Part I of this article series explores the concept of balancing leaf temperature to optimize plant growth.

Why Does Leaf Temperature Matter in a Commercial Grow Room?

What is the Clubhouse App and how is the cannabis industry getting involved?

Building Community Around Cannabis Science and Medicine on a New Platform: The Clubhouse App

March 2021 Issue

A research team comprised of Byers Scientific, Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa), and Texas-based odor experts recently reported the isolation and identification of a volatile chemical that might be the cause for the downwind skunky-like environmental odor complaints that have commonly plagued commercial cannabis and industrial hemp growing operations (1).

Through the use of a triangulation approach of analytical chemistry (such as solid phase microextraction [SPME] fiber, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry [GC–MS], and GC-olfactometry analysis), a leaf enclosure study, and field observation, researchers were able to isolate, identify, measure, and figure out that the compound 3-menthyl-2-butene-1-thiol (321 MBT) is the primary source of the cannabis odor. The compound is also the same odorous chemical previously reported to carry the responsibility for the skunky-like aroma and flavor defect in light-struck beer.

This odor of cannabis has often been tied to terpenes. The newly reported discovery of the link between “skunky’”cannabis and 321 MBT supports the assumption of a sulfur component within the chemical profile of the cannabis plant emission. In hindsight, the newfound link between “skunky” beer and cannabis should not be all that surprising because the “skunky” beer odor originates from hops, which are in the same plant family (

) as cannabis and hemp. Prior odorant efforts by the researchers has shown MBT to represent an odor impact priority for actual skunk oil, as extracted from the skunk musk gland. In previous investigations, MBT was adjudged as second in odor impact priority, second only to E-2-butene-1-thiol.

Even with the fascinating news of identifying the compound of cannabis’s odor, the researchers still urge for caution as this is only the first critical step in fully researching the issue. Leaf enclosure studies have disclosed other thiols present in the plant emissions, other compounds in the plant’s gas-phase emissions, and that atmospheric reactions may significantly affect the perception and measurement of 321 MBT. There are further research efforts underway to dig deeper into the evaluation of the odor and the most appropriate manner of mitigation.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/byers-scientific-iowa-state-university--odor-experts-identify-volatile-chemical-compound-responsible-for-cannabis-odor-complaints-301254409.html

Articles

Researchers from Byers Scientific, Iowa State University, and Texas-based odor experts identified the odor of cannabis.

Chemical Compound Causing Cannabis Odor Complaints Identified

Researchers in the US recently conducted a study which disclosed that a cannabis plant compound inhibited infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in human lung cells. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19, threatening global health and world economies (1,2). Marsha Rosner, PhD (3), and other colleagues from the University of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois) discovered that cannabidiol (CBD) and its metabolite 7-OH-CBD potently blocked SARS-CoV-2 replication in lung epithelial cells.

Through the combination of CBD and 7-OH-CBD, the expression of certain genes within the viral cells were inhibited and changes in gene expression within the lung cells that resulted from the presence of COVID-19 were reversed (4). Thus, CBD and 7-OH-CBD serve in both protective and therapeutic roles. CBD was also found to have the ability to block viral ribonucleic acid (RNA), including the coding for the spike protein, which is the tool the virus uses to enter our cells. “This study highlights CBD, and its active metabolite, 7-OH-CBD, as potential preventative agents and therapeutic treatments for SARS-CoV-2 at early stages of infection,” said Rosner and the team (1).

Even with recently approved vaccines being rolled out in many countries, the virus continues to spread rapidly, heightened by more-transmissible variants such as the B.1.1.7 variant. Rosner and her colleagues say that this highlights the need for alternative approaches, especially among populations with limited access to vaccines. Few therapies to date have been identified as being able to block SARS-CoV-2 replication and viral reproduction.

Primarily, the SARS-CoV-2 virus enters host cells through the binding of a surface viral protein—called spike protein— to the human host cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). From there, the viral genome is then translated into two large polypeptides that are severed by the viral proteases main protease (MPro) and papain-like protease (PLPro) to produce the proteins necessary for viral replication, assembly, and budding (1).

To analyze the effect of CBD on SARS-CoV-2 replication, the researchers pretreated A549 human lung carcinoma cells expressing ACE-2 (A549-ACE2) with 0-10 μM CBD for 2 hours before infecting them with SARS-CoV-2. Evaluation of the cells 48 hours later expressed CBD had potently inhibited viral replication in the cells. When CBD was assessed to possibly prevent proteolytic cleavage by MPro and PLPro, it was observed that CBD had no effect on the activity of either protease. This revelation led the team to hypothesize that CBD targets host cell processes. Consistent with their hypothesis, RNA sequencing of infected A549-ACE2 cells treated with CBD for 24 hours showed significant suppression of SARS-CoV-2-induced changes in gene expression. CBD was shown to have effectively eliminated viral RNA expression, which included RNA coding for the spike protein. It was also found that both SARS-CoV-2 and CBD triggered significant changes in cellular gene expression, such as the expression of several transcription factors. Further analysis of host cell RNA expressed that the virus-induced changes were almost completely reversed, though rather than the cells returning to a normal cell state, the CBD plus virus-infected cells resembled those treated with CBD alone.

Another critical finding researchers discovered was that CBD had “effectively reversed” the triggering of a hyperinflammatory response, also known as a “cytokine storm” which is brought on by the presence of the virus, restoring cells not to a previral level of inflation, but a state as if the cells had been treated with only CBD. A study completed near the end of 2020 by the Dental College of Georgia (DCG) (Augusta, Georgia) and the Medical College of Georgia (Augusta, Georgia) also had similar findings to the team from the University of Chicago (5). Cytokine storms have been one of the principal causes of death resulting from a COVID-19 infection. CBD was identified in reducing damage in the lungs spurred by cytokine storms caused from COVID-19 by normalizing levels of apelin, a peptide known to reduce inflammation, decreasing physical lung damage associated with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and improving oxygen levels. During a COVID-19 infection, these apelin levels were seen to be at very low levels. Rosner and her team stated that “CBD has the potential not only to act as an antiviral agent at early stages of infection but also to protect the host against an overactive immune system at later stages,” (1).

During the University of Chicago’s study, a range if other cannabinoids were also tested, but by the end of the trial, CBD was the only cannabinoid found to have any effect at all on COVID-19-infected cells. Limited-to-no antiviral activity was exhibited by the other cannabinoids investigated. CBD is often consumed as part of a 

 Sativa extract, which is also what led the team to consider investigating other cannabinoids with closely related structures to see if they would reveal similar or stronger results. The team hopes that CBD will continue to be investigated as a potential COVID-19 treatment following the research from their article about the study, which is currently under peer-review. “We advocate carefully designed placebo-controlled clinical trials with known concentrations and highly-characterized formulations in order to define CBD’s role in preventing and treating early SARS-CoV-2 infection,” the authors stated (4). Even with these impressive scientific breakthroughs, more is still needed to be researched on the medicinal properties of the cannabis plant and how it can be used to fight the global coronavirus pandemic.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210314/Cannabis-compound-inhibits-SARS-CoV-2-replication-in-human-lung-cells.aspx

https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/sars-cov-2

https://benmay.uchicago.edu/faculty/marsha-rosner-phd

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/cbd-was-found-to-prevent-viral-rna-expression-and-reverse-gene-changes-in-infected-lung-cells/

https://www.cannabissciencetech.com/view/covid-19-lung-inflammation-reduced-by-cbd

Recently, researchers performed a study which discovered that a cannabis plant compound inhibited COVID-19 infection in human lung cells.

Groundbreaking COVID-19 Study Shows CBD May Help Inhibit Infection

Dr. Richard Sams earned his Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in pharmaceutics from Ohio State University. After his time working as a research scientist at Ciba-Geigy Pharmaceuticals in Suffern, New York, he served as a faculty member in the Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy at OSU. There, he specialized in veterinary pharmacology and directed the testing and research activities of the Analytical Toxicology Laboratory, which is the official testing laboratory of the Ohio State Racing Commission. In 2001, Sams became a scientific consultant to the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium and became a member of its Scientific Advisory Committee.

From 2006–2010 Sams served as a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida where he was responsible for teaching veterinary clinical pharmacology and directing the Florida Racing Laboratory, the official testing laboratory of the Florida Department of Business Regulation Division of Racing. After his time at the University of Florida, Sams became the director of the HFL Sport Science Laboratory in Lexington, Kentucky. This laboratory was the official testing laboratory for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, the Indiana Racing Commission, the Maine Harness Racing Commission, the Virginia Racing Commission, the Puerto Rico Racing Authority, the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission, and the Trinidad & Tobago Racing Authority. Since 2019, Sams has held the role of the scientific director of 

, a cannabis testing and research laboratory located in Nicholasville, Kentucky.

Currently, Sams is serving on the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Association of Racing Commissioners International, Inc. In addition, he has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed scientific studies. Frequently, he is requested to consult on cannabis-related matters and the disposition of drugs and other substances in animals.

® Editorial Advisory Board please visist: 

www.cannabissciencetech.com/cannabis-science-and-technology-editorial-advisory-board

Cannabis Science and Technology® is pleased to announce the addition of Richard Sams to its editorial advisory board (EAB).

Richard Sams, PhD, Joins Cannabis Science and Technology®’s EAB

® are pleased to launch a free, live, five-part editor’s webcast series titled 

This unique series will take place during 2021, leveraging the expertise of these industry-leading publications and delivering insight and best practices on critical issues such as cultivation, extraction, processing, testing, third-party certifications, and much more.

Quality control is a crucial problem in the hemp cannabidiol (CBD) market. The quality gap is widening as more products enter the space. Government regulators, industry critics, and responsible market players understand many products in the market are failing to meet label claims. As competition grows in the CBD market, and as industry scrutiny increases, responsible companies must stand out by ensuring they employ industry best practices for putting credible, high-quality products on the shelf.

The first webcast, “Controlling THC Content,” kicks off on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at 3 p.m. EDT/2 p.m. CDT/12 p.m. PDT. During this session, hemp cultivation experts will explore the best practices and methods for controlling tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content. Experts will also provide an update on the legal landscape and challenges facing the industry.

 webcast series programs and dates are as follows:

 “Extraction and Processing Excellence” (May 2021).

 “Testing: Methods, Requirements, and Best Practices” (July 2021).

 “How to Choose the Right Testing Lab” (September 2021).

 “Meeting Label Claims and the Role of Certification” (November 2021).

Details on upcoming sessions will be announced in the next few months.

“Delivering direct access to trusted scientific news that is relevant and practical is key to our mission at MJH,” said Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences™, the parent company of 

®, we can provide those making and selling CBD products with the tools they need to ensure the quality of their products. Join us as we tap into the expertise of the CBD industry’s leading players and advisers.”

For more information and to register, click 

® is a multimedia platform that focuses on educating the legal cannabis industry about the science and technology of analytical testing, quality control, extraction and cultivation. The magazine is accompanied by an online component that provides relevant information and tutorials for all members of the cannabis industry.

® is the industry’s No. 1 resource for news and insights on dietary supplements, healthy foods and beverages. An award-winning business-to-business resource, 

® provides manufacturers with the nutrition and healthy ingredient news they need to get their business done right.

The 5-part program will dive deep into cultivation, extraction, processing, testing, third-party certifications, and more.

Cannabis Science and Technology® and Nutritional Outlook® Launch Expert-Driven Webcast Series on CBD Quality Control, Testing, and More

Cannabis education initiatives are expanding across the United States as students see the promise and excitement in this new industry. Excelsior College in Albany, New York recently created a Cannabis Control program, which is designed to prepare students with interests in legal and regulatory aspects of the cannabis industry. We recently spoke to Gretchen Schmidt, Faculty Program Director Criminal Justice Programs & Cannabis Control at Excelsior College, about the college’s graduate certificate program in further detail.


Can you tell us a little bit about your Graduate Certificate in Cannabis Control program?
Gretchen Schmidt:

 Excelsior College’s Cannabis Control Certificate is a three-course, 9-credit graduate certificate program developed in response to the relatively nascent and rapidly expanding legal cannabis sector. Over the last year, we have had numerous conversations with industry leaders and experts who have continually stressed the importance of understanding the regulatory complexities, and how they impact all aspects of industry. Our goal was to create an education program that could meet the demand for regulatory clarity and subject matter expertise within the industry. Given the illegality at the federal level, the varying ways that legalization has occurred at the state level has left even more variation at the local level. Understanding all of these are critical to participating in this industry. Our program was created with an interdisciplinary focus bringing students from business, criminal justice, public policy, public health, and cyber together to look at regulation, cannabis as commerce, and the risks associated with the industry. And we continually utilize input and guidance from industry leaders through our Industrial Advisory Committee.


How does your Graduate Certificate program in Cannabis Control prepare participants for the cannabis industry?

 This certificate focuses on the regulatory complexities because they are what guide all aspects of the cannabis industry. In order to be successful in this industry you must understand what you can and cannot do and the manner in which you can operate. 

As such, in the first course, students learn how cannabis legalization has had an impact on various institutions, entities, and individuals while also exploring the dilemmas between policy and legal regimes. They examine the importance of compliance and how to create standard operating procedures and employee training, develop a community plan. In the next course students look at the national and local laws and regulations that have shaped the current legalized cannabis industry. They study existing cannabis tax schemes, assess their impacts on businesses and effectiveness in meeting individual cannabis program goals, and suggest improvements, as well as develop strategies for businesses and governments to plan for and meet shifting tax burdens. They also analyze economic, legal, and public health implications of traceability and transport of cannabis and cannabis industry supporting products and explore how raw materials and products are traced through the supply chain. This course also has the student research the differences between cannabinoids and how laboratory tests protect the public from harmful microbial bacteria and pesticides, including the traceability process and regulations in place to facilitate a full product recall. In the last course, students explore the tensions between public safety, diversion, patient access and community integration along with advertising, marketing, sales, consumer use, and social equity. They learn through various stakeholder lenses such as regulators, operators, and consumers. Through these lenses they identify risks that can't be mitigated through an umbrella insurance policy such as technology and data standards and go through a site selection process, evaluating insurance policies and applications to mitigate risks associated with the cannabis industry. Finally, you will identify gaps in regulations and write regulations that address testing, public consumption, and social equity. The program is interdisciplinary in nature having students from multiple disciplines interacting together and learning how different aspects of the industry affect each other. One way this is accomplishes is through a class wiki which the students will contribute to in each of the courses and will serve as a living FAQ that they will keep as a valuable resource. Finally, the students generate an electronic portfolio to showcase their work in the program to present to prospective employers.

Are there any requirements for the program?

 This is a graduate degree, so a bachelor’s degree is required for admission. There are three avenues: 1) enrolling in the certificate program; 2) taking courses as electives in our current master’s degrees; and 3) enrolling in the concentrations for the MBA, MPA, MSCJ or MSHS which open in the Spring 2021 semester.

Have you seen an increased interest in the Cannabis Control program?

 Yes, inquiries for the Graduate Certificate in Cannabis Control have grown to 25% of all graduate level leads.

Why do people need specialized training and education to be able to succeed in the cannabis industry? How does supply chain management fit in?

 We know through market research and consultation with experts and advisors in the field that the regulatory environment is complex, with the federal government’s classification of cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug, and wide variations in levels of legalization across states (medical use versus non-medical). The implications are far reaching for both the existing criminal justice system—which has been criminalizing the use of cannabis—and public health which has also been treating cannabis as dangerous, with some notable exceptions around research-supported medical interventions. Such complexity requires improvements in education of individuals and organizations operating within the field including business, government, and nonprofits. As noted in the New York Department of Health’s report entitled, 

Assessment of the Potential Impact of Regulated Marijuana in New York State

 (1), “Implementation of a regulated marijuana program will require considerable planning as to the regulatory mechanisms needed to protect public health, provide consumer protection, and ensure public safety.”/We see this program providing a much-needed resource for organizations who are seeking ways to grapple with the challenges of moving in the industry from an unregulated to a regulated market.

Do you have any plans to grow your course offerings to include more cannabis industry-related courses? Or form a Bachelors/Master’s degree program?

 We are currently exploring options to expand at the bachelor’s level. From our inquiries thus far, we see a need for education at the undergraduate level. We continue to seek opportunities to best support a legal industry that some economic forecasts predict will be a $73 billion industry by 2027 (2). Leveraging our research and experts, along with our fully online delivery model, we will be able to provide high-quality, academically rigorous courses to support adult learners from diverse academic, geographic, and cultural backgrounds.

https://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/regulated_marijuana/docs/marijuana_legalization_impact_assessment.pdf

https://www.wecannca.com/the-untapped-potential-of-the-cannabis-industry/

Gretchen Schmidt, Faculty Program Director Criminal Justice Programs & Cannabis Control at Excelsior College, discusses the graduate certificate program offered at her college.

Excelsior College’s Cannabis Education Program Strengthens Interest in the Industry

Seed-to-sale traceability and management software options offer cannabis businesses the technology and systems to help maintain compliance. In the ever-increasing regulatory landscape, this type of compliance and management has never been more important. Chase Towery, the chief operating officer of Cultivera, recently spoke with us about his company, some of the concerns affecting supply management in the cannabis industry, and more.

Can you tell us a little bit about Cultivera?
Chase Towery

: Cultivera’s seed-to-sale traceability and management software solutions are built to help licensed cannabis enterprises stay on top of their operations and compliance with ease. Our easy-to-use, vertically integrated platform for cannabis business operations has something for everyone in the industry: cultivators, producers, processors, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and dispensaries.

When we launched in 2016, we researched and built software from the ground up with the help of a diverse set of cannabis operators looking to solve their largest pain points. Now we provide solutions for every stage of the cannabis industry and have grown to serve some of the best in the business.

Our flagship solution, Cultivera Pro, offers streamlined traceability for cannabis operators geared toward maintaining compliance for their local jurisdiction. Pro offers enterprise and compliance solutions that keep businesses running smoothly and offer peace of mind, such as harvest and waste tracking; business tools; automated inventory; insights, and reporting; cannabis relationship management; B2B sales portals; comprehensive analytics; and much more.


Why is supply management an important area for the cannabis industry to address?

: In emerging legal cannabis states, specific legislative decisions significantly impact early supply, prices, and price fluctuations to both patients and consumers as the supply and demand within each closed market stabilizes. Often these decisions are made with other, well-meaning intent that have unintended consequences to the supply chain. In the end, this leaves cannabis business operators with a lot of challenges and hurdles to overcome all along the supply chain. More importantly, being a supplier in the cannabis industry comes with the responsibility to ensure transparency in the supply chain by managing supply in a way that abates the concerns of all stakeholders. Visibility of a product’s life cycle is of utmost importance when we are talking about consumer-packaged goods that patients and consumers put in, or on, their body.

What kind of issues are there in supply chain custody and how do they affect your business or your client’s businesses?

: When states launch their regulated markets and licensees begin building out their operations, it’s easy to see where the gaps are in supply chains and regulations surrounding them. The most important things to consider when evaluating the supply chain of emerging cannabis markets are:

How prior industry (if it existed) is incorporated into the new regulated market.

What regulatory bottlenecks are introduced.

How heavily the license count or total canopy is regulated.

How interoperability is addressed to ensure frictionless movement of products in the supply chain.

All these considerations should put the wellbeing of the end user (patient or consumer) at the forefront. While the terms “chain of custody” and “supply chain” seem industrial, at the very core they are intended to safeguard products that end up in the hands of the end users. What we have seen is the lack of a comprehensive set of standards to identify, capture, and share information about products throughout their lifecycle, which are providing the core foundation for interoperability across the supply chain.

Can you tell us how your software tracks the entire cannabis supply chain?

: Cultivera software allows licensed cannabis operators to track their plants or products throughout the seed-to-sale supply chain. Cultivera Pro is integrated with Metrc and local regulatory bodies so that throughout each stage, Cultivera brings in-demand automation and efficiency at every turn. From plant and harvest tracking to sales and relationship management, inventory, invoicing to label templates, bill of materials (BOMs) to business to business (B2B) sales, and compliance reporting to analytics. We go beyond the “who, what, when, where, and why” dimensions of a state mandated traceability system to provide cannabis business operators with sufficient business context to effectively use data that extends far beyond traceability. More importantly, at Cultivera we understand the importance of providing more than just business software. We offer a complete solution that encompasses subject-matter expertise and unparalleled support. This translates into true savings related to the time and costs associated with labor, where manual data entry has previously been the standard.

We are committed to keeping cultivators, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers compliant while freeing up valuable time and resources, driven by the notion that it is our responsibility to provide confidence to the industry as a whole.

How do the different regulations of states throughout the United States affect the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) cannabis supply chain? Is there a lot of product waste?

: From a software or business operations perspective, the existence of regulations in some places and not others lead to constant changes, insecurity, and instability—for business operators and consumers alike. When you’re working with a product that is only legal on a state-by-state basis, the usual methods of everything from sales, inventory, advertising, and supply chain management don’t always apply. This instability creates inconsistent, ongoing challenges for cannabis business operators in every region and stage of supply.

It’s pretty clear that the instability and inconsistency of this state-by-state model often causes conflicts for licensed businesses within any given locale. A clear example of this is seen in states that transition from one method of sale (such as a medical-only market) to another. This prior industry and infrastructure can be critically helpful to a new regulated industry, but the transition can be destabilizing to the existing market and consumers.

For example, Washington state had a strong medical market until the passing of i502 (1), which introduced a new recreational sales market. When the new regulated market was introduced, the pre-existing industry offered insights into operating procedures, supply chains, and regulations. However, anyone in the industry wanting to participate in the new regulated industry created by i502 essentially needed to start fresh within the framework of i502. This process essentially ended the state’s previously strong medical market and drastically altered the supply chain for medical cannabis providers and patients.

https://ballotpedia.org/Washington_Marijuana_Legalization_and_Regulation,_Initiative_502_(2012)

Chase Towery, the COO of Cultivera, discusses his company, the concerns affecting supply management in the cannabis industry, and much more.

A Look at How Seed-to-Sale Management Software Alleviates Supply Management Issues

Hemp Processing Partners in partnership with United Precision Engineering announced a new state-of-the-art hemp refinery facility. The establishment is able to handle 15,000 pounds (lbs) per hour of dried hemp. The process starts with isolating seed and flower from the stalk of the plant. From there, the stalks are fed into a vertical decordification mill.

After these processes, the size and product choice can be decided. These hemp refinery facilities have been developed to be a central hub for hemp processing for numerous areas in the market. The facilities can also be adapted to any geographical climate with their large-scale drying system.

“We ensure quality throughout the process by using computerized process control equipment as well as RFID tracking through every phase of production,” said Drew Pritchard, Consultant/Engineering Tech of Hemp Processing Partners. “Each custom facility has a unique SOP written for them as well as training and continued support for their systems.”

Hemp Processing Partners and United Precision Engineering  unveiled a new state-of-the-art hemp refinery facility.

New Hemp Refinery Facility Unveiled by Hemp Processing Partners and United Precision Engineering

Two industry-leading establishments, Byers Scientific & Manufacturing and Pacific Environmental Analytics, recently announced that they would be joining together under one roof. The new company launch is called Byers Scientific (Byers), and through this internal restructuring, Byers will continue to further expand their comprehensively data-driven odor mitigation solutions across numerous industries (1).

Byers Mitigation Technologies, previously Byers Scientific & Manufacturing, has played a prominent role as a designer, engineer, and manufacturer of equipment for the industrial odor management industry since 2014. Their patented dry vapor-phase odor mitigation systems have reportedly been indispensable to various industrial-scale facilities. Through their extensive approach, clients and customers are able to achieve regulatory compliance and effectively decrease energy and water consumption, thus helping the environment and paving the way for a more sustainable future.

The former Pacific Environmental Analytics, now Byers Emissions Analysis (BEA), was created in 2019. Its goal was to offer a different approach for assessing and managing commercial agriculture, as well as industrial emissions. Initiated by scientists Dr. Alex Guenther and Dr. William Vizuete, BEA engaged in pioneering gas-phase emissions testing and analysis to analyze the impact of cultivation, processing, and extraction on air quality using site-specific emissions modeling.

Byers newest company division is Byers Intelligent Systems. The technology they offer is accessible to other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to expand automation capabilities, gather critical data, improve equipment efficiencies, and grow revenue.

Through the combination of Byers Mitigation Technologies, Emissions Analysis, and Intelligent Systems, the company is better able to supply clients and customers to face today’s intricate odor and emissions challenges found throughout numerous industries. Byers uses data-driven mitigation and monitoring systems, as well as science to decrease liability connected with emissions and odor from commercial cannabis, solid waste, industrial- composting, and much more.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/byers-scientific-announces-new-company-structure-to-deliver-innovative-and-sustainable-industrial-scale-odor-mitigation-solutions-301227438.html

Byers Scientific & Manufacturing and Pacific Environmental Analytics  have united together to become Byers Scientific (Byers).

Byers Scientific Announces New Business Structure and New Sustainable Industrial-Scale Odor Mitigation Solutions

In a recent press release (1), the formation of the largest coalition of its kind was announced—the US Cannabis Council (USCC), a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization. The USCC will strategically align and unify its members’ views collectively to continue to advance cannabis reform. USSC is compiled of some of the top cannabis businesses, associations, and advocacy organizations residing in the US.

Through this impressive alliance of individuals, businesses, and organizations, they plan to bring an end to the federal cannabis prohibition, work on securing federal reforms that will assist in the fight for social equity, and promote safe, fair, and well-regulated markets throughout the nation as states legalize cannabis.

“USCC is a unified voice advocating for the descheduling and legalization of cannabis,” said USCC Interim CEO Steven Hawkins, a leader in civil and human rights who also serves as Executive Director of the Marijuana Policy Project, a founding member of USCC (1). “Legalization at both the state and federal level must include provisions ensuring social equity and redress for harms caused to communities impacted by cannabis prohibition.”

By uniting together, USCC seeks to raise ethical standards within the cannabis industry, help get justice for the communities that were disproportionately impacted because of misguided federal and state policies, and build an inclusive well-regulated cannabis industry that includes financial, environmental, and social benefits partaken by all.

In Washington, D.C., congressional leaders are already eager to begin working with the USCC. The newly formed coalition plans on becoming a leading resource in the US so that it has stronger ability to influence policy change occurring at both the federal and state levels.

“As founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, I’ve seen firsthand that our most successful cannabis wins have been secured by a team,” said U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore (1). “That’s why I am glad to see this first-of-its-kind alliance. We have a unique opportunity in the 117th Congress to advance cannabis reform, but we must remain united to create the change we know is possible. I look forward to welcoming the United States Cannabis Council to Washington, D.C. and working together toward meaningful policy change in the months and years ahead."

“Today the cannabis industry has mobilized to make our message clear—we must deschedule and legalize cannabis, and it is critical that it is done the right way,” said Christian Sederberg, USCC’s Acting Board Chairman and a partner at national cannabis law firm Vicente Sederberg, a founding member of USCC (1). “After so many years working towards meaningful reform, it’s inspiring to see the diverse group of partners who have formed this collective voice, and together, we are hopeful that true, meaningful federal cannabis reform is within reach.”

The founding members of the USCC exemplify some of the most influential business and policy organizations in the cannabis industry. For every five board appointments, the USCC will reserve an additional board seat for members that represent specific areas of focus, such as, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as well as other environmental concerns.

Founding members of the USCC consist of multi-state and standalone associations, businesses, and advocacy organizations located throughout North America (1), including:

American Trade Association of Cannabis and Hemp

Association for Cannabis Health Equity and Medicine

If you are interested in becoming involved with the USCC or for more information, please visit 

. The website also contains a full list of the USCC organization members (2).

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210208005220/en/Top-Cannabis-Businesses-Associations-and-Advocacy-Organizations-Join-Forces-to-Launch-U.S.-Cannabis-Council

Top cannabis establishments in the industry form the US Cannabis Council (USCC) to help landscape the future of cannabis.

Top Cannabis Innovators Combine to Launch US Cannabis Council

In October 2020, a merger was announced between Helix Technologies, Inc. and Medical Outcomes Research Analytics, LLC (MOR Analytics). With this agreement the two companies will run under a new name Forian Inc., continuing to produce innovative healthcare information, analytics, and technology as a new organization. Both Helix Technologies, Inc. and MOR Analytics will go through an all-stock transaction with MOR Analytics members owning approximately 72% and Helix shareholders will own the remaining 28% of the newly combined business on a fully diluted basis. Helix shareholders will also receive .027 shares of Forian common stock for each share of Helix common stock. Forian shares received by the company’s merger are planned to be treated as a tax-free exchange for federal income tax purposes and the newly formed company will also have an excess of $10 million in cash available. In addition, there will be no incurring of new debt to affect the combination.

“We are thrilled to add Helix's unique technology and information assets to our innovative de-identified patient health data and analytics platform,” said Dan Barton, MOR Analytics Chief Executive Officer (CEO) (1). “We have created the nation's only HIPAA compliant, Real World Evidence platform integrating cannabis and de-identified healthcare data designed to support SaaS based business performance analytics, product safety and efficacy surveillance solutions, and evidence-based health outcomes research

 Our U.S.-based healthcare and cannabis clients can leverage data-driven insights to achieve improved patient health outcomes and business performance. We are excited to welcome the Helix platform and recognize the top-tier results produced by Zachary and his team over the last several years.”

Helix CEO Zachary Venegas also commented on the announcement (1). “As Helix has grown into one of the leading global providers of software used in the cannabis industry, we have prioritized value-added solutions, innovation, and outstanding execution at every opportunity. With today's important announcement, this commitment is being taken to the next level. Joining with MOR adds a completely new and critical dimension to Helix's capabilities that will further advance the commercial success of customers using our BioTrack and Cannalytics technology suites.”

Both companies trust that there are momentous synergistic opportunities to create value through combining MOR’s proprietary data and proven experience in data architecture, technology, and analytics with Helix’s operating software business. Through this unification, it creates the largest proprietary, integrated, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant US cannabis Real World Evidence and commercial analytics platform. With this platform, it plans to (1):

Deliver evidence-based insight into the safety and efficacy of ethical pharmaceuticals and cannabis products to better equip physicians, caregivers, cannabis stakeholders, and patients with credible evidence to improve patient care and health outcomes through access to observational research.

Provide a SaaS-based platform serving multiple verticals including life sciences, government, payers, providers, and cannabis dispensaries, manufacturers, and cultivators with the information and intelligence to better understand their products, customers, and the dynamics of a rapidly changing marketplace to drive commercial performance across segments.

Empower regulators to more granularly assess the safety, health, social, and economic outcomes associated with all therapeutic options as the cannabis market scales and cannabinoid-based therapies are adopted as mainstream therapeutic alternatives.

Deliver one of the most advanced data management, software, and analytics products to power the business performance of Helix's large and growing, installed customer base.

Forian Inc. shall be maintaining their headquarters in Newton, PA, as well as offices in Fort Lauderdale, FL and Denver, CO. Dan Barton, CEO of MOR Analytics is now the CEO of Forian Inc. Max Wygod, co-founder of MOR Analytics is now the Executive Chairman of the Board. Adam Dublin, co-founder of MOR Analytics is now the Chief Strategy Officer and Director. Zachary Venegas, Executive Chairman and CEO of Helix and Scott Ogur, Chief Financial Officer of Helix, are remaining onboard and continuing to manage Helix alongside their MOR Analytics counterparts. Forian Inc.’s Board of Directors includes 11 directors, comprised by Marty Wygod, Max Wygod, Adam Dublin, Dan Barton, Scott Ogur, and six new independent directors. The merger and stock proceedings are expected to close sometime within the first quarter of 2021.

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/10/19/2110397/0/en/Helix-Technologies-Inc-and-Medical-Outcomes-Research-Analytics-LLC-to-Combine.html

Helix Technologies, Inc. and MOR Analytics have announced the unification of their two companies, becoming Forian Inc..

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