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Yes, the cannabis plant itself is kosher, according to most Jewish traditions. But when it comes to shopping for cannabis products, the answer can be more complicated for people who adhere to the strict dietary standards specified in Jewish law.
“Kosher does not mean the cannabis was blessed by a rabbi,” explained Rabbi Yaakov Cohen, a highly-regarded expert in the kosher certification of cannabis products. His company, Whole Kosher Services, overseas kosher supervision of several cannabis brands in the United States. “There are laws and different criteria that come from the Five Books of Moses that cover a whole spectrum of food elements, and each has different standards that must be met.”
This spectrum includes prohibited foods, permissible foods, and food preparation, as dictated by the Five Books of Moses and the rabbinical interpretation of those laws. Some of these interpretations have been in play in Jewish communities for 1,000 or even 2,000 years, and they are reinterpreted and applied to modern-day standards that did not exist millennia ago.
“Milk, meat, bugs, grapes, chicken, and fish all have different criteria,” Cohen explained.
For example, certain species of animals, such as pigs and shellfish like clams and oysters, do not meet kosher standards. That does not make all permissible animals kosher, though. Permissible animals must be slaughtered in a specific manner, similar to halal methods, to be kosher. Food preparation is also carefully detailed, with various criteria about mixing meat and dairy products, cooking methods, and cookware that must be followed, just to name a few examples.
Cohen breaks the complicated world of kosher observance into two broad categories: “It’s raw material and the integrity of the equipment, as cross-contamination is an issue.”
Different sects of Judaism have differing views on the kosher status of cannabis and its use. The Rabbinical Assembly, which oversees Jewish laws and standards for those who are affiliated with the Conservative movement, released a ruling (called a responsa) in 2023 that states that it’s permissible to consume medical cannabis and recreational cannabis in places where it’s legal.
In Orthodox and Hasidic communities, the guidelines vary. Some rabbinic authorities allow cannabis consumption of all kinds, while others allow it in medical contexts only. Some refrain from cannabis consumption altogether for medical or recreational purposes.
“Some sick people ask for advice and an exemption from a rabbinic authority, and in Jewish law, medicine does not need to have the same kosher certifications as products enjoyed recreationally,” Cohen explained.
For many, though, the subject is still taboo, and few kosher certification agencies will discuss their views on the topic publicly. Cohen, who came to the plant to find relief for his son who had brain cancer, has been vocal about his support of kosher cannabis products for years.
“I get emails and phone calls all the time from people who keep kosher asking me when they can go to buy kosher cannabis,” Cohen said. “People will call me while they’re standing in a dispensary to ask me what they can buy.”
According to Cohen, bugs may be of concern regarding flower, as cannabis is susceptible to infestations of creatures like thrips during cultivation.
“We are not allowed to eat bugs, so cannabis is similar to produce like asparagus or broccoli or leafy greens in that regard, products that must be checked for bugs before they’re eaten,” Cohen said. “There is a rabbinic rule that states if something like oregano or parsley sat and dried for a year, you no longer have to be concerned about bugs… but because the cannabis drying process is much shorter, we have to assume from the perspective of Jewish law that the product needs to be checked for bugs.”
Since most flower is consumed via inhalation, however, Cohen said that checking for bugs as part of a kosher certification process is unnecessary. (All products sold in New York recreational dispensaries must be tested and checked for foreign materials like bugs before they’re sold. These products are analyzed in a lab to ensure that there are no insects present, whether or not kosher supervision is involved.)
“In Torah rules, we go with the majority, and since flower is mainly smoked, there are no issues [when it comes to kosher law],” Cohen said.
Cohen said that those who keep kosher and eat cannabis raw, such as juicing fan leaves, should check for bugs.
Cohen said the manufacturing process may involve substances that must adhere to kosher dietary standards and guidelines. He used the example of the source of ethanol used during ethanol-based extraction.
“Solvents need to meet kosher criteria,” Cohen said. “Ethanol is typically made from corn, wheat, or sugar, but it can come from grape or whey, both of which present issues for kosher certification.”
Cohen clarified that most ethanol in the United States is not made with grape or whey, but it still needs to be confirmed as part of the vape manufacturing process.
“Grapes are connected to wine, and rabbinic law is strict on grape derivatives because of how wine is used for rituals in Jewish tradition,” Cohen said. “I personally haven’t run into a place that makes ethanol out of whey, but it is sometimes done. So if ethanol is being used as a solvent to make oil, we have to make sure the ethanol doesn’t come from those sources.”
Flavorings and additives, including some terpenes depending on where they come from, also need to come from kosher sources, Cohen said.
Kosher certification for edibles involves several layers, including the cannabis extract itself, the ingredients in the recipe, and the equipment used to make the edibles.
Once extraction is complete, the extract moves on to edibles manufacturing. Here, Cohen said, those who provide kosher supervision focus on ensuring all ingredients used in the product are themselves kosher, meaning that they are not derived from non-kosher sources and that they each have kosher supervision on their own. Kosher supervisors also confirm that the equipment is dedicated to only making kosher products.
Gummies, in particular, can be a challenge, because gelatin is commonly used in many recipes.
“When you’re talking about gelatin that comes from a pig (pigs are not kosher) or does not come from a kosher cow, there is an issue,” Cohen said. “If a line wants to run a pectin-based gummy on some days, then switches to gelatin-based, then switches back to pectin, that’s a problem because non-kosher gelatin was used in the equipment.”
Cohen noted that there is a kosher-specific cleaning process followed to prepare equipment between gelatin-based and non-gelatin-based gummy production runs.
Some Jewish people who eat only kosher products will eat vegan products. However, some folks, particularly those in the Orthodox Jewish community, will only consume products that obtained kosher certification from a certification agency like Whole Kosher Services or the Orthodox Union.
“There’s a lot of sharing equipment, where different products or brands are manufactured using the same equipment,” Cohen said. “So if you were to go through the ingredients on a gummy and saw there was no gelatin, the equipment may be the same equipment used to make gelatin gummies.”
If this concerns kosher-keeping shoppers and a product with no kosher certification is available, Cohen recommends shopping for flower, pre-rolls, and vapes.
Cohen provides kosher supervision and oversight for several brands available in New York City. Wana gummies are kosher-certified under Cohen’s supervision, as well as urbanXtracts products and tinctures made by Curaleaf. Other products may be certified kosher by other agencies or experts in kosher law. Cohen recommends looking for a symbol on a product’s packaging that indicates it was produced with strict adherence to kosher laws, or to call the manufacturer to ask if a product has kosher certification.
Wana gummies are available at The Travel Agency in Union Square, Downtown Brooklyn, and Fifth Avenue, with delivery available throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Learn more about how to order for delivery.