Dr. Arno Hazekamp discusses the formation of the new coalition as well as their goals, research, and education initiatives.

The Legal Cannabis Coalition: Part I

In December 2018, Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill (1), which was a groundbreaking piece of legislation that legalized the sale and cultivation of industrial hemp and its derivatives after decades of prohibition. For quite some time, lawmakers, advocates, and stakeholders have pressed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to create a regulation structure to assist the industry. Recently, the FDA did just that by releasing a draft guidance on developing cannabis-based drugs (2).

These FDA guidelines come weeks after the White House announced it had completed reviewing the draft guidance (3). The new document (2) mentions that the guidance is “limited to the development of human drugs and does not cover other FDA regulated products.” The draft documentation is meant to provide an outline for drug manufacturing. The agency is currently still working on developing guidelines that will allow cannabidiol (CBD) to be marketed and sold as a food item or supplement. CBD has increased in popularity in recent years because of its potential for treating medical conditions.

“A range of stakeholders have expressed interest in the development of drugs that contain cannabis and other compounds found in cannabis. Recent legislative changes have also opened new opportunities for cannabis clinical research. As that body of research progresses and grows, the FDA is working to support drug development in this area,” said FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Amy Abernethy (4).

Some of the legislative changes Abernathy is referring to is the 2018 Farm Bill, legalizing industrial hemp with less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Researchers are now able to use industrial hemp from any source as long as it doesn’t exceed the allowed THC limit and not limiting them to use from the University of Mississippi, which is the country’s only federally authorized cannabis manufacturer.

In the new draft guidance, there is an emphasis on THC testing, mentioning that investigators and sponsors may find it beneficial to calculate the level of delta-9 THC early in the development process of their proposed investigational drug product so that they can gain better insight into the potential control status. The document also provides step-by-step guidance on how to test for THC on a dry weight basis according to the FDA’s standards (4).

The FDA is receptive to the public and has opened a 60-day comment period for stakeholders to display any opinions on the proposed research guidelines.

https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/2018-farm-bill

https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/cannabis-and-cannabis-derived-compounds-quality-considerations-clinical-research-guidance-industry

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/white-house-completes-review-of-cbd-guidance-from-fda/

https://www.cannabisnewswire.com/420-with-cnw-fda-finally-releases-cannabis-research-guidelines/

Articles

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released a draft guidance on developing cannabis-based drugs. These guidelines come weeks after the White House announced it had completed reviewing the draft guidance.

FDA Releases Cannabis Research Guidelines

, has been studying cannabinoids in humans for 14 years. As a cannabis research scientist based in Colorado, her work focuses on the clinical pharmacology of cannabinoids. She is also a 2018 recipient of the ElSohly Award. 

 sat down with Dr. Klumpers to discuss her interest in neuroscience, her most significant work, success stories from Cannify, an online science-matching tool, and more.

Can you talk about your interest in neuroscience—how it developed, what were your original goals?

 Neurosciences and its sub-fields are endlessly fascinating due to the nature and the incredibly wide variety of areas to explore—I am not using the adjectives loosely. The core of our being, our consciousness is housed inside of our brains. Some parts of neuroscience study our behavior or how we make decisions; it investigates the mechanisms of action: how do the cells work and communicate? How can you influence their workings? Is it possible to map the interactions of these billions of cells mathematically? How do findings translate from one organism to another?

All these aspects attracted me during my high school years and made me decide to take the route of neuroscience. I was particularly interested in consciousness and artificially manipulating the nervous system, for example, by developing new types of input that enable humans to observe stimuli that we would usually not be able to catch.

And how did the clinical pharmacology of cannabinoids fit into that?

 It seems far-fetched, but pharmacological manipulation is closely related to that. In clinical neuropsychopharmacology, scientists also focus on developing compounds that manipulate the nervous system. In this case, they focus on treating psychiatric and neurologic disorders pharmacologically. The potential of cannabinoid treatments goes beyond psychiatry and neurology: the compounds that I started working on in 2006 were also addressing metabolic dysfunctions like obesity and associated disorders.

What are some of the most significant findings during your 14 years of studying cannabinoids in humans?

 With so much current focus on the plant and its recreational use, people might sometimes forget about the potential of targeting the endocannabinoid system in alternative ways. Our findings have supported the analysis of the therapeutic potential of 

 (compounds that can block the effects induced by the cannabis compound tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]) that were developed to treat obesity and metabolic disorders, cannabinoid toxicity, substance abuse, etc. We 

 that these findings would coincide with limiting severe side-effects of THC. Only recently was this research picked up again after a good 10 years of a disappointing hibernation. Next, we found a correlation between feeling high and a potentially related brain area using 

, and we unintentionally spotted plasma (blood) concentration and effect differences between males and females after using THC. We also found that the sublingual THC-tablets that we studied 

did not have a superior absorption and plasma concentration profile

 compared to the oral THC-tablets. These oral THC tablets are now undergoing patient studies with the goal of regulatory approval for treating disorders.

Can you talk about the awards and honors you’ve received and the significance of your work—how has it advanced the science of cannabinoids?

 I am very honored that people that I look up to have spotted our work and awarded it. While I was still a Ph.D. candidate, our work on the pharmacological brain imaging with the cannabis compound THC earned an award from the International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS). The 

 awarded me its publication prize for a study that our team performed in collaboration with a Danish company. That study was quite complex. We stimulated the cannabinoid system in volunteers by giving them THC while testing two different cannabinoid antagonists. The volunteers had to come to our site more than five times. Of the two compounds we studied, only one was supposed to act on the brain, meaning that the investigational product should decrease the THC-induced heart rate increase while keeping the volunteers feeling high if it worked as intended. It turned out that 

The most recent award, the ElSohly Award, was handed out by 

, the cannabis chemistry subdivision of the American Chemical Society. I find it gratifying to have received this prize, as I tend to feel a bit different, being a clinical pharmacologist among hardcore chemists that are associated with CANN, even though they try to convince me otherwise. This cross-pollination of complementary disciplines is especially valuable for mutual understanding, education, and the advancement of the science field. It is not just a theoretical concept, as my presence there has resulted in collaborations that extend beyond the reach that, otherwise, other companies and we are not able to accomplish alone. Now we can all achieve more as a team.

Some scientific findings have an enormous immediate impact on their field, or even society, whereas many others can take centuries before they get applied, such as the knowledge that vitamin C prevents and treats scurvy. From the 

 that have cited our published studies, I see our work can be a solid foundation for others to build on and have a substantial impact. We have contributed to the understanding of 

how cannabinoids affect our brains and other organs

. How this can further develop, especially with the revival of cannabinoid antagonist research, is yet to be seen.

What type of success stories have come out of Cannify? And what are your future plans for this online product + science-matching tool?

 For many entrepreneurs, it is tempting to dive into the business aspects, but real success to me is observing how much our work is appreciated. It is empowering to start with nothing other than an idea, decide to make it into something tangible, and end up with a product, 

, that companies buy and thousands of people all over the world use! It is a unique experience that I cherish deeply. I am proud that we have recently expanded our features and 

 to a variety of Cannify Quizzes that can be applied online, in stores, or for marketing and raffle purposes. We also made a 

 in which you can track your results, save your favorite products, and explore our more than 1,500 product database.

We are now carefully starting to roll out our specialized cannabis tools for application in clinics, but we take our time, especially with the current coronavirus crisis.

What do you have planned for future research?

 In 2020, we were planning on presenting new analyses and modeling what we did on Cannify’s database during the conference season, in collaboration with a research institute in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus crisis, this will not be happening. However, we are happy to be co-authoring a sleep survey study with physician-researchers from a sleep expertise center that should get published this year. Later this year, I hope to be part of the research that studies various THC and cannabidiol (CBD) ratios in relation to pain, as well as a deep dive into CBD breakdown compounds, which we should perform in collaboration with a research institution and an academic hospital. Due to dependencies on grants and company funds in some cases, you can never be sure you will finish your research until you carry it out to the end and obtain the data. After 2020, I plan to contribute to more research in the realm of psychiatric and neurologic disorders and polypharmacy, and take deeper dives into personalized medicine.

Dr. Linda Klumpers discusses her interest in neuroscience, her most significant work, success stories from Cannify—an online science-matching tool—and more.

Cannabinoids + Clinical Pharmacology: A Q&A with Dr. Linda Klumpers

SP Industries recently announced a distribution partnership agreement with Ecodyst Inc. (1). According to the press release, during sample preparation, evaporation is used when samples need to be dried before being analyzed. Ecodyst offers a full range of single sample evaporators from benchtop to industrial models. Those models all reportedly provide self-cooling condenser technology for maximum efficiency, lower environmental impact, and sample quality. If multiple samples require to be dried, SP Genevac parallel centrifugal evaporators reportedly eradicate the solvent drying bottleneck in the drug discovery and synthetic organic chemistry laboratory. The systems are equipped with Genevac Dri-Pure patented anti-bumping technology, ranging from benchtop to high throughput scale and are proven to be capable of removing the most difficult solvent mixtures without compromising sample purity or integrity.

“This new partnership enables our SP Genevac brand to be the comprehensive, one-stop-shop for all evaporation solutions,” said SP Industries CEO Brian Larkin in the company’s press release (1). “Ecodyst's revolutionary single sample evaporator line complements our SP Genevac world-renowned centrifugal evaporators for parallel sample evaporation and together lets us work with customers more effectively to help streamline and accelerate the drug discovery process.”

George Adjabeng, CEO of Ecodyst commented (1) that his company is passionate about their innovative devices for the laboratory equipment industry. “This new partnership with SP is a significant milestone for Ecodyst and it will enable us to make these products available to more customers worldwide,” said Adjabeng (1).

"We are excited to partner with a like-minded organization that approaches product design with a keen understanding of the needs and challenges facing today's customers. Having a broader offering that includes single sample evaporators is particularly relevant for those engaged in pharmaceutical and cannabis sample preparation workflows,” said Larkin (1).

https://www.spscientific.com/News/SP_Industries_Announces_Partnership_Agreement_with_Ecodyst_to_Distribute_Single_Sample_Evaporation_Systems/

SP Industries recently announced a distribution partnership agreement with Ecodyst Inc., benefitting both companies evaporation equipment.

SP Industries and Ecodyst Announce Partnership to Distribute Single Sample Evaporation Systems

Agilent Technologies Inc. recently announced new solutions for the cannabis and hemp testing markets. The Agilent eMethods product, Cannabis and Hemp Potency Kit, and Cannabis Pesticide and Mycotoxin Kit help testing laboratories create easy and effective solutions to get them running quickly.

In the company’s press release (1) they stated that “developing reliable testing protocols for complex matrices such as cannabis and hemp is arduous and time-consuming, especially for newer laboratories.” The Agilent eMethods product reportedly administers downloadable ready-to-run instrumental methods with an end-to-end workflow that addresses different testing needs and also offers guidance on sample preparation, consumables, and supplies. Aside from those benefits, the program also yields a complete analytical system configuration for automation, sample introduction, separation, detection, and is enabled with data processing and reporting capabilities.

“The fledgling market of cannabis and hemp testing has an urgent need for solutions that help ensure efficiency as well as regulatory compliance,” said Monty Benefiel, Agilent Vice President, and General Manager of the Mass Spectrometry Division (1). “Our new tool—Agilent eMethods—along with the Cannabis and Hemp Potency Kit and Cannabis Pesticide and Mycotoxin Kit gives labs a head start in establishing testing procedures, increasing productivity and profitability, and greatly reducing risk.”

Agilent’s new solutions support laboratories by providing fast setup and simplification of the analysis of the complex matrices that are involved with cannabis and hemp testing. Beginning with sample preparation all the way through to testing, these kits will reportedly allow laboratories to better navigate diverse regulations, which helps them stay up-to-date and compliant.

https://www.agilent.com/about/newsroom/presrel/2020/30jul-ca20019.html

Agilent Technologies Inc. recently announced new solutions for the cannabis and hemp testing markets.

Agilent Technologies Inc. Introduces New Cannabis and Hemp Potency and Pesticide/Mycotoxin Testing Solutions

United Kingdom-based biotechnology firm Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies (OCT), which researches using cannabinoids to treat acute and chronic health conditions, announced the appointment of Dr. Valentino Parravicini, PhD, as their new Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). With this new position, Parravicini will help support OCT’s goal of developing cannabinoid-based prescription medicine for ailments ranging from oncology and pain to immunology and neurology.

Parravicini has a lengthy and distinguished career in the medical fields of oncology, immunology, and inflammation. He has led revolutionary in vitro and in vivo projects as well as initiated award-winning work in the fields of pharma and biotech.

“I am delighted to be joining the team at Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies whose reputation precedes them,” said Parravicini in the company’s press release (1). “OCT’s search for transformative therapies to meet currently unmet medical needs is a perfect match with my past professional experience and my unquenchable desire to see how we can best harness cannabinoids to transform the lives of millions of people so that they live longer, more active lives.”

“We are thrilled to have Valentino come on board. He has exactly the right kinds of skills sets that we need to help take OCT on the next stage of its exciting journey,” said John Lucas, Chief Commercial Officer of OCT (1). “This is a time of extraordinary and dynamic change and innovation in our sector and we are delighted to have him at our side to help us be that change and make it come alive for millions of sufferers around the world.”

Parravicini will be overseeing OCT’s drug discovery and development studies, which include the preclinical development of OCT461201—the company’s lead, highly selective and potent CB2 agonist. OCT461201 is suspected to be a potentially effective treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other various diseases. Aside from research trials, Parravicini will be working with OCT’s lead business and research partners and also looking into developing new research partnerships with other leading academic and commercial institutions located around the world.

https://www.oxcantech.com/news-article/oct-appoints-dr-valentino-parravicini-as-chief-scientific-officer

United Kingdom-based biotechnology firm Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies (OCT) announced the appointment of Dr. Valentino Parravicini, PhD, as their new Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).

New Chief Scientific Officer Appointed by Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies to Further Cannabinoid-Based Prescription Medicine

® is excited to announce a webcast partnership with the Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC INTERNATIONAL) Cannabis Analytical Science Program (CASP). The partnership will include quarterly webcasts spotlighting CASP’s three working groups, which are developing standards for cannabinoids levels, chemical contaminants and pathogens in cannabis, marijuana, and hemp. Webcasts also may cover CASP activities such as training and laboratory proficiency testing.

The first webcast presentation will focus on the cannabinoid working group and is planned for September 2020.

“We see tremendous value in the work that CASP and AOAC bring to the cannabis community, and we support their mission to develop standards and methods,” said Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences™, parent company of 

“Developing globally recognized scientific methods for validating the safety, potency, and label claims of consumer cannabis products is critical to protecting public health,” said Scott Coates, program lead for CASP. “As one of the world’s most trusted leaders in consensus scientific standards for food safety, AOAC is uniquely placed to play this role.”

® also is excited to present an e-book summarizing these webcasts, as well as key interviews and new content with thought leaders. As cannabis legalization increases across the U.S., it is more important than ever for scientists to develop strong standards and methods for cannabis testing, quality control and more.

“As our partnership grows, we hope to help CASP find more volunteers for their working groups developing sound scientific methods that are so important to earning public confidence in the cannabis industry,” said Stephanie Shaffer, group publisher of 

® 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 and provides relevant information and tutorials for all members of the cannabis industry. 

™, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

AOAC INTERNATIONAL brings together government, industry, and academia to establish standard methods of analysis that ensure the safety and integrity of foods and other products that impact public health around the world. AOAC’s Cannabis Analytical Science Program (CASP) was formed to develop the consensus-driven standards and methods needed to promote accuracy in label potency claims and to address public safety issues such as pathogens and residual solvents. CASP is developing analytical tools for accurate measurement of CBD in hemp plants and derived ingredients, dietary supplements and pet foods. Scientists interested in working on CASP are encouraged to contact Scott Coates, CASP program lead at AOAC, at 


Alexandra Ventura, 609-716-7777, ext. 121


Cannabis Science and Technology® is excited to announce a webcast partnership with the Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC INTERNATIONAL) Cannabis Analytical Science Program (CASP).

Cannabis Science and Technology® Partners With AOAC’s Cannabis Analytical Science Program to Host Quarterly Webcasts

With much still unknown about the COVID-19 virus that emerged near the end of 2019, researchers are trying to grapple with the challenges it brings. Experts are struggling to keep up with the virus as it continues to infect others. With no known cure or vaccine, new treatment options are being investigated. Cannabis has found its way onto the list of potential COVID-19 treatments. Researchers are examining both cannabis terpenes and cannabis-derived cannabidiol (CBD). It is assumed that these alternative options may be able to offer some health benefits to those individuals experiencing severe symptoms (1). It is theorized that CBD may be able to reduce Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression and pro-inflammatory cytokine production to help combat lung inflammation and be used as an antiviral. Unfortunately, there have been very few studies orchestrated to test these theories.

However, new evidence is emerging strengthening the case for CBD. Researchers at Augusta University (Augusta, Georgia) led by Babak Baban, PhD, Department of Oral Biology and Diagnostic Sciences, DCG, DCG Center for Excellence in Research, performed a study proposing that CBD could provide positive results for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) which is seen in severe patients of COVID-19 due to an overactive inflammatory response (2). ARDS can also be referred to as “cytokine storm.” Authors of the study explained that, “currently, other than supportive measures, there is no definitive cure for ARDS, illustrating the urgent need for creative and effective therapeutic modalities to treat this complex condition” (1).

The researchers suggested that CBD may offer some benefits to help reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine production by reducing specific cytokines like interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1B, and IL-17. With those cytokines targeted, inflammation may be brought down, ending the respiratory distress and preventing further damage. The results from Augusta University’s study backed this theory.

To perform this study, researchers used mice that were given a treatment called Poly (I:C) which artificially induced ARDS, recreating the symptoms seen in severe cases of COVID-19. Thus, creating the “cytokine storm.” Blood oxygen saturation was reduced by 10%. The storm also produced structural damages to the lungs of the mice subjects. With the mice experiencing these symptoms and respiratory distress, they were then given CBD. The results after getting CBD proved that it could be a powerful tool in treating ARDS.

The authors reported, “These symptoms were totally or partially reversed and returned to the level and condition of normal after treatment with CBD,” (1).

Mice that were treated with CBD experienced reduced expression of IL-6, which is an important factor for cytokine storms, as well as lowered levels of other proinflammatory cytokines. CBD treatment aided in reversing inflammatory indices and partially reestablishing homeostasis. Another exciting find of the study was that mice who received the CBD treatment also showed increases in lymphocyte levels in their blood, which are vital white blood cells that help fight off infections. Researchers of the study believe that CBD could play an immunotherapeutic role in treating other severe respiratory viral infections similar to COVID-19.

“The current data support the notion that the anti-inflammatory function of CBD may reduce cytokine storm and mitigate the effects of exaggerated inflammation” the authors explain (1). Further adding that, “considering all potential regulatory effects of CBD as well as the vast distribution of endocannabinoid system in the body, it is plausible that CBD may be used as a therapeutic candidate in the treatment of various inflammatory conditions including COVID-19 and other virus-induced ARDS.”

With this being an early study, more research needs to be performed, particularly on human subjects with COVID-19 related ARDS to validate and expand this therapeutic strategy. This evidence on the additional health benefits of CBD provides hope in the uncharted waters of not only COVID-19 but other illnesses as well, hopefully ending the stigma of this enlightening cannabis plant.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilyearlenbaugh/2020/07/15/cbd-for-coronavirus-new-study-adds-evidence-for-cannabis-as-covid-19-treatment/#36369640382d

H. Khodadadi, É. Lopes Salles, A. Jarrahi, F. Chibane, V. Costigliola, J.C. Yu, K. Vaibhav, D.C. Hess, K.M. Dhandapani, and B. Baban, 

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/can.2020.0043

A recent study uncovers the health benefits of CBD to help aid in the fight against COVID-19.

Evidence Grows for CBD as Potential COVID-19 Treatment

In a recent press release (1), Radient Technologies Inc. announced that one of their product lines would be available to patients participating in the University Health Network (UHN, Toronto, Canada) Medical Cannabis Real-World Evidence Study (MC-RWE Study) in partnership with Medical Cannabis by Shoppers. The first-of-its-kind study aims to explore the effects of medical cannabis relating on the topics of pain, sleep, and anxiety issues in a nation-wide clinical trial in Canada that will be led by UHN’s Dr. Hance Clarke (2).

Radient is a high-quality cannabinoid-based formulations and products manufacturer and their bioU brand was designed exclusively for Medical Cannabis by Shoppers. The three oral spray formulations will be made available to the MC-RWE Study participants. Radient’s bioU line reportedly offers patients a variety of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) products in a convenient standard dose format. To be used in the study, the bioU products had to undergo further testing where the cannabinoid and terpene profile results were registered on TruTrace Technologies software platform and integrated with the Medical Cannabis by Shoppers.

“Radient strongly believes that consistency, safety, and standardization are key elements for all medical products, and are excited to partner with UHN, Shoppers, and TruTrace on this groundbreaking study,” said Denis Taschuk, the CEO of Radient Technologies said (1). “Providing patients and medical professionals with trusted products that deliver repeatable results is a crucial step in having cannabis incorporated into medical treatments and is at the heart of all Radient products. Shoppers is creating a standard for medical cannabis, which along with the data from these clinical trials, will increase the confidence of both doctors and patients in using cannabis for medical purposes.”

The Medical Cannabis Real-World Evidence Study will take place over a 24-week period and involve a minimum of 2000 patients in the research program.

"The challenge with the medical use of cannabis is that physicians and patients are unsure of the quality of products being consumed," said Dr. Clarke, Director of Pain Services, Toronto General Hospital (TGH) (2). "For the first time we will have a national repository of data that can provide answers about the effectiveness of these products, to test their claims.”

With this research, quality standards will be ensured, allowing physicians and patients to be confident in using medical cannabis to treat their pain-related ailments.

https://www.radientinc.com/application/files/8215/9498/9495/UHN_Study_with_SDM_July_17_2020.pdf

https://www.uhn.ca/corporate/News/Pages/UHN_putting_medical_cannabis_to_the_test_in_first_real-world_evidence_clinical_trial.aspx

In a recent press release, Radient Technologies Inc. announced that one of their product lines would be available to patients participating in the University Health Network (UHN, Toronto, Canada) Medical Cannabis Real-World Evidence Study (MC-RWE Study) in partnership with Medical Cannabis by Shoppers.

Radient Technologies Joins Canada’s University Health Network Medical Cannabis Real-World Evidence Study

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill recently that will aid researchers with gaining access to cannabis that is available commercially in states where it is legal recreationally or medically (1). Previously, researchers were only able to use cannabis that was supplied from a federally licensed manufacture in Mississippi, specifically the University of Mississippi.

Deeply embedded in the infrastructure bill (2), the main goal of this provision is to allow cannabis products to be transported and distributed across state lines. This also includes states that have not yet established state-legal cannabis markets. The bill is called the “Invest in America Act.” The bill also requests that states with cannabis programs need to establish structures regarding driving under the influence of cannabis to educate their residents.

According to a report from Cannabis Newswire, the section on setting up highway safety education programs was not well received by cannabis law reform advocates (1). Cannabis Newswire cited several reasons for this (1) including that the report was authored by a congressional research team who stated that there wasn’t any conclusive evidence that the consumption of marijuana resulted in impaired driving.

Discussions of the bill on the Congress floor granted the suggestions of other amendments to be adopted or rejected. Regardless of the deliberations, cannabis policy reform advocates were excited for researchers to gain more access to commercially available cannabis in states with regulated cannabis markets.

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) explained that it has been hard to comprehend why scientists couldn’t access the cannabis available in state-legal dispensaries, yet ordinary residents could walk in and buy these products (1). “Scientific research needed to be conducted using the same products that people are consuming in order to get results which were applicable to the community,” said NORML (1).

All eyes are on the Senate on whether they will preserve the pro-marijuana provisions in the transportation bill. In addition, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has reportedly taken proactive steps to expand the number of suppliers of research-grade marijuana products.

https://www.cannabisnewswire.com/420-with-cnw-congress-passes-bill-granting-researchers-access-to-commercially-available-marijuana/

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/2

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill recently that will aid researchers with gaining access to cannabis that is available commercially in states where it is legal recreationally or medically.

Congress Passes Cannabis Provision in New Infrastructure Bill

Recently, the formation of a group called the Legal Cannabis Coalition (LLC) was announced (1), which consists of a dozen Dutch horticultural companies. During the past two years, these companies participated in a joint scientific study to optimize greenhouse cultivation of medicinal cannabis that was organized by Wageningen University & Research (WURR) in The Netherlands. Here, Jan Mol the sales Director at Oreon, his company’s role in the LCC, light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, research and education initiatives, and more.

How did you first get involved in cannabis cultivation?

 Oreon is a developer and producer of LED lighting. We started in 2005 with LED lighting for domestic use. In 2006 Street lighting followed and in 2009 we were the first to introduce LED lighting for greenhouses. In our design we combined the generic characteristics of LED lighting (long life span and low energy consumption) with specific demands of growers. They wanted independency of light and heat, a balanced climate in general, the right spectrum for their crops, and a very compact fixture that could hang under the trusses and minimized shade. The result was our water-cooled fixture. Since then this fixture has been used over various crops such as lettuce, herbs, and tomatoes.

With the prospect of legalization of the cannabis market in various countries, we anticipated on the demand for high light levels. High light levels also mean possible heat problems, which is something that we have solved. No extra radiation heat of the fixtures in the greenhouse. This together with the highest efficiency (3.4 uMol/Joule), an output per fixture of 3400 uMol/s, and the small size of our fixture made our product very attractive for the legal cannabis industry.

Can you tell us more about the Legal Cannabis Coalition (LCC)? How did it form and what are the goals of the group? How much collaboration is involved from the various parties in the group?

 Together with the Wageningen University and Research (WUR), Oreon started to test their fixtures on cannabis in 2016. We followed the developments in legalization in various countries and wanted to be able to answer the specific questions of growers. Besides that, we wanted to know in what way our fixtures (and spectra) had advantages compared to other lighting, for example, sodium lighting. That is why we started the trials. Over the years, more and more, best in class suppliers of horticulture products wanted to test their products. That was the moment that we decided that combining our individual efforts resulting in more and bigger research was in best interest of the individual companies and our clients. During the past 4 years, we have been testing on a large scale and on multiple crops per year. Researchers of WUR, led by Filip van Noort, gathered so much information on various areas from screening, light (intensities), nutrition, soil, substrate, temperature, RV, grow systems, plant resistance, laboratory science, pharmacy, and so forth that we decided to combine this information and make it available to our customers through a centralized organization. Behind this combined information there is the individual knowledge of the members. That is why we started the LCC. As individual members we already tried to work together as much as possible, but now our common knowledge is available through a professional organization: The LCC.

What kind of educational efforts are you involved in with the LCC?

 Oreon concentrates on lighting. Our developments are being tested at WUR, integrated in the entire grow system, and evaluated together with other results by the various members of the LCC. The goal is to provide our customers with the best information possible based on actual data and tests.

How will the LCC’s research efforts impact other cannabis research or help the industry develop further?

 Within the LCC a wide range of disciplines are combined. From building a greenhouse and installing lights, to quality testing and pharmaceutical development of the harvested cannabis. The collective knowledge, in combination with the various research licenses the members of the LCC hold, allows multidisciplinary research projects. Research is done with LCC members, but also companies and universities from outside. Through consulting as well as education services, this knowledge benefits LCC’s customers and therefore the industry.

What is the biggest challenge facing cannabis cultivators? Are there unique challenges for medicinal cannabis cultivators?

 The biggest challenges are standardization of the cannabinoid and terpene content of the cultivated cannabis (especially for medicinally used cannabis), and lowering the cost of production because of more intense competition with cultivation in low cost countries, and cultivation outside in the field. Also lowering energy consumption of the lamps, not only for cost, but also for environmental impact, is another challenge.

Can you tell us about the technology behind your company’s water-cooled LED lights?

 Of course, in how many words? A plant needs light to grow. Our goal is to provide light in the most efficient way. In general, that means the right spectrum, the highest output, the best uniformity, the smallest fixture ,and no (negative impact) on the climate in the greenhouse because of radiated heat. The result is a perfect grow against the lowest cost. Besides growing advantages, the water cooling also has many economic advantages such as longer lifespan, possibility of re-use of the heat, and savings on cooling and CO2 costs.

What benefits do water-cooled LED lights offer compared to other LED lights on the market?

 LED’s need to be cooled. In general, this can be done in two ways: passively and actively. The cheapest is to put them on a heat sink that radiates its heat to the air. More power results in more heat and a bigger heatsink. That is something you don’t want in a greenhouse because you do not want to block the light from the sun. Besides that, the fixture and electronics still stay quite hot which doesn’t support durability.

The best way to cool a led fixture is to use water. By using water both the LED’s and the electronics are being cooled in an optimal way. This ensures durability, a small fixture, and no extra heat in the greenhouse or facility.

What are your plans for the future with the LCC or LED lighting for cannabis?

 We want to continue supporting cannabis research organized by the LCC and support collaboration between the various members of the LCC. We think that is in the best interest of our mutual customers, the industry, and therefore in the interest of the individual companies.

https://www.oreon-led.com/cache/PRESS%20RELEASE%20Horticultural%20companies%20and%20scientif.1390/PRESS%20RELEASE%20Horticultural%20companies%20and%20scientif.pdf

Jan Mol the sales Director at Oreon, discusses his company’s role in the Legal Cannabis Coalition (LCC), light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, research and education initiatives, and more.

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