Israel is the world leader in cannabis

Israel is a world leader in cannabis, but the country is currently being rocked by protests as citizens feel the country is transitioning to an unhealthy form of government. It has long been a beacon of democracy, a staunch partner of the United States, and has developed a robust technology industry. Benjamin Netanyahu, back at the head of the country after some painful elections, has forced changes in the structure of government that would give the prime minister more authority. This would come at the expense of the Supreme Court and a scrutiny of everyone’s power. Continued protest could destabilize the country.

Israel is a technology and medical device innovator and conducts extensive research on medicinal cannabis. A major focus is on the compliance, safety and efficacy of medicinal cannabis, as well as the epidemiological characteristics of the patient population. In addition, research has been conducted on the effects of cannabis use during immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI).

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One of the most prominent figures in cannabis research is Raphael Mechoulam, a pioneering Israeli chemist who identified the structure and function of key cannabis compounds. Mechoulam and his team at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, set out to unravel the chemical structures of THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana, to figure out how it did what it did—get the user high. He continued this research for decades at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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Cannabis research in Israel was conducted in collaboration with various institutions including the Clinical Research Center Faculty of Health Sciences Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva, Israel Research Department Tikun Olam -Cannbit Pharmaceuticals Tel Aviv, Israel, and the Raphael Mechoulam Institute for Drug Research Medical Faculty Hebrew University Jerusalem, Israel.

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Israel has also become a global investor in the cannabis market. You see a global market that will be profitable. Recently, tobacco giant Philip Morris bought an Israeli cannabis company for up to $650 million. Investment firms in the country have placed bets in the US, Canada and Europe for startups that believe in cannabis’ long-term growth and profits.

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Research organizations work closely with government agencies and law enforcement agencies to secure products. Despite the staggering amount of research and investment into cannabis, marijuana is still illegal in Israel, and researchers have had to forge links within law enforcement to get supplies for their studies. It is decriminalized in Israel, so smoking weed in Tel Aviv and elsewhere will not cause you any problems. Officials are not very strict when it comes to cannabis use, especially when you are not causing any harm to the community. Being Israel, premium products are available from black market vendors.