Cannabis Testing Gone Wrong (II) feat. Josh Smith of Therapeutic Health Choice Labs
By cacpodcast.comIn this extended 2+ hour episode, Josh Smith of Therapeutic Health Choice, an analytical lab based out of Michigan, takes us on a deep dive into his experiences of Cannabis testing fraud as we explore some potential ways to fix issues like lab shopping and bring scientific integrity back to the cannabis industry.
About Josh:
Josh Smith is a seasoned biotech executive with a graduate degree in Clinical Microbiology and over 24 years of experience in biotechnology, molecular biology, and pharmaceutical R&D. He has played a key role in pioneering various projects, including founding Premium CBD Labs and later Vardera Inc., where he built a nationally recognized laboratory network from the ground up. His work has led to several molecular biology patents, and he has served as an expert witness in legal cases across Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan.
Josh is actively involved in shaping industry standards through his participation in international method committees like AOAC and ASTM. He has also lobbied in Wisconsin, advocating for improved policies in the lab testing industry. In late 2023, he was part of the team that successfully overturned the compliance testing requirement for Aspergillus spp. in the state of Oregon.
Beyond his corporate roles, Josh is passionate about advancing scientific knowledge and innovation. He serves on the Curriculum Advisory Board for the graduate-level Cannabis Applied Science Program at Fanshawe College (London, ON), is a member of the Cannabis Science and Research Organization (Oregon), and is an editor for the Cannabis and Psychedelic Science Journal.
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Cannabis Testing Gone Wrong (Part I) with Yasha Kahn of MCR Labs
This is the first of a series of conversations with lab owners and industry experts revolving around the topic of fraud, mismanagement, and poor regulations facing Cannabis testing labs. With issues ranging from THC potency inflation, under-reporting of contaminants, perverse incentive structures promoted by regulations, market manipulation, and more – this series dives deep into a very controversial issue to try to understand the problem at its foundation and find meaningful and practical solutions forward to restore trust and bring greater transparency to the Cannabis industry.
Yasha Kahn is one of the co-founders of MCR Labs and spends much of his time diving into data. Over the past several years, Yasha has been on a mission to collect publicly available Cannabis testing data and make it accessible to the industry in hopes of promoting fruitful research, discussion, and regulatory changes to positively impact the industry. In this episode we dive into some of the data that Yasha has gathered and start to unpack the story that it tells.
Link to the raw data: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IIlgudS3b1rvxbupeMaR_BdeUQmz3pOZ?usp=drive_link
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CBD and the CB1 Receptor: A Look at Allosteric Modulation with Rob Laprairie, PhD + Liz Thompson, MS | #102
How does CBD affect the CB1 receptor, really?
Rob Laprairie is a cannabinoid researcher out of the University of Saskatchewan who was involved in the discovery of CBD’s allosteric binding activity on the CB1 receptor – leading to a host of speculative theories about how CBD influences the activity of THC. In this conversation, continuing our Train with Mary Jane series, we sit down with Rob and discuss his work studying the CB1 receptor to better understand how CBD and “minor” cannabinoids from Cannabis affect the body. Rob helps break down common misunderstandings about CBD’s effects, explains how our understanding of chemical receptors is evolving, and what the future of cannabinoid research may look like.
“Allosteric and orthosteric pharmacology of cannabidiol and cannabidiol-dimethylheptyl at the type 1 and type 2 cannabinoid receptors”: https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bph.14440
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Concussions and the Endocannabinoid System with Patrick Neary, PhD and Liz Thompson, PhDc, MSc | #100
Dive into a journey of discovery with our latest episode of the ‘Train With Mary Jane’ mini-series, where we delve deep into the pioneering research funded by the NFL on Cannabis and its potential to revolutionize the treatment of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in athletes. This episode welcomes the return of clinical physiologist Liz Thompson and introduces a new, distinguished guest, Dr. Patrick Neary, PhD – a researcher in the realm of kinesiology from the University of Regina, Canada, with a passion for unraveling the mysteries of concussions and TBIs.
Join us as we embark on an exploration of Dr. Neary’s experience in concussion research, unlocking the intricate science behind concussions, the profound long-term effects of TBIs, and the promising intersection of TBI treatment with the endocannabinoid system. Discover the potential of cannabinoids in altering the landscape of TBI therapy and much more!
For those eager to learn more about the ‘Train with Mary Jane’ initiative and the NFL’s foray into cannabis research for athlete care, visit Mary Jane Athletics or Train with Mary Jane. Don’t miss this captivating episode that bridges the worlds of sports, science, and hope through the lens of cannabis research.
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Train with Mary Jane: Inside the NFL’s Quest to Research Cannabinoids for Athletic Injury with Liz Thompson PhDc, MSc | #99
Elizabeth Thompson is a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan currently working on a project that has started to get international attention – the National Football League’s (NFL) million dollar research project to understand how cannabinoids could impact the health and safety of athletes. In this behind-the-scenes conversation we hear Liz’s story about her personal connection to professional sports, her journey to understand molecular mechanisms of the body, links between the endocannabinoid system and sports injury recovery, and how a moment of inspiration snowballed into the clinical trial now titled “Cannabinoids for Pain Management and Neuroprotection From Concussion” (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06204003).
If you are an athlete, athletic trainer or sports healthcare worker, you have an opportunity to contribute to the NFL research project! Visit www.maryjaneathletics.com to complete a survey so that your experience and voice can be represented in this groundbreaking project!
Learn more at:
https://www.maryjaneathletics.com/
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06204003
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HHC, THCP, and Beyond with Westley Cruces of Colorado Chromatography
You may have noticed that your local gas station has started selling products marketed like Cannabis products with promises that they are legal ways to get you high without THC. No, we haven’t gone back in time. This isn’t 1999 and no, you’re not reading one of those “legal bud” ads in the back of the High Times magazine. This is 2024 and we are seeing a re-emergence of synthetic cannabinoids, particularly THC analogues, now presumably legal under the guise of the 2018 Farm Bill.
Colorado Chromatography is one of the leading labs responsible for producing and studying these new cannabinoids on the block, like HHC, H4CBD, THCP, and others. In this conversation we sit down with the Chief Science Officer of and co-founder of Colorado Chromatography, Westley Cruces, to talk about their journey learning about these molecules, the results from preliminary safety studies on HHC, evidence of fraud in delta-8 and THCP products, and more!
Learn more about Colorado Chromatography: https://coloradochromatography.com/
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Looking Back on Cannabis Research from 2023 | BTS 96
Welcome back! In this episode we will spend some time diving into some of the top several scientific research articles about Cannabis that got my attention in 2023. Also, don’t forget to sign up for the 2024 Curious About Cannabis Master Class before we fill up! As of now we have 7 spots left before we are all full for the year. Don’t miss your chance to attend one of the most epic and rewarding Cannabis education events of the year!
Articles mentioned:
Minor, Nonterpenoid Volatile Compounds Drive the Aroma Differences of Exotic Cannabis – https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.3c04496
Selected cannabis terpenes synergize with THC to produce increased CB1 receptor activation – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006295223001399
Combined non-psychoactive Cannabis components cannabidiol and β-caryophyllene reduce chronic pain via CB1 interaction in a rat spinal cord injury model – https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0282920
Cannabinoformins: Designing Biguanide-Embedded, Orally Available, Peripherally Selective Cannabinoid-1 Receptor Antagonists for Metabolic Syndrome Disorders – https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00599
Cannabis: a multifaceted plant with endless potentials – https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1200269/full
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CBD, Pain and Opioids: Bringing Translational Research to Cannabis with Maria T Rivera-Garcia PhD | BTS 86
In this behind-the-scenes interview we talk with Dr. Maria T Rivera-Garcia about her research investigating the effects of CBD-rich whole plant extract vapor on pain and opioid reward seeking behavior in female rats in a study titled, “High-CBD Cannabis Vapor Attenuates Opioid Reward and Partially Modulates Nociception in Female Rats”.
While on the surface this may seem like a simple study about how CBD influences opioid use – there is actually a lot more going on here. First of all this study utilized female rodents, which is very uncommon. The vast majority of preclinical rodent research uses male rodents almost exclusively due to reasons we unpack during the episode. This has led to a gross under-representation of sex differences in biomedical research.
Second, Maria and colleagues decided to utilize the vapor of whole plant CBD-rich Cannabis extract rather than using CBD isolate that is often diluted and injected, ultimately leading to results that do not accurately reflect real-world situations.
Together, these two decisions point to a common theme that is woven into this research study – scientists need to focus on doing research that better represents the real world. The results from this study are fascinating, so get your notebook ready and let’s dive in!
Link to the study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772392522000451
About Maria:
Maria Teresa Rivera-Garcia has a major in psychology and a minor in neuroscience from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where she started defining her academic interests towards the study of neurobiological mechanisms of addiction. After undergrad, Maria did a Master and a PhD in Neuropharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, her research focused on the neurochemical effects of solvent inhalation and its relation with the development of psychosis. Maria moved to the US in 2016 to pursue her postdoctoral training in the Oregon and Health and Science University, studying sex and age differences in dopaminergic function and how this is related to psychiatric illnesses, including addiction. In 2020, Maria joined Legacy Research Institute to complete her second postdoctoral stay under the guidance of Dr. Adie R. Wilson-Poe, where she studied the pharmacological interaction between opioids and cannabinoids in pain-oriented models. Recently, Maria got accredited as Qualified Mental Health Provider and became a member of the Cascadia Health clinicians team, currently providing services within the Child and Family Program.
#CannabisEducation #CBD #CBDOil #WholePlantExtract #WholePlant #FullSpectrum #BroadSpectrum #Hemp #HempExtract #MedicalCannabis #Addiction #MentalHealth #Opioids #CuriousAboutCannabis
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Living Authentically and Casually Baked with Johanna Nuding | BTS 85
Johanna Nuding left everything she knew in her home state of Texas behind to rediscover herself as she lived abroad in a foreign country. Normally equipped with the strong communication skills typical of a marketing professional – for this journey, Jo would have to lose her ability to communicate. After a powerful series of life lessons, Johanna moved from Italy to California to begin a new chapter of life committed to a promise of living authentically. And with that authenticity – came the Casually Baked podcast. In this behind-the-scenes conversation we meet up with Jo to talk about her personal journey with Cannabis and how, upon returning to the United States with a newfound appreciation for the ability to communicate effectively, Johanna set out on a mission to use her skills as a storyteller and media creative to help people navigate the confusing world of Cannabis.
Along with the Casually Baked podcast, Johanna, with the help of a PhD friend, also has a line of Cannabis topicals that are in development and designed to help people with sensitive skin, including eczema, that may have trouble using common Cannabis skincare products on the market.
To learn more about Casually Baked, visit: https://casuallybaked.com/
To learn more about MJ Skin Relief, visit: https://mjskinrelief.com/
Stay curious and take it easy!
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Cannabinoid Science: Past, Present and Future (Southern Oregon University Lecture, 2021)
The history of cannabinoid science tells a fascinating story that many people are really unfamiliar with. In this lecture, which I gave for Southern Oregon University back in October of 2021, I chart some of the basic series of events that led to the discovery of CBD, THC, cannabinoid receptors, the endocannabinoid system, and the endocannabinoidome.
The video associated with this lecture is available on the Curious About Cannabis YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/@curiousaboutcannabis
The 2023 Curious About Cannabis Master Class is coming up! Spend 6 months diving into a Cannabis science crash course with me and over a dozen special guests! Register today at http://www.masterclasscannabis.com
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