A PUBLICATION

Cannabis on Collision Course with Science

extractionmagazine.com ISSUE 12 Jan/Feb 2020

The Delicate Preservation of Cannabis’s Nectar of Bringing Out the the Gods Artist in Every The Gooey Extractor Beauty Crafted A Marriage of Skill by Compression and Creativity

Talkin' Cannabis Scaling from Bench-top Edibles Utilizing Space Age to Pilot Science for Cannabis The Metamorphosis Product Design from Miniature to Mammoth when Meeting Consumer Demands Organoleptic Blueprinting Product Design to Please the Senses

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Organoleptic Blueprinting Publisher 10 MACE Media Group CEO Celeste Miranda 16 Talkin’ Cannabis Edibles Editor-in-Chief Jason S. Lupoi, Ph.D. Authors: The Delicate Preservation of Jason S. Lupoi, Ph.D. 18 Cannabis’s Nectar of the Gods Randy Reed Joseph Resnick, Ph.D. Joyce Mann Scaling: From Jason Boze 20 Benchtop to Pilot Steven R. Pena~ Designer The Good Word Marko Nedeljkovic 24 According to John Advertising Julian Azevedo

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888-210-8356 888-210-8356 6 EXTRACTION MAGAZINE Bringing Out the Artist in Every Extractor By Jason S. Lupoi, Ph.D.

There are many beautiful things about Cannabis sativa. Of genuflect and humbled unpretentiousness, as it’s ready to course, there’s the plants themselves. That goes without demonstrate at any given time that we don’t know everything, saying. Huge colas, alien-like protuberances dripping with despite what we might exude. resinous ingredients vital to humanity, and of course, in those glands, the terpenes, creators of the wonderfully diverse The cannabis extractor has several options on hand, but every assortment of fragrances. So, yeah – farmers get to take in lots decision begins with what products the extractor wants to of exquisiteness. create. This dictates which product refinement options to choose, if any. The base cannabis extract is called crude oil But it doesn’t end there. There are the plant’s medicinal and provides a wonderful alternate usage of the traditional gifts that have helped millions of people live with lessened phrase. Crude oil contains cannabinoids and terpenes of pain, anxiety, and depression, to name an ultra-limited few. course, but also contains co-extracted constituents like plant Veterans, cancer patients, opioid addicts, epileptic children, pigments and waxes. and the elderly have all benefitted from the enigmatic cannabis plant. And we’re only beginning to unearth the therapeutic Cannabis plants also contain water. Supercritical carbon potential. Analogously, we’ve only grabbed a fist full of topsoil. dioxide extraction, as an example, carries that water along There’s lots of scientific archaeological work to be done. for the ride, and thus, any water-soluble phytochemicals. Outside of the therapeutic realm, there’s the myriad of people This water may or may not be desired. Again, what are you who feel more functional and creative when utilizing cannabis; designing? Thus, the water might be decanted as a first step, this can be traced throughout history when considering boosting the potency of the crude. the making of musical, artistic, and literary works, or our appreciation of them. But wait, there’s more. Some Say It’ll Happen via the Big Freeze Waxes are removed during winterization. Making a cream, Something for Every Nerd balm, or lotion? Perhaps you want those waxes. But if you’re Many cannabis products are derived from extracting looking to create vaporizable products, winterization is critical, cannabinoids and terpenes and other phytochemicals, leaving the as inhaling waxes can be deleterious to your health. In those bulk of the biomass behind. You know the terms here. Hashish, cases, wax removal, using cold ethanol, further concentrates rosin, live resin, or shatter. Budder, badder, sugar, and wax. the remaining ingredients. Despite the extraction methods used to obtain these products, many involve some level of product refinement. Again, with more Some people will perform double winterization, or triple, terms: winterization, decarboxylation, distillation. Yes, it’s easy to even more, which may or may not be needed. While double nerd-out over C. sativa. winterization is a popular buzzword, a savvy extraction company should evaluate whether the mass loss from a It may seem rather daunting if you’re a nascent cannabis user second winterization (or more) is worth their time and or are new to the industry. There’s so much to learn. While expense. A tolling company should do likewise to gauge some people would have you believe that they are experts whether it’s worth their clients’ resources as well. After all, in the extraordinary ways of C. sativa, the plant warrants a honesty and good advice are still a part of humanity. EXTRACTION MAGAZINE 7 8 EXTRACTION MAGAZINE

The Curse of the Glorified Gummy Bears making vaporizable products, you don’t need to decarboxylate, Next up is decarboxylation, a process that simply uses heat to as the heat generated from the device will do the job for you. convert acidic cannabinoids to their neutral brethren. If you’re But if you’re making edibles, and you don’t decarboxylate, EXTRACTION MAGAZINE 9

your customers will be left with an expensive, ineffective, and therefore, disappointing experience. There’s nothing We all know about distillation from booze, or water. Cannabis quite like buying glorified gummy bears for a few Andrew extractors use distillation for the same reason: purification. Jacksons, popping one, then another, and then, with a look of Your CBD and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) will gain befuddlement and fear, another, only to get nowhere at all. in strength, so, you’ll begin to refine to just a few molecules in the spectrum. Most of the terpenes are fractionated Terps in EM? Naturally into one collection flask, the desired distillate in another, These product refinement steps remove undesirable and then you’ve got the bottoms or tails, which contains ingredients, while also causing some loss in mass of key various concentrations of cannabinoids and other molecules constituents. While potency goes up, cannabinoids can separated out, like pigments. So, distillation also strips color, adhere to waxes, even when rinsed with cold ethanol, and and several passes through the distillation process enable decarboxylation bakes off some lighter, more volatile terpenes. amber hues to become gilded. And if there’s one thing I don’t think I need to convince you of, those terpenes aren’t just for a good smell. Rather, terpenes Organoleptic Blueprints are key cultivar differentiators and entourage enhancers, Thus, carbon filtration might cause cannabinoid losses that helping navigate your experience, no matter what road you are not reclaimable, but the filtered oil may contain more choose. Dear terpenes, I could inhale you all day. terpenes than distillate. Analytics will guide you along the way. The oil might be less potent but may contain ingredients Amber to Gold enabling the label of “full-spectrum”. The distillate, however, Some folks filter, others distill. And there are pros and cons might have higher potency of specific cannabinoids, and a to both. Carbon filtration, for example, helps strip color and more pleasing flavor and taste. And because everything is bitterness, but it also strips cannabinoids. Thar Process captured, you can rejoin terpenes with cannabinoids, and evaluated about a dozen different filtration media, and found even further refine the sludgier bottoms. that some barely scathed the color, while others produced the desired hues, just with concomitant losses in cannabidiol Outro (CBD). So, there’s a tradeoff. There’s also the spent carbon Like a painter with a built-out palette, extractors of C. sativa, to consider, as it can quickly add up. Don’t really see myself have several refinement options available for their product saying “jiffy”. But the faces of the customer who ingests a artistry, each with a point, a rationale. These processes require bitter, acrid tincture of yours might be worth contemplating on research and analytics for comparison, though, and knowledge carbon filtration. on what you’re looking to put out in the world. 10 EXTRACTION MAGAZINE Organoleptic Blueprinting By Randy Reed, Olala

Organoleptic blueprinting is an essential part of product design In the case of our real-world examples, our hypothesis was: for consumer-packaged goods (CPG). Organoleptic properties cannabis root beer tastes too sweet and gives us a headache. are the aspects of food, water or other substances that create For the root beer, we sampled our competitors’ cannabis root an individual experience via the senses—including taste, sight, beers and our tasting panel was unanimous that they were all smell, and touch. [1,2] An example of organoleptic analysis too sweet. More than half of the panel described the effects is of pepper spiciness on the Scoville scale. [3] We are also as borderline headache, heavy eye pressure, “headband”, and seeing the term pop up in cannabis competitions, product sell even anxious. sheets, and more. In addition to the sensory analysis, we utilized quantitative

Organoleptic blueprinting is a tactic used in the CPG industry measures such as brix, pH, dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2), to aid in the design of products that delight consumers. and liquid chromatography for cannabinoids to give us a The term blueprint implies a document or structure deeper understanding of the complexities in our sensory from which brand value can be built. Regarding product analysis. design, organoleptic blueprinting is the sensory analysis, characterization, and documentation of key features, benefits, Key metrics and attributes are what an organoleptic blueprint and attributes of a product. It’s an essential tactic used to is drawn from. Unlike quantitative metrics, sensory metrics inform critical decisions in the product design life cycle. It’s tend to be more qualitative. An educated palate, eye, ear, or viewed as a core competency in knowledge-centric “smart” hand can facilitate dialogues that aid in the definition and (Figure 1), New Product Development (NPD) organizations documentation of organoleptic metrics named “language and addresses a need to assess products in a consistent and mapping”. As a side note, utilizing expert sensory profiling reproducible manner. [1] and evaluation is used in food safety as a first line of defense, where high throughput sampling is limited. Simply put, if it In this article, we will review how organoleptic blueprinting smells bad, tastes bad or looks bad, it might be bad, and it was used to design a classic style of cannabis root beer. The should be tested further. product in this case study is now selling under the Mortimers brand in Washington and California in quarter 2 of 2020. As simple or complicated as it sounds, sensory science has its own vernacular. It’s akin to how a vintner describes wine or As with many sciences, it’s all in the design of the experiment how a chef talks about food. Food scientists use flavor wheels and/or the scientific method. Sensory science for product and spectrums to standardize organoleptic assessments for development is no different. Designing a process for taste and smell. By now, we are familiar with cannabis flower experimentation is as important as the experiment itself. One and extract organoleptic assessments. must be careful not to bias the senses, the tasting panel, and the marketers. When designing an experiment for the goal of Consider how long it took the wine industry to utilize and developing a new product, I like to keep it simple. standardized organoleptic analysis compared to the cannabis industry. Humans have never had such a rich understanding 1. What is the hypothesis we are trying to prove or disprove? of the organoleptic properties of cannabis as we do today. In 2. What are the key metrics? addition to quantitative chemovar analysis, we are ripe for the 3. What are the tools and techniques needed? next wave of cannabis products evolution. EXTRACTION MAGAZINE 11

Photo credit: Randy Reed of Olala 12 EXTRACTION MAGAZINE

Figure 1

Tools and techniques cannabis beverage are not good enough. The cannabis Quantitative tools such as brix meters, pH meters, dissolved beverage space is maturing rapidly, and competition is tough.

CO2 meters, turbidity meters, thermometers, etc., are Delighting the customer is always our goal. important to the product design process for beverages, but they are not the focus of this article. Instead, we use tools Carbonation is used in soft drink making for several reasons. called difference, descriptive, and acceptance testing. We use In this case, carbonation is used to create a carbonic acid techniques such as the “triangle test” for difference testing, reaction on the palate which is bitter and balances the blind tasting for descriptive testing, and untrained consumer sweetness of the beverage. If you’ve tried a flat soda, you panels for acceptance testing. [4] probably noticed it tasted sweeter than the same beverage when fresh. This is a bit of a sensory illusion. In fact, the level Triangle test of sweetness, measured in brix, remains the same in the flat The triangle test is a validation technique used to target a beverage versus the carbonated beverage. The only difference specific sample and thus validate the sensory accuracy of the between the two is that that the beverage is flat and thus has pallet. For example, a panel is set up as AAB or ABB where A no carbonic acid to balance the sweetness. and B are the two samples and the tester is tasked to identify a target sample out of the group. We can use quantitation to help us validate our sensory experience. In a flat soda, pH has risen to become more neutral Organoleptic Targeting for Product Design going from less than 4 to greater than 5, dissolved volumes For root beer, we were looking for a balanced flavor profile, of carbonation drop from 4.5 to 1 volume. Brix is the constant with equal parts of sweet to bitter and savory to sour. We in this formula and, thus, it was determined that the target looked for a combination of acidic and alkaline sensations on formula must have a higher level of carbonation versus the the pallet. In tasting our competition’s cannabis root beers, we market survey sample set. felt that they were under-carbonated which caused the product to taste overly sweet. The cannabis notes in our competitors’ We identified three main styles of root beer in our market root beers were bitter, rubbery and metallic — certainly not a survey sample set: delightful organoleptic experience. We specifically chose the 1. Sarsaparilla style: Medium sweetness, earthy, spicy, word delightful because the days of just creating a palatable peppery, licorice, full body. EXTRACTION MAGAZINE 15 UP TO 99.85% TOTAL CANNABINOIDS

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2. Birch style: Medium sweetness, wintergreen, astringent, Serving Temperature bright, light body. 1. At or slightly below standard refrigerator temperatures 3. Molasses style: Sweet, savory, caramel, vanilla, medium (1.6 to 4°C) will retain carbonation better after being body. poured, and/or serve poured over ice.

As a result of the groupings above, we were able to further Package visual and tactile target the organoleptic features desired in our root beer and 1. Classic amber glass long-neck bottle from high-quality below is our organoleptic blueprint for our Mortimers Classic European bottle factory Style Cannabis Root Beer. Our goal was to create a root beer 2. Clearly labeled potency, flavor, and brand with a US with a broad flavor appeal and not get niche. Food and Drug Administration style information panel on the side for efficient and familiar ingredient and caloric Taste and texture information. 1. Proper levels of carbonation to balance sweetness and add crispness. Efficacy 2. Sweet top notes of vanilla and caramel, with a touch of 1. No cannabis distillate or isolates to combat side effects spice from sarsaparilla root. like headaches and anxiety. 3. Medium body texture from cane sugar and molasses also 2. Proprietary, pharma-grade, full-spectrum, cannabis provides sweet and savory base notes. aqueous concentrate for full-spectrum edible effects, 4. Minimal astringency from birch notes which was found precisely dosed to within 5% relative standard deviation. to magnify and/or clash with the peppery taste of our 3. Onset in 10-15 minutes, “sessionable” (term from cannabis oil infusion. the alcohol industry regarding onset, length of effects 5. Sarsaparilla notes used as a classic flavor feature added and offset) enabled via enhanced bioactivity from complexity and interest with medicinal, bitter, earthy notes the carbonation and a combination of lipophilic and to help balance the sweetness of the sugar and molasses. hydrophilic formulation constituents. 4. Variety of full-spectrum potencies: 10 mg THC, 30 mg Color THC, 75 mg THC, 100 mg THC, 250 mg THC + CBD (THC = 1. Dark brown with red to orange undertones delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol; CBD = cannabidiol). 2. Not golden, yellow, green, black. EXTRACTION MAGAZINE 15

After designing the organoleptic blueprint above, we started formulation trials. [2] It took us only two trials before we were satisfied with the formulation. We attribute the rapid product development cycle to the organoleptic blueprinting process, which is also what we used in the R&D of our full-spectrum edible/drinkable cannabis oil. Notably, our sensory panel and focus groups found full-spectrum formulations to taste and feel better when compared to distillate and isolate beverage formulations. We are currently working on a design of experiments (DoE) to validate this observation. References

Being able to rapidly go from concept to creation to production [1] Moskowitz, H. et al. Sensory and Consumer is a competitive advantage in an emerging marketplace. By Research in Food Product Design and Development, leveraging knowledge from the food and beverage industries, 2012, Wiley-Blackwell, Ames, Iowa. we can advance our industry’s understanding of sensory [2] Mezgebo, G. et al. “Comparison of organoleptic science. We can fuse our heritage culture with food and quality and composition of beef from suckler bulls from sensory science to create cannabis products that delight different production systems,” animal, 2017, Vol 11(3): customers. With informed and intentional design through 1-9. [journal impact factor = 2.026; cited by 8] organoleptic blueprinting, we deepen our understanding of [3] Chauhan, V. and Sharma, A. “Studies on complex human senses and bring sensory science to life. As organoleptic properties of food products from fresh egg cannabis product designers, the more targeted we are, the and egg powder through principal component analysis,” better the user experience, and the better our industry will be. Nahrung/Food, 2003, Vol. 47(2): 102–105. [journal Using organoleptic blueprinting as a tactic to elevate cannabis impact factor = 4.653; cited by 4] beverage design and going beyond the low bar set by early market product designers is the next level in cannabis product [4] Ashurst, P. and Hargitt, R. Soft drink and fruit design. Don’t settle for anything less than delightful. Use your juice problems solved. 2017, Woodhead Publishing, senses to create and experience tasty and efficacious cannabis Cambridge, Mass. products so that we all can enjoy the benefits of a job well done. 16 EXTRACTION MAGAZINE Talkin’ Cannabis Edibles By Joseph Resnick, Ph.D. and Joyce Mann, RMANNCO, Inc.

The legalization of cannabis products throughout the A major problem in the now-legalized cannabis industries is continental USA is driving rapid growth, sophistication of what has come to be affectionately termed, “The Frowney- processes, development of new products and tremendous Brownie Dilemma”. In other circles, the same problem of revenues into state coffers. Recreational and medical cannabis precise product dosing and product matrix consistency is users are increasingly discerning about effectiveness, reliable called, “The Funny Rice Cake Bake”. In both instances, the dosing, taste, smell, texture, and value-added for money spent. problems associated with dosing/control of actives (e.g., And these issues, too, are compelling cannabis producers and percent THC or percent CBD) contained consistently throughout marketers to constantly improve both quality and consistency in the product matrix exist, and no standardized method of products and dose formulations. producing edibles to assure precise, exact dosing has been mandated by any governmental body. As an interim solution to A North Carolina-based hi-tech company, RMANNCO Inc., this problem, Canada has outlawed production/sale of edibles has reported the development of multiple formulations for altogether, citing absence of reliable methods that afford use in both the medical and recreational cannabis sectors precise matrix content and prevents overdosing. by virtue of its ability to microencapsulate cannabis extracts, e.g., cannabidiol (CBD), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Thus, no standards currently exist that are designed to provide terpenes. Microencapsulation differs, considerably, from consumers with the confidence that assure/mandate that conventional ‘spray-drying’ methods, which is how most producers make cannabis products the same way with the cannabis beverage products are made today. same components, every time! Unfortunately for consumers, mechanisms to make each edible product consistently and In contrast, using technology originally developed in predictably identical are not employed industry-wide. One collaboration with NASA (National Aeronautics and Space example is in the ‘edible-gummies’ vitamin niche where Administration), RMANNCO has formed alliances with several each producer has its own formula. In this area, producers of the largest cannabis producing companies in the US, its are finding that the products being made do not contain the territories, with producers in the Canadian cannabis markets specified concentration of ‘actives’ in the product matrix when and global markets… and virtually anywhere use of cannabis analyzed post-production. products is legal to utilize ‘Space Age’ science to make the next generation of cannabis products. Growth in this industry sector The reasons for this are many, but one element affecting is advancing at a phenomenal rate with some equating this actives content and bioavailability is the fact that actives, ‘explosive growth’ with the ‘California Gold Rush’ of the 1800s. e.g., THC/CBD, are susceptible to oxidation, acidification and high temperatures encountered during the product creation Our microencapsulation technology has its foundations in the process. For example, the components used to make ‹gummy- ‘NASA Spinoff Technology Program’. This technology enables products›, e.g., guar, sugar, oils, etc., have a tendency to microencapsulation in the truest sense of actually encapsulating break down and carboxylate when exposed to heat. Likewise, liquids, solids, or gaseous compounds in a capsule that is an vitamins break down and potency is lost during production. exact size (100 microns, for example) to create products of Consequently, a formula that starts out with, say, 20% active specific sizes that have a core, a secondary layer and an outer Vitamin B12 and extracts (THC/CBD), breaks down by a factor shell. The core can be loaded with liquids, solids, or gases of nearly 40% to 60% as a direct result of product manufacture and the shell wall thickness can be fine-tuned to enable soft or process. This results in an inferior product with loss of shelf robust release/crushing/melting, etc. life, potency of the actives, and these are not good things for the consumer markets.

EXTRACTION MAGAZINE 17

Photos Courtesy RMANNCO, Inc.

In the case of edibles, consumers can purchase a “brownie” at a legal dispensary on which the label states contents of active THC/CBD compounds, at, say, 3%. If they section that brownie into six pieces, and then analyze each of the pieces, in every instance, the THC/CBD content is different in each piece. In most instances, the percent-content of active deliverables is well below the stated ‘3%’ as labeled and in other cases the entire dose is usually contained in a single piece.

The fundamental reason for this is that products are not homogeneous, and the components are not being made part of the product in the best form to enable meaningful ‘bioavailability’. In other words, the THC/CBD compounds have not been protected from breakdown during the cooking process and the plant compounds have not been thoroughly integrated into the product matrix. More importantly, during the cooking process, the THC/CBD compounds are degraded and de- natured (weakened) as a result of exposure to heat, oxidation Encapsulated CBD Oil in Beeswax and acidification. This fact results in production of products Shell with Liquid Core at 150um with lower deliverables quality, dulled taste and organoleptic Photo Courtesy RMANNCO, Inc. (‘color’) deficiencies. 18 EXTRACTION MAGAZINE The Delicate Preservation of Cannabis’s Nectar of the Gods By Steven R. Pena,~ Sasquash

Extraction is like a modern form is liable to have potentially unsafe know-how and execution, anyone can of alchemy. Some extractors even levels of butane. Let’s be real, though. produce top quality extracts without consider the cannabis flower as its Inhaling any amount of butane is running the risk of inhaling carcinogenic “raw” and “unrefined” state, making the unsafe. gases or horrendous lab fires. At comparison to grapes and fine wines. Sasquash, we take pride in providing

Cannabis extraction provides an art What about carbon dioxide, or CO2 form that allows you to pluck a green extraction? That stuff’s natural, right? plant from the earth and miraculously Simply put, if the plant used for condense it down to a gorgeous golden extraction was treated with chemical oil. How you extract this “nectar of the insecticides or fungicides of any sort, gods” needs to be considered. there will be concentrated levels of those chemicals inside your oil. Unless By now you’ve likely heard, seen, and you’re growing and extracting your own probably even dabbed butane hash oil, plants, it could be very tricky to know or BHO, often in the form of shatter, how much of what chemical is left crumble, or badder. Even though the behind for you to inhale. effects may appear beneficial, it can actually have potentially fatal health Even with the best extraction equipment risks. Solvents like butane and propane available on the market today, there are commonly used in extracting delta-9 still can be “acceptable” levels of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Both contaminants in the resultant oil if gases are highly flammable, (not to the input biomass was contaminated mention, at fault for some horrendous or in the form of residual solvents, kitchen fires/lab explosions) and pesticides, or mycotoxins. Therefore, inhaling such solvents are proven some commercial extracts are sub-par cancerous for the end user. [1] and just plain bad for your health. How can we avoid these risks? No matter how close to zero PPM (parts per million) a batch of BHO is, a Enter rosin, stage left. Lucky for us, truly solventless experience can never extracting THC doesn’t have to be so be reached, meaning breaths of butane risky. In fact, solventless extraction can for the whole squad. Be sure to think be pretty simple with the right tools. twice about how your oil was extracted, All it takes is heat, pressure, and good as anything from an unreliable source material (flower or hash). With a little EXTRACTION MAGAZINE 19

you with the tools to maximize your By stripping away the resins yields and increase your extraction from the biomass, the pressed experience. Not only does solventless oil can be virtually free from extraction provide a cleaner product plant matter, which ultimately cannabis industry and are sweeping for your lungs, it’s also cleaner for the leads to a cleaner, tastier, and the scene by storm, elevating the earth, with little or no waste left behind. more potent product than just smoking experience to the next pressing the flower itself. It level of quality. Pressing rosin is no There are still some factors to consider can also prevent ingestion of longer just a method of extraction, when ingesting solventless extracts. foreign contaminants since the but briskly becoming an art form. Even though rosin won’t have trace hash is washed through micron Remember, ultimately the choice elements of noxious gas, you still need screens, which in some cases, of what goes into your body is to be weary of any pests, bacteria, are so small not even a blood cell up to you but keep some of these fungi, mycotoxins, pesticides, or could squeeze through. important factors in mind when fungicides that may have been used on making information-based decisions. the plants. This is especially so with If you do press or smoke rosin, be flower rosin, since the raw flower is aware of the quality of the flower going As the demand for clean cannabis pressed to extract the oil, and anything into the process in order to understand products rises, the popularity of that is on the bud will essentially be the final results. Not all cultivars (or rosin has skyrocketed to one of the “juiced” out, With hash rosin or “live” even phenotypes within a cultivar) more coveted forms of extracts as it rosin, which has the added step of are created equal, so don’t be put off if stands today. sifting or “washing” (using ice and one plant presses a lighter color than water) the trichome heads from the another or doesn’t yield (express) as Once, people would rely on pressing or biomass, there should be notably less much as another. processing flower for the best quality undesirables left behind from less than extracts. Lately, the market has elevated optimal care of the plants. Solventless extracts are quickly to wanting a “higher” quality, more changing the landscape of the refined product, thus, leading to the resurgence of hash rosin.

Sasquash is a family-owned and operated business that takes the utmost pride in our work, creating presses and relationships between growers and processers alike, in hopes of generating a network of likeminded, passionate people who are here to shape the industry for the better.

Better Industries, Better World.

Reference [1] Portland State University. “Cancerous toxins linked to cannabis extract.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 September 2017. 20 EXTRACTION MAGAZINE Scaling: From Benchtop to Pilot By Jason Boze, Stratum Brands Inc.

Whether you are an industry veteran, a well-funded neophyte, and other regulation mandated spaces can have an impact or an OG garage artist hoping this legalization thing is just a on other operations. Also remember that most jurisdictions, bad nightmare, you will (hopefully) be faced with that moment as well as the Bureau of Cannabis Control (distributors and when you realize that you can’t keep up with demand. The micro-businesses) and the California Department of Public holy grail. But how to get there? This is the point where Health (manufacturing) will require updates to floor and we look to the wisdom of Indiana Jones whilst on his Last security plans, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and (for Crusade and “choose wisely”. closed-loop systems) independent engineering certifications. Local Fire Departments will likely need revisions to CUPA Increasing the output of your cannabis manufacturing (Certified Unified Program Agency) filings and possibly operation affects every aspect of your process, business, on-site inspections. There are some real land mines here license, and your resolve. Scaling is tough, often counter- that impact not just the bottom line but the ability to bring intuitive, and takes orders of magnitude longer than intended. increased capacity fully on-line. One of the harsh realities of the lab is that what works so well in small batch R&D does not directly translate to full pilot level Equipment production. But why? It seems simple enough. You spend Equipment selection is critical to successful scaling. It is weeks, months, possibly even years developing a process to also the point at which your company is at greatest risk of produce a product exactly how you want it using what is most failure. Here is where growth or acquisition of capital relative likely small scale everything. Beakers, benchtop roto-vaps, to acceleration of the marketplace presents ‘all in’ situations grams, milliliters, seconds all should scale to vats, falling film, for entrepreneurs that are not for the lighthearted. Pilot-scale keys and liters, right? It does…eventually. equipment is incredibly expensive, has a relatively steep learning curve, and will not be plug and play. The following are some high-level lessons learned from starting a Prop 215 organized collective and growing it over There are two main options here. Save some money and roll four years to converting and starting all over in the newly the dice on Chinese equipment hoping it lasts long enough to regulated California commercial cannabis space. be able to afford the good stuff or sacrifice potential capacity for reliability. Facilities Before you order your equipment, line up all your Having been through both scenarios, I offer this. If you like consumables and have your permits in place. It is crucial to solving puzzles, enjoy mechanical tinkering, have a penchant consider the impact the increased capacity will all have on the for logic and problem solving, the patience of Job, and facility. Amperage is the Achilles’ heel of most small to mid- embrace the reality that everything will break, then saving the sized operations; 200A – 400A single phase service won’t cut money on Chinese equipment can be a HUGE advantage. We it for large-scale equipment requiring three phase service and saved $100k on a system with the ability to double the capacity a bunch of amps. of domestic equipment; after 3 months of intense tinkering we have it down. If you have the capital and are looking for longer- Storage requirements can also play a factor. Fire-proof term reliability, better performance, and vastly improved cabinets, explosion-proof rooms, hoods, limited access, technical support, the domestic guys are your best bet. EXTRACTION MAGAZINE 21

When selecting sizes of equipment, assess your demand. Large-scale equipment can produce enormous amount of product. How much will you be able to sell in the next 1, 3, or 6 months? If you have a backlog of 100 liters of distillate, buy the VTA(s); for no backlog or a small-scale or nascent brand, the gamble on the Chinese gear could be worth it. Also know that most of the larger equipment will be subject to a 25% tariff. Thanks for that, Trump.

Consider your specific needs. Then look at what process manufacturers offer as solutions. What components are there, what do they cost, and is it worth their mark up to choose it and configure it on a skid? Many solutions are little more than the assemblage of fairly standard lab equipment that can be sourced individually and configured at a much lower cost. Line that up with what you expect to generate in terms of gross margins and size the solution accordingly. There is a huge opportunity here to gain an edge on the competition by substantially lowering capital requirements per unit of productivity; with the Chinese gear, just know what you are getting into.

Equipment selection is such a critical factor, so spend enough time and get as much input from consultants or collaborators to help you to choose wisely.

Also expect changes to virtually every parameter. The physics of small- and large-scale equipment is fundamentally rooted in the same properties but does not translate exactly. Temperature differences between recirculating heaters and chillers and reaction chambers will likely be different. Larger systems may have vacuum degradation and inconsistencies that smaller systems won’t have. Bottom line: expect to make tweaks to most aspects of your SOPs.

Consumables With any manufacturing operation, there are the oft overlooked consumables. Aside from storage and cost considerations, certain consumables may trigger a need to adjust one or more permits. How horrible would it be to spend a small fortune on equipment only to find you aren’t permitted or can’t source the volumes of solvents, adsorbents, filtration media, etc.? The fines alone (in California) for exceeding certain permit limitations could be enough to close most businesses. Waste disposal of consumables is another consideration. What does your local jurisdiction mandate? How do increases in volumes affect your ability to maintain Photo credit: Randy Reed of Olala compliance? 22 EXTRACTION MAGAZINE

Biomass Financial At the core of extraction is the biomass. Scaled operations After equipment has been set up, permits have been obtained, require proportionately more biomass to keep equipment facilities prepared, and people have been hired, the real running at capacity. The production capability of most pilot- spending begins. All that new equipment needs biomass, scale equipment exceeds many people’s ability to secure consumables, packaging, testing, and a litany of other expenses consistent amounts of biomass. Make sure your existing to be effective. As an example, to keep a 1L/hour wiped film relationships and, more importantly, your buying power can machine (used for making distillate) running for 10 hours a support the new scale. day, 5 days a week, 4 weeks a month requires around $500k in biomass, more than twice the cost of a VTA wiped film set up. People Generally, larger scale requires either automation or people It is imperative to balance inventory production velocity with to pull the levers and turn the gears. Consider the availability the fluctuating level of capitalization and sales. The worst of the labor with the required skill sets that would be willing thing to happen is to get a lab set up and have a ton of money to work at your location. Several jurisdictions have rules tied up in idle inventory. about entering into labor peace agreements with unions once employee counts exceed certain levels. Unions typically come Scaling is an exciting time in a company’s evolution, however; with significant employer cost and reductions of company as is typical to the evolutionary process, there will be some productivity which must be factored into the decision to that succeed and some that fail and die off. Ironically, only the expand. Consider whether the additional cost and overhead of regulators can continually fail and somehow never die off. But working with union labor can fit within your proforma. that is the topic for an entirely different editorial. THE ORIGINAL

TOUR 24 EXTRACTION MAGAZINE The Good Word According to John By Jason S. Lupoi, Ph.D.

Dear Reader, and the business practices have grown immensely. Folks As we have done in past issues (Jahan Marcu, Ph.D., Andy are understanding the importance of brand reputation, Joseph, and Dr. Jerry King), we’re continuing to pick at the marketing, and perception. Websites, gear, and clothing have brains of our advisory board, to illustrate who these folks a much more professional look. Cannabis is big business are, why they’ve elected to be involved in the cannabis/ and needs to be approached that way no matter the size and hemp industry, and why their expertise is invaluable to our goals of your brand. publications. The conversation below is with John Roelke of Extract Consultants. Folks in our space are becoming more educated by the day about the cannabis plant and how to use it. They better JL: So, John, what brought you to the cannabis industry? understand the molecules that make up the plant — all the What were you doing prior? Why do you want to dedicate THC and CBD varieties, the terpenes, esters, aldehydes, your education and resources to this industry? and hydrocarbons and their effects, and how to use those molecules to drive your brand and post-extraction products JR: Extract Consultants was formed by one of my best friends in the desired direction. Companies are much better at and his son. As it grew, they brought old friends together marketing their brands/products as well. from different industries. We all bring different strengths to the table. I came in from the food and beverage industry. I A highlight for us at Extract Consultants is the beginning of am a professionally trained chef who has worked in all areas regulations on the terpene and flavor side of things. While of food. My last job before Extract Consultants was as Vice currently a bumpy road, we are excited that the different President of Continental Sausage in Denver, Colorado, which I did for 7 years.

The opportunity that was offered to me in 2016 was too good to refuse. Working with an intelligent team that has foresight, integrity, professionalism, and years of intellectual property was attractive. The real topper was to work in a new industry and with a plant I love. There are very few times in history to jump in on a new industry. Automobiles, TV’s, computers, and now Cannabis. A dream for sure.

JL: How have you seen this industry evolve? What have been the highlights, both in general, and for you personally?

JR: The main areas of evolution that I see are professionalism, education and regulation. In early 2016, the industry still clung to its underground roots. While Photo credit: Randy Reed of Olala still a loose and fun industry, the look, the approach, EXTRACTION MAGAZINE 25

regulatory bodies in the various states are beginning to you on the regulatory side. Regulations conversations should pay attention to what is going into vapes and other post- always be ongoing with your suppliers. extraction products. We welcome regulations for many reasons, the main one being safety, followed by standards. e) Stay away from all and any black-market suppliers. While things are still working themselves out regulatory- wise, we appreciate the evolving movement. JL: You’re omnipotent. What would you change about the industry? JL: What’s your take on the vaping conundrum? How can someone investigate things like organic claims, or what’s in JR: This is an easy one. I would make all forms of cannabis products like terpenes/essential oils? legal on the federal level. That would make doing business in our space so much easier. There would be consistent JR: It is an unfortunate situation, that’s for sure. We believe regulations, better banking, interstate commerce, etc. it that this was a wakeup call for more regulations and killing the would benefit our industries in many positive ways. black market. We also believe that, until regulations occur on a more consistent and national level, there are a few things that JL: It’s easy to geek out over cool cannabis science. What manufactures can do to help protect their brands. have you learned about the cannabis plant, or a product, that really amazed you? a) Strongly vet all potential suppliers. Make sure they have the certifications and regulatory paperwork that can stand up to JR: I’ve been really surprised at how much CBD/THC lotions scrutiny and protect your brand. Make sure they are reputable help with arthritis. My 82-year old parents love using CBD/ and have a strong regulatory staff. Require-batch specific THC lotion on their hands and joints. It has been effective in certificates of analysis, food grade certifications, safety and a couple of ways-helping their arthritis and breaking down technical data sheets, ingredient statements, residual statements, the old barriers and perceptions they had regarding how BAD and any other statements that will protect your brand. cannabis supposedly was. They are now much more open to cannabis. b) Don’t blindly trust what someone tells you. Good information can be hard to come by in the terpene/ As for me, I have been impressed not so much by a product flavor space. If a supplier tells you something, get their or specific idea, but by the rapid growth in ideas and by the documentation to prove it. Verify any and all claims such number of different options for usage/intake that have been as organic (there are no organic terpenes), non-GMO developed in a few short years. All the different vaporizers, [genetically modified organisms), all-natural etc. lotions, edibles and tinctures are impressive. The variety has gone through the roof and, because of that, it will be easier c) Test any and all terpene and flavor products that come into for the industry to find the consumer accepted products, their lab as a matter of quality control and brand protection. methods of usage, flavors, feelings, etc. d) Ask your suppliers for their help. Talk to them regarding JL: If you could tell someone just one thing about terpenes, your brands’ needs and what they can do to help support what would it be? 26 EXTRACTION MAGAZINE

Photo credit: Randy Reed of Olala

JR: In Cannabis sativa, THC and CBD are the engine, while China, growing hemp has been allowed. However, Indiana’s the terpenes are the steering wheel. THC and CBD create current governor has stated on several occasions, that the ‘high’, but the terpenes are what make that high so- cannabis is a gateway drug. Given these statements and called “sativa” or an “indica” highs. Terpenes potentiate Indiana’s overall conservative nature, cannabis will only cannabinoids via the entourage effect. Terpenes are also what become legal there when it’s made federally legal. give plants their aroma and taste. For example, when you smell pine trees, you are smelling alpha- and beta-pinene. JL: You do a little bit of crystal gazing. What does 2020 bring us? While this may be two things about terpenes, they are the two major things terpenes do! JR: I believe that 2020 will bring a few things:

JL: What do you find to be rewarding about the 1) New states will come online, new products will be manufacturing and sales of terpenes? developed, and new entrepreneurs will continue to invest.

JR: We help folks bring exclusivity and consistency to their 2) To diversify risk and increase sales, ancillary manufacturers brands through flavor and effect. It’s great to see the wheels will look to expand outside the US into Canada and beyond. turn when we talk shop with our clients and let them know the ways we can support their brands using terpenes. 3) While CBD/hemp regulations are uncertain, this market will continue growing and help change perceptions of the JL: At Concentration 2019, you said “they’ll grow cannabis cannabis plant. on Mars before they do in Indiana.” Do you think that 2020 might bring legislation? 4) Regulations will continue to evolve from state to state.

JR: With every election cycle, we will continue to see states 5) The education level among consumers will continue to voting to allow either medical or recreational cannabis. Due improve as they seek safe alternatives to conventional to its heavy agricultural influence and recent trade war with medicines. PRO TOOLS. PRO RESULTS.

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The Vanishing Science-Driven Fog in the Approach to YEAR OF CLINICAL PERFECT EDUCATION VISION on Cannabis Madness Wanes How Much Do Health - Science and Professionals Know Reality Sustains About Cannabis?

Reefer MADNESS Featuring the Superpowers of Commissioner We’ve Harry J. Anslinger Always BEEN HIGH Contextualizing the Entheogenic History of Cannabis PROHIBITION IS OVER THE DEVIL'S LETTUCE CONCEPT HAS ROTTED Developing Better Products through Natural Chemistry Penta Manufacturing Company is Family Owned and Operated for Over 40 Years.

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■ ACETAL ■ 3-OCTANOL ■ PROPYL-2- ■ 5,6,7,8-TETRAHYDRO- ■ TRITHIOACETONE ■ ACETIC ACID ■ TRANS-2-OCTENAL METHYLBUTYRATE QUINOXALINE ■ TURPENTINE PROPYL THIOACETATE 2,3,5,6-TETRAMETHYL ■ ACETOL ■ 2-OCTEN-4-ONE ■ ■ ■ L-TYROSINE D-PULEGONE PYRAZINE ■ ACETONE ■ 3-OCTYL ACETATE ■ ■ 2,4-UNDECADIENAL PYRAZINE ETHANETHIOL ■ THEASPIRANE ■ ACETYL BUTYRYL ■ OCTYL BUTYRATE ■ ■ DELTA- 2-PYRIDINE ■ THEOBROMINE ■ ALLYL HEPTOATE ■ OLEIC ACID ■ UNDECALACTONE METHANETHIOL ■ 2,2-(THIODIMETHYLENE) ■ ACETOPHENONE ■ PIPERINE ■ TRANS-2-UNDECENAL ■ QUININE DIFURAN ■ ALPHA-DAMASCONE ■ PRENYL ACETATE ■ UNDECYLENIC ACID ■ RHODINOL ■ THIOGERANIOL ■ BETA-DAMASCONE ■ PRENYL MERCAPTAN ■ VALENCENE ■ D-RIBOSE ■ THIOPHENOL ■ 3,4-DIMETHYL-1, ■ L-PROLINE ■ GAMMA- ■ RUM ETHER ■ THYMOL CRYSTALS VALEROLACTONE 2-CYCLOPENTADIONE PROPIONALDEHYDE ■ SAFRANAL DELTA- DIMETHYL DISULFIDE ■ ■ ■ VALERALDEHYDE ■ ■ PROPIONIC ACID TRIDECALACTONE ■ SCLAREOLIDE VALERIC ACID ■ CIS-JASMONE 2-PROPIONYL ■ ■ SKATOLE ■ TRIETHYL CITRATE ■ MESITYL OXIDE THIOPHENE ■ ■ VALSPICE 2,4,6-TRIISOBUTYL-5, ■ STEARIC ACID ■ VANILLIN ■ METHYL ALCOHOL ■ PROPYL ACETATE 6-DIHYDRO-4H-1,3, ■ ■ STYRALLYL ACETATE ■ MYRCENE ■ PROPYL ALCOHOL 5-DITHIAZINE ■ VANILLIN ACETATE ■ STYRALLYL ALCOHOL ■ DELTA-NONALACTONE ■ PROPYL BUTYRATE ■ TRIMETHYLAMINE ■ VANILLIN ISOBUTYRATE STYRALLYL CIS-6-NONENAL PROPYL CAPROATE ■ 2,6,6-TRIMETHYLCY- 4-VINYL GUAIACOL ■ ■ ISOBUTYRATE ■ ■ ■ CIS-6-NONENOL ■ PROPYL CAPRYLATE CLOHEX-2-ENE-1, ■ VITAMIN E ■ SUCCINIC ACID 4-DIONE ■ 4-NONANONE ■ PROPYL DISULFIDE ■ WINTERGREEN OIL ■ GAMMA-TERPINENE ■ 2,3,5-TRIMETHYL CIS-6-NONENAL PROPYLENE GLYCOL XYLITOL ■ ■ ■ TERPINYL ACETATE PYRAZINE ■ 3-NONEN-2-ONE PROPYL ISOBUTYRATE D-XYLOSE ■ ■ ■ DELTA- ■ 2,4,5-TRIMETHYL ■ ■ 2,4-OCTADIENAL ■ PROPYL MERCAPTAN TETRADECALACTONE THIAZOLE ■ ZINGERONE

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PF1803_penta_glass-strawberry.indd 1 1/31/18 2:35 PM Contents

The Vanishing Fog in 04 the Year of Perfect Vision Publisher MACE Media Group We’ve Always Been High CEO 08 Celeste Miranda Editor-in-Chief 12 Reefer Madness Jason S. Lupoi, Ph.D. Authors: Prohibition Is Over. It’s Time to Jason S. Lupoi, Ph.D. 16 Stop Demonizing Cannabis Carlton Bone Lance Griffin A Science-Driven Approach to Guy Rocourt 20 Clinical Education on Cannabis Stacia Woodcock, PharmD Jan Roberts, DSW, LCSW Educating the Industry! Jahan Marcu, Ph.D. 22 The Future of Cannabis is Here Dustin Mahon The Word According to the Board: Kyle Boyar 24 The Harry Resin Edition Designer Marko Nedeljkovic Pharmacogenomics Advertising: 26 for the Cannabis User Julian Azevedo 4 TERPENES & TESTING The Vanishing Fog in the Year of Perfect Vision Madness Wanes, Science and Reality Sustains By Jason S. Lupoi, Ph.D.

The deleterious effects of the War on Drugs from a cannabis perspective pervade our society. Many doctors aren’t educated on the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which means they can’t properly treat disorders emanating from an ECS imbalance. [1] Some believe that depression stems from an ECS imbalance [2], while pioneering research from Jahan Marcu, Ph.D. and co- authors [3] and other research groups [4] have demonstrated the ECS’s involvement in combating cancer.

Our ancient ancestors knew about Cannabis sativa, though. Ancient Egyptians have been reported to have used cannabis (called shemshemet) in various medical applications for conditions like depression and inflammation, as a poultice, as a vermicidal [5], and in tribute to Seshat, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge, who is depicted with a seven- leafed plant above her head. Other legendary cultures like the Mayans and Incas are also said to have used cannabis [6], but even more recent ancestors recognized the plant’s utility.

Cannabis was listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia from 1850 through 1942. [7] Thus, physicians during this epoch recognized and witnessed the plant’s medicinal power. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, while not making the plant outright illegal, levied a $100/oz tax on the transport of the plant to the general public. While we can ponder what might have been should this irrationality have never happened, we can readily see the mushrooming Reefer Madness that prevented droves of people from utilizing a plant.

The real Reefer Madness wasn’t from those consuming it, but rather from an uneducated, ignorant, and/or deceitful sliver of humanity that chose to spread lies rather than progress lives. This isn’t being exaggeratedly melodramatic. I know people who could have benefitted from this plant in my lifetime, and I know you do as well. Thus, the damage that a small number of people initiated, further made “viral” by the characteristic TERPENES & TESTING 5

mass media hysteria we’re so accustomed to, is the real crime; these examples. But then, Richard Nixon happened. not a dimebag. Hunter S. Thompson wrote: “By disgracing and degrading the Presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White Cannabis’s efficacy as a medicine has never really been House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart doubted, though. Common drug companies created of the American Dream.” [8] Nixon initiated the Controlled cannabis-derived extracts in the early 1900s. They Substances Act in 1970. This solidified the demonization of researched cannabis’s phyto-pharmacy, and even created the plant as a Schedule I drug, which means a substance with synthetic, legal delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), such as no known medicinal value. Other Schedule I drugs include Marinol®, in drug synthesis labs. peyote, 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and psilocybin, Some of this research occurred in the late 1960s and all substances that are witnessing a resurgence of medicinal 1970s, and the scientific literature is bespeckled with investigation. Interestingly, fentanyl, which the Center for Disease Control (CDC) lists as 50-100x more potent than morphine, is Schedule II. A 2019 CDC article reports 1,663 fentanyl-based deaths in 2011 increased to 18,335 in 2016. [9]

John Erlichman, Nixon’s domestic policy chief, has gone on record saying, “We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with [cannabis] and blacks with heroin. And then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.” [10]

A-ha! There’s an on-the-record statement from the Nixon administration that proves their political policy was focused on race and socioeconomic status instead of phytochemistry. Regardless of this admission, cannabis and THC continued to be ostracized during the Reagan years, a revolutionary time for the wonderfully angst-driven music like hip-hop and metal that often succinctly characterized the dissent of the masses. The television commercials depicting eggs cracked into frying pans, though, implied that illicit drugs would scramble your brain, which likely is true for many illegal and legal substances. But cannabis? Where’s the proof?

And if THC was the whisk that beat the eggs, why did the US government seek their patent on this molecule and other cannabinoids in 1998? [11] Although the patent has apparently recently expired, the US Department of Health and Human Services registered a patent on cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants. We can pretend that cannabinoids synthesized in a lab or excreted by microorganisms are not the same as those naturally produced in a wonderfully alien-looking plant, but that would be false and rather silly. The cannabis plant has had millennia to evolve and perfect its own craft. 6 TERPENES & TESTING

Perhaps the ancestral knowledge thought to exist in our genes Sure, there are anomalies that may fit some perverse mold includes an innate need for cannabis. [12] Perhaps the sight concocted by people with nefarious intentions. But most of the plant triggers a genetic predisposition that whispers cannabis users aren’t out looking for a bar-fight like many “hey, you need this” for sorting out various imbalances and imbibers of alcohol. ailments. Maybe it’s about time that we listen to our own selves instead of talking heads and fear-mongers that seek to There’s not 480,000 of them dying each year from lung cancer polarize us, deceive us, and unfortunately, whether unintended like cigarette smokers. [13] Comparatively, cannabis offers a or not, keep us sick and tired and distracted. sense of balance, of homeostasis. It personifies a return to a more earthly, peaceful way of life. Cannabis and other plants (and the beneficent molecules therein) are witnessing a resurgence in our modern culture, like the And just as the cannabinoids and terpenes in the plant prefer myriad of entheogenic compounds currently under impressive community over isolation (e.g. ensemble effects), a sizeable scientific investigation (e.g. dimethyltryptamine or psilocybin). chunk of the people returning to this plant for business and When you extricate yourself from the media-created detritus therapy seem to understand this, constructing a cohesive that distorts reality, and you listen to the tangible experiences of community devoid of any involvement (yet) from the federal real people, it’s easy to see that “drug-crazed abandon” or the government that has disrespected us and the cannabis plant burning weed with its roots stretching to hell is gibberish that with 80+ years of indoctrination. This new year represents the shouldn’t be taken seriously. The global fog dissipates. year of perfect sight. TERPENES & TESTING 7

References [1] Bearman, D. “The Systemic Lack of Education About and Figures in Religions and Myths,” NeuroQuantology, the Endocannabinoid System Leads to Widespread Volume 12(2), 2014, p. 276-296. [journal impact factor = Ignorance About Cannabis,” American Academy of 0.453; cited by 15] Cannabinoid Medicine, posted 02/10/2019; accessed [7] Bridgeman, M. and Abazia, D. “Medicinal Cannabis: 12/08/2019. History, Pharmacology, and Implications for the Acute [2] Patel, S. and Hilliard, C. “Role of Endocannabinoid Care Setting,” Pharmacy and Therapeutics, volume 42(3), Signaling in Anxiety and Depression,” Curr Top Behav 2017, p. 180-188. [journal impact factor = 11.127; cited Neurosci., volume 1, 2009, 10.1007/978-3-540-88955- by 34] 7_14. [journal impact factor = 2.61; cited by 27] [8] Thompson, H. “He was a Crook,” Rolling Stone, [3] Marcu, J. et al. “Cannabidiol enhances the written 06/16/1994; accessed 12/07/2019. inhibitory effects of 9-tetrahydrocannabinol on human Δ [9] Spencer, M. et al. “Drug Overdose Deaths Involving glioblastoma cell proliferation and survival,” Mol Cancer Fentanyl, 2011–2016,” National Vital Statistics Report, Ther., volume 9, issue 1, 2010, p. 180–189. [journal Vol. 68(3), 03/21/2019. impact factor = 4.856; cited by 70] [10] LoBianco, T. “Report: Aide says Nixon’s war on drugs [4] Bifulco M. and Di Marzo V. “Targeting the targeted blacks, hippies,” CNN Politics, Uploaded on endocannabinoid system in cancer therapy: a call for 03/24/2016; accessed on 12/07/2019. further research,” Nat Med, volume 8, 2002, p. 547–550. [journal impact factor = 32.621; cited by 179] [11] Hampson, A. et al. “Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants,” 2003, US6630507B1. [5] Russo, E. “History of Cannabis and Its Preparations in Saga, Science, and Sobriquet,” Chemistry and [12] Treffert, D. “Genetic Memory: How We Know Biodiversity, volume 4, 2007, p. 1614-1648. [journal Things We Never Learned,” Scientific American, posted impact factor = 1.449; cited by 199] 01/28/2015, accessed 12/08/2019. [6] Sayin, H. “The Consumption of Psychoactive Plants [13] https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_ During Religious Rituals: The Roots of Common Symbols sheets/fast_facts/index.htm 8 TERPENES & TESTING We’ve Always Been High Contextualizing the Entheogenic History of Cannabis By Carlton Bone, Upward Cannabis Kitchen

Cannabis has existed for millennia. The number of cultures and “Source of Happiness”, while culturally, the plant was embracing the plant are as bountiful as its therapeutic utilized in ceremonies from weddings to the festival of Diwali. applications. Less recognized, however, are the ancient [4] The plant makes appearances throughout the cultural applications of the plant as an entheogen. Entheogenic texts and preparations of the plant for religious purposes are substances are psychoactive chemicals used in spiritual/ well-documented. Furthermore, in Tantric Buddhism, cannabis religious contexts, including lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), serves as an important part of a traditional ritual, serving ayahuasca, datura, psilocybin, etc. Most contemporary uses of as a catalyst for literal ecstasy, defined as a higher state of cannabis in the West largely fall outside this spiritual domain enlightenment and connectedness with a higher power. [5] despite the historical precedent. However, outside of the Global North, entheogenic drug practices are the norm, as various Cannabis preparations were as diverse as the applications, healers and spiritual practitioners utilize these substances to as scholars continue unearthing more functions of cannabis invoke deeper connections and broader perspectives. [1] in ancient India. Preparative techniques are broken down into three main types, each with a distinct cultural legacy and Debates rage on surrounding cannabis’s role as an history: bhang; gunjah; charas. [6] entheogenic substance. Some critics argue that it’s merely a drug and not a psychedelic or entheogen, while advocates Bhang has its direct roots in the text of the Vedas where it’s point to the myriad of therapeutic applications and cannabis’s described as a preparation of dried cannabis (interpreted rich historical use within religious and spiritual ceremonies. [2] to mean leaves, stems, and flowers) in milk or water, often Such discussions, while lively, miss the point that cannabis, accompanied by black pepper and sugar. Gunjah, most like as a ubiquitous cultural artifact across space-time, has the the cannabis flower we smoke today, referred to dried buds potential to take on all of these values, and will retain different of selectively cultivated female plants. While this practice is values to different consumers. often included in rituals, its origins are less clear. The third preparation, charas, is produced from the plant’s resins and This article explores the development of cannabis through its can be considered the earliest version of hashish. various cultural applications as an entheogenic substance, including the historic and traditional uses of cannabis and China hemp products across diverse, global cultures. From Ancient While cannabis consumption was strictly ordered and well- India to the African Continent during the 19th Century, documented in ancient Indian cultures according to religious cannabis consumption rituals have been utilized across various and social values, hemp medicines in Chinese culture spiritual and religious contexts, prior to and alongside its can be traced to more esoteric religious traditions. Some proliferation as commodity. Understanding cannabis’s value as scholars argue that the suppression of traditional religious a cultural artifact is important to navigating renewed interest practices, such as entheogenic cannabis use, and the lack in the plant as a medical and industrial crop, given the ways of documentation on their history, is the result of a regional culture and consumption practices are recursively informed. secular turn marked by the rise of Confucianism, which [3] stands at odds with Taoist precepts. [7] Interpretations of ancient Taoist religious texts and traditional Chinese medicine Indian Subcontinent guides have given credence to the idea that cannabis has The earliest recorded evidence of cannabis use as a religious psychodynamic and hallucinogenic properties that aid in phenomenon comes from the Atharva Veda, a core Hindu text religious practices such as trance meditation and visualization. written between 1400-2000 BCE. The Vedas ascribed several The extent to which the plant was utilized in such practices properties to the plant including “Joy-Giver”, “Liberator”, compared to more utilitarian applications remains shrouded. TERPENES & TESTING 9

According to Archaeologist Hui-Lin Li, “The use of Cannabis as a hallucinogenic drug by necromancers or magicians is especially notable. In ancient China, as in most early cultures, medicine has its origin in magic. Medicine men were practicing magicians.” [8] Farmers and peasants used hemp-based clothing, and pharmacopoeias of the period discuss traditional medical applications. Archeologists discovered a number of wooden brazzers and burial shrouds from gravesites in China dated to 2500 BCE that had trace amounts of delta- 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) residue, which may evidence cultivation techniques and consumption rituals in line with religious applications alongside the industrial and nutritional purposes of the plant. [9]

Central Asia and The Middle East A corner of the contemporary mytho-historical narrative of cannabis involves tales of hash-laced assassins who used the plant resin as part of their cultural practice. [10] Arguably, this narrative was influenced by Orientalist and colonial attitudes of European explorers whose industrial applications of the plant stood at odds with psychoactive applications. This period of cannabis globalization marks a rapid diffusion of styles and practices that depict multicultural entheogenic relationships with cannabis mediated by the influence of various empires. [11]

For example, evidence of the various relationships people had with Cannabis can be found in firsthand accounts from the period, from biblical references of cannabis as a sacrament used by Abraham, to accounts of the Scythians using cannabis in steam baths, and archaeological evidence of Arabs using the plant for fatigue. [12] While many decoctions and applications of cannabis resin are documented within Islamic culture during this period, smoking and consuming hashish as modes of cannabis consumption quickly spread across Earth, and stayed a staple in European cannabis circles well into the 21st century. [13]

The African Continent Africa arguably has had the greatest impact on the globalization of cannabis as an entheogen. In addition to helping facilitate the spread of the plant to the new world and its eventual commodification, different groups throughout Africa made their own mark on the plant. From the kief-based hashish smoking dens of Morocco to tribal smoking rites south of the Sahara, cannabis can be connected to a myriad of religious groups and practices in ways that complicate traditional narratives of globalization. While the commercial interests in hemp certainly dovetailed with entheogenic applications, the gaps between these two created opportunities 10 TERPENES & TESTING

for new cultural relationships with the plant that continue to incorporated the plant into their lives. [15] Altogether, these define contemporary attitudes on cannabis. practices helped inform the identities of diaspora groups, and their regulation was part of a broader project of social control Important to African cannabis history is the notion that that aimed to suppress religious and personal expressions. the narratives we have on cannabis consumption in Africa are largely Eurocentric. These narratives are liable to This group, composed of enslaved Africans and displaced embellishment and conflation in line with the broader colonial indigenous groups, inherited and crafted unique plant-people attitudes of the period. This is an indomitable the broader relationships as part of their constructed identity. This is why barrier to authentically understanding some of the entheogenic many advocates for legalization in Latin America have placed applications of cannabis, and the impact of these viewpoints a focus on social equity in their crusade and why, “The larger has been the marginalization of what consumption rituals problems related to cannabis stem not from its consumption, across the African continent have contributed to modern but from the (repressive) state responses that persist. It is consumption rituals. therefore necessary to move ahead with regulatory systems for all uses of the [plant].” [16] This view is argued by Chris S. Duval in his cannabis historiography entitled The African Roots of Marijuana. Duval The history of cannabis contains as much medicine and writes: industry as religion. The role of cannabis in new religious movements like Rastafarianism and the Church of Cannabis, “African practices were overlooked partly because serves as ample evidence of the historical continuity that European writers framed the Levant as where psychoactive cannabis as a cultural artifact with spiritual significance cannabis reached its cultural pinnacle. Cannabis has been able to maintain. Cannabis consumption rituals consumption in the eastern Mediterranean region included understood as religious practices should be protected sweet, hashish-based confections with lengthy recipes, and respected as valuable embodiments of the diverse such as majun. Edible cannabis concoctions that existed relationships people have formed with the plant. south of the Sahara were overlooked and uncommon anyway. Historical sub-Saharan societies were satisfied Doing so may afford a novel path through regulatory dilemmas with smoking cannabis. Smoking transforms the plant that plague countries in the Global North by circumventing drug as a pharmacological agent; its effects are felt quickly questions of recreational and medicinal value. This is after inhaling, compared with a half-hour or more after significant as these questions are irresolvable. This concept eating cannabis-laced food. It is easy for smokers to was discussed in a report drafted for the Canadian Government control dosage but difficult for hashish eaters. Nonetheless, as it prepared to legalize cannabis: “It is only natural that Europeans perceived this preference for smoking as cultural backgrounds obscure answers to scientific questions backwardness. ‘Orientals use refined preparations of in regards to [cannabis]. . . Thus ‘the [cannabis] controversy cannabis resin,’ reported a French traveler in 1889, but is primarily a political, rather than a scientific debate’ because Central Africans only smoked “the rustic form” of mixed it pits morals against morals, that are informed by cultural flowers, leaves, and seeds.” [14] backgrounds.” [17]

The Americas Understanding the role of entheogens in crafting drug Much of cannabis culture in the Americas is bookended by the policy will better position regulators and the public for the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and prohibition era that the idea of liberalization of other entheogens already being realized a distinct religious or entheogenic connection to cannabis is in North America through the advancement of 3,4-methyl​ difficult. For many slaves, workers, and continental indigenous -enedioxy​methamphetamine (MDMA)-based research and groups, cannabis was part of a broader folk tradition that psilocybin treatment facilities. Cannabis consumption, whether encompassed entheogenic applications with wider health entheogenic in purpose or not, is better realized in a context and wellbeing ideals. Indeed, the quintessential experience that embraces the diversity of more personal and intimate of smoking a joint can be directly traced through the advent relationships with the plant and its derivative products, from of cannabis in the Americas and how various cultural groups nutritional to spiritual, or recreational to medical. TERPENES & TESTING 11

References [1] Lott-Schwartz, H. “5 Of the World’s Most Mind- [9] Donahue, M. “Earliest Evidence for Cannabis Smoking Bending Drug Cultures,” National Geographic, posted Discovered in Ancient Tombs.” National Geographic, 01/25/2019, accessed 12/11/2019. posted 06/12/2019, accessed 12/11/2019. [2] Brodwin, E. “Some Psychiatrists Think Cannabis Can [10] Daftary, F. The Assassin Legends: Myths of the Be Considered a Psychedelic Drug like Shrooms - Here’s Isma’ills, 1974, I.B.Tarius, London. Why,” Business Insider, posted 07/05/2017, accessed [11] Zuardi, A. “History of Cannabis as a Medicine: 12/11/2019. a Review.” Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, 2006, [3] Spriggs, M. “High Culture: Reflections on Addiction Vol.28(2): 153-157. [journal impact factor = 1.593; cited and Modernity,” Journal of Medical Ethics 2004, volume by 199] 30: e11, book review. [12] Nahas G. “Hashish in Islam: 9th Century to 18th [4] Warf, B. “High Points: An Historical Geography of Century”, Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, Cannabis”, Geogr Rev, 2014, 104: 414-438. [journal 1982, 58(9): 814-831. [journal impact factor = 1.959; impact factor = 0.750; cited by 31] cited by 28] [5] Parker, R.C., and Lux. “Psychoactive Plants in [13] Cannoli, F. “Hashishin ‘Users/Eaters of Hashish’ Tantric Buddhism: Cannabis and Datura Use in Indo- Words by Frenchy”, Weed World Magazine, uploaded Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism.” Erowid Buddhism Vaults: 04/03/2019, accessed 12/09/2019. Psychoactive Plants in Tantric Buddhism, Erowid Extracts, [14] Duval, C. The African Roots of Marijuana, 2019, Duke posted 06/2008, accessed 12/11/2019. University Press, Durham and London. [6] Touw, M. “The religious and medicinal uses [15] Chasteen, J. Getting high: marijuana through the of Cannabis in China, India and Tibet”, Journal of ages, 2016, Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham. Psychoactive Drugs, 1981, 13(1): 23-34. [journal impact factor = 1.740; cited by 96] [16] Corda, A. and Fusero, M. “Cannabis in Latin America and the Caribbean: From Punishment to Regulation,” Drug [7] Clarke, R. and Merlin, M. Cannabis: Evolution and Policy Briefing 48, Transnational Institute, September Ethnobotany. 2013, University of California Press. 2016. [8] Li, H. “An Archaeological and Historical Account of [17] Spicer, L. “Historical and Cultural uses of Cannabis Cannabis in China”, Economic Botany, 1974, Volume 28.4: and The Canadian Marijuana Clash,” Report for the Senate Pages 437-448. [journal impact factor = 1.109; cited by Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, Library of Parliament. 143] April 2002. 12 TERPENES & TESTING Reefer Madness Featuring the Superpowers of Commissioner Harry J. Anslinger By Lance Griffin

Timeline. Fair Use. President Herbert Hoover formed the Federal Bureau of Harry J. Anslinger, Narcotics (FBN) and appointed Anslinger as the Commissioner. 1958 Politicians with a vested interest in narcotics enforcement encouraged his appointment —Anslinger had earned reputation as an uncompromising enforcer. [1]

Anslinger thus inherited the nation’s first narcotics enforcement agency. It was a mere shadow of today’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). But our super-villain had big plans for the FBN.

Anslinger’s ambition was a mysterious and unyielding fire. He Racist. Fear-monger. Tyrant of US drug policy. Villain of the reminisced of several experiences that marked him as boy, 21st century. including the death of a choirboy friend who smoked opium. [2] Around age 12, he passed by the house of a screaming Harry J. Anslinger: The name enrages cannabis advocates with opium addict; the addict’s husband sent little Anslinger to the unbridled loathing. Anslinger’s mission? A most diabolical pharmacy to buy more. [1] scheme: criminalize cannabis, lock up jazz musicians, and rule the world! At least, rule the world with zealotry and fear. Move But such explanations lack the power of a proper origin story over, Lex Luthor — there’s a new arch-nemesis in town. and, as we’ll see, fail to explain his ruthless annihilation of cannabis. (Editor’s Note: Anslinger was from Altoona, In villain hierarchy, Anslinger was the evil genius. During Pennsylvania, about two hours east of Pittsburgh. And the yes- the 1920s, the era of alcohol prohibition, he worked in the men and women that tossed Tommy Chong in jail for selling Bahamas to catch American rumrunners. Anslinger believed glassware also heavily involved Western PA fuzz. Madness...) in Prohibition. He felt that larger fines and longer prison sentences were the solution to the alcohol problem. An agent When Anslinger took the position, he did not consider in the Division of Foreign Control, he also studied international cannabis a threat. [3] But the FBN desperately needed funding, narcotics smuggling. [1] so, he developed a plan: outlaw cannabis to legitimize the FBN and bring home the bacon. His tools were racism, anti- Locking up both alcohol and narcotics offenders posed a immigrant rhetoric, and false information. With these weapons, challenge for the United States Treasury. [1] So in 1930, he transformed cannabis from a benign concern beyond the TERPENES & TESTING 13

average American’s experience to a sensationalized national Anslinger’s most racist remarks include “reefer makes public threat. [3] [African Americans] think they’re as good as white men.” [4] He is also commonly credited with saying, “Most marijuana smokers are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers.” Their satanic music, jazz and swing result from marijuana usage.” [5] Some dispute the validity of such quotes [6], and primary sources linking the quote to Anslinger are lacking — perhaps his more inflammatory remarks were uttered in private speeches to receptive organizations.

The quotes do, however, reflect Anslinger’s documented attitudes. In a 1934 memo, he spewed more racist gibberish that was shocking enough that Senator Joseph Guffey of Pennsylvania called for Anslinger’s resignation, but he persevered with the help of his supporters.

Anslinger’s master plan also painted cannabis as a drug that induced extraordinary violence. He penned articles about the dangers of cannabis, and one was made into a film. “Marijuana, Assassin of Youth” centers on a young girl who uses cannabis several times then becomes stressed about school and jumps from a window to her death. [9] The film adaptation features similar cannabis-fueled destruction. [10]

Anslinger is not explicitly credited for the film Reefer Madness, but it was certainly born from his reign of terror. This infamous film depicts the tragic downfalls of three jazz-loving cannabis users. [11] The convoluted tale ends as Anslinger penned: the lead heroine jumps from a window to her death. [11] Sure, he had a little help from his friends. Sidekick William Randolph Hearst, a media mogul with forest holdings (i.e., 14 TERPENES & TESTING

wood pulp used for paper production), spearheaded a fake news movement (known as yellow journalism). [12] Anti- immigration headlines were an easy sell. After all, Mexican migrants from the Mexican Revolution were completely unwelcome during the Great Depression. [11] The New York Times reported in 1934 that: “Marihuana, perhaps now the most insidious of our narcotics, is a direct by-product of unrestricted Mexican immigration… Mexican peddlers have been caught distributing sample marihuana cigarettes to school children.” [13]

Anslinger’s triumph came with the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act and federal prohibition of cannabis. In the federal hearing for the Act, Anslinger stated that “opium has all of the good of Dr. Jekyll and all the evil of Mr. Hyde. This drug [cannabis] is entirely the monster Hyde, the harmful effect of which cannot be measured.” [14] That sealed the deal. Cannabis was prohibited and incarcerations began shortly thereafter.

Anslinger went down fighting. He never budged. His 1961 article “Hemp Around Their Necks” stated in no uncertain terms that “much of the most irrational juvenile violence and that has written a new chapter of shame and tragedy is traceable directly to this hemp intoxication.” [15]

His legacy is one of lost lives and mass incarceration. His Retail & Bulk Available articles and letters echo the self-possession and blazing But the battle continues. In 2018, the DEA publicly promoted passion of a man who is either addicted to his own ignorance Anslinger and his work on Twitter. [16] On the other hand, or, more likely, addicted to his own power. the film Reefer Madness became a satiric hit among cannabis advocates. It was even adapted into a comedic musical. [17] TERPENES & TESTING 15

References [1] McWilliams, JC. “Unsung Partner against Crime: on H.R. 1625, Mail Order Drug Paraphernalia Control Act, Harry J. Anslinger and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, May 8th, 1986. 99th Cong. 2nd sess. Washington: 1987. 1930-1962.” The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and [9] Anslinger, HF. “Marijuana — Assassin of Youth.” The Biography, vol. 113, no. 2, 1989, pp. 207-236. [Times Reader’s Digest. February 1938. Cited = 3] [10] Marihuana: Assassin of Youth. Directed by Elmer [2] Abel, EL. “Outlawing Marihuana.” Marihuana. Boston, Clifton. BCM Roadshow Productions, 1937. Springer, 1980. [11] Reefer Madness. Directed by Louis J. Gasnier. [3] Moran, Thomas J. “Just a Little Bit of History George A. Hirliman Productions, 1936. Repeating: The California Model of Marijuana Legalization and How it Might Affect Racial and Ethnic Minorities.” [12] Gerber, JR. Legalizing Marijuana: Drug Policy Reform Wash. & Lee J. Civ. Rts. & Soc. Just., vol.17, no.2, 2011. and Prohibition Politics, Connecticut, Praeger, 2004. [Times Cited = 1] [13] Musto, DF. “The 1937 Marijuana Tax Act.” Arch. Gen. [4] Brown, E, and George Barganier. “The Problem Psychiatry, vol.26, no.2, 1972, pp. 101-108, doi:10.1001/ of Urban America.” Race and Crime: Geographies of archpsyc.1972.01750200005002. [Journal Impact Factor Injustice, California, University of California Press, 2018. = 15.916; Times Cited = 7] [5] Schlussel, D. “The Mellow Pot-Smoker: White [14] The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. “Statement of H.J. Individualism in Marijuana Legalization Campaigns.” Anslinger.” Schaffer Library of Drug Policy, 1937. Calif. L. Rev., vol.885, 2017, https://doi.org/10.15779/ [15] Anslinger, HJ, and Will Oursler. “Hemp Around Their Z38PZ51K8D. [Journal Impact Factor = 2.155; Times Necks.” The Murderers, New York, Schaffer Library of Cited = 2] Drug Policy, 1961. [6] “The Complicated Legacy of Harry Anslinger.” Penn [16]@DEAHQ. “Harry Anslinger helped bring drug law Stater Magazine. January/February 2018. enforcement into the modern age. He served as head of [7] Sloman, Larry. Reefer Madness: The History of US drug enforcement for 5 presidents…” Twitter, March Marijuana in America. St. Martins Griffin, 2018. 8, 2018, 3:04 PM. [8] United States. Congress. House. Committee on the [17] Clary, Jennifer. “‘Reefer Madness, The Musical’ Judiciary. Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Crime of Redone as Satirical Commentary.” Source, Apr 2016, the Committee on the Judiciary House of Representatives https://source.colostate.edu/reefer-madness-musical- redone-satirical-commentary/. 16 TERPENES & TESTING Prohibition Is Over. It’s Time to Stop Demonizing Cannabis By Guy Rocourt, Papa & Barkley

April 14, 1937 was the day that safe access to cannabis We must stop using the word marijuana to define the plant died. It was the day the Marijuana Tax Act was introduced and refrain from using the phrase black market. In place of to Congress. The principal author of the bill was the same marijuana, we should use the plant’s Latin designation of man that said, “Marijuana is an addictive drug which cannabis, and in place of black market, we need the term produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death,” and traditional market, which acknowledges the generations of strategically stirred Reefer Madness into the hearts and individuals that continued advocating, growing, cultivating, minds of Americans for the next three decades. The man and providing safe access at great personal risk to life and was, of course, Commissioner Harry J. Anslinger of the property. We must strive to remind people that the terms Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Anslinger used fear, racism, and marijuana and black market are mired historically in racism, misinformation as primary tactics to demonize and ultimately bigotry, and fear, and serve only as forms of indoctrination. prohibit cannabis on the federal level. It wasn’t until 21 years It may seem like a small point of contention to change these after his death that the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 in phrases, but if we are to determine our agency as an industry California legalized cannabis medicinally. and grow, then we must evolve the way we speak and honor the people that made legalization possible. Prohibition had finally taken its first major body blow, and the ripple formed a wave of legalization and decriminalization Beyond changing our speech, we must also actively that is still spreading across the United States to this day. But participate in dismantling the stigmas and outright even in 2020, the battle to educate consumers and unpack demonization of cannabis and its primary cannabinoid delta- the misinformation campaigns of prohibition rages on. Laws 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). As we move towards real safe are changing, but minds and hearts have stayed very much access again, we need to reinforce the efficacy of cannabis the same, and it is our responsibility as the people within as medicine and the benefits of THC as a cannabinoid. A the cannabis industry to lead the charge of progress. It is growing problem I see every day in the cannabis industry is our primary duty to provide safe access while dismantling the separation of THC from the growing popularity of CBD. 80 years of rhetoric that sought to demonize cannabis and CBD as a commodity has skyrocketed consumer demand for aggressively punish anyone who felt differently. cannabis products, while THC is stigmatized and relegated as a negative component of the plant. The demonization of cannabis stems from systems of indoctrination fueled by manufactured hysteria and fear. The The separation of THC from CBD in the marketplace is current cannabis industry is analogous of race relations in causing a faultline in the efficacy of the plant. This stigma the United States when the civil rights act passed in 1964— is because THC has psychoactive properties and the initial racism still exists because of the use of dirty vernacular— and stigmas about ‘getting high’ are still pervasive in consumer’s the same principles are at work for cannabis. It is those very minds. But we don’t ask the same question of psychoactivity principles that we must deconstruct to move forward. of other analgesics or prescription medications like Xanax®, hydrocodone, and Percocet®. The closest similarity that comes to mind would be how the language surrounding alcohol prohibition had to change; we no What it really comes down to is dosing responsibly: cannabis longer call breweries and manufacturers of spirits bootleggers is a powerful analgesic, so don’t take too much of it. This is or refer to bars as speakeasies. Let our first acts as a progress- the case for most things we intake from alcohol to pharma. minded industry be to challenge the language of prohibition Responsible consumption and guidance about dosing are and normalize cannabis for what it truly is: a medicine. the only answers to this stigma. We have everything we need TERPENES & TESTING 17 18 TERPENES & TESTING

to have a thriving program and industry, yet companies are source the best possible ingredients, partner with farms who still using packaging with the words THC FREE and playing grow using organic and regenerative farming methods and off the fears of intoxication by THC. Another example of a scale a solventless lipid infusion process to preserve all the common stigma of cannabis involves confusing consumers plant’s natural cannabinoids, terpenes and phytonutrients. by talking about how hemp-based CBD is somehow different It isn’t unreasonable to set a higher bar for ourselves; it is from cannabis-based CBD. This sort of misinformation is requisite for our growth as an industry. The strongest smoke as irresponsible as it is false, and industry leaders must and edibles are simply a function of scarcity and prohibition maintain constant vigilance to educate the public. (Editor’s and are no longer necessary. People aren’t looking for one note: Amen.) shot of liquor to put them down, one cup of coffee to wake them up, one meal to feed themselves for the day— we don’t The specter of prohibition is clearly to blame but operating need to adhere to the concept of the strongest cannabis in a legal market means the scarcity of safe and effective possible. We need to take a measured step with how we products are no longer an issue. During an unregulated provide safe access not through strength and potency but market, like the one we had during prohibition, people through focusing on quality. wanted one-hit wonders— the strongest potential cannabis— because they wouldn’t know when they could It is important to remain forward-thinking. Our industry have access again. A regulated and legalized market not only needs continued leadership. We need to believe there is a means safe access, but it also ensures that more balanced higher standard, and we must reach for a better industry. medicines are coming out every day. It means standardized Whether you are a grower, farmer, budtender, researcher, amounts, rigorous standards of testing, and a focus on policy wonk, activist, advocate, patient, manufacturer, or quality over potency as the measure of success. It ultimately Chief Product Officer— we are all stewards of the plant and means people receive medicine that will change the way they its future. What we do every day in this industry has a far- manage their pain while improving their lives. All of us in the reaching impact. Our actions are vitally important because we industry have a responsibility to meet consumer demand with are at the beginning. The cannabis industry is in its infancy, the most efficacious and cleanest products possible. and the way we conduct ourselves in positions of leadership resonates because the marketplace is new and small. We At Papa & Barkley, we set a standard of clean cannabis, have a responsibility to the future and a responsibility to which means no chemicals are ever used, from input hold the integrity of safe access together. But it’s not just ingredients to end product. We go through great lengths to on us either. We need to work with regulators, comment TERPENES & TESTING 19

on industry policy, and challenge legislators to respond accordingly. Now is the time to listen; now is the time to lead. Prohibition is over. It’s time to empower ourselves and stop demonizing cannabis.

About the author: Guy Rocourt is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer for Papa & Barkley, the leading California cannabis wellness company. At Papa & Barkley, Guy is responsible for optimizing production practices, ensuring the company complies with rigorous testing and lab standards, and developing the product roadmap as the brand continues to expand into different areas of the cannabis marketplace. Previously, Guy designed and built manufactured infused product facilities (MIPs) in multiple states, making him an expert in cannabis science, tech, strategy, and production. Due to his vast experience, he is an asset to those hoping to invest in the space. He also has experience caring for patients with Cannabis. Guy graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology and is a U.S. Navy veteran.

Rocourt uses his keen understanding of the cannabis plant, cannabis culture, and business acumen to craft a variety of wellness products and is on a mission, like Papa & Barkley, to unlock the power of the plant to improve people’s lives. Rocourt is passionate about advocating for safe access to cannabis through public speaking and maintaining an authentic space within cannabis culture even as Papa & Barkley continues to grow. 20 TERPENES & TESTING A Science-Driven Approach to Clinical Education on Cannabis A New York-based Institute shares preliminary data on how health professional cannabis knowledge is guiding their educational program development By Stacia Woodcock, PharmD, Jan Roberts, DSW, LCSW, and Jahan Marcu, Ph.D.

Most clinicians lack knowledge about the endocannabinoid suggests that clinicians are lacking specific education system and its impact on mood regulation. Historically, regarding the clinical applications and pharmacology of clinicians have expressed a desire to learn more about this cannabis products. The majority of clinicians in this study did issue and demonstrated little knowledge about topics such not agree with the Drug Enforcement Agency’s designation as cannabis dosing/microdosing, the biphasic effect of of cannabis as a Schedule I substance, and clinicians cannabis, and how exactly cannabis interacts with the body overwhelmingly indicated that prohibition policy has targeted to exert its effects. minorities unfairly. Regardless of their acknowledgement that cannabis policy has been socially unjust, the study When asking questions about local medical cannabis data reveals that clinicians’ views on medical cannabis use programs, it appears that Canadian clinicians have more in practice may reflect their own internalized bias. Societal knowledge about their medical cannabis programs than their and/or internalized stigmatization may play a role in how counterparts in the United States (publication in process). clinicians view medical cannabis use and when/how they This may reflect poor clinical educational offerings as part of implement it into their practice. the clinician certification process in each state, the confusion surrounding the differing cannabis regulations from state to According to study data, although clinicians felt that cannabis state, or the increased stigmatization of cannabis that exists was safer than alcohol, some felt that simply using cannabis, in the US because of its illegal status at the federal level. regardless of intoxication level or lack of personal distress, could indicate abuse. A potential question for future research The International Research Center on Cannabis and Health may be how much the stigma around cannabis influences (IRCCH), based in New York, recently completed a pilot study whether a clinician views it under the guise of abuse. assessing mental health clinicians’ knowledge and attitudes regarding cannabis and cannabinoids (n=60; publication The majority of clinicians also believed that cannabis has in process). The primary aim of this study was to measure medicinal value, but indicated they were far more likely to attitudes and knowledge about various topics related to recommend treating physical conditions with cannabis than cannabis and the endocannabinoid system. The secondary mental health conditions. In addition, cannabis was more aim of the study was to apply this data to the development likely to be recommended to treat the symptoms resulting of clinical education targeted at the areas of opportunity the from cancer treatment (such as nausea, pain, or insomnia) study revealed. than for the individual symptoms themselves without cancer comorbidity. This may be a reflection of the perceived lack of Our preliminary findings demonstrate that stigma continues stigma surrounding cannabis use in cancer care versus in a to play a role in how clinicians view cannabis and also general medicine setting. TERPENES & TESTING 21

Figure 1 Recommendations for Mental Health

Recommend for Mental Health Issues 100

90

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60

50

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0 Depression Anxiety PTSD Anorexia Schizophrenia Bipolar Sexual Issues Opioid Abuse Other Substance Abuse

Yes No IRCCMH 2018

Even more interesting is the preliminary data regarding Education and training are a moving target, and appropriately the specific conditions practitioners were comfortable or gathered survey data will become increasingly important as uncomfortable using medical cannabis for (Figure 1). An the regulatory and medicinal future of cannabis and hemp overwhelming majority of clinicians were not comfortable seems uncertain. With the changing landscape of medical using medical cannabis for opioid/illicit substance abuse, cannabis and hemp use in the US and abroad, mental health sexual issues, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or depression, clinicians need to have current scientific understanding nearly all of which have evidence of some level of clinical of cannabis and issues that impact the therapeutic use of benefit from proper medical cannabis implementation. cannabis for patients.

These findings identified opportunities for educational The IRCCH applied measures to mental health clinicians’ programs and outlined the specific content lacking in most attitudes and knowledge about cannabis and topics related cannabis education offerings available today. The immediate to therapeutic use, and have used the data to identify and need for tailored content for mental health professionals develop modules to address the gaps in clinician education. includes a social-science approach to the history of the plant, The findings seem to identify opportunities for educational the endocannabinoid system, and the clinical applications of programs about topics related to healthy cannabis use, the medical cannabis. With this data set in mind, the IRCCH has role of the endocannabinoid system in mood regulation, developed the first modules for mental health clinicians on and, in the US, the specific regulations of medical cannabis cannabis driven by grant-funded educational and developmental programs in the individual states where clinicians practice. research, which was approved by an Internal Review Board at New York University (courses available early 2020). This data is being used to shape the next phase of research on attitudes and knowledge of mental health clinicians This pilot study provides some initial information on mental regarding cannabis. The development of additional health clinicians’ attitudes and knowledge about cannabis. educational modules is being driven by research-based data However, further studies are needed in order to see if the which allows for the tailoring of topics for distinct medical data collected in this project is reflected in a larger study with fields and the optimization of content based upon the actual more generalizable results. measurable needs of clinicians. 22 TERPENES & TESTING Educating the Industry! The Future of Cannabis is Here By Dustin Mahon

“Tell your Children” A.K.A. “The Burning Question” A.K.A. “Doped Youth” A.K.A Reefer Madness. The history of cannabis education is not a pretty picture. Fear mongering tactics by our own government demonized a plant that was so ingrained into our society, that our own constitution was written on it. A plant so incredible, that our own government, through the US Department of Agriculture, later produced a film (Hemp for Victory) to encourage farmers to grow Cannabis sativa for the war. Unfortunately they destroyed it and denied its existence once the war was over. Cannabis was almost completely removed from the history books. Thanks to the work of some incredible people, the truth is starting to surface. With the help of the internet and the sharing of indigenous knowledge, we now have access to information that allows us to make our own interpretations.

The Internet has been the source of the knowledge base of employers want and what they have available to them in the the current cannabis industry. We all know that everything cannabis industry. It is the fastest growing market in the you read on the internet is true, but what is the next step in United States. The only cannabis schools up to this point knowledge? How do we further legitimize the industry? have not been nationally or regionally accredited and don’t hold much weight amongst business professionals. The For example, how does someone get an education in industry is making a shift towards professional business. So cannabis? I earned a degree in the school of hard knocks, as where does that leave the workers? did many of us in the industry. I started with a glass tube and a can of Power 5, but that’s not the way for the future. I hope Lake Superior State University (LSSU) in Sault Saint Marie, nobody has to go through the same education. The future is MI, has launched the first cannabis-focused associate’s education through the proper accredited channels. A handful and bachelor’s degree at an accredited institution. Students of schools have started skirting the issue, offering degrees in enrolled in programs at accredited universities are eligible medicinal plant chemistry. A few have even offered courses for financial aid, and transfer credits are accepted. LSSU in cannabis law or journalism, but these do not address the implemented not just one discipline, but three: Cannabis real needs that employers desire. Chemistry, Cannabis Sciences and Cannabis Business. They are teaming up with ExtractionTek Solutions (ETS) to build Do you know anyone that can run my extraction facility? As the world’s first university cannabis extraction lab! an extraction consultant, this is the number one question that I am presented with. The follow up question is always, Students will receive hands on, real world experience in “are they qualified?” There is a massive gap between what a legitimate extraction lab. One of the biggest barriers to TERPENES & TESTING 23 entry into the industry is experience. This brings back the consultation not only on the build out of the lab and the use question of “how can I get experience if I can’t get access to of our equipment, but on our knowledge of the industry. I the equipment?” Not only will students have access, but they did my research. I thought it all sounded too good to be true. will have certified trainings and access to proven industry Hours later, I was on the phone with him. It was real and we professionals. Learning things right the first time is had to be part of it. It’s not every day something like this invaluable. The scariest person in a lab is someone comes around. who was taught incorrectly. A line I hear all too often in the industry is “I’ve been doing this for 10 I trekked into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan years!” And while that is valuable if you have been to a gorgeous little city, just a stone’s throw correctly doing this for 10 years, 10 years of away from Canada. Steve picked me up incorrect training is a long road to come back to tour the university. It was awesome! from. He knew the students’ names and had an infectious energy. They had a This lab will feature equipment from top beautiful lab set up with their analytical industry professionals. They will provide equipment. A laboratory full of chemistry Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) students was across the hall, with trainings on their equipment. The students mantels and reflux apparatuses inside will then graduate with that OEM certification of C1D1 hoods. For someone without a on their resume. These professionals will formal education and only cannabis labs also be instrumental in the curriculum for reference, it was super cool. development as well as providing lectures and literature for the students. My new project was next door, and it was beautiful. I could see the future LSSU will also be able to provide analytical in front of me; a realm of solvent research for an industry that desperately and mechanical extraction, filtration, needs more. They have filled an application distillation, isolation, infusion. It was for registration under the Controlled a dream come true! Student learning Substance Act to be an analytical lab. on proper equipment, with proper Teaming up with Agilent Technologies protections put in place and all for with a multi-million-dollar suite of educational purposes. The future is now! testing equipment, LSSU students will have training and access to the same The education and opportunities provided equipment used in the industry. This through this program will shape the provides a platform for research to be future of the industry. The next line conducted and validated of cannabis professionals will have at a scholarly level. degrees. Those of us who have put in This is an area of the the hard work and got us to this point industry that has been will not be forgotten. Like anything, the heavily criticized. future involves change and the change is what makes us grow. Steven Johnson, Dean of the College LSSU students are currently enrolled of Science and the in their first semester of cannabis Environment at LSSU, classes. Lab work begins reached out to ETS at about in January. For more the same time that I joined information, email the team. He wanted Steven Johnson at us to provide sjohnson18@ LSSU. edu. 24 TERPENES & TESTING The Word According to the Board: The Harry Resin Edition By Jason S. Lupoi, Ph.D.

Our publications are very fortunate. Not only do we have open these days and not feared. To be so open about it is a people like you reading on the other end, but we have access real pleasure. to a wonderful array of people and expertise on our advisory boards. These fine people have offered up their brains T&T: As an experience grower, what’s more important to and symbolic pens to us, and so, dear reader, we wanted you? High potency from a cannabinoid perspective or a loud you to get better acquainted with them to understand why terpene bouquet? we’ve selected them to help navigate the mothership. These conversations will be ongoing, and this edition regards HR: The key is striking the right balance between high and Harry Resin, experienced cannabis cultivation expert with flavor. 17+ years in the industry. So, T&T readers, say hello to Harry. T&T: You’re omnipotent. What would you change about the industry? T&T: Harry, what brought you to the cannabis industry? What were you doing prior? HR: If I could change anything about the industry, I would have it move away from this drive towards HR: I moved to Amsterdam in the late corporatization. Unfortunately, because of being 1990’s and happened to meet Soma, the treated differently from all other industries, world-renowned cannabis breeder, and we are forced to deal with things like tax someone named Ed Borg at the Green section 280 E and the inability to have House Coffeeshop when I first moved proper business write-offs to high taxes in there. That led to making Ice-o- California. lator hash for some of the Green House Coffeeshop and eventually Ed These added burdens, along with the cost was looking for a partner with his seed of extreme regulations that require large company Delta-9 Labs. I jumped at capital outlays, have forced us to seek the chance. Prior to that I worked in outside investors to keep us running. It the film industry and studied cinema. would be great if smaller businesses were given the ability to also succeed, which I think could T&T: In your time in the industry, happen with lower taxes and a proper, easy- how have you seen it evolve? What are to-navigate regulatory structure. the highlights in general and for you personally? T&T: It’s easy to geek out over cool cannabis HR: I’ve seen it evolve from a black-market science. What have you learned about the industry into one with giant publicly traded cannabis plant, or a product, that really amazed companies. One main highlight is that cannabis is so you? TERPENES & TESTING 25

HR: I’d say the most fascinating thing I’ve learned about how have cultivation practices changed? How has technology cannabis was the way THC [delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol] helped this evolution? Do you see any returns to older, more or CBD [cannabidiol] is produced by the plant. The cannabis traditional methods like in other agricultural industries, like a synthase process. return to organic?

T&T: What one thing could you not be without in your grow? HR: The two greatest advantages to legalization is that we now have access to the latest tech in agriculture. This has HR: I’d say probably my EC [electrical conductivity] meter. This allowed cannabis cultivators to use the modern advances gives in-depth insights into my nutrient mix and what level it’s afforded other agricultural industries; things like stacked at. It’s crucial to understanding what’s going into your plants. gardens and LED [light-emitting diode] lights are some of the most interesting advancements to come of this. T&T: If you could tell someone just one thing about cannabis, what would it be? T&T: You do a little bit of crystal gazing. Where do we go from here? What does 2020 bring us? HR: I’d say try it if you haven’t. The plant is one of nature’s greatest gifts. HR: Hopefully 2020 will bring even further advancements to cultivation and other areas in cannabis. It’s an exciting time T&T: In the 17+ years that you’ve been growing cannabis, for sure. 26 TERPENES & TESTING Pharmacogenomics for the Cannabis User By Kyle Boyar, KB Consultations Using Pharmacogenomics to Predict User Response suggested that those carrying the valine version of COMT have Personalized medicine has been a big buzz word in the a greater likelihood of developing schizophrenia; other work, medical field as increasing amounts of people are getting their however, has refuted these findings. [4,5] genome sequenced. In the context of cannabis, for those of us that use the plant extensively, it is apparent that certain Conclusion formulations or routes of administration provide a much With genome sequencing services such as 23&Me becoming more better (or worse) experience than others. The underlying mainstream, applying pharmacogenomics is a practical method to differences behind why this is the case can sometimes be help predict how an individual might respond to cannabis. Based predicted by taking a pharmacogenetic approach, where one’s on the information presented here, it seems that an individual with genetics can be screened for variants that could potentially a *3/*3 CYP2C9 and a Val/Val COMT genotype might want to avoid cause drug interactions or adverse effects. high potency THC edibles altogether. However, it’s important to caveat that genetic markers aren’t always concrete and there is still What Types of Genes are Involved in Predicting much work to be done to validate the strength of many of these an Individual’s Response to Cannabis? genetic markers in a real-world setting. When considering what targets might be important to an individual’s response to cannabis, it is important to examine the genes that encode for biological targets of the cannabinoids and downstream targets. [1] Additionally, References genes encoding for enzymes involved in degradation [1] Hryhorowicz S. et al. “Pharmacogenetics of of endocannabinoids and elimination of exogenous Cannabinoids”, Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet., 2018, vol. cannabinoids can provide some insights. 43(1), pp. 1-12. [journal impact factor = 1.497; cited by 10] Of interest for those who consume edibles is the CYP2C9 [2] Bland T. et al. “CYP2C-catalyzed delta-9- enzyme which metabolizes delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol tetrahydrocannabinol metabolism: kinetics, (THC) into 11-hydroxy-THC and subsequently into THC- pharmacogenetics and interaction with phenytoin”, COOH. The gene that encodes CYP2C9 has variants that can Biochem Pharmacol., 2005, vol. 70(7), pp. 1096-103. impact the enzyme’s efficiency and ability to clear THC from [journal impact factor = 4.825; cited by 60] the body. Specifically, the *3 variant has been demonstrated to be 27% less efficient than the other *1 allele. [2] In line [3] Sachse-Seeboth C. et al. “Interindividual variation in with this finding, a clinical investigation found that those the pharmacokinetics of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol that are homozygous for the *3 version of CYP2C9 display as related to genetic polymorphisms in CYP2C9”, Clin substantially elevated levels of THC in the blood and for a Pharmacol Ther., 2009, vol. 85(3), pp. 273-6. [journal longer period. [3] This suggests that using infused cannabis impact factor = 6.336; cited by 50] products with lower amounts of THC would be beneficial for preventing adverse effects in populations of this genotype. [4] Caspi A. et al. “Moderation of the effect of adolescent- onset cannabis use on adult psychosis by a functional Another gene of interest for those who are concerned about the polymorphism in the catechol-O-methyltransferase impact of cannabis on their cognition and mental health is the gene: longitudinal evidence of a gene X environment catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene. This gene encodes interaction”, Biol Psychiatry., 2005, vol. 57(10), pp. 1117- for an enzyme that degrades the neurotransmitter dopamine. 27. [journal impact factor = 11.501; cited by 1034] Particularly of interest is the Val158Met polymorphism where a single base pair substitution changes a methionine into a [5] Moore T. et al. “Cannabis use and risk of psychotic or valine residue. This difference matters because the valine affective mental health outcomes: a systematic review”, version of the gene degrades dopamine four times faster than Lancet, 2007, vol. 370(9584), pp. 319-28. [journal impact the methionine version meaning there is less dopamine in the factor = 59.102; cited by 5] synapse of these individuals. Additionally, some research has