The Ministerial Committee approved today (Sunday) the laws decriminalizing cannabis consumers.
The Ministerial Committee for Legislation agreed that the law would be redrafted and would come back to the committee as a government proposal.
The bill is expected to be voted on in a preliminary reading in the Knesset plenum this Wednesday.
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Minister of Construction and Housing Yaakov Litzman opposed the move - and attacked the committee: "This is a dangerous drug. We must not give in to pressure from the public. If someone needs it as medicine, let them get a prescription.".
According to a report in Kan News, there is tension in the coalition surrounding the decriminalization bills, as United Torah Judaism and Shas have not yet committed to supporting them.
According to the bill, possession of cannabis in a non-public place, in an amount defined for personal use, will not constitute a criminal offense. The amount defined as "personal use" under the law is up to 50 grams of the drug, or up to 15 seeds. However, use of cannabis in a public area, even in an amount defined for personal use, will constitute an offense for which a fine of 500 shekels will be imposed.
The bill also states that a person who possesses cannabis in an amount exceeding the personal use permitted by law will be fined 2,000 shekels. In addition, a person convicted of the offense of possessing cannabis under circumstances of personal use will be entitled to submit a request to the Attorney General to cancel the criminal record.
