20 Apr KASHRUTH QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK

Q: Does marijuana need a hashgacha and does it need a bracha?

A: If it is plain marijuana that you are smoking or using as vapor, it does not need a hashgacha. If someone wants to eat marijuana, it must have a hashgacha. It is not eaten straight; it is used as an ingredient in many foods. We at the OU are certifying cakes that have cannabis in it, we are certifying candy and soft drinks that have cannabis in them and these are obviously all things that need a hashgacha. What we are not certifying is recreational marijuana. However, there are different parts of marijuana. There is the CBD which is not a drug and that is something the OU will certify. We will not certify recreational marijuana, just like we will not certify cigarettes. Something that is unhealthy and carries a label that it should not be consumed is not something we would certify. So just as we don’t certify cigarettes, we’re not going to certify marijuana, unless the world opinion of marijuana changes and doctors and the medical community say there’s no issue with taking recreational marijuana, but that is not currently the case. We do certify medical marijuana because that is not taken just for recreational purposes; it is used by people typically as a painkiller, which we understand. People have come to us and told us they use marijuana as a painkiller, and it keeps them functioning. We are monitoring the situation and keeping on top of it. Things change and that’s part of the excitement of being in the world of kashrus; keeping your eyes open to the changing world and seeing how it affects food and how it affects what we are doing.