The cannabis plant is arguably the most dynamic plant on earth. It can be used for medical purposes, it can be converted into fuel, and it can be made into countless types of textiles.

In many ways it would be easier to come up with a list of things that the cannabis plant cannot do versus compiling a list of everything that it can do.

The cannabis plant’s versatility has been on display for many centuries across the globe, with a number of civilizations incorporating cannabis into their cultures.

It wasn’t until cannabis prohibition was implemented in the 20th century that the human use of cannabis for various purposes started to decline, and with it, humanity’s quest to know more about the cannabis plant.

Drug development today is a long, arduous and expensive proposition.

Blue Dream, Purple Haze, Girl Scout Cookies, Red Headed Stranger, Acapulco Gold, Fruity Pebbles or Pineapple Express… all classic strain names and all of them meaningless.

“Strain names are absolutely misleading with considerable variation in the same cannabinoid content among different specimens of the same strain. You can get the same color and the same smell, but actually levels of the THC and CBD and some of the other compounds could be quite different,” says Robin Marles, Ph.D., chair of the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) Botanical Dietary Supplements and Herbal Medicines Expert Committee.

With every passing day and every new bit of legislation passed, more products containing CBD hit the shelves. Word is out that cannabinoids have real and lasting benefits, particularly when it comes to troubleshooting some of the most persistent maladies plaguing consumers today, including anxiety, insomnia, and pain. Word is also out that not all CBD products are created equal, and that the potency promised on packaging may not be an accurate reflection of the product within.

As the cannabis industry expands into the rest of the U.S. market, traditional manufacturers and other businesses are getting involved. For manufacturers, there is an opening for logistical, quality, and production help. Whether it’s in healthcare or packaging, outside industry is now applying traditional business methods to cannabis to further legitimize its place in the contemporary market.

Recently, Cannabis & Tech Today sat down with Roger Throckmorton, Chief Brand Officer at International Plastics in Greenville, SC, to discuss better packaging options for the cannabis industry and why the “barrier bag” is key.

For the diehard cannabis connoisseur, one whose only mission in life is the quest for the eternal buzz, tracking down that one marijuana strain that really kicks them in the boo-boo can be tough. It means visiting one dispensary after another, where, often, none of the staff ever seems willing to break out the secret stash from the back. And we know they’ve got one! So there is a lot of trial and error in this process. And this search for perpetual highness can also dwindle away at the old bank account, too, which really sucks, because it can be difficult to hold down a steady job when one’s life’s work consists of only hunting down the strongest marijuana in the land.

They say that “Necessity is the mother of invention.”

I would like to add a corollary to that adage.

How about: “Cannabis is the mother of innovation”?

Cannabis has been sparking invention and innovation since before the first stoner looked in the fridge and created a salty, sweet, savory snack from whatever disparate ingredients were found therein.

Seriously.

If you’ve never made a grilled hot link and peanut butter sandwich with a maple honey dipping sauce, or a Cap’n Crunch and Chipotle Tabasco marshmallow treat, you aren’t getting high enough.

And now I’m hungry.

Hang on while I get a snack…

Where was I? Ah yes. Here we go:

Cannabidiol (CBD) is arguably the most popular cannabinoid on the planet right now. Whereas THC is associated with intoxication, CBD is not.

That is a significant distinction because while many consumers are fans of THC’s effects, not everyone is.

Someone that has no interest in experiencing the euphoric effects of THC, and thus has avoided consuming cannabis, may still want to experience the wellness benefits of CBD.

The market for CBD is larger than the market for THC. That is not a knock on THC – the market size for THC is massive, and increasing as reform victories pile up across the globe.

With that being said, it is no secret why CBD is growing in popularity at an exponential rate because it is appealing to a wider audience.

The cannabis industry is booming all over the globe, mostly from a medical cannabis standpoint. 

Dozens of countries now allow some form of legal medical cannabis industry to operate within their borders, and some of those countries also have some type of legal import/export industry.

Adult-use is far more limited.

Only two countries, Uruguay and Canada, allow a legal adult-use industry to operate, and in the case of Uruguay, sales are only allowed for residents.

For many years cannabis consumption methods were fairly rudimentary.

The most common forms of cannabis consumption were typically a hand-rolled joint or a common smoking pipe.

Cannabis consumed in edible form was fairly rare, and more often than not involved brownies, cookies, or other sweet treats.

Cannabis topicals were extremely rare for most consumers and cannabis concentrates were often scarce.

When people could find concentrates, there wasn’t a lot of variety.

Cannabis prohibition drastically limited what types of products were available for consumers, and equally as important, limited the spread of knowledge regarding how consumers could make their own products.