OU… got to be kidding: Kosher Marijuana

Regarding the OU (Orthodox Union) and marijuana heksher;

First let me say that I am a fan of the unity that comes about from a unified observance of kashruth. So although there may be issues with this-or-that,  I don’t believe in ‘throwing out the baby with the bath water’. I do however believe there  is an issue with the granting of a heksher on marijuana product.

The OU has just announced they are giving a heksher to medical marijuana….Why??

Since when does this substance require a heksher…. do cigarettes?  … Oh, when marijuana is in the form of food.

A heksher endorsement on ‘edibles’ is a bad idea. The primary purpose of edibles is to get high. Ingesting marijuana has a more intense and longer euphoric effect. There have been over-doses from edibles due to intensity of drug and the lag time to enter the system for the desired effect.

It should be noted that a kosher certification agency  (OU or other) will collect money$$ for providing a heksher. It should also be known that Medical Marijuana is available in pill form (Marinol, Sativex) and has been for many years with excellent results which comes to the patient  in a more precisely measured and  effective dose. It is not just less harmful, its side effects an near nil. The pill form has no harmful smoke to inhale , is effective twice as long in the body, and has the euphoric THC#9 removed (so there is no cognitive impairment; no psychological or emotional disturbances). It is the marijuana component CBD that is the healing property . The higher the CBD,, the lower the the THC (euphoric component). The pill form contains zero THC.  Israel is near to cultivating a zero THC9 plant which will have high CBD content. 

It is more appropriate in my opinion that the pill form be scrutinized for kosher consumption. A heksher for edible or  smoke-able marijuana will no doubt be easily  misunderstood  and interpreted that use of smoking marijuana is ‘acceptable’ for other inappropriate reasons. This is a serious and needless slippery slope for OU to engage in, and I believe it is negligent.

According to the Torah, [anything] that ‘saves a life’ doesn’t need the recognition of a heksher as according to the Torah  is already deemed to be permitted (‘kosher’). Where there are unique issues, they are best dealt with individually with a Rabbi and a Health Professionals (doctor, addictions counselor).

There are many alternative therapies available besides smoking pot such as marijuana in pill form. It is my experience of over 19 years in the addiction recovery community that people want what people want, and what people want in the large controversy of marijuana is to get high, to make money, and to not have to deal with the legal, political and the socially impacting issues connected with this drug.

G-d created everything in the universe for a purpose and our use. To be used in  way to bring us closer to Him.  This means that although there may be many negative consequences to the use of marijuana, there also may be positive ones. This requires us to deal with this drug in a responsible way. Making marijuana more widely available and and more ‘acceptable’ (ie reducing the stigma)  is not responsible.

Please refer also to article
https://www.lawrencelax.com/marijuana/

Lawrence (Leib Getzel) Lax
Addictions Counselor and Counseling