Image by File

By Naomi Zeveloff November 3, 2016

Medical marijuana is on track to become a booming industry in Israel, with 36 Israeli companies now doing clinical research on cannabis, according to a report in the Economist.

That figure comes from Saul Kaye, the CEO of the venture fund and technology incubator iCAN.

Israel’s health ministry is licensing a list of about 100 doctors to prescribe the drug, and regular pharmacists will be able to stock it.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

What’s more, in August, the agriculture minister announced that local growers will soon be allowed to export their crop.

There’s a reason why medical marijuana research is blossoming in Israel, even though the country’s right wing government is against legalization of marijuana for recreational use.

Israel’s strong agricultural and medical sectors, combined with its reputation as “startup nation” have primed it for developing marijuana for medical use.

What’s more, wrote the Economist, it has a 60-year head start on the United States where marijuana research is just beginning.

While the United States is just beginning to review laws that hamper research with an eye to possibly changing them, Israeli scientists have been looking into the topic for decades. Raphael Mechoulam, considered the father of cannabis research, is an Israeli professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Israel researchers are looking into uses of medical marijuana for a range of conditions beyond pain relief, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Tourette’s syndrome.

Contact Naomi Zeveloff at [email protected] or on Twitter @naomizeveloff

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount