By Yona Schnitzer
Israel briefly became the center of the cannabis world this week as the two day CannaTech conference took place at Tel Aviv’s fashionable port broadwalk. Cultivators, scientists, doctors, investors and entrepreneurs all came together at the Trask event hall to see the newest innovations in the field of medicinal cannabis. There were lectures, masterclasses and booths set up by leading Israeli and international companies showcasing their latest products and innovations.
Here are five Israeli companies to watch:
3. Eybna
Eybna specializes in terpene extraction. If you’re asking yourself just what exactly terpenes are, well, they are the compounds which give every different kind of plant it’s unique smell and taste. For years, the scientific assumption was that the effects of cannabis are derived from the various cannabinoids existing in the plant, the most popular of which are THC, which provides the uplifting, euphoric “high” often associated with cannabis, and CBD, which accounts for the plant’s sedative effects. However, recent studies have found that an essential part of cannabis’ overall effects are the 300 different terpenes existing within the plant. The combination of those terpenes and the various cannabinoids come together to form what is known as the “entourage effect”, which is the culmination of all the various sensations cannabis consumption brings about. Eybna, which also operates as a medical cannabis farm, has found that certain strains of cannabis, as well as other plants, contain unique terpenes which can be added to other strains in order to increase a desired effect. So in addition to Cannabis, Eybna manufactures natural herbal mixtures which are aimed at amplifying the effects of cannabis when consumed together. They also produce concentrations of terpene based flavors, which can be added to cannabis edibles or vaping solutions.
With Israel leading the world in many aspects of the cannabis industry, and with significant medicinal cannabis reforms rumored to be coming as early as April, Israeli companies and cultivators are expected to soon be allowed to not only export their technology, but their actual cannabis based products as well. Should that change occur, Israel may just find itself becoming the world’s first cannabis superpower.
