Cannabis innovation in Canada: A Growing SR&ED Industry
With 2018 almost behind us, the nationwide legalization of marijuana is presenting unforeseen SR&ED opportunities that are cropping up all across the country in the now legal pot industry.
Whether for recreational or medicinal purposes, figuring out how to separate and measure the different components of the plant to pinpoint accuracy, are major challenges facing producers, procurers, distributors and other cannabis industry stakeholders, said Mitch Moshenberg, Principal at ProCann.
“We want to be able to say to the pharmacist: ‘here’s your CBD; here’s your pure THC; here are the terpenes,” said Moshenberg, referring to the three most “coveted” elements of the marijuana plant.
One of ProCann’s goals is to develop relationships with entities conducting clinical trials dealing with Crohn’s Disease and pain management. He pointed to a recent study conducted in Israel which found that smoking cannabis with 24 per cent THC and two per cent CBD, reduces or eliminates the effects of Chron’s. Israeli pharmacological researchers have a deep knowledge of THC, having had the psychotropic cannabinoid under microscopes since 1964. Ingredient accuracy for consumers and industry professionals is the name of the cannabis game – this need is generating lots of activity on the R&D front, says Moshenberg.
Additionally, the need for streamlined production procedures for processing the marijuana flower, oil extraction and other processes, present several fronts of opportunity.
“What differentiates our group from many others is that we have a standard operation procedure as well as an operations manual which we can sell, lease or license to other LPs. This is a key reason we will be able to set up companies’ grow operations, manage those operations and provide them with our IP,” said Moshenberg.
“This way, they can be up and running in an efficient manner – the way we are,” he added.