ALEXANDER BEADLE

The next generation of sustainable bioplastics could be made from CBD, a new study suggests.

Published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, researchers from the University of Connecticut and Purdue University report the creation of a new CBD-based bioplastic material. The researchers say that this is the first reported polymerization reaction to involve cannabinoids in this way.

Free-standing films made from this CBD-based bioplastic performed surprisingly well in stretch-ability tests and were able to be easily melt-processed to form detailed new shapes. In light of these properties, the researchers say this CBD-based polymer could have future applications in medical implants, food wrappers, and more.

Plastics have become ubiquitous in the modern world. While an increased emphasis on personal recycling and the societal move towards a more circular plastics economy can help to reduce our production of plastic waste, there are fears that this recycling may also continue to add to the volume of microplastics being leaked into the environment.1


Microplastics, generally defined as plastic fragments less than 5 millimeters in size,2 are already found in almost every crevice of the earth. Recent

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, were first discovered in the mid-20th century1 and were quickly adopted by product manufacturers looking to develop new waterproof materials and non-stick coatings for cookware. Following a deadly fire onboard a U.S. naval aircraft carrier,2 PFAS came to the rescue once again; scientists were able to develop a new PFAS-containing aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) that was an exceptionally effective fire retardant.

The extreme chemical stabi

Plant-derived psychedelics have been used by indigenous groups across the world for centuries.

There is evidence that peyote, the plant that produces the drug mescaline, has been used by Native American groups in religious and cultural rituals for more than 5,000 years. In South America, shamans from tribes around the Amazon Basin would use ayahuasca in religious ceremonies and as a way to diagnose disease. Certain African tribes around modern-day Gabon use the psychedelic properties of ibogaine, found in bark of the Tabernanthe Iboga shrub, in coming-of-age ceremonies. And there is evidence of historic psychedelic mushroom use across the world, from ancient Greece to Australia.

But it is only in the last few decades that Western scientific research groups have taken a keen interest in studying these compounds to better understand how they work, and to assess whether these psychedelics might be suitable for clinical use.

So, what have these research efforts uncovered?

Cannabis vaping is gaining in popularity, particularly among the younger demographic of cannabis consumers. But as vaping rates increase, so too do concerns over whether the products are being tested and regulated to the fullest extent.

Multiple US states have now reckoned with cases of toxic metal contamination in legal cannabis vape products, including California, Hawaii, and Michigan. Increased scrutiny has also been piled on following the outbreak of vaping-related lung injuries at the tail end of 2019.

Combined, these two factors have given state regulators a strong incentive to crack down hard with strict vape testing. And they’re beginning to do so. Colorado recently announced its intention to require testing of the actual vapor emissions from cannabis vapes as of 2022.

But how does this testing work?

The first impacts of the pandemic are now being felt on local businesses, education systems, and major public events around the world — and the cannabis industry will be no exception.

In this new three-part blog series from Prohibition Partners, our industry experts are offering their insights into how the outbreak of COVID-19 might affect the cannabis industry and its wider impact on patients and consumers.

To examine what might happen to the future of the cannabis industry, first, we must st