Need for Standardization of Cannabis Sativa L.

(hemp, medical marijuana and marijuana as a drug) in Slovenia

Toma Koren, agriculture engeneer

Pig in a poke

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Terminology:
Slovenian Konoplja, kanabis Medicinska konoplja Marihuana English Cannabis sativa L. Medical cannabis Marijuana (drug) Navadna, industrijska konoplja Hemp

THC limits in Slovenia:

THC Hemp 0.2%

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

How is Cannabis sativa L. used in Slovenia :

Hemp: - Oil, seeds (human consumption) in tea, buiscuits, milk, juices, raw hemp,. Fibers, pulp - Isolations, building, rope, - Hemp oil industrial use - Hemp seeds (not for consumption!)

Medical cannabis: - Flower, plant (raw), juices, - Extracts, pills, smoking, vaporizing, eating (cookies), spray
Marijauan as a drug: - Dry flower (bud) - Extract, pills, smoking vaporizing, eating (cookies) Prohibited by Slovenian legislation! Permitted by Slovenian legislation!

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Why do we need standardization for Cannabis sativa L?

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Problems: - THC limits in foods and beverages - growing hemp market - illegal market with Cannabis (medicine, drug) - import of Cannabis strains (industrial, drug) - import of Hemp seeds from other countries (India, China, ...) - different standards in agriculture - different fertilizers (standards - limits per hectar) - different standards and limits in applications of biocontrol and chemical control in Cannabis sativa L. plant - .. Ecological problems: - air pollution - soil pollution - water pollution - radioactivity - diseases and pests - molds Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Cannabis breeding (problem?): - GMO Cannabis (genetically modified organism) Economical problems: - Product price (Hemp, medical marijuana, marijuana as a drug) Social problem: - driving under the influence of drugs (limits?) - penalties for growing/possesion of medical marijuana (criminal offense/minor offense for medical users) - employment loss Health problems: - Cannabis sativa L. is a drug (politics!) - Youth and health problems with using cannabis - smoking Medical Application of Cannabis sativa in medicine: - We dont know the quantity for application in medicine for medical conditions - Quantity for treatment cancer, Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Consumer, patient, and user safety

- know what they are buying - know the limits of usage - know the procedure (standards: HACCP, ISO,) - tracebility - price -

Goverment:
- every new law requires new data on which it can be based - EU standards

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Hemp standardizations:
Hemp oil is pressed from hemp seeds: - what is good quality hemp oil and what is NOT - do we have any standards? - do we analyze hemp seeds or oil on heavy metals, pesticide,..

Advertising hemp products: - is it allowed to advertize HEMP LEAVES or PLANT Cannabis satva L. on the product?

What do we know at the moment: - Hemp oil and seeds in Slovenia do not have any limits for active THC in oil or seeds - Cannabis extract in food ? - There are standards for limits of THC in food (EU)

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE FOOD CHAIN AND ANIMAL HEALTH SECTION ON GENERAL FOOD LAW Summary Record of Meeting of 30 April 2012

Exchange of views of the Committee on the legal situation in Member

States concerning the marketing of foods containing cannabis extract

(MH) Answer: ..these Member States allow the use of cannabis extracts in foods provided that their active substances cannot be detected or their Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) level is insignificant. Some delegations specified that specific pre-authorisation procedure is required before

placing on the market of such foods in their territory

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Medical cannabis standardizations:

- Strains - Growing - What is inside the plant? (active substance) - Packaging - Selling Distribution: - pharmacy, Cannabis Social Clubs, other forms of business Product standardization: - Product labels - how much active substance does the product contain (THC; CBC;.) - the medicinal application of each active substance in Cannabis S is well-known - HACCP (Hazard analysis and critical control points ) - ISO standards - good agricultural practice Legal products on the market EU at the moment: - Sativex, Bedrocan, Marinol (synthetic THC) Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Synthetic, biological, GMO?

Need for lab analyzer for quality and safety of product Cannabis sativa for patients. - Screening for finger print of Cannabis sativa L. (DNA) - Synthetic cannabinoids (bad or good) - Modified E coil bacteria produce THC - GMO for medical purpose? Forbidden in EU?

Law on medical marijuana in Slovenia :

- does not exist at the moment

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Law on herbs (Cannabis sativa L.):

Rules on the classification of medical plants - Cannabis sativa is in ND group (it is poison)

Set the limits for driving under the influence of Cannabis for medical users - EU has a standard, but it is different from country to country

Illegal buying of medical cannabis in Slovenia Low on CBD, high on THC?

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Marijuana as a drug:
Illegal market: When we buy, we dont know what we were buying. We know what we have bought when we use the plant smoking. Price: - is stable, but the product quality is questionable - prices vary from city to city Quality/potency: - we dont know! - from low to super good - from 2010 data: we have an average of 7% of THC, one exception is 24% THC from 150 samples (The Police). Synthetic, biological, GMO? - we dont know!

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

So, what can we do to standarize the illegal market?

- Users must be informed and educated on the use, quality, and where to buy,..

- Users are in power to change the habit of producing bad marijuana

- Need for lab analyzers for quality and safety of Cannabis sativa product for users - The Illegal market to become a controlled market (tolerating the sell and use of Cannabis sativa)

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Pig in a poke

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer , mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Toma Koren Agricultural Engineer Vice president of Alliance of Non Governmental Organisations for Drugs and Addicitons - over 100 professionals on social, medical and addictions specialists CEO of Institute of information tehnology and alternative culture Leader of project www.Konoplja.org

Member of group researching politics on medical marijuana. Member of Harm reduction of marijuana group.
Lecturer for politics on Cannabis on topics: - harm reduction, medical cannabis, marijuana as a drug, economy - use or missuse of cannabis in youth - program for cannabis abuse and treatment - making policy on Cannabis sativa,.

Toma Koren, Agricultural Engineer, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org

Contact:

Toma Koren
Tomaz@konoplja.org FB: facebook.com/TomazKoren

Toma Koren, ing. of agriculture, mail: tomaz@konoplja.org