The conference takes place as Israel looks to stake a claim as a regional leader in the cannabis industry and only hours after the partial decriminalisation of cannabis was enforced. The new legislation, which went into effect at midnight on Sunday, March 31st, replaced criminal prosecutions of personal cannabis use with fines, in a less punitive system. Consumers without a criminal record caught in possession of a personal-use amount of cannabis will face fines worth US$276 for a first offence, while a second offence will warrant a fine worth US$551. Crucially, and in contrast to the majority of European countries, Israeli law does not specify what equates to a personal-use amount.

The new legislation and the potential for future reform are contributing to an increase in applications for the cultivation of medical cannabis. Over 500 farmers have now applied to the Health Ministry for permits to grow and distribute medical cannabis.

“So far, 565 farms have submitted requests to the Ministry of Health to obtain licenses to grow medical cannabis,” ministry spokesman Eyal Basson said. “Of these, 384 have already passed the first round of tests in the licensing process, and this was after they underwent police checks and land ownership verification.”

Initial approval covers only planning and construction.

Government backing

The Israeli industry is backed by leaders across the spectrum, from industry figureheads to political policymakers. In fact, with elections fast-approaching, all candidates have been outlining their positions on cannabis legislation.

While the country has been a clear innovator in the fields of medical and scientific cannabis research, the government is considering expanding the legislation to include an adult-use market. When asked about adult use legalisation earlier this month, current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he was “looking into it and will have an answer soon”. This comes after polls showed that the country’s new Zehut party surged in popularity on the back of its promise to decriminalise cannabis.