The cannabis research industry has been flourishing across the world for several decades. Researchers study at universities all over the world to discover the effects of different cannabinoids, and we are only becoming more and more informed on the therapeutic benefits of cannabis. While this kind of research is happening everywhere, some spots on the planet are considered cannabis “hotspots.” These “hotspots” are places where cannabis research is flourishing, or essential discoveries have been made by researchers there in recent years. If you’re interested in cannabis science, you might consider one of these locations. To learn more about these progressive places, keep reading!
1. Israel
Israel is widely considered to be the leader in global marijuana research, dating back to the discoveries of Raphael Mechoulam in the 1960s. Mechoulam has been named the father of cannabis research, as he was the first to discover THC and the endocannabinoid system. Following his discoveries, Israel’s marijuana research only continued to flourish, eventually becoming the country with the highest number of research trials involving marijuana. One of the first countries in the world to legalize marijuana was Israel, and the legislation is currently working toward being able to export medical marijuana. The country also has the world’s highest demographics of marijuana users, as 27 percent of the population between the ages of 18 to 65 smoke weed. If there’s anywhere to go in the pursuit of marijuana research, it’s undoubtedly Israel.
2. The Netherlands
Out of all the nations on earth, the Netherlands is one of only three to have a medical cannabis system that’s sponsored by the government. The organization that facilitates this legalization is called The Dutch Association for Legal Cannabis and its Constituents as Medicine (NCSM) and is actively working to diminish the stigma surrounding medical marijuana use. Only highly qualified people in the medical marijuana field are invited to work with NCSM, and they actively seek out reputable researchers who are incredibly knowledgeable. If you’re looking to change the general dialogue and stigma surrounding cannabis or work more with public opinion, the Netherlands might be the perfect place for your research.
3. Uruguay
Uruguay was the first country in the world to effectively legalize and regulate the sale of recreational and medicinal marijuana. For this reason, the country encourages researchers and scientists from across the earth to come there and complete their clinical trials or discover their hypotheses. No actual results have come out of Uruguay yet, which makes it a literal hotbed for scientists who want to have their research published. By venturing to Uruguay in the pursuit of medical marijuana science, you could be one of the first people to have published research coming out of the country.
4. Canada
Many people consider Canada to be a giant case study on the benefits and downsides of legalizing marijuana. The country has now completely legalized the plant as leaders in marijuana research ensure that these benefits must be studied. In January of 2018, Canada’s federal government decided to put 1.4 million dollars toward a handful of scientific projects that plan to study the effects of legalizing marijuana nationwide. Ideally, these projects will provide more context to the consequences of emerging marijuana legislation. Specifically, some of these projects will focus on how specific groups, such as Indigenous people and teenagers, are affected by marijuana use. With the plethora of new legislation and projects occurring throughout Canada, it’s impossible to ignore the opportunities there for cannabis scientists.
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