Alexandra Hicks posted: " No need to travel, this year it's easier to visit CannX than ever. One of the biggest medical cannabis conferences in the world that you can attend from your own living room. Just like the live events in years prior, CannX 2020 Virtual will provide ex"
No need to travel, this year it's easier to visit CannX than ever. One of the biggest medical cannabis conferences in the world that you can attend from your own living room.
Just like the live events in years prior, CannX 2020 Virtual will provide excellent networking opportunities as well as opportunities for learning about the latest in scientific research, agricultural practices and innovation, and business opportunities. An application was submitted to the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME) for CME accreditation of CannX 2020.
Special Celebration for the Father of Cannabis Research
This year, CannX will also be hosting a special celebration in honor of the "Father of Cannabis Research" himself, Raphael Mechoulam, who is celebrating is 90th birthday this year. This award-winning researcher was the first to isolate cannabinoids and study them, back in the early 1960s. To this day, his research continues as he was recently granted $2.4 million dollars to work on developing cannabis-based treatments for three aggressive forms of cancer: melanoma (skin cancer), neuroblastoma (cancer originating in the surrounding and mostly neural system in children), and glaublastoma (brain cancer). The honorary session will include a one-on-one interview of Mr. Mechoulam by Dr. Dedi Meiri.
""I have spent most of my life decoding the mysteries to be found within this incredible plant," says Mechoulam. "The collective work on the plant has currently led to identifying a major physiological system, the endocannabinoid system, which appears to be involved in numerous human illnesses. I would like to see my colleagues forge ahead with their investigations, advancing even further the acceptance and integration of cannabinoids, in particular cannabidiol, its derivatives and the specific CB2 agonists, in traditional medicine."
As coronavirus safety measure continue to impact the way we live our lives and run our businesses, the trade show industry seen a shift as well. Although virtual conferences are not a new thing, taking a large convention with extremely high attendance such as one, and organizing it as a completely remote event has not been very common until this year.
One of the benefits of running a virtual conference is that it allows more people to participate in this event, those who wouldn't normally have the time or capabilities to travel halfway across the world to attend a trade show. Until now, CannX has been held in Tel Aviv, the epicenter of medical cannabis research.
Event Highlights
Some of this year's event highlights include:
Women in the Forefront of Cannabis Innovation
The Interplay of Science, Business, and Law
Cannabinoids and the Elderly
Medical Cannabis and the Role of Pharmacists: The Israeli Experience
You can also expect numerous round table discussions and workshops help by an expert committee with members including Raphael Mechoulam (of course); as well as Yossi Bornstein, Founder & CEO of Shizim Group; Founder & Partner of Cann10, Israel telaviv.cannx.org; Dr. Dedi Meiri, Head of Scientific Advisory Board, Assistant Professor, Heads the 'Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research', Technion, Institute of Technology, Israel; and Raquel Peyraube M.D., Executive Committee of the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines, Uruguay.
Final Thoughts
In short, you don't want to miss this incredibly educational event, and this year, it's easier to attend than ever before. CannX 2020 Virtual, October 26th to 28th!
Thanks for stopping by CBD TESTERS, your hub for all things cannabis-related. Stop by regularly and make sure to subscribe to the Medical Cannabis Weekly Newsletter to keep up-to-date on all the most interesting industry topics.
Sarah Friedman posted: " The GMO debate weighs heavy as more and more food items are being genetically modified in different ways and for different reasons. For the first time, GMO cannabis is being patented and manufactured, getting ready to hit shelves in your friendly neighbo"
The GMO debate weighs heavy as more and more food items are being genetically modified in different ways and for different reasons. For the first time, GMO cannabis is being patented and manufactured, getting ready to hit shelves in your friendly neighborhood dispensary.
"A GMO, or genetically modified organism, is a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using genetic engineering or transgenic technology. This creates combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods."
In terms of crossbreeding, the definition is "the act or process of producing offspring by mating purebred individuals of different breeds or varieties." A mule, for example, is a cross between a donkey and a horse.
The ideas of crossbreeding and hybridizing have been around for nearly as long as we have, but prior to recent times, this included playing around with seeds to get the best version of a crop, or creating animals like donkeys. These days, herbicides can be directly introduced to the DNA of produce like soy and corn. As of right now, thought specific numbers are nearly impossible to lock down, approximately 92% of all US corn is GMO, as well as 94% of soybeans, 94% of cotton, and 75%+ of all processed foods sold in the country contain genetically engineered materials.
Proponents of GM foods like the idea that these measures are necessary, citing things like an inability to feed everyone on the planet without them, or other such nonsense that didn't exist as an argument until companies wanted to sell their products. This isn't to say that all GM foods are bad, but when herbicides are inserted into foods, it certainly makes me worry a bit. It's great to be all futuristic in some ways, but maybe, just maybe, not messing with our food is the better answer here.
Of course, I'm admittedly not an expert in bioengineering, however I personally identify more with the side that says beware of mixing random genetics without understanding the consequences. Regardless of my personal opinion, this is a highly contested subject, and one without a definitive answer that all of science (and private interest) can agree on. It comes as no surprise that this argument now bleeds into the world of legal cannabis.
It hasn't yet, in that there isn't currently a GMO cannabis product on shelves (apart from "GMO Cookies", a rather delicious sounding cannabis strain that unlike its name actually does not contain any genetically modified organisms.) But that certainly isn't to say there won't be soon.
On September 2nd of this year, the very first license for genetic editing technology on cannabis products was awarded to Israeli-based CanBreed, a company which provides uniform raw materials to farmers. The license covers an agreement for patents for the company's foundational CRISPR-Cas9 technology, and it's expected the company will use this technology to more quickly provide farmers with improved cannabis varieties. CanBreed has claimed that its CRISPR technology can edit specific genes to create stable seeds for more productive farming.
CanBreed's CEO Ido Margalit went as far as to state "We have patented all the crucial traits in cannabis, like disease resistance." What this means exactly was not expounded upon, but it could perhaps be an indication of the use of chemicals in genetic engineering.
Wait a second, what is this license that CanBreed got?
Excellent question. After all, when's the last time you heard about a license being given out for that? Who even knew there was a license for genetic engineering in cannabis? According to CanBreed itself, the license was extended by Corteva Agriscience, MIT's Broad Institute, and Harvard University, as part of a non-exclusive licensing agreement which purportedly meets all regulation standards of federal law, international laws, and state or specific locational law for the US, Canada, and anywhere else applicable.
As if right now CanBreed is still working on regulation issues to be able to work with EU countries as well. Currently, the EU commission defines CRISPR technology as a genetically modified organism, and therefore illegal to sell.
Of course not. As mentioned already, genetically engineering our food supply has practically become an American past time. When a company wins a big contract like this, it's usually not the first attempt, and in the case of finding ways to genetically engineer cannabis, CanBreed is not the first, not even the first to claim a GMO cannabis product. Back in 2019, Trait Biosciences produced a patent-pending cannabis plant that purportedly self-produces water-soluble cannabinoids.
The plants are said to generate dissolvable cannabinoids, cutting out the need for hazardous extraction processes. Part of the issue with genetic engineering, is getting the offspring to carry on the genes, at which time it's considered fully transformed, something Trait is working on, and which it accomplished to a certain degree in 2012. Trait offers different products from customized cannabis that produces specific and predetermined cannabinoid levels, hemp plants that produce no THC, and other products, particularly cannabis drinks. None of this is actually on shelves of course, but it does show another company's attempts to enter the GMO cannabis game.
Then there's Hyacynth Biologicals, a Montreal based company that's been playing around trying to find new genetically engineered versions of cannabis to fight disease, and Cronos Group which just signed a $122 million deal with Ginko-Bioworks Inc to genetically engineer cannabinoids, or other active compounds from the cannabis plant, using a yeast-based process similar to what Hyacynth uses.
And who could discount GMO giant Monsanto – the grandfather of today's agro-engineering, which has been rumored to be considering throwing its hat into the GMO cannabis ring. Though nothing supports their entrance into the field right now, it's hard to imagine Monsanto taking a back seat in what could be one of the biggest new fields for GM products.
If you look at all the hype in the legal cannabis world, you'd think we didn't know how to actually grow the plant properly. In fact, you'd think that we – as humans – are necessary for the growth of the plant. Truth is, it's been growing just fine with and without our help, providing us with a variety of options to begin with, options that with some minor tweaking become unfathomably strong plants bursting with beautiful colors, and coming with all kinds of different medical and recreational benefits. Maybe all this new genetic editing technology will provide for something that really is better, that really is amazing. Or, maybe it'll be just the next unnecessary place that chemicals are injected into.
Another thing to consider about GM cannabis is that it gives larger pharmaceutical and biotech companies the ability to take the reins. As of right now, the cannabis industry, even the medicinal part of it, is not a pharmaceutical industry, per say. Anyone can grow cannabis, and tons of small companies can put out products. Once it becomes a project in bioengineering, larger enterprises can swoop in, and take the business by creating new products at much greater cost.
Maybe that's the worst part of all of this, that the legal cannabis industry is looking more and more like a standard pharmaceutical industry, every day.
Thanks for stopping by CBD TESTERS, your hub for all things cannabis-related. Stop by regularly and make sure to subscribe to the Medical Cannabis Weekly Newsletter to keep up-to-date on all the most interesting industry topics.
Sarah Friedman posted: " As laws for cannabis use change, so do the laws that govern the particular cannabinoids that make up the plant, namely CBD and THC, and how and where they are used. Whereas CBD has already been regulated differently in many places, THC is often left with"
As laws for cannabis use change, so do the laws that govern the particular cannabinoids that make up the plant, namely CBD and THC, and how and where they are used. Whereas CBD has already been regulated differently in many places, THC is often left with no regulation at all when it comes to use in edible products.
It has become more commonplace for CBD to be separated from the rest of the cannabis plant, and regulated differently, with the main reason being that since it contains no psychoactive properties, it shouldn't be treated the same as substances that are psychoactive. With more recreational markets opening, and more food-based products hitting the market, the question of how THC is legislated in food is becoming more of a question.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is often separated from the rest of the cannabis plant, and this gives it the ability to be used in places where the entire cannabis plant cannot be. When dealing with CBD in food, this is how it's currently regulated:
US – When it comes to the US there's the ages old fight between federal and state governments. CBD is not legal to market as a food product or dietary supplement by the FDA. On the other hand, individual states also have the ability to hold their own regulation standards. As such, Florida, for example, added as part of its hemp program in January of 2020, that all parts of the hemp plant are allowed in food. The new law makes the stipulation that all manufacturers, processers, packers, holders, preparers or vendors must have a food permit, the process of which and enforcement of, are done through the Florida Department of Agriculture. Other states that have made legislation to allow CBD in food are: Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, and Texas, with California possibly on the way.
EU – According to regulation 2015/2283, CBD is considered a novel food with not enough consumption history to be legal as of yet. As such, it is forbidden to be marketed as a food product or supplement without proper authorization. This hasn't done much to stop the flow of CBD products onto store shelves. The whole thing is, of course, confusing as the EU roundly allows cannabis plants to be grown so long as the THC content doesn't go above .2%.
However, at the same time, food and drinks made from it, fall under the Novel Food regulation. Truth be told, there isn't a legal standing for the Novel Foods act, but it's generally used as law by member states. A recent application by the company Cannabis Pharma to produce a supplement for adults containing a daily intake of up to 130mg, could propel CBD to a 'permitted food/ingredient' status on the novel food list soon.
Canada – Canada makes it a bit easier. As a country that has already legalized the whole of the cannabis plant – high THC or low – and as a country which already puts cannabis in food, CBD is a perfectly legal additive. It didn't start out like this though, with the initial legalization still keeping cannabis foods illegal. As of an update to the Cannabis Act in 2019, cannabis products can be used in food legally.
Australia – In 2018, both federal and local health officials decided the buying and selling of hemp products for food is legal. In order for it to be legal though, the products must contain less than .005% THC.
In all of the places mentioned, there is already legalization, a push toward it, or laws very close to it. It's not surprising that CBD would be accepted into food products, but it's also not surprising that in many places this would not be the case. So, let's take it up a notch.
As laws loosen relating to cannabis, CBD has shown up in more and more places, often no longer sharing the same legislation as the cannabis plant as a whole. This has been made possible by the lack of psychoactive properties in CBD, which has gotten it removed from a narcotics drug classification in many places. However, THC is still generally considered a narcotic. It's also a main part of the marijuana plant that has become increasingly popular to put in food. So, what are the laws governing THC in food?
US – It probably goes without saying that according to the US federal government, it's 100% illegal to use THC in a food product. However, for anyone who bought in a dispensary lately knows there's no shortage of cannabis edibles. Every recreational state allows the purchase of cannabis edibles, and many medical states do as well.
EU – In the EU, THC can be found legally in industrial hemp which must have a max of .2% by law. Some hemp is grown for food products under regulation number 1307/20131, which allows for hemp with the accepted THC amount to be used in this way. Apart from this, no actual legislation exists regarding THC and food, meaning individual member countries can implement their own laws.
Italy is an example of this. In January of this year, it's Ministry of Health confirmed THC is now permitted in food so long as the concentration coming from seeds and seed flower is no more than 2mg/kg which converts to about .0002%, and oil coming from seeds to have no more than 5mg/kg which equals about .0005%. While this is an impressive move simply considering and allowing THC, in reality it only allows trace amounts. This sort of legislation is quite different than legislation allowing for high-THC food products.
Germany is another example. In 1996 it lifted its ban on industrial hemp so long as it remained low-THC. Germany has been allowing limited THC in products for quite some time, with the current max level being 10-100 times lower than in the 1990's making for negligible, trace amounts.
Canada – Like the US free states, Canada allows for high-THC edibles. It is regulated by this table which shows the max amount to be 10mg per package.
Australia & New Zealand – In Australia, cannabis is technically still federally illegal (except in Canberra). In New Zealand there's actually a referendum (though non-binding) coming up next month to see if the people want to legalize recreational cannabis. However, both countries came together in 2017 to come up with the Food Regulation System priorities for 2017-2021. As part of this, low-THC hemp seeds can be used as food, and in food.
These are just some of the examples of where and how in the world THC shows up in food products. Obviously recreational markets see the most THC in edibles, but even non-legal countries have found ways to get THC in food, albeit in very small, pretty much negligible amounts.
Of course, just a few years ago, the only way to get THC in your food was to leach out the THC from the plant into hot butter (generally in your own home kitchen laboratory), and then bake up some nice cookies. At this rate, in another few years, 'special cookies' might end up on the menus of standard restaurants the world over.
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