Medicinal Cannabis Use Approved in French Polynesia
by Bethan Rose
From the discovery of one of the most famous cannabinoids, THC, to coining the entourage effect and pioneering cannabis research, Israel takes another giant step in support of cannabis. Israel has announced that they plan to legalize recreational cannabis within 9 months. Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn stated that Israel is planning on legalizing recreational cannabis while balancing “liberalism and responsibility”.
While Israel has yet to publish a memorandum of the bill, which is to be formulated in alignment with the recommendations of an inter-ministerial team, they have announced that the recreational legalization is set to take effect in nine months. This will allow enough time for the bill to be passed and for the government ministries to prepare. The inter-ministerial team is said to include members of the Israel Police, Public Security Ministry, Health Ministry, Education Ministry, Finance Ministry, and Justice Ministry along with the Likud MK, Sharren Haskel, as well as the Blue and White MK, Ram Shefa. Likud – National Liberal Movement, is a center-right to a right-wing political party in Israel. While the Blue and White is a centrist and liberal political alliance in Israel.
Amir Ohana, Public Security Minister, explained its’ ministry’s stance on the legalization of recreational cannabis and stated that “the stance of the incoming public security minister is… to minimize harm as much as possible to [otherwise] law-abiding citizens who have offenses linked to the drug”.
The following is set to be set in stone, but citizens can expect the following as recreational cannabis is legalized.
Amir Merari, the Deputy Attorney General, explained that Israel is favoring legalization over the trending decriminalization due to the fact that “decriminalization doesn’t provide a solution for problems such as the black market”.
With the government support being boosted by Likud, whose lawmaker explained that legalizing recreational cannabis “does justice to more than a million lawful citizens” and support from the Blue and White, whose MK stated that “we will not let anyone in the Knesset or outside it stop us”. The Knesset is the legislative leg of the government and is responsible for passing all the laws. Haskel from the Likud as well as Shefa from the Blue and White are both members of the Knesset alongside their positions in their relevant political organizations. Both of whom have been at the forefront of this plan since day one.
Israelis have seen an increase in medical cannabis patients but have struggled to supply them, as a result, many medical cannabis consumers complained of the near-impossibleness to access supply. Thankfully the Israeli government responded promptly with this plan of legalizing recreational cannabis in hopes that it would make access to cannabis easier, especially when citizens will be allowed to grow their own.
It was reported that the new shift in legislation came about following a change in tack within the Health Ministry, which was led by Yaakov Litzman until recently. Yaakov Litzman is a known anti-smoking advocate, yet the change of tack has led to the Health Ministry announcement, which was reported on the Sunday preceding the proposed recreational cannabis legalization and recommendations on Wednesday the 11th of November 2020.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud and Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s Blue and White parties released a joint statement which stated that the time allocated before legalization comes into effect will be used to “resolve the issue of decriminalization” and that the legalization will be handled “via a responsible model that will be suited to the State of Israel and the Israeli population”. The statement also included their decision to push medical cannabis reforms in order to improve patient access to cannabis and in order to make it easier for growers to get licenses.
Keep in mind that recreational cannabis use is still illegal in Israel for now but it has been partially decriminalized by replacing criminal procedures with fines. However, hope is on the horizon and it seems that the government and influential partners are backing the legalization of recreational cannabis- with no signs of letting up on what they’re after. Justice Minister Nissenkorn stated that
“It’s time to make progress and legalize cannabis in Israel… This is a significant, holistic and responsible reform, which shows the State of Israel isn’t ignoring reality and is going in the footsteps of developed countries”.
Looking to find your medical cannabis in a state that hasn’t yet legalized it? It may be tempting to drive across neighboring state lines with more cannabis-friendly laws. However, the number of states that will authorize qualified patients from out-of-state medical marijuana programs is still relatively small. Which States Accept Out-of-State MMJ Cards? States That…
So you love smoking cannabis, but you’re tired of the same ole rolling papers. Perhaps you recently learned about the potential dangers and risks associated with tobacco blunt wraps and want a healthier option. Let’s explore some rolling paper alternatives that work well for blunts, joints, and spliffs. Types of Rolling Paper to Absolutely Avoid…
Bipolar disorder is a complex condition that impacts millions worldwide, leading to extreme mood swings, intense emotional episodes, and difficulty managing day-to-day life. But there may be some good news for those coping with this mental health issue. According to recent research, cannabis could offer unique benefits as part of an approach to managing bipolar…
The war on drugs facilitated by the federal government has been an utter failure. Despite cannabis remaining a Schedule I classification according to the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA), meaning that it has no medicinal value, over 30 states in the United States have legalized it for its medicinal use. While this classification will remain…
As cannabis enthusiasts, we’re all too familiar with the stigma surrounding its use and the hoops that have to be jumped through to get it into medical research trials. But recent news of the DEA’s approval of a cocaine derivative for Parkinson’s disease research has left us scratching our heads. In light of this, one…
We sat down with the team at TerraLeaf, a medical cannabis dispensary servicing West Virginia, to ask them the Veriheal 5—five questions…
Gone are the days when cannabis was just an occasional treat—today, it’s a powerful source of holistic healing. According to a 2021…
We all know that cannabis and prednisone can affect our bodies differently when used separately. But if you’re dealing with a pretty…