Israel Decriminalizes Adult Use of Cannabis
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]I[/dropcap]srael is now the land of milk and honey—and cannabis.
Israel’s decriminalization of adult use cannabis went into effect on April 1, the same day Prime Minister Ehud Barak spoke at the CannaTech conference in Tel Aviv. “The future of cannabis belongs to the bigger, faster and more assertive players which will enter directly into the markets,” Barak said during his keynote address at CannaTech. Israel began exports of medical cannabis in January, and Barak is also chairman of the Israeli medical cannabis company Canndoc/Intercure. “Some 35 countries have already legalized cannabis to a certain extent, either for medical or sometimes even recreational use,” said Barak.
Barak said that in the United States, “two-thirds of the states approved medical cannabis of certain types, and a third even [approved] recreational use, and I really predict that within the next 3-5 years, the federal authorities in the US will legalize it on a very wide scale.” Israel has become a world leader in medical cannabis and is placing itself to be a leader in the recreational market as well.
Israel’s new decriminalization law stipulates that consumption and possession of cannabis in small amounts in the consumer’s home is no longer illegal. Even though the new law doesn’t determine a specific amount, Israel’s Anti-Drug Authority defines personal use as possessing 15 grams and under. In public, the first offense is 1,000 shekels, or $276. The second offense is twice the amount of that fine, and the third is open to criminal investigation, though it may be avoided by accepting a civil penalty. Medical cannabis consumers may show their license to the officer to avoid confiscation.
Israel’s expansion of cannabis legislation also includes medical cannabis laws. Currently, 21,000 people in Israel have a medical cannabis license. More patients will be able to access cannabis with a prescription from their doctor, and public pharmacies will be able to sell cannabis products.
