Sanjay Gupta Goes To Israeli Labs For Breaking Marijuana Research

  As the rest of the world continues to debate the benefits of cannabis and an increasing number of countries pass legislation to make it legal for medicinal and scientific purposes, it is inevitable that more research will be undertaken to determine the effectiveness of cannabis-based medicines in treating even more conditions, from every day illness to chronic diseases.

  Meanwhile, Israel has been quietly turning itself into a world-leading center with its own medical marijuana research programme. Described by Dr. Sanjay Gupta as ‘the marijuana research capital of the world’, Israel has been conducting research into marijuana since the 1960s and is home to the world’s largest medical marijuana production, research and development facility.

  The man widely regarded as the grandfather of medical marijuana research, is Raphael Mechoulam, a professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem who was the first to isolate, analyze and synthesize the major psychoactive and non-psychoactive compounds in cannabis, and develop a number of marijuana-related treatments. 

Israeli Cannabis Research Leads The World

Marijuana plants. (photo credit: REUTERS)

Jerusalem Post

Opinion

A HIGHER CALLING: HOW ISRAELI MARIJUANA RESEARCH CHANGED THE WORLD

“The problem is that for many years, marijuana was put on the [same] scale as cocaine and morphine.”

BY AVI JORISCH

JUNE 19, 2018 21:58

As much of the world debates how to address marijuana use, the vast majority of American states have legalized it or allow it for medical purposes. Global pharmaceutical companies and hospitals seeking effective treatments using cannabis should look to Professor Raphael Mechoulam, a scientist at Hebrew University. Mechoulam, a pioneer in the field, was the first to isolate, analyze and synthesize the major psychoactive and non-psychoactive compounds in cannabis and has developed a number of revolutionary marijuana-related treatments.

Today, roughly 147 million people use medical marijuana for effective relief of various ailments, including AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, cancer treatment side effects and Parkinson’s. Experts believe these numbers will grow exponentially in the coming years, and Mechoulam is now widely recognized as the godfather of medical marijuana, the high priest of his field.