In memory of Professor Raphael Mechoulam, the father of cannabinoid research

It is with great sadness and painful heart to share that professor Raphael Mechoulam, the father of cannabinoid research, passed away on March 9, 2023.

As he said “It all started from a fateful bus ride in 1964, when I brought 5 kilo of Lebanese hashish I received from the Israeli Police to my laboratory at the Weitzman Institute in Rehovot.”
Mechoulam devoted much of his life to Cannabis research. In 1964, Mechoulam discovered THC, the cannabinoid most famous for its intoxicating effect. The find in turn led to the discovery of the endocannabinoid system. He and his research group were the first to isolate and fully synthesize the major plant cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol, cannabigerol (THC, CBD and CBG) and many others.

We feel honored to have known him. We say goodbye to a great scientist but above all a great man.

Baruch Dayan ha’emet, Blessed is the Judge of Truth

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Photo: adapted from Green Prophet