Even if cannabis remains illegal in Texas into the mid 2020’s, the amount of organizations putting on class series, panel discussions, trade shows and conventions surrounding cannabis within the state are astonishing. Among these numerous groups is an advocacy group that on paper, doesn’t have any direct relation to cannabis. Yet, because of the particular Middle Eastern country that this organization advocates for and because of said country’s groundbreaking and monumental research on cannabis, the Southwest Jewish Congress hosted a class about two weeks ago at the Jewish Community Center in Dallas entitled “Cannabis: Crime or Cure” that discussed the ethics of cannabis in regards to its status as either a medical cure to many ailments or an addictive substance whose usage needs to be stopped.
Because of the nonsensical Schedule I status of cannabis and the many federal roadblocks that aspiring cannabis researchers face when attempting to study the multi-faceted plant, Israel has become a powerhouse in cannabis research. The instances of great research done by Israeli scientists and professors are too extensive to mention but arguably the most universally known is the work of Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, a scientist at Hebrew University in Jerusalem who has been researching the endless number of compounds of cannabis and who’s research of the endocannabinoid system has led to the detailed knowledge that is now present of the previously unknown section of the human nervous system.
In 2017, the School of Pharmacy at Hebrew University developed the Multidisciplinary Center for Cannabinoid Research, a school that studies only the most necessary of cannabis subjects, such as cannabis’ possible treatment of cancer, pharmaceutical chemistry and the plant’s potential to assist in the treatment of neurological conditions. To bring attention to the country’s pioneering status on cannabis research, the Southwest Jewish Congress’ course “Cannabis: Crime or Cure” was hosted and taught by professor of the School of Pharmacy itself, Dr. Abraham Domb.
In order to both give further exposure to the scientific cannabis wonders occuring in the Land of Milk and Honey and to hear about the course, Texas Cannabis Collective had the honor of speaking with Dr. Domb himself.
JK: It’s a pleasure to be speaking with you, Professor Domb. Describe your educational background, the subjects you currently teach at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and research focus.
AD: I am a Professor for Medicinal Chemistry and Biopolymers at the School of Pharmacy-Faculty of Medicine and Prof. for Forensic Sciences at the Faculty of Law of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I earned bachelor’s degrees in chemistry, pharmaceutics and law and a PhD in organic chemistry from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I did my postdoctoral training at MIT and Harvard and was R&D manager at Nova Pharm. Co. in Baltimore from 1988-1991. Since 1991, I am a faculty member at The Hebrew University. From 2007-2012, I headed the Division of Forensic Science at the Israel Police with the rank of Brigadier General. From 2014-2016, I served as president of the Jerusalem College of Engineering.
Since 2018, I am the head of the School of Pharmacy of The Hebrew University. My research focuses include: pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, and forensic science. A few specific projects are cannabis delivery systems, intratumoral chemotherapy, long acting antibiotics, implantable contrast agents and peptide oral formulations. And my research has resulted in several products, including: Gliadel, Inspace, Prospace Balloon, Canker Cover, OraMiost, Deximun and Maze.
JK: Because Israel is a pioneer in cannabis research, exactly what types of research is being conducted on cannabis in both Hebrew University and the country as a whole? And why do you feel that Israel is miles ahead of America in cannabis research?
AD: Research on cannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system and medical Cannabis is conducted at The Hebrew University’s Multidisciplinary Center for Cannabinoid Research (MCCR). The MCCR is staffed by eminent scientists and doctors from a variety of faculties at Hebrew University and Medical Centers affiliated with the Hebrew University. The faculty involved span the entire spectrum relevant to this research – from Medicinal Chemistry, Biotechnology, Biopolymers and Pharmaceutical Chemistry to Plant Science and Genetics in Agriculture.
The Center’s teams of highly qualified researchers comprise Heads of Labs and Research Groups comprehensively ranging through Nano-Medicine and Nano Delivery Systems, Tumor Micro- environment, Neurobiology, Autism, Depression, GI diseases, Pain Relief and Plasticity, Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Immuno-pharmacology, Free Radicals, Stress and Plant Pathogen Interactions, Metabolic diseases, etc.
The MCCR is the only institute of its kind in Israel, and among a few research centers focused on cannabinoid research around the globe. Israel is a few years ahead of other countries in research and development related to cannabis.
Why? First, because its research was started more than five decades ago by The Hebrew University professor Raphael Mechoulam. There are more than 40 research groups working on cannabinoids only at the MCCR. Other research teams are also located in different Israeli universities. Second, Israel is a pioneer in developing different agricultural technologies related to the cannabis plant. Not only existing technologies are being modified for the cannabis market, but new modalities are being created. Third, the Ministry of Health took the initiative to regulate the medical cannabis market by introducing a medicalization program that involves the growers, pharma companies, pharmacies as well as doctors.
JK: Since I’d love to focus on the content of the program itself, what topics were discussed and what was the subject matter of “Cannabis: Crime or Cure?”
AD: The topics discussed were: Introduction to illicit drugs in Israel, cannabis and its medicinal properties as well as its long and short term side effects and the legal statuses of cannabis in the US and Israel.
We discussed medical cannabis and:
- What conditions it may help.
- The chemicals responsible for the various effects of cannabis and the entourage effect.
- The cannabinoid receptors (sites of action) and their distribution in the body which may explain the diverse effects of cannabis.
- What are the endocannabinoids and how they were discovered.
- The conditions cannabis is effective for and what needs to be done to confirm the medical utilities for other conditions.
- The discovery of the cannabinoids (molecules isolated from the cannabis plant that affect the cannabinoid receptors) and endocannabinoids (endogenic molecules that the body generates that interact with the cannabinoid receptors) by Prof. Rafael Mechoulam of our School of Pharmacy at Hebrew University.
- Introduction to the MCCR at Hebrew University and its research activities and recent reports of the positive effects of cannabis in the treatment of autism.
JK: How would you describe the reception and feedback from the participants in the program? Did they seem interested in learning more about the many subjects surrounding cannabis?
AD: Based on conversations with participants before and after the lecture, listening during the lecture and the Q&A after the lecture and by e-mail, there is strong interest in cannabis and its potential for medical treatment. 100 people attended the presentation.
JK: Would there potentially be future programs that you or anyone from Hebrew University would be doing on cannabis and the research of the plant?
AD: The MCCR is going to host the 2021 annual meeting of the International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS) in Jerusalem. In addition, every year the MCCR affiliated scientists participate in different symposia and programs in Israel and aboard similar to the event in Dallas.
