Cannabis reform is currently gaining traction around the world, with many countries choosing to question their current laws and practices as both medicinal and recreational use rises. Most recently, Israel has joined the list as the next country focused on the decriminalisation of cannabis possession.
On March 9th, Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar signed a pro-cannabis regulation focusing on removing criminal charges from consuming or possessing cannabis.
However, this doesn’t mean cannabis users will just be able to consume it without a problem. This regulation specifically states that anyone consuming cannabis will receive an administrative fine. The regulation was already approved by the Knesset (the Israeli parliament). Not only that, but during the same week, Gideon Sa’ar and the president of Israel stated that there are plans to help past offenders via expungement efforts.
Why did this regulation appear? It’s not something that’s come out of nowhere. There was an order similar to this from 2019 that expired at the end of March, so the current regulation is more of an extension/improvement for that ruling.
Is this important for anyone that wants to consume cannabis in Israel?
Absolutely. Despite the previous Justice Minister, Avi Nissenkorn, failing to fully legalise cannabis, the Israeli government recognizes the public’s desire for the legalisation of cannabis. Granted, this current ruling is far from the complete legalisation of cannabis. Yet it’s a step in the right direction. Decriminalising cannabis is a huge deal, and certainly a step forward for cannabis justice in the country.
What should you know about the new cannabis ruling?
There are multiple things to keep in mind when it comes to the new ruling. For example, it decriminalises the personal use and possession of cannabis. This applies to anyone, even those persons that have a criminal record. However, there are a few exceptions, like prison guards, soldiers, police officers and minors. If anyone is caught consuming or owning any marijuana, then they will receive a fine of $150.
As mentioned above, people that already have criminal charges related to marijuana use/consumption will have those removed. They will need to submit a request for that to happen, though. The same can be said for those that have any similar charges pending. This is important because the government is on a mission to help remove the criminal liability of those persons that only had such charges and nothing else on their criminal record.
However, every request will be studied separately, so it’s not a guarantee that everyone will have their cannabis-related convictions fully removed. According to Sa’ar and Herzog, each request will be assessed based on its merits and situation. If you’re in that situation, you can file a pardon request right away.
It’s great to see that Israel has decriminalised marijuana and hopefully, we will see other modern countries follow suit and help alleviate people of their current, non-violent, cannabis-related convictions.
