The Israeli Cannabis News Report

Israel has long dominated the cannabis industry in terms of pioneering research and the development of innovative medicines to treat the sick. They are light years ahead of other countries and are home to numerous startups dedicated to cannabis innovation. Here is some of the latest cannabis news from Israel:

Israeli startup pioneering cannabis research on cancer

Cannabotech, an Israeli biotech company, recently published the results of a research conducted by Hadassah Medical Center doctors that revealed the effectiveness of CannaboBreast drugs for breast cancer with the protocols that involve a treatment that targets biological and hormonal processes in combination with chemotherapy targets. They found a six-fold improvement in reducing cancer cells compared to existing treatments.

“This is a significant milestone in Cannabotech’s journey to becoming a leader in integrative medicine,” said their CEO, Elchanan Shaked. “The integrative products developed by Cannabotech are intended for use in combination with chemotherapy in multiple cancer types and are expected to be launched in Israel and the United States in the second half of 2022, while the company’s goal is to set a new standard for the medicine to define the cannabis industry.”

Cannabotech’s innovative products combine cannabis with mushroom extracts, and their results showed that cannabinoids, along with chemotherapy, killed six times more cancer cells. Additionally, they showed promise in killing more cancer cells while reducing chemotherapy doses, greatly reducing side effects for patients and thus improving cure rates.

“The company’s products have shown impressive and very promising activity in laboratory-tested cell cultures,” said Prof. Tami Peretz, study author and lead oncologist. “Based on these experiments, there is room to begin exploring the possibility of incorporating the products into the treatment of breast cancer patients as well.”

Online marketplace for licensed MMJ users in Israel launched by Startup

Although the use of medicinal cannabis has been legal in Israel for around 20 years, patients are struggling to find the information they need and what products to buy. The lack of information has made finding the medicine they need overwhelming and daunting at best.

A startup called Cannbis wants to change that. Founder Elad Gazit is also a medical cannabis patient along with Ben Dov, and he told The Times of Israel that the data sector of Israel’s cannabis industry is immature. Patients must ask for advice via Telegram and WhatsApp when it comes to strains, consumption methods and dosages as local pharmacists and doctors are still not equipped with the knowledge to help them. Medical patients, even those with licenses, simply don’t know how to navigate the information or where to find it.

Gazit explained that since the site launched a year ago, around 80,000 Israeli medical patients have used the site to learn more about suppliers, products, reviews and even place orders. “I came to this industry as a patient and we built cannabis from the ground up,” he said. Cannbis earns through fees derived from orders placed with pharmacies through its website. You are currently working with around 50 pharmacies.

“We are responsible for connecting the commercial medical side of the industry with users and bringing everyone around the table,” Ben Dov said during an interview.

“In pharmacies in the US and Canada you have real expertise, people who really know the information. Here the pharmacists have maybe 6-8 hours of training. The doctors don’t do much except issue the license. Medicinal cannabis is not like an Acamol [a popular Israeli painkiller and fever reducer]. You need quite a bit of knowledge,” Gazit said. The site offers detailed data on cannabis, including its THC content, genetics, and the types of effects patients can expect based on other user ratings such as sleepy, creative, focused, or calm.

Israeli researchers discover benefits of THC for autism

Most of the studies that have focused on the use of cannabis to treat the symptoms of autism highlight the benefits of CBD.

However, researchers at Tel Aviv University have found that the psychoactive compound THC may actually be more beneficial. “Ongoing studies tend not to focus enough on the details of what in cannabis might help people,” researcher Shani Poleg told the Times of Israel. “In our study, we looked at the details and came to surprising and interesting conclusions.”

“THC was more effective. The main difference was that THC treatment also improved social behavior, not just repetitive compulsive behavior,” she says. But since THC gets you high, Poleg added that her research only recommends a small amount, and even that can make a difference. “Our study shows that treating autism with medicinal cannabis oil does not require high CBD or THC levels.”

“We observed a significant improvement in behavioral tests after treatments with cannabis oil containing low levels of THC, and observed no long-term effects in cognitive or emotional tests performed a month and a half after starting treatment.” She also explains: “According to the prevailing theory Autism involves overexcitation of the brain that causes compulsive behavior. In the laboratory, in addition to the behavioral results, we saw a significant decrease in the concentration of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate in the spinal fluid, which may explain the reduction in behavioral symptoms.”

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