Tech

Innovative Technologies in Hemp: Fresh Ideas in a Transformed Landscape

 

Amid this COVID-19 outbreak, American manufacturing is looking more inviting as businesses scramble to find replacements for products that once came from China. Could hemp be a saving grace for materials and innovation?

Hemp has nearly unlimited potential. The surface of that potential has only been scratched, meaning much more remains to be discovered about the possible uses of this hardy and versatile substance.

Mapping the cannabis genome to improve crops and health

Unlocking the full potential of cannabis for agriculture and human health will require a co-ordinated scientific effort to assemble and map the cannabis genome, says a just-published international study led by University of Saskatchewan researchers.

In a major statistical analysis of existing data and studies published in the Annual Review of Plant Biology, the authors conclude there are large gaps in the scientific knowledge of this high-demand, multi-purpose crop.

Cannabis Compound Holds Hidden Antibiotic Properties

Could cannabis be a new weapon in the fight against antibiotic resistance? Scientists have discovered that cannabigerol (CBG), a non-psychoactive cannabis compound, holds some hidden antibiotic properties. 

Scientists from McMaster University in Canada found that CBG was effective against drug-resistant superbug infections in mice. In fact, it appeared to work just as well as vancomycin, a powerful antibiotic often used to treat superbugs. While it’s going to take a lot of fine-tuning, the compound could potentially be used in a new antibiotic treatment.

Hemp or marijuana? THC scanner can say in seconds

A new scanner can quickly determine whether plants are hemp or marijuana without damaging the product, say researchers.

Hemp is technically legal in Texas, but proving that hemp is not marijuana can be a hurdle, requiring testing in a licensed laboratory. So, when law enforcement recently detained a truck carrying thousands of pounds of hemp near Amarillo, Texas, the driver spent weeks in jail awaiting confirmation that the cargo was legal. Events like these inspired the researchers to create the device.

Colorado unveils plan to help bring banking to state’s cannabis industry

The state has “an obligation” to pioneer marijuana-related banking, Gov. Jared Polis says

With federal banking still out of reach, Gov. Jared Polis unveiled new strategies Monday to entice Colorado banks, credit unions and money transmitters to work with cannabis companies and become leaders in providing financial services to marijuana and hemp businesses.

The cannabis boom could be good for science — and scientists

I’ve been a chemistry professor for 15 years and a chemist for longer than that. Through most of that time, I paid little heed to cannabis, thinking that this plant held one main chemical of interest: tetrahydrocannabinol, its psychoactive ingredient.

I now know that cannabis contains a galaxy of unexplored compounds — cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, polyphenols, and more — that may well transform our understanding of plant medicine and human biology. I find this new territory inspiring.

Innovation and investment opportunities in Denmark’s medical cannabis sector

Christian Carlsen, Business Director of NNE, showcases the diverse Danish ecosystem and explains how NNE is striving to accomplish its mission of adding value to the medical cannabis industry.

Denmark proudly supports its healthcare services, showcasing a long history of life science, further coupled with valuable experience in agriculture and horticulture. Now, with a rapidly evolving medical cannabis industry, Denmark has the opportunity to cohesively align its progressing ecosystem to work together with diverse companies emerging in the medical cannabis marketplace.

THCP: A newly discovered, potentially more potent, cannabis compound

A recently published article in the journal Scientific Reports has described the remarkable discovery of a previously unknown cannabinoid. Dubbed THCP, the molecule has been shown to be significantly more potent that its well-known counterpart THC, however, it’s still unclear how psychoactive it is in humans or how present it is in popular cannabis varieties.

Exploring the latest industry developments and sharing the next high five at CannaCon Northwest

The cannabis industry had a busy week of expos, beginning with Lift & Co. in Vancouver leading into CannaCon's Northwest show. CannaCon Tacoma is CannaCon’s flagship expo that is now in its seventh year. Running from January 10-11, this two-day expo offers access to the featured exhibitor booths as well as educational seminars with topics from the future of cannabis marketing to need-to-know cannabis business operations.