Medical Marijuana – Israel’s growing “high-tech” leader
Israelis are renowned for being high on life.
In fact, Israelis rank very high on the UN’s happiness index, coming in at number 11, far higher than our US and British friends. Could it be that there is a secret to being happy and chill in the most volatile regions in the world?
‘Grass’, ‘Doobie’, ‘Blunt’, ‘Wacky Baccie’, ‘Mary Jane’, ‘Dope’, ‘Ganja’,’Dagga’, ‘Zol’, ‘Weed’ – whatever you call it, cannabis is inspiring one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and Israel is leading the way.
In 2016, the Israeli government announced that it will expand the number of doctors trained and authorized to prescribe medical marijuana. In January of 2017, the government announced plans to decriminalize personal marijuana use, and in February, a government committee approved cannabis export.
There is a saying in Hebrew: “Am Yisrael Chai”, meaning “the nation of Israel lives”.
The new one that is likely to do the rounds:
“Am Yisrael high”.
High-Tech
Israel is a world leader in cannabis technology for a variety of reasons. When it comes to medical marijuana research, Israel is one of the leading cannabinoid centres, attracting interest from around the world and experts are descending on the tiny state to learn more.
Israel is a ‘Start-Up’ and hi-tech powerhouse so why should be adapting this to suit the needs of cannabis tech be any different? Gives another meaning to Israel’s ‘high-tech”!
It turns out that the munchies may prove to be medicinal – Israeli scientists are among the world leaders in modifying marijuana’s molecular structure to tailor cannabinoids to specific receptors for treating symptoms of disease.
Bit of a Drip
Agricultural technology such as drip irrigation is being tested and found ideal for cannabis cultivation.
Instead of shooting water all over the place and soaking areas where it won’t be optimally applied, drip irrigation repeatedly and accurately keeps hitting an exact spot, meaning minimal water waste occurs.
Utilising Israel’s drip irrigation means that barely any water is lost due to run-off, and the little water that is dispensed over time is fully absorbed by the soil and held in place. This is far preferable than the soil being blasted by too much water, with the result that nutrients may be carried down deep into the soil and past the reach of the roots of the cannabis plants.
We can’t have that!
Also, occurrences of mildew may be reduced, because the upper extremities of your plants – such as the leaves and stems – won’t be bombarded with water every time they are watered. Instead, drip irrigation hones in specifically on the soil.
Getting into High Gear
The decriminalization of personal marijuana use has also allowed the Israeli government to regulate medical marijuana and make it more accessible and available by prescription at pharmacies.
“Cannabis should be considered, so far as possible, in the same manner as any other medicinal product, requiring supervision and regulation to protect public health and welfare, even when considering its special characteristics — being a plant rather than a product manufactured in a laboratory or factory,” according to the Health Ministry’s Medical Cannabis Unit.
There are many ways to take your medicine. Short of the traditional way – the ‘joint’ – Israeli tech experts have devised new and creative ways to take your daily dose such as tablets, a patch, a nasal spray making it easier to regulate dosage.
The big pharmaceutical companies are getting in on the medical marijuana action and have come up with solutions or devices to help patients.
* Teva Pharmaceutical Industries agreed to market medical cannabis for pain management in Israel with a revolutionary selective-dose pharmaceutical-grade medicinal plants inhaler from Tel Aviv-based Syqe Medical.
*Israeli-American company Cannabics Pharmaceuticals is working to put the medicinal compounds of cannabis into a sustained-release capsule in standardized doses.
* Australia-based PhytoTech Medical is developing an adhesive patch with medical cannabis, based on Hebrew University technologies.
Different strains treat different conditions and did you know that you can even grow your own. For medicinal purposes, of course!
The blooming cannabis industry is expected to grow exponentially in the years to come. In the United States, the industry already boasts a $5.7 billion market.
Israel’s growing marijuana high-tech industry proves that the grass is greener on the other side – even in the desert!
