Company Mapping Cannabis DNA Could Make For Better CBD Oil

A Colorado company says mapping the cannabis plant’s genome can help sort out the legitimate claims about products such as CBD Oil from the bogus.

“DNA, of course I’m biased because it’s what I do, but it doesn’t lie. It really is a way to just sort of clear a lot of the b.s.,” said CJ Schwartz, chief executive officer of Sunrise Genetics. “The excessive claims are really doing a disservice to the plant or the potential of the plant and the science surrounding that.”

According to Bloomberg (via The Cannabist):

A deeper understanding of genetics means companies will be able to figure out which parts of cannabis’s makeup drive different functions, making it easier to test for strain continuity and breed plants more quickly and effectively. Schwartz said the genome research can allow for more targeted recreational products by specifying exactly how a product might affect the body or mind, for instance by making a consumer feel tired or energized.

But knowledge of the full genome itself, presented for the first time at the Plant and Animal Genome Conference in San Diego on January 17, also opens the door to the prospect of making good on some of the loftier possibilities for legal marijuana. A cannabis-based energy drink or sleepy-time tea could be on the horizon. Research aided by the genome map might identify potential cannabis-based medicine for further testing, bringing about a marijuana-derived painkiller or alternative to Viagra. (Another application: higher-tech breeding for industrial hemp, a variety of cannabis plant that can be used in clothing, insulation, food or lighter-weight concrete.)

There have been previous attempts to map the cannabis genome. But they didn’t have the resources to come up with clear conclusions.

Chris Grassa, Sunrise’s consulting director of bioinformatics, says the company’s map allows for a clearer picture of the makeup of cannabis.

As scientists provide more insight into the cannabis plant, one thing is certain. Blue Moon Hemp will continue to provide the highest grade CBD Oil at a price which allows the consumer to use as a daily “wellness” supplement.