Fake Cannabinoids, Synthetic Cannabis Compounds Are Coming to Market

Quick Facts:

Multiple companies are working on synthetic versions of CBN and other compounds.
While these versions will reduce production costs, they also will help more consumers gain access to the compound.

People have consistently come up with alternative options of natural ingredients through time. With alternatives for sugar and meat, it looks like researchers will change up the industry for almost any ingredient. Is it that much of a surprise that cannabinoids would be the latest substance to see an imposter version?

According to recent reports from Bloomberg, there are many companies looking to launch cannabinoids that haven’t had the same mainstream attention as THC and CBD. Some of those compounds include:

CBG, for inflammation, pain, upset stomach, and cancer cells.
CBN, to reduce inflammation, fight bacterial growth, ease pain, promote better sleep, and reduce convulsions.
THCV, to reduce the appetite, ease anxiety and pain, reduce inflammation, and ease the tremors associated with ALS and Parkinson’s.
THCA, to reduce inflammation associated with lupus/arthritis, ease nausea, improve the appetite.

Big companies from across the country have been working to make cannabis into a healthy option for every consumer, but there are over 100 cannabinoids compounds that can help. To make them even more appealing, there are many compounds that don’t have a psychoactive effect.

Even though these compounds come from the same source, researchers aren’t turning to the cannabis plant. Instead, biotech firms are looking to create synthetic versions instead, and production needs to speed up. By creating synthetic options, consumers can substantially bring down the price of treatments for sleep, pain, and more. If the price goes down, users will have more access to the formulas that can help them.

Last month, a company named Willow Biosciences confirmed that they are working to produce CBG in high quantities in their new work with Albany Molecular Research. The company is based in Alberta, and they have already sold out of the first batch that they produced. CEO Trevor Peters of Willow Biosciences even added that about 17 companies have already shown interest in the next batches as they become available. The CEO added,

“What we see from food and beverage, personal care and tobacco companies is they all want to find a new product that is safe and has high consumer demand.”

Along with Willow Biosciences, CBG is also being produced at a high quantity by Biomedican Inc. out of California. The group of these compounds will likely be available in the coming months, putting them in a position to compete with the production that Demetrix Inc. and Amyris Inc. are both working on.

With all of the interest from the millennial generation, CEO Laura Fuentes of Green Roads believes that this alternative to CBD will have quite a following. Fuentes explained, “They don’t want to try the western medicine first,” making them an ideal candidate for this type of opportunity. CBN, THCA, and the other compounds listed above managed to grow 11% between the second and third quarters. They’ve even started to be found in vaping devices and supplements.

So far, the only cannabinoids on the market like these are plant-based. However, synthetic options may not take much longer. The cost is centered around making the same ingredient that is found in the fake burgers made by the Impossible Foods brand. Though much of the attention is on the reduced cost of offering synthetic versions over naturally extracting the compounds, that is hardly the only advantage. Dennis O’Neill, the chief investment officer for Biomedican, explained,

“Right now, making CBD means you’re in the farming business. By the time you harvest and extract and factor in the purification, it’s expensive. And you can’t even produce the exact same product every time.”

Ultimately, the goal is that multiple strains of CBG will be synthetically created for less than the current price of $20 per gram, dropping it to $1 per gram.