Israeli Cannabis Export Reform Still Deadlocked

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the export reform a few months ago but conditioned it on interministerial agreement

Israel’s medical cannabis export reform—debated since 2016—is still deadlocked due to a conflict between the country’s ministry of finance and ministry of public security.

 

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the export reform a few months ago but conditioned it on both ministries reaching an agreement between them.

 

Cannabis. Photo: Getty Images

 

 

The Israeli Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan is objecting to the reform in its current form due to a fear of cannabis reaching unlicensed sellers, and is conditioning the ministry’s approval on various limitations and an increased enforcement budget.

 

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In an interview with Calcalist, the Director General of Israel’s Finance Ministry Shai Babad accused Erdan of stonewalling the reform due to “immaterial reasons.”

 

A June debate on the subject ended in a stalemate after representatives from both sides nearly came to blows in a parliamentary discussion, according to a witness who was present at the meeting.