Where do we go from here?

For many people in the cannabis community, one of the greatest aspects is the sheer range of strains available and there is a huge amount of respect for skills and dedication needed to get the most out of a particular plant. 

The amount of time, effort and knowledge that is required to really get the most out of a cross or hybrid is quite staggering and the vast majority of us are unlikely to ever truly understand just how incredible some of the individuals involved truly are.

 

Over the years, the tireless efforts of breeders and cultivators have provided us with a plethora of choices and it's no surprise that this shows no signs of slowing down any time soon, but some people perceive the rapid expansion of the blossoming legal cannabis industry to be filled with potential pitfalls. One of the biggest concerns coming from some corners of the ever-vocal cannabis community is the impact of investments coming from established companies and members of the pharmaceutical industry. So, are these concerns justified and, if so, how worried should we be?

 

In truth this is not an easy question to answer. While it's certainly a huge positive to see moves towards decriminalization, legalization and/or the recognition of cannabis' huge medicinal potential across the globe, the rush to capitalize on this fledgling industry means that the balance of power is starting to shift.

 

When it comes to the more traditional methods of consumption (e.g. combustion) there is a general sense of acceptance that there will always some level of variation in the quality of end product.

 

Depending on the type of grow, use of nutrients, methods of pest control and a multitude of other factors and randomly occurring variables you can never be one-hundred percent guaranteed that your buds shift towards larger-scale production and the involvement of corporations and laboratories who are keen to establish consistency in the range of products which they produce. As the CBD market has exploded around the world, the ability to manufacture an end-product that consistently meets the requirements of regulatory authorities has become essential.

 

Consider the sheer range of oils, pills, creams etc. that have come to light in the past few years and you can probably imagine that the amount of work taking place behind the scenes is almost inconceivable. For some products of this type to be licensed for retail sale the producers need to be able to guarantee that various factors are consistent. Uniformity is key when it comes to advising a patient on the right product for their needs and precision dosing is absolutely essential if a particular person is to get the most out of their course of treatment.

  

In light of this, numerous studies and trials are taking place around the world in the hope of delving deeper into the true potential of cannabis as a medicine. The Western world has fallen behind in this respect thanks to the hugely damaging and utterly pointless prohibition that still hangs over many countries like a permanent grey cloud, but the push to turn profit from the changing legal landscape means that the race to catch up is gathering speed.

 

Perhaps the biggest issue that comes from this new sense of interest from established companies comes from the inability to create proper patents from plant extracts. Most large companies thrive because of their unique offerings on the market, but this is very complicated when you are taking extracts from a particular strain unless you have completely controlled optimal grow conditions.

 

Of course there is the potential for a particular aspect of the process to be patented, but that doesn't eliminate the opportunity for competitors to make a competing product from the same strain with very similar effects. Consequently, there is likely to be a preference for synthetically produced cannabinoids as opposed to naturally occurring ones.

 

There are many objections to the idea of synthesizing cannabinoids, not least because of the issues surrounding the lack of an entourage effect. As this is such an unknown and unproven area of science when it comes to cannabis, there are some people who find the idea of 'Big Canna' quite from a particular strain will consistently contain X% THC/CBD. Thankfully, this is unlikely to be of a huge concern to your average bud smoker as they will have chosen a strain based on the type of high it might provide or the level of relief that it provides for them.

 

Add in the fact that many people don't have the liberty of genuine choice and it's easy to appreciate how a supreme level of consistency is something of an afterthought in many cases on the black market. Sure, people might want the strain they're buying to have 'bag appeal' or a pleasing aroma but I can't think of any point in my experience where someone has been concerned enough to check the finer details of a strain's contents.Increasingly, as things move forward, we are seeing a hard to stomach.

 

Moreover, there have been some instances where money from Big Pharma has been used to directly intervene in the legalization process in some states. Having spent so many years telling people that they can't consume cannabis because of the inherent dangers to self and society, now we have companies who are determined to ensure that people can only access it if is supplied by them.

 

It's almost laughable to think that we've gone from 'The Devil's Lettuce' being completely maligned to being promoted for profit as long as it's been processed by a corporation and it has a official label stamped on the packaging. It's a huge slap in the face for those who have dedicated their lives to operating in the shadows to now find themselves passed over when it comes to having a chance to make a legitimate living from all of their efforts.

 

 This isn't to say that all aspects of big business and the pharmaceutical industry should be seen as the enemy, though. Far from it. Without the technology and expertise that can come from more established facilities and people with decades of experience in their field it is unlikely that many potential medical patients will be able to gain access to cannabis legally. There is a need for safety, efficacy and efficiency to be thoroughly explored before a product should be prescribed and cannabis-derived medicines should be not be treated differently.

 

Hopefully we will see a much more widespread use of lab testing facilities to bring a variety of products to market that people can access easily, but there is a fine line between progress and a complete takeover of an industry. Whatever happens we can only hope that things continue to change for the better, but there will always be the argument that the best way for people to make use of it is to give them the opportunity to grow their own.

 

Obviously, this is not a perfect plan for everyone but we should strongly fight against the idea that cannabis can go from being something which is illegal to something which is controlled solely by corporations who have no genuine interest in helping people. At the end of the day, the power of the plant should be allowed to flourish in as natural a way as it can...but maybe I'm just too big of a dreamer. At least I know I'm not the only one.

Written and Published by PSY-23 in Weed World Magazine issue 155

PHOTO BY KINDEL MEDIA FROM PEXELS