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Synthetic biology was identified as an emerging issue meriting further research at the first meeting of the UNCTAD BioTrade Initiative Stakeholder Steering Committee meeting in 2018. This first study on the implications of synthetic biology for BioTrade was developed based on this request in order to provide guidance and further comprehension of th...
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... Because advancements in chemistry make language continuously drift away from compounds, the need to 'define and stress the differences between terms that may appear to be synonyms' (Santal o and Casado, 2016: 39) becomes pressing, particularly for the class (es) of 'synthetic cannabinoids', neither stable nor consistent. Such demand is outstanding, not only because of the need for accurate language to match understanding, but also in terms of the strong ethical concerns which arise from the debates around the uses of Cannabis products (Zarhin et al., 2019) presently amplified in the context of moral and epistemological upheaval driven by two ongoing parallel revolution(s): the Cannabis policy reforms one, and the biotechnological one (Perron-Welch, 2019). ...
Objective: Identify a coherent nomenclature of products containing cannabinoids (whether derived from Cannabis sativa L. or not).
Design: Research undertaken in parallel to the three-year assessment of Cannabis derivatives by the World Health Organisation. The scope is limited to Cannabis products intended for human incorporation (internal and topical con- sumption). Primarily embedded in pharmacognosy, the study incorporates a wide range of scholarly and grey literature, folk knowledge, archives, pharmacopœias, international law, field pharmacy, clinical and herbal medicine data, under a philosophical scrutiny. Generic and Cannabis-specific nomenclatural frames are compared to determine the extent to which they coincide or conflict.
Results: All lexica reviewed use weak, ambiguous, or inconsistent terms. There is insufficient scientific basis for terms and concepts related to Cannabis at all levels. No sound classification exists: current models conflict by adopting idiosyncratic, partial, outdated, or utilitarian schemes to arrange the extraordinarily numerous and diverse derivatives of the C. sativa plant. In law and policy, no clear or unequivocal boundary between herbal and non-herbal drugs, nor natural and synthetic cannabinoids was found; current nomenclatures used need updates. In science, the botanical Cannabis lexicon overlooks parthenocarpy, and wide disagreement remains as to the taxonomy and systematics of the plant; chemical research should address differences in kinds between synthetic cannabinoids; pharmacopœias include little information related to Cannabis, and disagree on broader classes of herbal medicines, virtually failing to embrace many known Cannabis medicines. Since existing products and compounds fail to be categorised in an evidence-based manner, confusions will likely increase as novel cannabinoid compounds, genetic and biotechnological modifications surge.
Conclusions: The lack of clarity is comprehensive: for patients, physicians, and regulators. The study proposes an update of terms at several levels. It points at gaps in morphological descriptions in botany and pharmacognosy and a need for a metaphysical address of cannabinoids. Methods of obtention are identified as a common criterion to distinguish products; the way forward suggests a mutually exclusive nomenclatural pattern based on the smallest common denominator of obtention methods. In the context of a swelling number of Cannabis products being consumed (be it via medical prescription, adult-use, ‘hemp’ foodstuff and cosmetics, or other purposes), this study can assist research, contribute to transparent labelling of products, consumer safety and awareness, pharmacovigilance, medical standards of care, and an update of prevention and harm reduction approaches. It can also better inform regulatory policies surrounding C. sativa, its derivatives, and other cannabinoid-containing products.
Original article available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2050324520945797
... But the former insulin production method (extraction from the pancreas of cows or pigs (28) ) is hardly comparable to hemp cultivation. Another example is artemisinin, an active pharmaceutical molecule used for the treatment of malaria, which is currently produced at 75% by sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua) grown in Asia and Africa, and at 25% by genetically modified yeasts (29) . In this case, the market dominance of the agricultural production method is due to the fact that the microbiological process is not yet sufficiently competitive. ...
... The wellness market typically concerns products containing CBD (or other phytocannabinoids considered as non-psychoactive) perceived in particular as "natural" anxiolytics or analgesics. However, GMOs do not fall within the scope of the concept of nature in the eyes of many consumers, even though using the term "natural" to describe GMO-containing food is allowed in certain cases (29,55) . -Moreover, a certain proportion of users have developed a form of culture around the plant, giving it a place in their consumption experience and in their perception of these products. ...
The application of transgenesis to the cannabinoid sector is the subject of a certain anticipation among users and professionals. One such application is the development of strains of genetically modified microorganisms that produce phytocannabinoids. Those alternative production technologies could potentially pose a threat to the players producing and/or processing Cannabis sativa (cannabis/hemp) "flowers".
This article aims to draw up a multidisciplinary inventory of these new biotechnologies. It also provides food for thought on the possible evolution of the concerned markets and the potential consequences for the players relying on C. sativa, particularly in Europe and North America.
To start, an overview of the economic landscape specific to the sector of phytocannabinoid-containing products will be proposed. Once this context has been established, we will review
these new biotechnologies in order to understand their potential from a technical point of view. The potential of these microorganisms will then be discussed from a financial perspective. Subsequently, a prospective reasoning will be proposed with the goal to anticipate the consequences of the development of this production method for the stakeholders relying on C. sativa.
