An imminent and real threat has the capability of endangering cannabis as we know it. This imminent threat is Monsanto’s ability to genetically modify medicinal marijuana in a way that is harmful to our health.
I discovered in horror, that Health Canada, without our knowledge, approved genetically modified food and allowed it into the mainstream of our food industry over fifteen years ago. This was somehow accomplished through the creation of a new category of food entitled “novel foods”. Most recently, Health Canada has recalled certain novel food products due to their emerging allergens. Where was the adequate testing prior to approving the products? According to Health Canada's web-site, their statement is that "in principle genetically modified food products that are demonstrated to be safe, are treated the same as non-GM food with regard to labelling requirements"! http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/gmf-agm/fs-if/faq_1-eng.php#p3
The Industrial Hemp Regulations, which came into effect on March 12, 1998, covers the cultivation, processing, transportation, sales, import and export of industrial hemp in Canada. Health Canada states that the regulatory system governing hemp is very strict since, they say, it is crucial to protect the health and well-being of Canadians. (Why then are these same standards not applied to GM food products?) In addition, Hemp farmers are only allowed to use hemp seeds from a "List of Approved Cultivars" (LOAC) in order that THC in hemp remains at "an acceptable level". Seed saving and the use of common hemp seeds are prohibited. This begs the question, is hemp being genetically modified? Is the limited "List of Approved Cultivers" a way to eliminate competition?
Journalist Andrew Walden published a major heads up article in the Hawaii Free Press on December 5, 2013 advising medical marijuana advocates to question anti-genetic protests because once pot is genetically modified, a ban on GM plants can “re-prohibit” medical marijuana under the guise of banning GM plants, a back door way of prohibition. http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/ID/9027/
Ironic? You bet! Just as cannabis is getting closer to legalization, hot dam, cannabis can then be legislated as harmful due to its genetically modified makeup! In addition, GM cannabis can arm the DEA in a way of being allowed to raid grow ops under the premise of patent infringement.
It is with horror to report that certain potent varieties of cannabis have already been developed through the process of genetic modification. According to the University of Central Florida, a US patent is pending for a cannabis sativa strain utilizing a genetic modified enhancing process.
http://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2012006622&recNum=1&maxRec=&office=&prevFilter=&sortOption=&queryString=&tab=PCT+Biblio
It is reported that Cali, Columbia has been growing enhanced cannabis strains for some time and those strains fetch ten times the dollars compared to what the normal strains can fetch. These new genetically modified versions, go by names such as “Creepy” and “La Cominera” and boast THC content as high as 18% - 30%! http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/ID/9027/
One method of producing feminized seeds is accomplished by using a “genome-doubling” agent called “colchicine”. Colchicine is toxic yet a so-called natural product and is extracted from certain plant genuses. It seems to me, in order for this products continued use, the harm this toxic extract causes is being suppressed. Another instance of "profits over patients"?
This method of creating feminized seeds is a process of crossing a tetraploid strain (four sets of chromosomes) with a normal diploid strain (two complete sets of chromosomes), thus producing atriploid offspring which then is expected to result in sterile offspring. This method of cloning was originally and spontaneously discovered in 1936 by Nelson-Ehle. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1601-5223.1945.tb02761.x/pdf
The genetically modified process filed for patent approval by the University of Central Florida in which THC content is greatly enhanced involves the use of the powerful and toxic chemical alkaloid “colchicine”. When this poison is applied to our beloved cannabis, it has the effect of severely altering the female plant in conditions that are unregulated and without any oversight or controls in order to produce "a more powerful and potent end product" which is known as polyploidy. It should be noted that testing for polyploidy plants can be carried out with relative ease strictly by the physical appearance. To this end, under any GM ban, these polyploidy plants can be duly confiscated by the thugs.
The online “marijuana growers guide, section 18-7” describes the polyploidy process as follows:
“Polyploid Cannabis plants were produced by treatment with the alkaloid colchicine. Colchicine interferes with normal mitosis, the process in which cells are replicated. During replication, the normal doubling of chromosomes occurs, but colchicine prevents normal separation of the chromosomes into two cells. The cell then is left twice (or more then) the normal chromosome count.
Warmke's experiments concluded that polyploids contained higher concentrations of the "active ingredient." However, the procedure for measuring that ingredient was much the same as described for grafting, with probably similar shortcomings.
Polyploid Cannabis has been found to be larger; with larger leaves and flowers. Recent experience has shown that polyploids are not necessarily higher in potency. Usually they are about equal to diploid siblings.
Colchicine is a highly poisonous substance. The simplest and safest way to induce polyploids is to soak seeds in a solution of colchicine derived from bulbs of winter or autumn crocus (Colchicum); Mash the bulbs and add an equal part of water; Strain through filter paper (or paper towels); Soak seeds in the solution and plant when they start to germinate; Cultivate as usual.
Only some of the seeds will become polyploidy. Polyploidy sprouts generally have thicker stems, and the leaves are often unusually shaped, with uneven-sized blades. Leaves also may contain more than the usual number of blades. As the plant grows, leaves should return to normal form, but continue to be larger and with more blades.”
http://www.resonant.org/text/marijuana_growers_guide.html#c18_7
Polyploidy is defined as a numerical change in a whole set of chromosomes and is considered an abnormal cell division, occurring during mitosis, or during metaphase in meiosis.
To push this point further, wheat today is having an adverse effect on many of our digestive systems due to not being able to tolerate gluten any more. This is a result of a genetic modification of wheat to produce a new variety they called durum. Durum is the only tetraploid species of wheat cultivated for its high protein content which ultimately has caused this spike in gluten intolerance in a large, unsuspecting population.
The medicinal and miraculous benefits of cannabinoids, in its natural state, was criminally taken away from us a century ago. Just when we thought that cannabis will finally be released from this travesty of justice, the thugs messed with its makeup in order to prevent us from reaping its true benefits once again.
Coincidence?
I think not!