O Cannabis! In a testament to the sustained profitability of global agricultural efforts centered on cannabis’ medicinal value, The Jerusalem Post reports that the nations of Canada and Israel are cultivating a business relationship that melds investment with innovation. Cannabis becomes legal on Oct. 17, and Israeli investors are closely examining forming market forces for cannabis producers to partner with to increase cannabis-centric treatments’ availability. In a recent interview, Israeli cannabis expert Saul Kaye stressed that his nation is a perfect place to experiment with medical cannabis; Kaye noted that while Israel’s climate is ideal, its suitability is also pronounced, “because researchers [here] are years ahead of their peers in many other countries.” As an example, Kaye pointed to CannRx Technology. At that Izun Pharmaceuticals subsidiary, unique delivery methods and devices have been developed, including “vapor capture” technology, according to founder William Z. Levine. Issues remaining with Israeli-Canadian trade of medicinal cannabis now rest with the former government. Although the Knesset passed legislation decriminalizing cannabis possession in April 2019, current law forbids the export of cannabis products to other nations. To stay in the game, many Israeli cannabis pharmaceutical companies are moving research activities to locations outside the tiny Middle Eastern country, where export to The Great White North isn’t so problematic.On the Medical-Recreational SpectrumEarlier this month, US News and World Report wrote—addressing an affluent demographic tilts slightly right but still favoring moderate centrism—nine states across the US have legalized cannabis for general adult usage. The latest of these states to legalize recreational cannabis use was Massachusetts. The law that did so was passed way back in 2016, but the need to create relevant regulations and regulatory bodies related to Bay State cannabis meant such sales only started in July 2018. This report briefly notes that 30 states have legalized medical cannabis. All these facts serve as precursors to presentation of the magazine editorial board’s pragmatic moderate stance, before shifting gears into economics. The revenue that may come from such activities, not to mention the opportunity to grow sustainable jobs that pay a living wage benefit a cultural sea change making responsible adult cannabis availability and use a normative part of modern citizenship. Criticisms of cannabis-based economic models are examined before being dismissed by one of America’s most read-newsweeklies, reflecting the drug war’s failure and reiterating cannabis’ importance for America’s future.
News On The Green
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