Fall 2020 Proceedings of the Cannabis Chemistry Subdivision

Abstract

The cannabis industry is unique in many facets, most of them products of history. Cannabis has been prevalent in society for millennia, but for the period between 1937 and 1997 prohibition was imposed in the United States stifling research and creating an unregulated market. From 1997 to present, starting with California, there has been a wave of state-by-state legalizations. Each of these states has individual regulations that operators must comply with. For those working with hemp (cannabis containing less than 0.3% THC by dry weight), there is an entirely different framework of federal regulations. As an unfortunate consequence of this history, the science of cannabis along with the safety culture are relatively unevolved compared with other modern industries. In 2015, the Cannabis Chemistry Subdivision (CANN) of the division of Chemical Health and Safety (CHAS) was recognized by the America Chemical Society (ACS). Since its inception, CANN symposia at ACS National Meetings have served as the premiere venue for cannabis chemists and scientists to share their research, much of it related to improving the health and safety culture in the industry. This proceedings publication highlights 16 presentations that were given at CANN symposia during the Fall 2020 ACS National Meeting. Topics covered include analytical testing methods, consumer education and protection, formulation science, intellectual property considerations, best practices for pharmacokinetics and dosing studies, assessment of smoke exposure, and more.