Digipath, a data and media firm in the cannabis industry, has filed a provisional patent application in collaboration with VSSL for a Field Testing Kit that can swiftly determine whether a plant sample is hemp or marijuana (containing THC).
“This new ‘Field Test’ is essentially, a cross between ‘23 and Me’ and a paternity test for plants,” stated Todd Denkin, CEO of Digipath. “Within minutes, our test can determine the nature of the plant sample and which drug-type it belongs to. We believe there is a significant market for this product, and the DEA’s recognition of this need supports our pursuit of this opportunity.”
Currently, the only recourse for law enforcement to make a determination of what is being transported across state lines is lab-based analytical testing of the mature plants for their THC content to come in under the 0.3% THC level.
“VSSL’s Chief Scientist, Philippe Henry PhD and I, are very pleased to present an immediate solution to an industry need that parallels the stated Federal and State dilemma of proper genetic identification of interstate transported cannabis,” stated Cindy Orser, PhD, Chief Science Officer, Digipath.
The Digipath-VSSL simple genetic field test will allow for a DNA-based assay to clearly designate if plant material at any stage of growth is industrial hemp, THC or CBD. Inability to determine what a sample is, and if it is in compliance with prevailing law, has been an enormous problem for law enforcement, hemp farmers, and others looking to ensure full compliance.