Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said on Thursday that he supports the decriminalization of marijuana use. The minister said he is adopting the conclusions of a panel he tasked with reviewing the matter.
The new policy would still require the cabinet's approval because it should be coordinated with other government ministries, Erdan said.
The panel recommended shifting focus from criminal prosecution of users to administrative fines and educational campaigns. Criminal prosecution, he said, should only be used as a last resort.
Decriminalization to Boost Research Investment
The decriminalization of cannabis in Israel, endorsed Thursday by the public security minister, will help boost medical cannabis research and technologies, said Saul Kaye, a co-founder of ICAN: Israel Cannabis, a private equity fund with a focus on the weed.
“It will help in the general story of de-stigmatizing cannabis,” Kaye said. “Today’s news will help open the door to larger players, including the big pharma companies, seed growers and genetic researchers, who realize this is going to be big.”
In a move seen as paving the way for marijuana to be decriminalized, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said Thursday he plans to dramatically change the way the Israeli penal code treats private, recreational use of the drug.
