Botanical Genetics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the 22nd Century Group, has expanded its cannabis research program aimed at developing propriety medical cannabis strains, and hemp that contains less than 0.3 percent of THC, according to a report from the Buffalo News.
Paul Rushton, vice president for plant biotechnology, said he hopes the research will lead to the development of products that will appeal to regulators in states with very strict guidelines. Specifically, the Buffalo-based company is eyeing its home state of New York — one of the most restrictive medical marijuana programs in the nation.
“We are looking to expand in a number of states, and our own state is one of the most important to us,” Rushton said in a Buffalo Business First report. “We’ve been doing work on the West Coast and Colorado, as well as Canada, but it’s very much a state-by-state thing in terms of the laws. Whether it’s about industrial hemp or cannabis, New York is definitely a state we’re interested in working more with.”
He predicted that hemp would be “the next soybean,” due to its potential as a biofuel, fiber, and food source, noting its drought-tolerant properties.
The company is filing a provisional patent this week on its initial activity with the program.