Israeli cannabis researcher Professor Raphael Mechoulam, passed
away last week at the age of 92. He was known for his cannabinoid
research, including isolating and determining the structure of one
of the most important active compounds in cannabis,
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC.
His research paved the way for many companies active in the
cannabis field today.
Aside from publishing many papers on his research, he was listed
as an inventor on over 50 patent families. The front page of one of
his earlier US patents is shown below.
I spoke with him at a conference dedicated to medical cannabis
in Tel Aviv a few years ago, and it impressed me to see that he was
active in public speaking and innovating in the cannabis field well
into his late 80s. The first time that I met him was in the early
2000s, while working for a company which was developing some of his
technology. At the time, the medical cannabis industry in Israel
was in its
