mesopotamian coin, usually of silver. A shekel was first a unit of weight—very roughly 11 grams (0.35 ozt)—and became currency in ancient Tyre, Carthage and Hasmonean Judea. Name The wo ...
s a year, making Israel one of three countries in the world where cannabis research is sponsored by the government. Cannabis researchers have relocated to Israel to pursue their studies, including entire firms which do their cannabis research in Israel to evade onerous regulations on cannabis research in the US, where it is "easier to research heroin than cannabis". At least 15 US companies have moved their entire R&D operations onto Israeli soil. Israel's government-sponsored Breath of Life company plans to apply for FDA status for its new cannabinoid pills designed for treatment of
autism Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by differences or difficulties in social communication and interaction, a preference for predictability and routine, sensory processing d ...
. According to iCan, an Israeli company which invests in the local cannabis market and shmeitahs, more than 50 U.S. companies are doing cannabis research in Israel, and in 2016 they invested more than $125 million in Israeli cannabis operations.


Military use

Cannabis use is prohibited in the
Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
(IDF). The IDF conducts random and non-random
drug testing A drug test (also often toxicology screen or tox screen) is a technical analysis of a biological specimen, for example urine, hair, blood, breath, sweat, or oral fluid/saliva—to determine the presence or absence of specified parent drugs o ...
on members. In December, 2016, penalties for use by off-duty soldiers were relaxed; use would no longer automatically result in a court-martial. Since 2014, IDF members in reserve status are authorized to use
medical cannabis Medical cannabis, medicinal cannabis or medical marijuana (MMJ) refers to cannabis products and cannabinoid molecules that are prescribed by physicians for their patients. The use of cannabis as medicine has a long history, but has not ...
. Some soldiers have received prescriptions for cannabis to treat
post-traumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that develops from experiencing a Psychological trauma, traumatic event, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, warfare and its associated traumas, natural disaster ...
(PTSD), with "the authorization and support of the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Defense".


Legality

Before 6 March 2017, cannabis for recreational purposes was illegal and those charged with public cannabis usage could have faced heavy fines or incarceration, although it was reported that in 2015 the number of arrests for this was under 200; ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' noted that cannabis usage had long been overlooked by law enforcement in Israel, but that there was notable enforcement against growers and dealers. , most Israeli political parties favored legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes.Ido Efrati
Grass roots support: Most Israeli parties favor use of medical marijuana
''Haaretz'' (March 11, 2015)
Parties represented in the Knesset that supported the legalization of medical marijuana in 2015 include the
Zionist Union The Zionist Union (, translit. ''HaMaḥaneh HaẒiyoni'', lit. ''the Zionist Camp'') was a centre-left political alliance in Israel. It was established in December 2014 by the Israeli Labor Party and Hatnuah to create a joint electoral list ...
, the
Joint List The Joint List (, ''al-Qa'imah al-Mushtarakah'', , ''HaReshima HaMeshutefet'') was a political alliance of four of the Arab-Israeli, Arab-majority political parties in Israel: Hadash, Balad (political party), Balad, the United Arab List and Ta' ...
,
Meretz Meretz (, ; ) was a left-wing political party in Israel. The party was formed in 1992 by the merger of Ratz, Mapam and Shinui, and was at its peak between 1992 and 1996 when it had 12 seats. It had no seats in the Knesset following its failure ...
, and
Kulanu Kulanu () was a centrist political party in Israel founded by Moshe Kahlon that focused on economic and cost-of-living issues. History The party was established on 27 November 2014 following months of speculation that Kahlon would form a new ...
. The latter two supported decriminalization of the drug altogether. The Green Leaf Party, which had made cannabis legalization its raison d'être, has thus far never won a Knesset seat. In 2017, the conservative government of
Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who has served as the prime minister of Israel since 2022, having previously held the office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime min ...
, led by
Likud Likud (, ), officially known as Likud – National Liberal Movement (), is a major Right-wing politics, right-wing, political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon in an alliance with several right-wing par ...
and consisting of various right-wing, religious and Sefardi-interest parties planned to decriminalize cannabis usage. Despite acute tension at the time between left- and the right-wing parties, the initiative was supported in the Knesset by parties across the political spectrum; right-wing Justice Minister
Ayelet Shaked Ayelet Shaked ( ; born 7 May 1976) is an Israeli former politician, activist, and Software engineering, software engineer. She served as Ministry of Interior (Israel), Minister of Interior from 2021 to 2022 and as Ministry of Justice (Israel), ...
remarked that "whether one supports the use of cannabis or is opposed, it is wrong to judge cannabis users per criminal law and its derivatives", while left-wing
Meretz Meretz (, ; ) was a left-wing political party in Israel. The party was formed in 1992 by the merger of Ratz, Mapam and Shinui, and was at its peak between 1992 and 1996 when it had 12 seats. It had no seats in the Knesset following its failure ...
member
Tamar Zandberg Tamar Zandberg (; born 29 April 1976) is an Israeli politician who served as Minister of Environmental Protection from 2021 to 2022, as a member of the Knesset for Meretz from 2013 to 2021, and as the party's leader between 2018 and 2019. Ear ...
also applauded the decision, calling it a "message that millions of Israelis who consume cannabis are not criminals" and "an important step but not the end of the road", while Public Security Minister
Gilad Erdan Gilad Menashe Erdan ( ; born 30 September 1970) is an Israeli politician and diplomat who served as Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations from 2020 through 2024. Erdan previously served as Ambassador of Israel to the United ...
said it marked a change in policy toward a rehabilitation-oriented approach. Cannabis usage remains illegal and those found using it in public could face fines or, after the fourth offense, incarceration; offenses before the fourth result in fines used for education and rehabilitation efforts and do not result in criminal records; the third offense results in mandatory participation in rehabilitation programs. Enforcement appears to be lax unless cannabis consumption occurs in public, high-visibility places. Israel's liberal stance on cannabis stands in contrast to the rest of the Middle East region where in some countries "drug trafficking" is punishable with death. In April 2017, it was reported that Israel's government was considering further liberalization of laws concerning recreational usage. In November 2017, it was reported that Israeli Ministry of Health considering to withdraw its objection to making CBD component of cannabis legal. On April 20, 2018, Israeli pharmacies were legally permitted to begin selling cannabis oil under a pilot program. As of April 1, 2019, Israel decriminalized the use of cannabis for citizens over the age of 18 when used in private. Possession of a home-grown marijuana plant and buds are no longer a punishable offence. Adults caught in public with small amounts of cannabis are subject to a fine of approximately $275 for the first offence, and $550 if caught a second time. A third offence within seven years will open a criminal investigation. Decriminalization does not apply to soldiers, minors, or those with criminal records. However, otherwise law-abiding minors will be directed to rehabilitation programs. Activists lobbying for complete legalization do not support the new legislation, stating that the new law could promote stricter enforcement of the fines, whereas the police were hesitant to open criminal investigations on such large numbers of otherwise law-abiding citizens.


Halakhic status

In 2013, Hagai Bar Giora, an Israeli rabbi and member of the
Kashrut (also or , ) is a set of Food and drink prohibitions, dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to halakha, Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed ko ...
Department, stated in an interview with Israel's ''
Cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...
'' magazine that "if you smoke it, there is no problem whatsoever." Bar Giora noted that
hempseed Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest ...
, being a
legume Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consum ...
, is not
kosher for Passover ''Chametz'' (also ''chometz'', ', ''ḥameṣ'', ''ḥameç'' and other spellings transliterated from ; ) are foods with leavening agents that are forbidden to Jews on the holiday of Passover. ''Chametz'' is a product that is both made from one ...
for
Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that Ethnogenesis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium Common era, CE. They traditionally spe ...
Jews, but is for
Sefardic Sephardic Jews, also known as Sephardi Jews or Sephardim, and rarely as Iberian Peninsular Jews, are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the historic Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and their descendant ...
Jews who permit eating legumes on Passover. However, Orthodox rabbi
Moshe Feinstein Moshe Feinstein (; Lithuanian pronunciation: ''Moishe Fainshtein''; ; March 3, 1895 – March 23, 1986) was a Russian-born American Orthodox Jewish rabbi, scholar, and ''posek'' (authority on ''halakha''—Jewish law). He has been called ...
stated that cannabis was not permitted under Jewish law, due to its harmful effects. In 2013, Orthodox rabbi Efraim Zalmanovich stated that medical, but not recreational, cannabis is permitted.


References


External links


Report on Pharmos and Raphael Mechoulam's pioneering work
in 2005, by Karin Kloosterman writing for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency {{portalbar, Cannabis, Israel Cannabis in Israel, Law of Israel