A company in Israel has developed a product that may help define the future of medical cannabis and how it is administered. Syqe Medical out of Tel Aviv has created a 3D-printed cannabis inhaler that can even be used by doctors to supply patients via remote control.
“For doctors, the inhaler solves the problem of prescribing plants for smoking, and offers a solution for patients in that, for the first time, they will be able to receive a precise dose of medical cannabis,” said Syqe Medical chairman Eytan Hyam.
The cannabis inhaler has already been approved by the Israeli government for use this year and Syqe has a distribution deal with Teva Pharmaceuticals, a company from Israel that is considered the world’s largest generic drug maker.
The small inhalers, which will be available for use by patients and by larger medical establishments, come pre-loaded with 100-microgram cannabis cartridges and can be accessed and controlled wirelessly so doctors and other health professionals can administer medical cannabis and monitor its usage.
“The extent of medical cannabis use for the treatment of pain and other symptoms has increased significantly in recent years,” said Elon Eisenberg, the director of the Pain Research Department at Rambam Medical Center in Israel. “The development of this inhaler fulfills our greatest hopes, to be able to administer accurate and reliable doses of cannabis….[It’s] a breakthrough in cannabis treatment and the medical use of cannabis in Israel and around the world.”
When you talk about the greatest technological achievements in the history of the cannabis industry, this has to rank as one of the biggest. Beyond Israel’s 26,000 medical marijuana patients there is a whole world of patients that will likely either have access to this inhaler or one made by another company in the next few years.
And this is just the beginning. There is no telling how far technology can take us in regards to cannabis. A plant that has been around and in use for thousands of years can now ride the wave of the digital revolution thanks to governments around the world relaxing their marijuana laws.
In many ways, Israel is the world leader when it comes to cannabis innovation. Due to decades of very restrictive cannabis laws, companies in the United States have had their hands tied in areas like research and development of marijuana strains and products. That seems to be changing now and hopefully the trend continues so brilliant minds that reside in the U.S. can put their talents to work in the realm of the cannabis industry.
This is the 1984 style approach to submit patients to absolute control. It must raise very serious privacy concerns.