Israel’s Government Says Medicinal Cannabis Vaporizer is a Medical Device – Will the US Follow Suit?

Known for their history of pioneering cannabis research, Israel has become the first country to approve a vaporizer for the purpose of consuming medicinal cannabis as a medical device. According to Kanabo Research, their VapePod device is a safer and more effective way for patients to consume medicinal cannabis for a range of conditions.

“This approval is a significant announcement for the medical cannabis patients in Israel who will be able to use the medical vaporizer for the first time,” said Avihu Tamir, co-founder and CEO of Kanabo Research. “We expect that due to the transition of most of the cannabis consumers to the use of vaporizers, our company is projected to reach 10 million dollars in sales within three years in the Israeli market, while the Israeli cannabis market is expected to reach 100 million dollars in sales within three years. The Israeli market is a platform to deliver our technology to global markets in North America and Europe.”

While many US states have passed laws allowing for the medicinal – and even recreational – use of cannabis, the FDA’s stance on the drug is that it has not been approved for any indication. Considering this, it’s unlikely the regulator would approve a vaporizer as a medical device when the substance it’s designed to be used with is not recognized as a medicine.

RELATED: Cannabinoid Abuse Potential Assessment: The 8-Factor Analysis as an Opportunity

Kanabo has also started a number of preclinical trials to test how well the VapePod vaporizer device works to deliver their cannabis strains designed to treat sleep disorders. The company is currently in the process of patenting these medicinal cannabis strains.

While not as harmful as smoking conventional tobacco cigarettes, smoking medicinal cannabis still exposes patients to burnt carbon from plant matter which can have negative effects on lung health. Vaporizing works by heating the cannabis to the point where medicinal compounds – such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) – reach their boiling point and are released into a vapor. Because no combustion occurs, vaporizing holds less health risks when compared to smoking.

In addition to their recently-approved vaporizer medical device, Kanabo is also developing the VapePod MD which will track how and when a patient uses the device. That data can be useful in ensuring patient adherence to their medication schedule, and help doctors and caregivers assess how well the medicinal cannabis is working.