Israeli Farm Grows First Kosher Cannabis

An Israeli farm has recently begun producing kosher cannabis oils on a 1.5-hectare plantation in Givat Hen, catering to thousands of devout Jewish practitioners who could not otherwise consume them. Rabbis have also published a blessing that must be recited before consumption. The need for kosher cannabis comes with the increased interest in edible cannabis; anything smoked is exempt.

A new kosher Cannabis plantation in the city of Givat Hen in Israel has cropped up, and is now producing herbs and oils that meet the required standards.

The plantation, in central Israel, covers nearly one and a half hectares. While it was previously content to sell cannabis flowers, it has evolved, and now cultivates hundreds of plants for the religious population of Israel.

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Why Kosher Cannabis, and Why Now?

When it came to Cannabis flowers for smoking or vaping, it was not necessary to follow any recommendation whatsoever in terms of religion. Indeed, kosher does not work for Cannabis smoke or vapor.

On the other hand, with the popularization of oils and distillates, edible forms of cannabis have become popular. And if it can be eaten, it can be a problem for diligent practitioners and devout Orthodox Jewish communities. The question arose for the first time in 2017 in North American religious communities.

How Kocher Cannabis is Grown and Consumed

Concretely, kosher cannabis is ensured by respecting the closure of the plantation during the Jewish day of rest known as the Shabbat. It also requires respecting the rules of Shmita, the “Sabbath of The Land.” This practice involves fallowing (not planting or harvesting the land for a season) every seven years.

The rabbis have even written an official blessing to recite before consuming this rather special cannabis. The blessing should be recited before consuming oil or edibles from these kosher plantations.

Israeli Demand for Cannabis

Drug use is prohibited by Jewish law, but the use of medical cannabis is permitted. While the proportion of religious users of medical cannabis is not known, Israel is the country in the world with the highest rate of use per capita.

According to data from the Israeli ministry, nearly 115,000 people are eligible for medical cannabis. That translates to 1.28% of the population is treated with cannabis, mainly flowers.

With demand for medical cannabis on the rise, authorities expect more such farms to spring up across the country.

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(Featured image by Cottonbro via Pexels)

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Suzanne Mitchell

Suzanne Mitchell juggles the busy life of a full-time mom and entrepreneur while also being a writer-at-large for several business publications. Her work mostly covers the financial sector, including traditional and alternative investing. She shares reports and analyses on the real estate, fintech and cryptocurrency markets. She also likes to write about the health and biotech industry, in particular its intersection with clean water and cannabis. It is one of her goals to always share things of interest to women who want to make their mark in the world.