Weed Without The High? Scientists Just Grew THC-Free Cannabis

By Chuck Ludley
Source: greenrushdaily.com


Scientists in Western New York just developed and grew a new, fully THC-free cannabis strain. While that might not sound like fun if you are looking to get high, researchers said it could be an important development for the medical cannabis and hemp industries.
Advancements in Medicinal Cannabis

Scientists in Western New York just developed and grew a new, fully THC-free cannabis strain. While that might not sound like fun if you are looking to get high, researchers said it could be an important development for the medical cannabis and hemp industries.
Weed Minus The THC




The new strain was created by Canadian researchers at biotech company 22nd Century, along with scientists at Anandia Labs. Together, they discovered a new strain of cannabis that contains zero THC. According to scientists working on the project, the strain looks, smells, and even tastes like regular cannabis.

The only difference is the THC. Without the THC, you won’t be able to get high from these plants. That does not mean they are worthless.

In fact, these new plants could be really helpful precisely because they don’t have any THC.

Under current law, cannabis with a certain level of THC is considered a Schedule I illegal drug. But if plants don’t have enough THC in them to be psychoactive, then they are legal. For example, CBD products.


This THC-free cannabis strain takes advantage of this distinction. By doing so, it could be a new solution for many in the cannabis industry, and especially for medical marijuana and industrial hemp.
A Step Forward For Medical Marijuana



THC-free weed could be incredibly helpful to the medical marijuana industry.

Without all that THC, researchers can now focus on isolating and exploring other cannabinoids to see what medical qualities they might have to offer.

“There are hundreds of cannabinoids in the cannabis plant and a lot of them have never really been tested,” says researcher Paul Rushton.


“So by creating, through our technology, different combinations of these compounds we can have new sources for potentially very many new and exciting medicines.”

Working with low-THC strains is already common in the medical marijuana industry. In fact, many companies that produce CBD products derive the cannabinoid from hemp plants.

They extract CBD from plants that already have low levels of THC. This allows them to create medical marijuana products without getting in trouble for working with illegal cannabis plants.

Rushton’s new THC-free weed strain gives medical marijuana companies and researchers more options. Not only does it provide new methods for isolating and manipulating individual cannabinoids. It also gives them an entirely new strain to work with.


This means that they can now work with CBD that comes from plants with an entirely different makeup of genetics and cannabinoids.
THC-Free Cannabis For The Hemp Industry



The hemp industry is another one that, like medical marijuana, has stayed alive by working with low-THC plants.

Hemp is a subspecies of cannabis. It naturally has low levels of THC, but Mother Nature is tricky.

If hemp plants happen to produce too much THC, growers can be forced to destroy the entire crop.

This THC-free weed strain solves the problem. By growing this strain, they will never have to worry about crops accidentally producing too much THC.
The Final Hit



Most people are into weed because they like to get high. But the cannabis plant has much more to offer.

This new THC-free cannabis strain is a step forward primarily because it provides a way for companies and scientists to access all the other chemicals produced by cannabis plants. And that could pave the way for new research, new discoveries, and new products.