Despite promises from the previous government, Israel’s current government has failed to move forward on decriminalizing recreational cannabis. At best, they have sought to make permanent a number of rules that were put in place by the previous administration some years ago. The irony of it all is Israel’s position as a leader in both cannabis research and medical cannabis acceptance.
The most recent action taken by the Israeli government seeks to reduce cannabis violations from criminal status to that of misdemeanor or traffic offense. Current laws to that affect were temporary when first instituted. They are set to expire in March 2022, thus the move by the current government to make them permanent.
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From Criminal to Administrative
Though legislators do not yet have a set of rules they can actually vote on, Israeli Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar has offered a solid proposal the government can work with. Under his proposal, cannabis possession would no longer be a criminal offense. Instead, it would be an administrative offense similar to a traffic violation.
Enforcing proposed fines against police officers, members of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), and minors would be limited. For everyone else, a first offense could result in a fine of up to 1,000 shekels. A second offense would result in a 2,000 shekel fine. Third and fourth offenses could result in a conditional settlement and conviction, respectively.
The proposal represents a better alternative to letting the current rules expire and turning the clock back on cannabis in Israel. But it hardly looks like the full decriminalization recreational cannabis users were hoping for. The whole thing is very strange given the history of cannabis in Israel.
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Research Since World War II
It’s interesting to note that cannabinoid research was birthed in Israel in the aftermath of World War II, at least according to the High Times. Furthermore, Israel boasts the oldest medical market in the world. But that does not mean their medical market has been the most accessible. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Despite having had a medical market for decades, Israeli patients have historically had to fight for the right to use medical cannabis. To date, only about 100,000 patients actually possess valid cannabis permits. The number has only grown so large because of protests and reform efforts among patients and doctors.
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Stigma Remains a Problem
Israel is no different than any other prohibitionist country in that the stigma related to cannabis remains strong there. Likewise, that same stigma has prevented a number of U.S. states from getting on board with medical cannabis. Even in states with valid medical programs, patients talk about ongoing stigma that forces them to keep their cannabis use under wraps.
Utah is one such state. According to the medical providers behind the Utahmarijuana.org website, patients in the Beehive State often worry about what others will think of them if it is found out that they are cannabis users. But things are changing. As medical cannabis is made available in more states, the stigma is starting to wear off.
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Full Decriminalization, Eventually
The consensus in Israel is that full decriminalization is inevitable. Lawmakers will eventually decide to let citizens make their own decisions about cannabis. As for other countries, it is a mixed bag. Some take a more generous approach to cannabis while others continue to be as strict as ever.
Israel’s history as a pioneer in cannabinoid research and medical cannabis makes its current prohibitionist stance somewhat confusing. They could go for full decriminalization if we do it here first. Then again, it may work in the other direction.
