Israel: cannabis exports suspended

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has blocked exports of Israeli medical cannabis to Germany and other European countries. He is concerned that some of the product could end up being sold for recreational use.

Netanyahu announced this decision on Sunday after a meeting with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and State Secretary for Security Gilad Erdan. The The latest data would seem to show There is a significant risk that some of the cannabis produced for export could end up on the black market. Netanyahu has asked the Ministries of Health and Economy to conduct further studies to ensure the security of exports.

In August 2017, an interministerial committee approved the export of medical cannabis, with revenue estimates exceeding one billion dollars.

A another source reports that this decision may be due to a shift in the U.S. president’s position. Donald Trump reportedly called Netanyahu on Sunday before his meeting with Kahlon and Erdan. During their phone call, Trump reportedly expressed his dissatisfaction with Israel’s plan to export medical cannabis.

Following Israel’s decision to export cannabis, many producers had entered the market, with inventory already ready for shipment. As a result, the harvests will have to be stored or sold on the black market to avoid being lost.

«They have no other choice because people are growing tons of cannabis,» explains Hagit Weinstock, a lawyer who represents 60 cannabis growers. «What are they going to do with it? Are they going to end up as drug dealers?».

Given these various delays, the first medical cannabis exports are not expected to begin until 2019.