By Luke Sumpter


An estimated 147 million people[1] around the world use cannabis each year. Recreationally, people smoke it, eat it, vape it, and even put it in their morning coffee. Millions of people also use the herb for medical reasons. However, the truth is that we still know very little about the herb and how it works in the human body.

The anti-marijuana crisis in the 1930s period led by the USA vastly changed the public perception of the plant, and the federal government ultimately classified it as a Schedule I drug in the Controlled Substances Act of 1970[2].

Today, the legalization of medical and recreational cannabis continues to sweep the world, but the plant has failed to shake off much of the residual stigma. This situation ties up researchers in a web of strict and often illogical regulations, erecting barriers that make life hard for them.

Their efforts to fully understand the plant, how it works in the body, and its medical uses are slowed down and even completely stymied by bureaucratic legislation.

Yet this research is vital. With cannabis becoming more mainstream, there has never been a more significant need for increasingly in-depth research.


Research better educates legislators, doctors, patients and the general public, highlighting what cannabis can and can’t do and helping dispel its stigma.

This leads to safer use, regulation, improved patient treatment and focused product development.

Cannabis Researchers Have Only Scratched the Surface

Chemists have identified over 120 cannabinoids[3]—fascinating molecules largely unique to the herb. They’ve also uncovered the presence of more than 200 aromatic terpenes[4] and a host of other molecules, including flavonoids.

Biologists continue to unravel the mystery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a body-wide regulatory network that keeps our other systems functioning optimally. Compounds found in cannabis are able to modulate the ECS to a surprising degree.

Amazingly, the academics behind these findings have managed to take these pioneering steps within a strict and prohibitive framework of regulations. It might seem like they’ve made huge progress in the field of cannabis, and that’s true. But in reality, they’re years behind where they’d like to be due to tough research restrictions.

Now, let’s examine the research blocks individual countries are facing, along with some potential solutions.

Cannabis Researchers Have Only Scratched the Surface

The Situation in the United States

16 states in the nation have legalized recreational cannabis, meaning adults in these regions can walk into a dispensary, purchase some buds, and smoke, dab, and eat weed to their heart's content.

States are free to pass their own laws, but the supreme law held by the federal government can override such legislation, so long as it doesn’t breach the Constitution. Although many states offer legal medical and/or recreational cannabis, the federal government maintains a drastically different point of view.

Regulatory Barriers

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies cannabis as a Schedule I drug[5]. Substances placed in this category meet the definition of having “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse”.

Bizarrely, both cocaine and methamphetamine are ranked as Schedule II substances, where they are recognised for their medical potential. Because cannabis shares the same legal status as heroin in the eyes of the federal government, scientists are required to apply for a licence from the DEA and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct research on the herb.

The majority of studies regarding the therapeutic potential of cannabis have utilised synthetic versions of chemicals found naturally in the plant. This led the FDA to approve three cannabinoid-based medicines derived from synthetic isolates: Marinol, Syndros, and Cesamet.

In 2018, the agency approved Epidiolex[6] (cannabidiol) as the first cannabis-derived therapeutic. But studying the raw herb remains difficult due to a lack of access and poor-quality material.

Problems With Federal Supplies

Once researchers secure a licence, they can only study cannabis samples provided by DEA-approved sources. For now, the University of Mississippi is tasked with providing cannabis to the academic world. There are serious problems with the federal weed supply. The university harvests around 510kg of cannabis[7] from their indoor and outdoor locations each year. Following the harvest, the technicians grind the flowers into a fine powder and store it in refrigerators at -20°C, sometimes for years.

By the time researchers get their hands on the stuff, it contains very little terpenes alongside THC levels of around 6%. Scientists haven’t taken too kindly to this level of quality. The physician and board member of Doctors for Cannabis, Peter Grinspoon, described it as “brown, muddy garbage[8]”.

Problems With Federal Supplies

How Research Roadblocks Impact the US Cannabis Market

Not only do these harsh restrictions slow down efforts to understand more about the plant, but they directly impact the cannabis market itself. Cannabis scientists are keen to explore how the high-THC products available in dispensaries are affecting customers. These findings would contribute toward public health, business marketing, and education—allowing customers to make more informed choices.

But they can’t produce valid and relevant findings when they’re left to deal with such poor-quality weed. Jahan Marcu, co-founder of the International Research Centre on Cannabis and Mental health, weighed in on the situation[9], saying, “The federal system seems set up to have cannabis researchers fail”.

Marcu has also highlighted how difficult it remains to conduct solid research on marijuana, stating[10], “Under this regime, it is impossible to get approval for a phase II trial or beyond, and there are tight limitations on publishing cannabis-related clinical data”. Marcu has also mentioned that, in many states, adults can access cannabis as easily as beer, yet scientists aren’t allowed to research what they’re consuming.

Luckily, the DEA has recognised complaints[11] from researchers regarding their schwag. The agency is currently reviewing applications that could allow more growers to support DEA-licenced researchers. Hopefully, these new cultivators can produce cannabis of a similar quality to that which is available in dispensaries across the nation.

Bureaucratic Barriers in Canada

Bureaucratic processes are also inhibiting optimal cannabis research north of the border, in Canada.

Scientists are voicing their concerns over the entanglement of unbiased research in the net of political ideology.

The country legalized recreational cannabis in 2018. Since then, major multinational pharmaceutical companies elected Canada over the United States based on a smoother patent application processes[12].

Despite the keen business interest in Canada’s emerging cannabis market, a large rift exists between the academic and industrial world, and the government is refusing to build a bridge to unify the two. Before we delve into some of these issues, Canada does deserve some credit.

For one, the government regulated the production and sale[13] of edibles, extracts, and cannabis topicals in 2019, an act that will allow an increased variety of products to hit the shelves. Parliament has also poured funding into youth education programmes, addiction centres, and mental health organisations following the legalization of cannabis. Despite this good work, contention remains between scientists and government officials when it comes to opening the doors to research.

Bureaucratic Barriers in Canada

University Researchers Are Firing Back

Section 16 of Canada's Cannabis Act[14] prohibits university researchers from forming partnerships with cannabis companies as acknowledged sponsors. However, academics are free to develop such relationships with oil and gas companies, as well as pharmaceutical businesses.

Academics are frustrated at the severing of these two sectors. Opening the doors to these partnerships would unleash a massive income stream to fuel studies that are currently underfunded. These studies would help to paint a relevant picture of the impact of cannabis on public health, society, and its possible role as a therapeutic.

Canadian cannabis scholars deny that these partnerships would only serve invested commercial interests. While these factors serve to draw in big business, the outcomes from this research would serve the country, and the cannabis market, as a whole.

Instead, the government officials are working as middlemen. They take tax generated by the cannabis industry and distribute it to universities, but refuse to let the two sectors work together independently.

The University of Alberta has proposed several recommendations to assist the lifting of these research barriers. These points include:

  • Lift the research restrictions between the cannabis industry and universities.
  • Embrace the achievements of scientific cannabis research and see them as equal to those associated with any other agricultural commodity.
  • Leverage existing partnership opportunities by letting cannabis companies get involved as collaborators.
  • Develop best practices to guide ethical relationships between researchers and companies.
  • Direct equal funding to studies that examine the therapeutic benefits of cannabis and those that investigate negative health effects.

Marijuana Research in Israel: A Leading Model

Israel has a relatively relaxed approach to cannabis. Although not legal, citizens can get away with possession of amounts less than 15g without facing prosecution. Despite lagging behind when it comes to recreational weed, the country leads the world in medical cannabis innovation.

Unlike in the United States, the Israeli government makes it exceptionally easy to research cannabis. The nation also serves as an example for Canada; they’ve shown what can happen when universities and the cannabis industry are free to collaborate.

In 2019, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem hosted a cannabis conference[15] that aimed to build relationships between the institution and big industry players. Far from novices in the field, the Hebrew University has given rise to legendary cannabis scientists such as Dr Raphael Mechoulam, the man who discovered THC.

The Hebrew University has also set up the Multidisciplinary Centre for Cannabinoid Research. This body supports over 30 labs across the country and focuses on four main research areas:

  • Related agricultural technologies
  • Formulation and manufacturing methods
  • Novel therapeutics
  • Combination treatments

The one-day conference held by the university facilitated face-to-face meetings between cannabis entrepreneurs and faculty members. This kind of environment allows the two sectors to brainstorm, plan, and pave a way forward without too much meddling by bureaucratic middlemen. The year prior, in 2018, the university also secured 25 licencing agreements and research collaborations with the industry.

Cannabis scholars also receive support from the Ministry of Health. In 2018, the agency donated 8 million shekels[16] to several weed research programmes. The authorities are in favour of more research to foster an evidence-based approach to medical cannabis, a goal only achievable through the promotion of research and the advancement of scientific knowledge in the area.

Marijuana Research in Israel: A Leading Model

Current Developments in Israeli Cannabis Market Research

Researchers in Israel are pushing the boundaries when it comes to cannabis research. The largest licenced grower currently cultivates 230 strains[17] in their greenhouse!

Some other interesting developments include:

  • Testing cannabinoids[18] on the white blood cells of COVID-19 patients.
  • The pharmaceutical development[19] of cannabinoid acids.
  • Exploring the role of cannabis against Alzheimer's disease[20].
  • Exploring the therapeutic potential[21] of combinations of cannabis, medicinal mushrooms, and other herbs.

Israel still has a ways to go when it comes to recreational cannabis, but they’re certainly leading from the front in the field of medical research and innovation.

How Cannabis Laws Affect Research in Europe

Europe presents a mixed bag of cannabis laws. Many countries, including Germany, Italy, Belgium, and the Scandinavian nations have a medical cannabis programme in one form or another. However, it remains difficult for the majority of patients to access medical cannabis legally.

In countries such as Germany, the price of medical cannabis[22] remains high because insurance companies often refuse to cover the costs. In the United Kingdom, only a handful of patients are able to access cannabis. The prescription of cannabis medications is also limited to very few conditions, including childhood epilepsy, chemotherapy-induced nausea, and multiple sclerosis.

Where Can Europe Go From Here?

The sheer lack of human trials has stunted the scientific understanding and medical applications of the herb in Europe over the past few decades. Research restrictions are a hallmark of cannabis prohibition, after all.

Stuart Lambie, Secretary-General of Medical Cannabis Europe, has highlighted the harm caused by major barriers to research[23] on the continent, stating:

“Cannabis has had very little real research conducted on it over the years, and because of its illegality we are essentially starting from scratch. What is important now is to define very clear research objectives—there are all kinds of illnesses which could be alleviated by the use of cannabis or cannabinoids, but where official research is currently lacking”.

Where Can Europe Go From Here?

Lambie has also pointed toward a possible solution set to gain momentum in Europe over the next several years: “We have received confirmation that the European Commission will welcome applications for medical cannabis research funding through the Horizon research funding programme”.

The European Union’s €100-billion Horizon programme boasts the status of the world’s largest multinational research and innovation programme. Horizon EU called for its first wave of grant applications[24] during February 2021 and will continue to dish out cash over the next seven years. Horizon will focus on key issues including health and climate change, and cannabis researchers are hoping to secure a piece of the pie.

The Cannabis Research Revolution: Progress and Pushback

It’s clear that even with the progress that’s been made, we're still a long way from utilising the herb to the best of our ability. Ultimately, limiting research on any topic is never a good thing. More research means a better understanding of how cannabis can assist a larger amount of health conditions, not to mention the economy by creating jobs and boosting tax revenue. This, in turn, will generate a knock-on effect, improving the education of medical professionals, government officials, and the general public.

External Resources:
  1. Alcohol, Drugs and Addictive Behaviours https://www.who.int
  2. About Cannabis Policy | APIS - Alcohol Policy Information System https://alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov
  3. CSIRO PUBLISHING | Australian Journal of Chemistry https://www.publish.csiro.au
  4. The Cannabis Terpenes https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  5. Drug Scheduling https://www.dea.gov
  6. FDA Approves First Drug Comprised of an Active Ingredient Derived from Marijuana to Treat Rare, Severe Forms of Epilepsy | FDA https://www.fda.gov
  7. Cannabis research stalled by federal inaction https://cen.acs.org
  8. Legal weed is everywhere — unless you’re a scientist - POLITICO https://www.politico.com
  9. Marijuana researchers shackled by federal laws, regulations https://www.mercurynews.com
  10. Regulators need to rethink restrictions on cannabis research https://www.nature.com
  11. US DEA moves to expand cannabis for research https://cen.acs.org
  12. Why is Big Pharma Heading to Canada for its Cannabis Patents? - Canna Law Blog™ https://harrisbricken.com
  13. Health Canada finalizes regulations for the production and sale of edible cannabis, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals - Canada.ca https://www.canada.ca
  14. Cannabis Act https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
  15. Hebrew University hosts cannabis conference to forge way forward | The Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com
  16. Israel to legalize medical cannabis this year | Biz Israel http://www.bizisrael.com
  17. Israel to legalize medical cannabis this year | Biz Israel http://www.bizisrael.com
  18. Israeli Researchers Say Medical Cannabis Could Treat Some COVID-19 Symptoms https://nocamels.com
  19. Father of cannabis research plans a new revolution nearly 60 years later - The Jerusalem Post https://www.jpost.com
  20. Notes From The Cutting Edge: Israeli Researcher Dedi Meiri On Cannabis, Alzheimer’s And Dementia https://www.forbes.com
  21. An Israeli company combines mushrooms with marijuana to treat diseases https://drugsinc.eu
  22. Medical cannabis policy and practice in Germany https://www.healtheuropa.eu
  23. Medicinal cannabis policy and research in Europe https://www.healtheuropa.eu
  24. How Europe’s €100-billion science fund will shape 7 years of research https://www.nature.com
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: