Cannabis Based Therapies Conference
The Strause Group hears from experts and discusses the future of medical cannabis and hemp-based dietary supplements.
Earlier this month, I spoke, along side my mother, at the first annual Cannabis-Based Therapies Conference in San Francisco. We were one of the only groups representing the hemp industry and spoke about the potential impact that FDA-approved cannabis therapies might have on state medical and adult use cannabis programs as well as on the emerging botanical hemp market.
We arrived Wednesday and were able to listen to some very interesting and informative sessions. It left me feeling hopeful that the future of medical cannabis research is bright. Among the speakers was Ethan Russo, M.D., formerly with GW Pharmaceuticals and now working on developing novel plant based therapies with Phytecs. We also heard from the only legal cannabis farmer in the US, Dr. Mahmoud Elsohly, who is the director of the Marijuana Project at the University of Mississippi. Dr, Elsohly is in charge of the only cannabis farm licensed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse to produce cannabis for research purposes. Suzanne Sisley, M.D. shared her story about the challenges and tribulations of conducting research at the University of Arizona to study the effect of cannabis on PTSD. Her story is a personal one and she now continues this important work at the Scottsdale Research Institute.
The focus of this conference was on developing drugs derived from or utilizing the active natural constituents of the cannabis plant. As such most conversations focused on how to operate within the bounds of FDA regulated drug development. Kannalife presented their work with CBD and advances they have achieved in the development of prodrugs and semi-synthetic cannabinoids. Dr. Paul Lyons, from the Virginia Comprehensive Epilepsy Institute, presented data and videos from his participation in the GW Pharma’s epidiolex program https://www.gwpharm.com/. He spoke to both the patient and family dynamics for pediatric epilepsy and the videos left you speechless.
Last but not least, our presentation offered a comparison of the pharmaceutical pathway with the nutraceutical or dietary supplement pathway. Discussion currently is that cannabis products will either be pharmaceutical or adult use. We offered the recommendation that perhaps a third option exists — a revamped dietary supplement pathway that could potentially include a requirement that dietary supplements be tested by third parties to ensure they are accurately labeled and not contaminated with potentially harmful contaminants like heavy metals or pesticides. Much of our talk was speculative since no one really knows what’s likely to come in terms of cannabis policy from the incoming Trump Administration. His statements in support of medical marijuana and his selections of Dr. Scott Gottlieb and Jim O’Neill for consideration to head the FDA suggests that the bar for obtaining FDA approval may be lowering opening the door to pharmaceutical cannabis products blessed by the FDA to come into the market. This would obviously be bad for established cannabis businesses operating in state legal markets since few would likely be able to marshal the resources to satisfy the requirements for obtaining FDA approval, even if those requirements were lowered. There are also newly discovered dietary cannabinoids which have long been in our food supply but until now have remained unnamed and ill considered for their contributions to human health.
These natural constituents of hemp are not considered controlled substances when present in legal hemp products and represent an exciting new development for the natural products industry. Not surprisingly, this interpretation was challenged by some and a healthy discussion took place. Ultimately all agreed that there were clear gaps in the law and regulations governing naturally occurring cannabinoids and that it is something that will have to be addressed either through legislation or the courts.
