Pubdate: Thu, 16 Feb 2017 Source: Canadian Jewish News, The (Canada) Copyright: 2017 The Canadian Jewish News Contact: http://www.cjnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2361 Author: Paul Lungen Page: 5 CANADA, ISRAEL ARE LEADING THE POT REVOLUTION As marijuana becomes normalized, co-operation between the two countries is growing fast, and the potential for growth is sky-high From the moment you enter the security-controlled reception area at Medreleaf, you notice there's something different about the place. Perhaps it's the aroma in the air, reminiscent of marijuana plants, which happen to be growing in the thousands just metres away. Or maybe it's the smell of money, as in the revenue generated by Canada's largest medical marijuana producer. It might also be the aroma of Israel's agri-tech sector, since the Markham, Ont., company is a partner with Tikun Olam, an Israeli firm that's a pioneer in the development of medical grade marijuana to treat a variety of illnesses. When it comes to the links between Canada and Israel in the marijuana industry, nobody is bogarting that joint. Israel and Canada are world leaders in this newish technology and co-operation between the two is growing. Canada was one of the first jurisdictions to permit licensed companies to develop and sell marijuana extracts for medical purposes. Israel, for its part, is known around the world for its innovation in many high-tech industries, not the least of which is agri-tech, where research into marijuana's active ingredients is decades old. It was an Israeli scientist, Prof. Raphael Mechoulam, who first investigated the therapeutic properties of cannabis. Around 50 years ago, when it was still illegal to do so, he acquired some hashish that had been seized by Israeli police. From that, he and his colleagues at the Weizmann Institute of Science revealed the structure of cannabidiol (CBD), a key therapeutic ingredient in cannabis. Later they isolated and synthesized THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis plants. Last June, researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev announced their findings into the efficacy of medical marijuana. They reported that medical marijuana users experienced significant pain relief and function with only minor side effects. According to BGU, the use of medical marijuana has grown substantially in Israel, with about 20,000 people now registered as users. In Israel, as in other countries, there have been moves to decriminalize marijuana's use, if not legalize it entirely. Last year, Australia legalized the growth of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Several U.S. states have done so, though not the federal government. In late January, Israel's public security minister, Gilad Erdan, announced a "shift to decriminalization with responsibility," away from the current law that criminalizes possession and sale of the drug. Likud MK Sharren Haskel trumpeted the announcement on Facebook: "We won! The continuous struggle that we lead brought results," she said. Haskel, who was born in Toronto and returns regularly to visit her parents, said she's been campaigning to remove the criminal sanctions and stigma attached to marijuana use for some time. Cannabis is not a gateway drug, she said, and Israel expends a huge amount of resources to investigate and prosecute simple possession. That makes no sense, given its widespread use and harmlessness. In fact, she continued, marijuana possesses tremendous medical benefits that Israel is developing. "Israel is leading in research in medical marijuana," she said. "The whole world is looking at how Israel medicalizes marijuana." As Haskel sees it, marijuana should be looked at like any other new medication, with research into its efficacy and the development of ways to deliver it to patients. "The government has funded and opened a course to train 100 doctors in how to use medical marijuana for treatment," she said. As marijuana becomes normalized, Haskel expects it to become a key agricultural export. Right now, plants are cultivated by six farms, but about 40 more have applied for permits to grow it legally, she said. In Canada, too, medical marijuana has captured the attention of investors and financial advisers. Cannacord Genuity, a firm that provides Canadian equity research, studied the investment opportunities in a report released last fall. "Forget the puns, this is a serious business," it stated. "The Canadian cannabis industry has experienced significant growth, fuelled in part by the near-term prospect of a legalized recreational market in Canada, which is expected to benefit current medical marijuana producers, and a growing level of acceptance of marijuana use internationally," the report said. "We believe the global landscape of cannabis is currently in the midst of transformational change. In response to increasing social acceptance, many large countries, such as the United States, Australia and Canada are in the process of enacting regulations that will permit legal access to marijuana to millions of individuals." - --- MAP posted-by: Matt