Drug-free cannabis plant comes closer to reality

timesofindia ^ | 17 September 2009

[JoeProBono]

WASHINGTON: Scientists have come closer to engineering drug-free cannabis plant after identifying genes that produce psychoactive substance in marijuana.

University of Minnesota researchers have identified genes producing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive substance in marijuana, which could lead to new and better drugs for pain, nausea and other conditions.

The study showed that the genes are active in tiny hairs covering the flowers of Cannabis plants.

In marijuana, the hairs accumulate high amounts of THC, whereas in hemp the hairs have little. Hemp and marijuana are difficult to distinguish apart from differences in THC.

With the genes identified, finding a way to silence them and thus produce a drug-free plant - comes a step closer to reality, say researchers.

Another desirable step is to make drug-free plants visually recognizable.

[JoeProBono]

[svcw]

Just to the headline: Drug-free cannabis plant comes closer to reality

Then what's the point.

[WVKayaker]

[JoeProBono]

[SkyDancer]

The only thing I’d use it for would be to put it on the railing of my apartment so people in the parking lot could see it. But then, I already have some silk ones.

[PLMerite]

SWAT bait. :)

[JoeProBono]

[green pastures]

"I really like this new catnip, but it does
give me the munchies..."

[SERKIT]

Buzz-free pot is called “hemp” isn’t it? What’s the point?

[SkyDancer]

I have been talked to ... fun though.

[JoeProBono]

[SkyDancer]

Saw something like that regarding morphine ... there was also a morphine wine .... Queen Victoria drank it ....

[remaxagnt]

just legalize it already! sick of the gov telling me what i can and can not do!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

One day, maybe, I’ll get to grow my own hemp linen patch (I do historical reenacting. It’d please me to be able to make hemp linen this way. Shakes fist at stupid rules keeping me from it!)

[Bhoy]

“Then what’s the point.”

The point is an expensive pill that can be charged to your new healthcare bureaucracy. How do you expect the drug companies to survive if they can’t reformulate a perfectly natural product at costs of millions. /sarc

[11Bush]

Another desirable step is to make drug-free plants visually recognizable.

Probably a good idea. Make it fuchsia or something, getting tired of the same old green/gold.

Also, if they can eliminate the gene, can they double it?

[JoeProBono]

[NonValueAdded]

“come here, sis, and give me a big kiss”