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The Cannabis Paradox of Israel: An International Research Powerhouse that Cannot Export its Findings

  • Israel has become a worldwide leader in science and investigation on marijuana and, according to the experts, could become a major producer and exporter of medicinal cannabis. The police, army and the government, however, are wary of exportation.
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Until now the Israeli government, although it permits study of marijuana's benefits in the treatment of certain diseases, has not given its approval to commercialising the fruits of its research in other parts of the world.

High-ranking members of the police, the army and the government are against it. Their reasons? According to Michael Dor, a medical adviser with the cannabis unit at Israel's Health Ministry, these parties “do not want Israel to be seen around the world as a country exporting arms and cannabis.” According to Dor, however, civil servants in the area of agriculture do support the exportation of therapeutic marijuana.


Whatever the case, interest in research and the development of medicinal cannabis in Israel has sparked interest at the international level (even though the products cannot leave there). For example, Phytotech Medical, an Australian therapeutic cannabis company, reached an agreement just a few days ago with the Technology area at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to develop medicines based on marijuana and aimed at the general pharmaceutical market.

Ethan Nadelmann, with the Drug Policy Alliance in Washington, believes that Israel “is truly the vanguard in medicinal marijuana,” and wonders why the cannabis powerhouse would want to miss out on a very real chance to be a leader in this field.

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With information from Haaretz.com and Washingtonpost.com

19/02/2015

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