Lebanon: a first study on the «potential medical value» of cannabis

The Lebanese American University (LAU) is set to launch an independent research center dedicated to studying the health effects and potential economic benefits of medical cannabis in Lebanon.

The LAU announced his intention to establish a Medical Cannabis Research Center, which would be the first research project of its kind in the Middle East.

The research will include studies on the potential therapeutic applications of cannabis and Lebanon’s climate and economic value, the university announced.

«We are waiting for a legal framework to be established so that we can move forward with the full support of the Ministry of Public Health,» said Mohammad Mroueh, a professor of pharmacy at LAU who is leading the project.

In a statement, the university said that the growing conditions in Lebanon had not been fully studied and that an assessment of the medical benefits of cannabis could be an opportunity for the country.

The opportunities could include economic gains, a reduction in unemployment, and a reversal of the brain drain, the university added.

LAU President Joseph Jabbra acknowledged the potential for controversy surrounding the cannabis study, but sees this research more as an opportunity to «break down the social stigma surrounding the issue.».

Lebanon is known for producing some of the best hashish in the world. The country is even said to be the fifth-largest market for the cannabis trade. However, cannabis remains illegal in Lebanon.