Marijuana Business Magazine - February 2018

ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS FOR CULTIVATION. There’s a significant difference between harvesting a healthy crop and harvesting a crop with greater yield, more security, and better energy efficiency. Surna cultivation environments change everything. With innovative climate control solutions, we’ll help you change the way your crops grow, from seed to harvest. Visit Surna.com today. INFO@SURNA.COM BETTER YIELDS BEGIN WITH PRECISE CLIMATE CONTROL first, Uruguay authorized two strains, both containing 2% THC, or weaker than the CBD medi- cines allowed in Iowa. By the end of 2017, Uruguay had upped the allowable THC to 9%. What’s a farmer or entrepreneur to make of these varying THC limits? Nothing, I would argue. The definition of what is marijuana, and what is hemp, is ultimately point- less. It’s the same plant - grown and used differently - and arguing about appropriate THC levels is somewhat like arguing about when a dog has too many poodle characteristics to be considered a good pet for someone to own. It’s a silly waste of time and has little to do with science. I know that hemp activists have made huge strides in recent years because they have successfully argued that hemp is not marijuana. I’m not faulting anyone for making the argument that because hemp can’t get you high, it should not be treated as an illegal drug. At the same time, the cannabis industry needs to prepare for a future in which there’s no magic 0.3% THC limit. Already hemp and marijuana entrepreneurs are navigating conflict- ing THC levels in Europe (0.2% for the EU, 0% for Britain). And international health authorities who are review- ing CBD’s medical value may well conclude that the medicine is best produced from plants that don’t fol- low THC guidelines used in Canada and the United States. So as marijuana companies jump into the CBD market, and hemp com- panies push to expand into medical marijuana markets, it’s important to remember that the cannabis plant doesn’t know whether it’s legal or ille- gal. And the days may be numbered for any distinction between the two kinds of cannabis. How is your busi- ness planning for the change? ◆ Kristen Nichols covers hemp for Mari- juana Business Magazine. She can be reached at kristenn@mjbizdaily.com .