MONTREAL (JTA) — Canadian Jews could get halachically high for the High Holidays: A Quebec company became the first in Canada to obtain kosher certification for its medical marijuana on the eve of Rosh Hashanah.
The certification was granted to the Hydropothecary Corp., a medical marijuana producer based near Ottawa, by the Vaad Hakashrut, a kosher certifier in Ottawa.
“According to the Torah, according to the Talmud, this is something that if we are able to help [sick people], that is my obligation,” Rabbi Levy Teitlebaum of the Vaad told The National Post.
The company’s CEO, Sebastien St-Louis, said in a statement: “As the only medical marijuana company in Canada with kosher-certified processed products, we take great pride in having the support of the kashrut council.”
In 2016, Montreal kosher certifiers said medicinal pot needed kosher certification because it is ingested, while certifiers in Toronto said it did not because it is being used as medicine.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
