Is weed kosher? – The fresh toast

When it comes to marijuana and whether or not it should be legal, the main discussion revolves around the federal government and its legalization of the substance. In fact, there are many laws, practices, and even dietary restrictions. Take for example the Jewish religion and its concept and practice of traditional law and kosher rules.

For a food product to get the well-known kosher label we see on all types of products, it has to be from Merriam-Webster’s definition, sanctioned and ritually appropriate under Jewish law. When most non-kosher people think of kosher, they probably know that pork, shellfish, and the mix of meat and dairy are all non-kosher, but the reality is that kosher goes even deeper.

The certification of food as kosher goes as far as testing the equipment used to prepare food, right down to testing for possible residues found in the food itself. With such strict guidelines, one has to wonder if marijuana is considered kosher.

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Insects are a problem

Bugs can cause all sorts of problems with marijuana—they can even kill a plant. A lesser-known problem with insects is that they can make marijuana unkosher. This is because, according to The Torah (Leviticus 11:42) “Everything that swarms on the earth is an abomination; they are not to be eaten.” This means that insects are not kosher when eaten.

Sure, bugs aren’t on most menus, but unprocessed marijuana can have bugs in the buds and elsewhere. Even if factories that make edibles aren’t checked for these kinds of problems, it’s difficult to put a kosher seal of approval on them.

One way to get around this is to smoke marijuana that isn’t certified kosher or insect-free rather than eating it. Since kosher law relates to eating and consuming in this regard, it is safe to burn them—just not digest them.

Kosher certified weed

Some brands have started kosher certifying their marijuana products. This is a way to reassure the Jewish community about the use of edibles, which are prevalent in both recreational and medical marijuana circles. One of the key elements in certifying a product as kosher is the attestation of practices. In other words, you must bring in an impartial and vigilant pair of eyes to inspect and confirm clean and thorough manufacturing practices.

This is vital as a Kosher stamp not only confirms that a product is safe to consume for a Kosher practicing person, it also gives reassurance to people on other strict diets such as Vegan, Halal and others. Confirming that there is a third party verifying factory practices allows all sorts of strict dieters to know that the information on the label is accurate.

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Joe Hodas, chief marketing officer of Wana Brands, a marijuana company that produces kosher products, said forbes that kosher certification signals to the consumer that the products are made in a clean and reliable environment. “And since many certifications such as USDA Organic are not available for cannabis products and facilities, being Kosher certified demonstrates the care Wana takes to provide premium products to its customers,” the company said article. This shows that taking steps to make cannabis products kosher actually makes your product accessible to all types of people with restricted diets.

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A leaf is a leaf and the law is the law

A final important factor to consider regarding marijuana kosherness concerns the law. Part of Jewish law requires that its followers also obey all civil laws in their place of residence (as long as they do not contradict the laws of the religion).

“Therefore, in addition to everything Judaism says about marijuana, Jewish law requires obedience to the authority of civil law. If it is illegal to possess or use marijuana, it is also against Jewish law.” ash. So make sure you are not breaking American law when using cannabis, or you could be breaking Jewish law as well.

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When it comes down to it, as long as marijuana is in its pure form and free from vermin, it should be safe to consume if you are kosher. According to that Jewish Virtual Library“If we knew that the product in question only contained leaves and that there were no unkosher residues on the processing equipment, it wouldn’t need certification, like plain unflavored tea does.”

While most weed you smoke and consume will likely be kosher, when you see a kosher label on one of your cannabis products, you can be assured that an extra set of eyes has certified your product as clean and properly manufactured.