Israeli cabinet ministers approve exports of medical marijuana

Cabinet ministers on Sunday approved the export of medical cannabis, paving the way for Israeli marijuana growers to begin international sales.

A cabinet statement said the decision is expected to increase the number of Israeli manufacturers, investments in agriculture, research and production, and create new jobs in the related fields.

The move caused stocks in medical cannabis companies to surge, but exports are not expected to begin until later this year, after the bureaucratic procedures governing the export process are put in place.

“With the approval of the export of medical cannabis, a new department will be opened for Israeli farmers, which will strengthen the whole of agriculture, thereby creating a winning combination of agro-medical and high-tech,” Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel tweeted, saying it was a “historic day.”

Israel’s top justice official also heaped praise on the decision, thanking her colleagues in the agriculture, health, finance and public security ministries, all of whom historically had marijuana categorized as an illegal drug and had squabbled for years over the details of how to make its medical use legal. [Read more at The Times of Israel]