OCTOBER 16, 2018
Dear Friends,
Now that Canada’s much-anticipated legalization of cannabis has officially taken effect (as of Oct. 17, 2018), it’s worth notingHebrew University’sseminal role in the development of medical marijuana.
Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, long-time professor of medical chemistry at Hebrew U, is widely considered the father of modern cannabis research. Still active in the field today, he began his study of the cannabis plant in the 1960s. He was the first to isolate, analyze and synthesize its main psychoactive component – THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) – and also discovered its other psychoactive substance – cannabidiol (CBD). Scientists are now investigating both THC and CBD in pursuit of new treatments for a range of medical conditions.
Thanks in no small part to Dr. Mechoulam’s pioneering research, several marijuana-related treatments have been developed. According toThe Jerusalem Post, “Today, roughly 147 million people use medical marijuana for effective relief of various ailments, including AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, cancer treatment side effects and Parkinson’s.”
That number is sure to grow dramatically in the coming years, as cannabis becomes legalized in more and more places.
Dr. Mechoulam’s ground-breaking work at Hebrew University was critical in making Israel a world leader in the field of cannabinoid research and medical marijuana testing.