DECEMBER, 2022

Issue n. 51

Maryland and
Missouri Vote The Evolution of
The Dark Side of
to Legalize the European
Psychedelic Trials
Recreational Cannabis Lab
Cannabis
 Analytical Cannabis Digest

CONTENTS

04
What the Cannabis Industry Needs to
Know About Novel Synthetic
Cannabinoids
17
The Nose Knows Which Cannabis
Products Will Feel Good, Study
Finds

08

Oregon’s Cannabis Regulator Adds a
“Second Lab” Rule to Combat
Lab Shopping
20

Cannabis Smoke Impairs Endothelial
Function Regardless of Cannabinoid
Profile, Study Finds

09

Another California Lawsuit Alleges That
a Cannabis Company Exaggerated
THC Levels of Products
23 The Evolution of the European
Cannabis Lab

11 California Regulator Updates Its

Cannabis Rules
27

Colorado Votes to Decriminalize
Most Psychedelics and Regulate
Psilocybin Therapy

13 Maryland and Missouri Vote to Legalize

Recreational Cannabis 28 The Dark Side of Psychedelic
Trials

15 US Senate Passes Medical Cannabis

Research Bill 31 Most Ayahuasca Users Vomit,
Study Finds

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 December 2022

EDITOR’S NOTE CONTRIBUTORS

Two years ago, at the tail-end of 2020, US voters gave their single
greatest collective endorsement of legal cannabis. Alongside the 2020
presidential election, five states asked voters whether they wanted
legal access to cannabis. All five ballot measures passed. Jack Rudd

It was a feat that was always going to be hard to top. Perhaps it’s no
surprise, then, that this time around, alongside the 2022 mid-term
elections, cannabis was a little less successful at the ballot box.
Voters in two of the states, Maryland and Missouri, approved their
legalization measures. Voters in Arkansas, North Dakota, and South
Dakota, however, rejected their respective proposals. Leo McGuinness

Read the full details of the story in this, the 51st Analytical Cannabis
digest. And read on to learn the latest developments from the world
of cannabis testing and science.

In an exclusive feature, we hear from Chris Hudalla, president and

chief scientific officer at ProVerde Laboratories, who spoke about
Lucy Lawrence
the emerging testing challenges of synthetic cannabinoids such as
delta-8 THC.

We report on another testing lawsuit, seen by Analytical Cannabis,

that alleges that a Californian cannabis company exaggerated the
THC levels of its pre-rolls.

Mariana Gil
In the world of research, we speak to the authors of a new study
that found that cannabis smoke impairs the body’s endothelial
functions, regardless of whether the cannabis was CBD- or
THC-rich.

And from the world of psychedelics, we hear from Dr. Markus

Roggen, president and chief science officer of Vancouver-based
Tiffany Quinn
Delic Labs, who spoke to Analytical Cannabis about the darker
side of psychedelic trials.

Whatever your interest in cannabis and psychedelic science, we’ve

got it covered. Have an idea for a story?

If you would like to contribute to

We hope you enjoying exploring this edition of the Analytical
Analytical Cannabis digest, please feel
Cannabis digest. Click here to browse our previous issues.
free to email our friendly editorial team.

analyticalcannabis.com | 03
 Analytical Cannabis Digest

What the Cannabis Industry Needs

to Know About Novel Synthetic
Cannabinoids
By Alexander Beadle

D
elta-8-THC does occur naturally in cannabis,
but only in trace levels. To get substantial
quantities of the compound, it must be syn-
thesized via a semi-synthetic isomerization process
from cheap and readily available CBD.
This is exactly what Chris Hudalla, president and
chief scientific officer at ProVerde Laborato-
ries, explored in his latest webinar for Analytical
Cannabis, “Changing potency landscapes: Emer-
gence of synthetic cannabinoids”.

But such synthetic processes pose a number of im- Hudalla discussed the reaction pathways used
portant questions for the industry. Firstly, is this in these synthetic processes, highlighted the
process legal? And, if so, is the process safe? complexity of analyzing the resultant synthetic

04 | Analytical Cannabis Digest


product mixtures, and discussed how these syn-
thetic cannabinoids are already impacting the
commercial landscape.
Semi-synthetic cannabinoids: a legal
gray area
The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, also
known as the Farm Bill, effectively legalized the
production of industrial hemp as well as “any part
of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all
derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids,
salts, and salts of isomers” so long as the total THC
content of the plant is less than 0.3% by dry weight.  synthetic process.
Whether it was the intent of the lawmakers or
not, the inclusion of the words “derivatives” and
“isomers” has so-far allowed some in the can-
nabis industry to increase their scope and begin
producing semi-synthetically derived products,
such as delta-8 THC.
Delta-8 THC has become a popular trend recently
as the cannabinoid is moderately intoxicating but
exists in this legal gray area.
“The industry thought process is that hemp is le-
gal under the Farm Bill, [so] CBD extracted from
hemp is natural and, therefore, legal; trace levels
of delta-8 THC have been observed in [hemp] bio-
mass and, therefore, is a natural product. And since
delta-8 is naturally occurring, a derivative pathway
from CBD [to delta-8 THC] for production should
be illegal,” Hudalla said.
“The problem with that thought process is that
conversion of CBD into delta-8 THC is not a nat-
ural process,” he continues. “Many isomers are
formed that are not naturally occurring. And so
there are both legal and consumer safety issues
that arise from some of these unknown isomers
and contaminants.”
What risks might synthetic cannabinoids
pose?
The FDA and CDC have both issued warnings to
consumers and retailers on the potential dangers of
delta-8 THC products.  of which do not exist in nature and have not been
December 2022
“In each of these regulatory statements, it’s clear
that the delta-8 is not necessarily the culprit of con-
cern,” Hudalla said. “It’s more the production in an
unregulated environment, and the fact that these
contaminants exist that very little information is
available for.”
The latest FDA release reminds consumers that
delta-8 THC products have not been approved
or evaluated by the FDA for safe use. Addition-
ally, the FDA highlights that the making of these
products can involve the use of harmful chem-
icals, with the potential for other compounds
of unknown safety to be generated during the
“These products are produced without regulatory
oversight. In the process, many identified contam-
inants are observed in these products, and no effi-
cacy or toxicity information is available for most of
these contaminants,” Hudalla said. “The CDC has
recorded over 600 adverse events associated with
these products.”
Delta-8 THC and other minor cannabinoids are
produced by the cannabis plant in a very selective
manner. However, in a synthetic process, it be-
comes much harder to control the stereochemis-
try of the compounds being produced. As a result,
the synthetic/semi-synthetic production of delta-8
THC and other minor cannabinoids opens the door
to lesser-known isomers also being made.
To understand the potential dangers of this un-
controlled stereochemistry, Hudalla points to the
thalidomide disaster of the 1950s and 60s. Thalid-
omide was a drug used widely for treating nausea
during pregnancy. But the drug had an enantio-
mer that could cause birth defects. Thalidomide
was quickly taken off of the market once these
health risks were realized. The thalidomide story
has since become an important lesson in the im-
portance of evaluating isomers and enantiomers in
drug development.
Synthetic cannabinoids can be
challenging to analyze
There are around 30 unique THC isomers, most
studied for safety. There are also many THC-like
analyticalcannabis.com | 05
 Analytical Cannabis Digest
Possible products of the CBD to THC conversion. (Source: Chris Hudalla/ProVerde
Laboratories).
compounds that vary in terms of their carbon “tail”
length, and these can each have distinct proper-
ties. For example, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabiphorol
(THCP), which features a heptyl chain in place of
delta-9 THC’s usual pentyl chain, is approximately
30 times more active than delta-9 THC when com-
paring binding activities.
As Hudalla highlights, it is important to con-
sider all these possibilities for synthetic or
semi-synthetic processes, such as converting CBD
into delta-8 THC.  not inadvertently inaccurate by omission.
But this can be difficult when it comes to analy-
sis. Chromatography techniques are the standard
in many cannabis analysis laboratories, but these
compounds will have similar retention times to
delta-9 THC and so their signals may be obscured by
larger peaks.  ProVerde Laboratories has found mixtures of syn-
“To help us identify some of these [compounds],
or at least pull these [chromatogram peaks] apart,
we started a collaboration with Waters Corpora-
tion using cyclic ion mobility mass spectrometry,”
Hudalla said.
“It’s like a traditional time-of-f light chromato-
graphic system, with the exception that in the
middle there is a ring or a ‘racetrack ’ in which the
ions that are created are diverted to go around that
racetrack. During that trip around the racetrack,
06 | Analytical Cannabis Digest
depending on the speed, which is based on ion mo-
bility, these ions can separate further almost into a
second dimension.”
Currently, most labs are not focused on such com-
plex synthetic mixtures, and so when delta-8 THC
products or products with similar synthetic origins
arrive for testing, it is likely that they are simply not
being detected and reported. This is something that
more attention and increased regulatory oversight
could address, so that certificates of analysis are
Tackling misinformation in the industry
Synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoid prod-
ucts have already hit the open market. Analysis by
thetic cannabinoids – including hexahydrocannab-
inol (HHC), hexahydrocannabiphorol (HHCP), and
delta-8 THCP – in gummies and vape cartridges
sold online.
As an example, Hudalla shows a product claiming
to be “100% organic” gummies, containing more
than 3000 milligrams of delta-8 THC per package. 
“Delta-8 THC only occurs in trace levels in canna-
bis. It would actually require approximately 55,000

kilos of hemp biomass to produce one kilo of natu-
ral delta-8 THC extract,” Hudalla explained.
“If we do a little bit of math on that $400 per kilo
for the biomass, the raw plant material alone would
be about $22 million to produce that kilo of delta-8
extract. So if somebody’s telling you that they’re
selling you natural delta-8, I would be a little
bit skeptical.”
It is also possible to find cannabis f lower being sold
on the market that is marketed as belonging to some
special high delta-8 THC strain. Such products are
frequently just regular cannabis f lower that has
been sprayed with a diluted delta-8 THC extract,
Hudalla said, and so it comes with the same ques-
tionable safety risks.  and those potential contaminants.”
December 2022
Transparency and accurate labeling is critically
important in the cannabis industry; consumers de-
serve to know what they are putting in their bodies.
But through deliberately misleading product mar-
keting and/or unsatisfactory testing methods that
are not designed to handle these complex synthetic
products, this is currently not guaranteed. 
“Currently these synthetic products are synthesized
in a completely unregulated environment, giving
rise to multiple contaminants of concern. Many of
these contaminants have not been identified and
most laboratories ignore their presence, making
most laboratory COAs unreliable when it comes to
these synthetics,” Hudalla said. “More research is
absolutely required to understand these products
analyticalcannabis.com | 07
 Analytical Cannabis Digest
Oregon’s Cannabis Regulator Adds
a “Second Lab” Rule to Combat Lab
Shopping
By Leo Bear-McGuinness
C
annabis regulators in Oregon have added a new
rule to combat the issue of lab shopping.
Cannabis companies in Oregon now face the
possibility that their product samples may be sent to
a second lab of the regulator’s choosing, so the prod-
uct’s contents can be verified.
The new rule was approved by the Oregon Liquor
and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) on November 17
and will come into effect on January 1, 2023.
Lab shopping is a growing issue within the legal can-
nabis industry. Products with higher THC levels are
often considered more desirable by consumers, so
some cannabis companies are known to “shop” their
08 | Analytical Cannabis Digest
products around different labs until one returns re-
sults with high enough THC levels.
“There’s a lot of voices that don’t want THC to be
the sole factor and the skewed THC is something the
consumer fixates on and it’s not fair,” OLCC Com-
missioner Matt Maletis said in a statement.
The OLCC’s new second-lab rule mirrors another
recent effort by Pennsylvania’s cannabis regulator.
In that state’s medical cannabis system, cannabis
producers are now required to have their marijuana
material tested by two different labs. The first test
should be carried out around the time of harvest; the
second, after the cannabis has been processed into a
sellable product.

Another California Lawsuit Alleges That
a Cannabis Company Exaggerated
THC Levels of Products
By Leo Bear-McGuinness
T
wo California-based cannabis companies have
been accused of inflating the THC levels of
their products.
In a class action lawsuit filed on October 28, seen by
Analytical Cannabis, a plaintiff alleges that pre-rolls
sold by the companies Greenfield Organix and LPF
JV Corporation contain less THC than advertised.
The lawsuit follows another, filed by the same law-
yers on October 20, that claimed another company,
DreamFields Brands, had exaggerated the levels of
THC on the packaging of its pre-rolls.
Into the lawsuit
According to the lawsuit, Greenfield’s King Roll
pre-roll products first came under suspicion in Sep-
tember following an independent lab test of several
California pre-roll brands.
December 2022
This investigation was carried out at the behest of
Weed Week, which published an article on its find-
ings on September 8.
The test results found that the King Roll Master Kush
x Cannalope Kush Infused 4-Pack pre-roll had a THC
content between 33 and 36%. This range is substantially
lower than the product’s advertised THC content, 47%.
The plaintiff in the suit is said to have purchased a
King Roll product in March at a “premium” price, one
that was justified by the purported high THC levels.
“Plaintiff and the class therefore sustained an eco-
nomic injury and paid a price premium as a result
of Defendants’ false and misleading labels,” the
lawsuit writes.
The plaintiff seeks damages, equitable relief, attor-
ney’s fees, and an injunction.
analyticalcannabis.com | 09
 Analytical Cannabis Digest

Analytical Cannabis has reached out to LPF JV Cor- The practice is called lab shopping, and it’s a blight
poration, also known as Loudpack, for comment. on the cannabis testing sector.

The suit was filed by Christin Cho and Simon “We still see this today with lab shopping – cus-
Franzini of Dovel & Luner, LLP, the same law tomers, in some cases, seeking results to be guar-
firm that filed the recent lawsuit against anteed,” Jeff Journey, CEO of SC Labs,  told 
DreamFields Brands. Analytical Cannabis in July.

“And there are ramifications for that in the long

term. At least for SC labs, we will always comply
Plaintiff and the class with our methods that are approved; we will not
bow to market pressures to compromise at all. And
therefore sustained an that might hurt us in the short term. It does; we
economic injury and lose business. I think that’s just the reality of our
market today.”
paid a price premium
as a result of Defendants’ “But I think, in the long term, our belief is that the
good guys will win, those that are ethical, those
false and misleading that can be trusted with results, that are consistent
labels with the methods that they have approved.”

The problem of THC inflation

As the lawsuit notes, THC inf lation is a common

issue within the legal cannabis sector. Given the
demand for high-THC products, many cannabis
companies are known to “shop” their products
around different cannabis labs until they find one
that reports high enough THC levels. Any lab that
reports the true, lower amount of THC doesn’t get
the contract.

10 | Analytical Cannabis Digest


California Regulator Updates Its
Cannabis Rules
By Leo Bear-McGuinness
C
alifornia’s cannabis regulator has tightened
some of its rules and loosened others.
In an announcement on November 10, the
Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) said that its
update “consolidates, clarifies, and makes consistent
licensing and enforcement criteria for commercial
cannabis businesses”.
“The adoption of these regulations represents DCC’s
commitment to advance rational regulatory im-
provements that remove unnecessary and burden-
some regulatory challenges for cannabis operators
and advance protections for consumers,” DCC Di-
rector Nicole Elliott said in a statement.
“I want to applaud the contributions of our many
partners, including our licensees, public health
December 2022
officials, and local cannabis regulators for pro-
viding valuable feedback and input during this
important process.”
Some of the updates include:
A new clarification that cannabis products intended
for inhalation shall only contain “cannabis, cannabis
concentrate, terpenes, rolling paper, leaf, pre-roll
filter tips,” or ingredients permitted by the United
States Food and Drug Administration as an inactive
ingredient for inhalation.
Tighter cannabis-advertising rules to prevent prod-
ucts from appealing to children. The terms “candy”
or “candies”, for instance, are banned from appear-
ing on cannabis packaging.
analyticalcannabis.com | 11
 Analytical Cannabis Digest

More f lexible delivery options for consumers liv- The removal of a previous requirement for cultiva-
ing in California regions with limited access to le- tors to weigh individual plants after harvest.
gal cannabis. Businesses will also be more able to
expand their vehicle f leets in response to demand A new rule for consumption lounges; they will now
and curbside deliveries, which were prioritized be able to sell pre-packaged food and beverages.
during the beginning of the pandemic, will now
be permanent. Further information on the new rules can be
found here.
A new minimum age requirement for employees at
licensed cannabis businesses; they must now be at
least 21 years old.

More requirements for owners of cannabis labs; from

now on, they cannot also be an owner or a “financial
interest holder” of a commercial cannabis business.

12 | Analytical Cannabis Digest


Maryland and Missouri Vote to Legalize
Recreational Cannabis
By Leo Bear-McGuinness
T
wo US states have voted to legalize recreational,
adult-use cannabis.
As part of the US midterm elections, Arkan-
sas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota, and South
Dakota all had recreational cannabis proposals on
their ballots.
Voters in two of the states, Maryland and Missouri,
have approved their legalization measures. Voters in
Arkansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota, howev-
er, have rejected their respective ballot proposals.
December 2022
Once the Maryland and Missouri policies are imple-
mented, which could take months or years, the US
will include 21 states (and the District of Columbia)
that permit the use of recreational cannabis.
Two wins and three losses for cannabis
In Arkansas, voters rejected the marijuana measure,
Issue 4, which would have allowed adults aged 21 or
older to possess up to an ounce (28 grams) of can-
nabis. A 10% cannabis sales tax would have helped
analyticalcannabis.com | 13
 Analytical Cannabis Digest
fund state law enforcement and operations at the
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
The Arkansas legalization proposal lost by 56% to
44%, according to the New York Times.
In Maryland, voters approved Question 4, which will
now allow aged 21 or older to posses up to 1.5 ounces
(43 grams) or two cannabis plants from July 1, 2023.
The measure also allows those with criminal re-
cords of cannabis possession to seek expungements.
A “business assistance fund” will be established, too,
to help fund small cannabis businesses.
The Maryland legalization proposal won by 67%
to 33%.
State-level legalization
victories are what’s
necessary to move the
needle forward at the
federal level
In Missouri, voters also passed Amendment 3, which
will now allow adults aged 21 and over in the state to
purchase and possess up to three ounces (85 grams)
of cannabis and grow up to six plants at home. A 6%
cannabis sales tax will help fund veterans’ health
care and substance misuse treatment. Automat-
ic expungements will also be processed for people
with certain non-violent marijuana offenses on their
criminal records.
The Missouri legalization proposal won by 53%
to 47%.
“It just shows that this is not a partisan issue,” John
Payne, who led the Missouri campaign to legal-
ize recreational cannabis, told the Associated Press.
“This is something that transcends partisan divides.”
In North Dakota, voters rejected a ballot measure
that would have allowed adults aged 21 and over to
14 | Analytical Cannabis Digest
buy and possess up to an ounce (28 grams) of can-
nabis and 0.14 ounces (4 grams) of concentrates. If
the ballot had been approved, the state’s legal market
was set to open on October 1, 2023. There were no
provisions for criminal expungements.
The North Dakota legalization proposal lost by 55%
to 45%.
In South Dakota, voters also rejected their ballot
measure that would have legalized adult-use canna-
bis. The measure would have permitted adults aged
21 and older to buy and posses up to an ounce of can-
nabis (28 grams) and to grow up to three plants for
personal use. The proposal didn’t include any provi-
sions on cannabis sales taxes or criminal expunge-
ment.
The result marks a turnaround for South Dakota.
Back in 2020, voters in the state actually approved an
adult-use legalization measure during the presiden-
tial election. But the measure was ultimately over-
turned by state courts. Now, two years later, given
the same question again, some voters appeared to
have changed their minds.
The South Dakota legalization proposal lost by 53%
to 47%.
Reactions to the news
While most of the ballot measures were rejected by
state voters, many legalization advocates are still cel-
ebrating the two victories in Maryland and Missouri.
“A growing number of voters recognize that can-
nabis policy reform is in the best interest of public
health and safety, criminal justice reform, social eq-
uity, and personal freedom,” Toi Hutchinson, presi-
dent and CEO of the Marijuana Policy Project, said
in a statement.
“State-level legalization victories are what’s neces-
sary to move the needle forward at the federal level.
That is how we build cannabis champions in Con-
gress who are committed to taking meaningful ac-
tion to put an end to prohibition once and for all.”
 December 2022

US Senate Passes Medical Cannabis

Research Bill
By Leo Bear-McGuinness

T
he US Senate has passed a bill that would permit
more medical cannabis research.
The bill, the Medical Marijuana and Can-
nabidiol Research Expansion Act, was passed by
the US House of Representatives in July. It then
went to the Senate, which passed it on Wednesday,
November 16.
The bill moves on
The bill directs the Drug Enforcement Administra-
tion (DEA) to help register practitioners to conduct
cannabis research, and manufacturers to supply can-
nabis for the research.
The bill also:

The act will now head to the president’s desk for • Requires the DEA to assess whether there is an
his approval – a first for a cannabis-specific piece adequate and uninterrupted supply of cannabis
of legislation. for research purposes.

analyticalcannabis.com | 15
 Analytical Cannabis Digest

• Allows physicians to discuss the potential harms
and benefits of cannabis and its derivatives (in-
cluding CBD) with patients.
• Mandates the Department of Health and Human
Services and the National Institutes of Health to
report on the therapeutic potential of cannabis
for various health conditions as well as the im-
pact on adolescent brains and on the ability to
operate a motor vehicle.
“There is substantial evidence that marijuana-de-
rived medications can and are providing major
health benefits,” Dianne Feinstein, one of three sen-
ators who introduced the bill into the Senate, said in
a statement.
“Our bill will make it easier to study how these
medications can treat various conditions, result-
ing in more patients being able to easily access
safe medications.”
A previous iteration of the bill passed through the
House and Senate back in 2020, but progress stalled
over concerns about a clause that would have permit-
ted researchers to study cannabis from dispensaries.
With that clause revoked, the current bill is expected
to be soon signed by President Biden.

16 | Analytical Cannabis Digest


The Nose Knows Which Cannabis
Products Will Feel Good, Study Finds
By Alexander Beadle
W
hat makes a “quality” cannabis strain? Is it
a high THC content? A certain terpene pro-
file? According to a new study published
in Psychoactives, the most significant predictor of a
cannabis strain’s appeal is its smell.
Based on data generated by volunteer judges at a local
craft cannabis competition, researchers determined
that THC dose, THC potency, and total terpene con-
tent had no significant correlation with whether the
judges reported an enjoyable experience. However,
a pleasant aroma was positively correlated with re-
ports of pleasant subjective effects.  nually in Portland, Oregon. As a part of the com-
December 2022
This finding could have wide-reaching implications
for public health, the researchers say, as the results
appear to support an intra-industry campaign to
de-emphasize THC in the marketplace.
Pleasant subjective aromas predict
a pleasant experience
This study looked at 278 cannabis samples that had
been entered into the 2019 and 2020 editions of the
Cultivation Classic cannabis competition, held an-
analyticalcannabis.com | 17
 Analytical Cannabis Digest
petition, all samples were sent for cannabinoid and
terpene analysis at a third-party testing laboratory.  cannabis aroma, this study found that total ter-
A total of 276 volunteer competition judges were
each given a sample kit containing samples from
between 8 to 10 cannabis strains entered into the
competition. Over the course of approximately one
month, the judges were asked to use each sample
and then answer an online questionnaire about each
sample’s subjective effects and desirability. This
included ranking the appeal of each strain’s smell
and overall effects, as well as noting any changes to
mood. Additionally, the judges were asked to record
what method of consumption was used.  The study’s findings could also support existing
The study authors used this information to compile
a “composite appeal score” for each sample, which
could then be compared against other factors such as
the cannabis strain’s potency.  the sophistication of the chemistry within the plant
They found that a pleasant aroma was the stron-
gest contributor to subjective appeal. The strains
that smelled the most appealing were the most like-
ly to result in desirable subjective effects and pos-
itive mood. The researchers also found that there
was a high degree of consensus about which strains
smelled pleasant.
Want a feel-good strain? Ignore the
THC label
In the current legal cannabis market, consumers
are generally willing to pay higher prices for high-
er-potency cannabis. This has led to THC potency
becoming a de facto quality indicator, driving the
high demand for high-potency products and forcing
potency to become a major factor in purchasing de-
cisions. 
“Our analysis revealed that, contrary to both market
dynamics and consumer perception, neither THC
potency nor THC dose had an impact on subjective
appeal,” the researchers wrote. “In the context of
naturalistic recreational enjoyment, some hemp-like
chemovars [...] were just as appealing as chemovars
with 20% THC or more.”
In recent years, terpenes have also become an im-
portant metric in the cannabis market. These vol-
atile compounds are thought to be responsible for
the f lavor and aroma of cannabis. Many terpenes
are known to have therapeutic properties when
18 | Analytical Cannabis Digest
isolated. However, despite the terpenes’ role in
pene content was not associated with an increased
subjective appeal. 
This lack of relationship between subjective appeal
and THC potency, THC dose, and total terpene con-
tent may have important consequences for public
health, the researchers say. Past research has linked
the frequent consumption of high-potency products
to poor mental health, as well as substance use prob-
lems and an increased risk of psychosis.
efforts to de-emphasize high-THC products in
the marketplace. 
“The market here is dominated by THC, when really
is such that you should be evaluating the quality of
your cannabis based on something much broader;​​
based on a broader set of data points that give you
a more specific indication of what the effects will
be,” Jeff Gray, co-founder of SC Labs, told Analytical
Cannabis earlier this year.
The researchers suggest that the strong emphasis
placed on aroma might mean that the cannabis in-
dustry could benefit from adopting a model where
cannabis is sold in a way where consumers can smell
the f lower before purchase.
Our analysis revealed that,
contrary to both market
dynamics and consumer
perception, neither THC
potency nor THC dose had
an impact on subjective
appeal
Unraveling the complex odor of
cannabis
Cannabis odor is clearly an important building block
of the consumer experience. But understanding
cannabis’ unique smell is also essential for tackling

industry-level issues such as terpene drift, as Dr.
William Vizuete, chief scientific officer at the odor
mitigation company Byers Scientific, previously told
Analytical Cannabis.
“What we’ve been looking at lately is terpene drift,
or the eucalyptol that’s being emitted by the can-
nabis,” Vizuete said. “We need to know what those
emissions of those molecules are by strain and plant’s
life cycle. And there’s hundreds of different strains,
which means there could be hundreds of different
kinds of profiles.”
Terpene drift has become a hot topic as cannabis
reform has allowed for large-scale, outdoor, legal
cannabis and hemp farms to set up shop. Given the
high numbers of volatile organic compounds that are
produced by the cannabis and hemp plant, there was
a fear that these could taint other nearby agricultur-
al crops. Though one recent study on a hemp farm
and nearby wine grape farm did not find this terpene
drift to be an issue, research into cannabis odor and
the various factors which may affect terpene drift is
still very much in its infancy.
December 2022
For example, it was only last year that scientists dis-
covered what is responsible for cannabis’ distinctive
skunk-like odor — not terpenes, but volatile sul-
fur compounds (VSCs). And according to Dr. Alex
Guenter, Byers’ senior scientist, studying these sul-
fur-containing thiol compounds can be very tricky.
“Odor perception is related to the mixture of com-
pounds, the ratios of the terpenes. And the thiols are
really important for how we perceive odors. And so
we need to know the starting point, which is how
the ratios are coming off these different plants,”
Guenter explained.
“And it’s a real challenge because the thiols are
present a thousandfold less than the terpenoid com-
pounds. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
analyticalcannabis.com | 19
 Analytical Cannabis Digest

Cannabis Smoke Impairs Endothelial

Function Regardless of Cannabinoid
Profile, Study Finds
By Alexander Beadle

E
xposure to cannabis smoke or cannabis vapor
can lead to problems with endothelial function,
regardless of the cannabis’ previous drying treat-
ment or its cannabinoid profile, suggests new research
presented at the American Heart Association’s Scien-
tific Sessions 2022.
In this new work, researchers from the Division of
Cardiology at the University of California San Fran-
cisco studied rats exposed to cannabis smoke and
vape aerosol generated from different lots of canna-
bis material. They found that exposure to smoke and
vapor from all materials led to significant impair-
ments in endothelial function. 
This may have important implications for the gen-
eralizability of previous research into cannabis
and endothelial function, the researchers say, as
past studies primarily worked with material from
the University of Mississippi, supplied through the
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

20 | Analytical Cannabis Digest


Function impaired regardless of drying or
cannabinoid content
For this study, the UCSF researchers used an auto-
mated smoking machine with a special nose cone to
expose groups of laboratory rats to cannabis smoke
or vaporizer aerosol, as if they had been directly us-
ing inhalable cannabis.  cannabis smoke and vapor, regardless of the can-
Five different batches of cannabis material were
used in this study. Three batches were sourced from
NIDA and included a cannabinoid-depleted “pla-
cebo” product, a medium-THC and medium-CBD
product that had been dried aggressively under hot
air, and a batch of similar composition that had been
dried gently. The fourth batch was a high-THC low-
CBD product from Biopharmaceutical Research
Company (BRC), an alternative Drug Enforcement
Administration-approved supplier. Commercially
available hemp cigarettes were also included.
Endothelial function is
viewed as a mark of a
healthy vessel, in that
various intrinsic properties
of the cells that make up
the blood vessel wall are
all working properly
“For smoke, we used a cigarette smoking machine
that pulls a preset user-defined volume of air through
a lit marijuana cigarette over the desired duration (2
seconds per puff ) meant to model how humans draw
air through cigarettes, and passes the smoke through
a tubing to a nose cone,” study author Dr. Matthew
L. Springer told Analytical Cannabis. 
“For aerosol from a Volcano vaporizer, the Volcano
balloon was filled with aerosol as in normal use and
then the smoking machine sucked aerosol directly
out of the balloon instead of a cigarette, and passed
the aerosol to the nose cone in a similar timing to
that of the smoke.”
December 2022
The researchers assessed the rats’ endotheli-
al function using f low-mediated dilation (FMD)
tests administered pre-exposure and 10 minutes
following exposure. 
They found that the rats’ performance in the FMD
test was significantly impaired after exposure to
nabis material being used. Additionally, no signifi-
cant recovery of FMD was seen in the rats exposed
to cannabis smoke 30 minutes post-exposure. 
Based on these results, the researchers say that acute
exposure to cannabis smoke or aerosol will im-
pair endothelial function, regardless of the source
of the cannabis material, its composition, or its
drying regimen.
Real-world material
In recent years, concerns have been raised over the
similarities – or rather, the lack thereof – between
NIDA cannabis and the types of product being sold
in regulated state markets. NIDA cannabis tends
to be dried more aggressively, for example. The
cannabinoid profile of this cannabis is also rath-
er different; a 2017 study published in Scientific
Reports found that the THC content of NIDA ma-
terial is significantly lower than what is found in
commercial cannabis products, while containing
between 11-23 times more cannabinol (CBN) than
those products. 
“The two main criticisms of work that we have done
previously with NIDA research marijuana from the
University of Mississippi, have been that the UMiss
material tops out at about 10% THC, whereas peo-
ple use cannabis with up to 20% THC these days.”
Springer explained. “And [commercial] cannabis is
normally dried gently, whereas the UMiss material
is dried more aggressively to prevent mold growth
in storage.”
Researchers who work with the NIDA-supplied ma-
terial from UMiss are normally instructed to re-hu-
midify the material to ensure a realistic burning pro-
file. But as Springer says, “once a volatile compound
has been lost to aggressive drying techniques, it is
gone for good.” 
analyticalcannabis.com | 21
 Analytical Cannabis Digest

For many years, this single cultivation facility at
UMiss was the sole approved source of cannabis
for scientific studies in the United States. As a re-
sult, some began to question the research done
on this material, and whether the findings were
generalizable to the products actively being used
by consumers.  more like real-world material, i.e., higher THC lev-
“The different cannabinoid profile and different dry-
ing regimen have been viewed with suspicion as pos-
sible reasons that our [past] results may not be rele-
vant to real-world cannabis,” Springer said. “These
were reasonable concerns, but our results here show
that these concerns are unfounded.”
The importance of endothelial function
The endothelium is a thin membrane lining that
covers the walls of blood vessels and the inside
of the heart. But the endothelium is more than a
simple barrier between tissues and the blood; it
is also an endocrine organ capable of releasing
substances that control vascular relaxation and con-
traction and enzymes that control blood clotting and
immune function.
“Endothelial function is viewed as a mark of a healthy
vessel, in that various intrinsic properties of the cells
that make up the blood vessel wall are all working
properly,” Springer explained.  ences in cardiovascular risk between the groups. If
“Not only is poor endothelial function correlated
with increased risk of coronary heart disease, but
directly the reduction of endothelial function is a
first step toward atherosclerosis later, and resulting
from that, increased future risks of heart attacks and
strokes, as well as more specialized problems such as
erectile dysfunction.”
“It is important to note that we have previously
shown that cannabis smoke and cannabis leaf vapor-
izer aerosol leads to impaired endothelial function,
using NIDA research marijuana,” Springer said.
“The goal of this study was to show whether this
result held true even if the cannabis being used was
els and more gentle drying conditions that don’t risk
losing as many volatile terpenes.”
Not only is poor
endothelial function
correlated with increased
risk of coronary heart
disease, but directly the
reduction of endothelial
function is a first step
toward atherosclerosis
Moving forward, Springer and his UCSF colleagues
will be examining serum samples taken from the rats
that were exposed to the different materials used in
this study, to evaluate whether there are any differ-
so, Springer says that the team will look to identify
whether these changes are mediated by the CB1 or
CB2 cannabinoid receptors. Another study looking
at the differences in endothelial function after sec-
ondhand smoke exposure is also currently underway.

The idea that cannabis smoke and vape aerosol im-

pairs endothelial function is then a serious concern.
But this discovery is not new. 

22 | Analytical Cannabis Digest


The Evolution of the European
Cannabis Lab
By Justin Ihnken and Connor Murphy, co-founders of QNTM Laboratories
T
he lethargic legacy model of the contract ana-
lytical laboratory is proving increasingly insuf-
ficient for the needs of the rapid development
of modern pharmaceuticals. Nowhere is this more
evident than in promising nascent drug research
areas, such as cannabis-based drug applications, ex-
plains QNTM founders, Justin Ihnken and Connor
Murphy, in collaboration with Anthony Macherone,
strategic technical scientist at Agilent.
Denmark-based QNTM Labs, is a fully licensed
EU-good manufacturing practice (GMP) analytical
laboratory taking a fresh approach to the role con-
tract partner labs and the degree of expertise they
possess. In contrast to the traditional contract lab
model, QNTM Labs favours a value-added holistic
method, working in lockstep with pharmaceutical
December 2022
companies throughout the entire drug lifecycle from
ideation and discovery to clinical trials and regula-
tory compliance.
This is important as changes in the regulatory land-
scape and the growing role of compliant data de-
mand a level of agility and evolution for drug devel-
opers that laboratories need to constantly keep up
with, explains Ihnken.
“There’s an increased focus on quality data across
the entire lifecycle of pharmaceuticals and medical
products, which the traditional contract laboratory
model is proving to increasingly fall short of. This
created an opportunity to reinvent the way that
pharmaceutical companies interact with the labora-
tory services part of the industry.”
analyticalcannabis.com | 23
 Analytical Cannabis Digest
Macherone agrees and adds that “data integ-
rity, management, and archival are critical
in the modern laboratory and customers are
required to comply with an increasingly complex
regulatory environment.”
Out with the old, in with the new
QNTM has chosen to have its strategic approach
championed by Agilent, a company that also recog-
nises the limitations of the contract lab model when
it comes to increasingly complex nascent industries,
such as cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals. From
product development to data management, the his-
torical precision of laboratories is becoming increas-
ingly muddled with risks that can seriously affect a
laboratory and its reputation.
Cannabis-based
drug development is
interesting because
there are hundreds
of potentially relevant
compounds unique to
the cannabis plant
“The goals and challenges at the heart of the phar-
ma sector require new approaches and new ways of
thinking,” says Macherone. “Powerful partnerships
of the type advocated by QNTM Labs help drug
companies accelerate their processes, safely and
compliantly, adding value and helping ensure peace
of mind. The future of effective drug [discovery and]
development will increasingly rely on collaborations
that support efficient asset and resource manage-
ment and the ability to plan ahead.”
Together, Agilent and QNTM Labs have developed
innovative analytical approaches, which have re-
cently been implemented for the analysis of canna-
binoid-based pharmaceuticals. While there is reason
to believe that cannabinoids may have beneficial
properties, much more objective data is needed sup-
porting their potential applications.
24 | Analytical Cannabis Digest
“Cannabis-based drug development is interesting
because there are hundreds of potentially relevant
compounds unique to the cannabis plant,” says Mur-
phy. “At the moment, however, there are limited
clinical trial data to substantiate product use cases,
which means the laboratory needs to play an even
larger role in identifying and measuring critical in-
formation surrounding cannabis APIs [active phar-
maceutical ingredients]. That’s what’s going to drive
decision making.”
Driving an emerging Europe-led market
QNTM Labs operates a state-of-the-art EU-GMP
pharmaceutical facility that offers end-to-end sup-
port for developing cannabis-based pharma prod-
ucts. The lab leverages its expert team of specialists
in pharmaceutical compliance and natural product
chemistry, who understand the complexity of han-
dling a biological pharmaceutical product that may
naturally lack stability and be subject to degradation.
This set of unique expertise can help companies
during a pivotal moment for a rapidly advancing in-
dustry. According to a recent report by Grand View
Research, the global cannabis pharmaceuticals mar-
ket is expected to grow at a compounded annual rate
of 104.2% between 2022 and 2028. Due to its regula-
tory arrangements, Europe is currently the leading
region for the cannabis pharmaceuticals market and
is home to major manufacturers within the sector.
For enhanced development, QNTM Labs regu-
larly shares knowledge and expertise with Agi-
lent and has explored a variety of methods using
Agilent’s ultra-high performance liquid chro-
matography tools, smart gas chromatography,
and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry work-
f lows. The long-term goal is to establish analyt-
ical standardisation within the emerging field of
cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals.
“When I look at our partnership with Agilent, we
truly do have someone who sees the industry the
same way as we do,” says Ihnken. “The support we’ve
received from Agilent includes cutting-edge analysis
with some of the most innovative technologies in the
world. In them, we have a technology partner that is
helping us break into new markets and [develop] new
analytical methodologies.”

QNTM Labs’ mission is to improve transparency and
increase access to robust scientific analyses, work-
ing hand-in-hand with global drug manufacturers
and pharmaceutical industry stakeholders through
analytical testing, contract research, and clinical
trial support.
“Our company was founded on the basis of help-
ing fix the holes that currently exist in this indus-
try,” says Murphy. “Even as regulators working
to establish standards, there is still so much com-
plexity and nuance to meeting requirements. We
pride ourselves on sitting down with our custom-
ers and helping them understand the requirements
their products need to meet as a manufacturer of
cannabis-based pharmaceuticals.
“Our team has decades of experience on both the
manufacturing and analytical side of the industry
and deeply understand the frustrations that exist in
bringing a drug to market – which is what our solu-
tion tackles head on.”
December 2022
Nurturing the green shoots of growth
As Europe’s cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals
businesses continue to grow and develop, so will
the need for collaboration with lab testing partners
and the need for strategic guidance. QNTM Labs has
placed itself at the forefront of analytical capabilities
by using cutting edge analysis and analytical meth-
odologies, that drive innovation and deliver results.
What is clear is that the market for cannabis-based
pharmaceuticals will continue to grow and QNTM
Labs will be helping its customers maximise their
opportunities, now and in the long term.
Disclaimer: Agilent products and solutions are in-
tended to be used for cannabis quality control and
safety testing in laboratories where such use is permit-
ted under state/country law.
analyticalcannabis.com | 25
Psych Corner: The Science Behind Psychedelics December 2022

Colorado Votes to Decriminalize Most

Psychedelics and Regulate Psilocybin
Therapy
By Leo Bear-McGuinness

C
olorado voters have approved a ballot measure
that will decriminalize the personal possession
of psilocybin and several other psychedelics.
Over 95% of votes have been counted, according to
the New York Times. From this proportion, it appears
voters approved Proposition 122 by a margin of 54%
to 46% during the US midterm election on Tuesday,
November 8.
Once enacted, the proposal will give any adult in
the state, aged 21 and over, the legal right to pos-
sess, use, cultivate and share psilocybin, ibogaine,
mescaline (not derived from peyote), DMT, and
psilocyn without fear of arrest.
The ballot measure also requires the state Depart-
ment of Regulatory Agencies to regulate a therapeu-
tic psychedelics program, which would license treat-
ment centers and therapists.
eligible for therapeutic use, at least until 2026; other
compounds could be approved from then onwards.
Proposition 122 also mandates the formation of a
15-member Natural Medicine Advisory board, which
would oversee the therapeutic program.
Anyone with a criminal conviction for possession or
use of a relevant psychedelic compound will now be
able to petition a Colorado court for record sealing.
As the measure pertains to decriminalization, not
legalization, the sale of psychedelics will still be pro-
hibited in Colorado.
The state now becomes the second in the US to ef-
fectively permit the use of psychedelics; Oregon
became the first in 2020.
Denver, the capital city of Colorado, also decrimi-
nalized “psilocybin mushrooms” in 2019.

A second psychedelic state

Under the proposal, only psilocybin and psilocin

(another “magic mushroom” compound) will be

analyticalcannabis.com | 27
 Psych Corner: The Science Behind Psychedelics

The Dark Side of Psychedelic Trials

By Alexander Beadle

Image credit: Markus Roggen.

I
nterest in psychedelic medicine has never been high-
er. Possession and use of psychedelic drugs have been
decriminalized in Oregon and Colorado, and the
latest research appears to support the effectiveness of
psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in treating severe
depression. Most American psychiatrists view psilocy-
bin and ketamine as safer than alcohol or Xanax, too,
according to a recent study.
But among the jubilation, some psychedelic experts
are whispering a word of caution.
search”, Roggen warned that while the rapid prog-
ress in psychedelic science is encouraging in many
ways, there is a clear need to improve the ways in
which some of these trials are handled. 
Additionally, as some in the sector look to patent
their inventions, Roggen offered a short introduc-
tion to the psilocybin crystals and how these are
relevant to the intellectual property debates that are
sure to come as the sector expands.

“We will soon be able to be all treated with psyche- Patient safety and flawed trials
delics, and we will all be healed and everyone is hap-
py, right? Not so fast,” says Dr. Markus Roggen, pres- “Everyone is looking at psychedelics. With that at-
ident and chief science officer of Vancouver-based tention comes scrutiny, and it’s not all rosy,” Roggen
Delic Labs.  said. “There is some bad news.”

Speaking to audiences at the recent Analytical Earlier this year, Health Canada announced the
Cannabis webinar, “Advances in Psilocybin Re- suspension of a clinical trial for MDMA-assisted

28 | Analytical Cannabis Digest


psychotherapy following “concerns for participant
safety.” These concerns were raised after video
footage emerged showing two of the trials’ thera-
pists physically restraining a distressed PTSD pa-
tient during the trial.  that are more specific to the psychedelic science sec-
“This patient came to the MDMA trial because of
PTSD, as a result of sexual abuse in her youth. And
during therapy, she was blindfolded, she was inap-
propriately touched, she was pinned down, and the
therapist started a sexual relationship with her out-
side of that trial,” Roggen summarized.
“There are so many no-nos in this aspect. And it was
all filmed, and no actions were taken by the trial
organizers while this happened, and it was only re-
viewed years later.”
After reviewing both of the trials for MDMA-assisted
psychotherapy, Health Canada suspended the afore-
mentioned study and asked the second trial, run by
the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic
Studies (MAPS), to correct several issues related to
record-keeping and staff training. 
“These various entities are often not pharmaceuti-
cal companies who have been running clinical trials
for decades or centuries. It is more [often] interest
groups, and they might not bring the expertise and
[knowledge of ] how to run and organize a clinical
trial. And with this comes risk,” Roggen said.
Improving the study of psychedelics
One of the main ways in which a clinical trial
can demonstrate its credibility is to pre-register.
Pre-registered trials disclose their methods and
outcomes in advance before any of the research is
actually completed.  The word “crystal” probably has more connotations
“If you go onto a trial saying, ‘This is what I’m
planning to do and this is how I’m going to ana-
lyze the data, and that’s what I’m going to analyze
for,’ and then you follow your protocol that you
pre-registered… It’s a better approach because it
keeps you honest,” Roggen said.
Rather than running an experiment, seeing the
results, and retroactively using the data to gen-
erate a hypothesis – a form of selective reporting
also known as “p-hacking” – pre-registered tri-
als force the organizers to reveal their hypothesis
December 2022
in advance. This gives additional credibility to the
study’s interpretation. 
There are also some improvements that can be made
tor. For example, Alberta recently moved to impose
stricter regulations on who can provide psychedel-
ic-assisted therapy sessions. 
Under the new rules, “only a psychiatrist or a physi-
cian in consultation with a psychiatrist can prescribe
a psychedelic drug for the purposes of treating a psy-
chiatric disorder, unless the drug is ketamine provid-
ed outside of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy.”
Everyone is looking at
psychedelics. With that
at­tention comes scrutiny,
and it’s not all rosy
Apart from this exception for ketamine, psychia-
trists who conduct psychedelic therapy must apply
for a license under the Mental Health Services Pro-
tection Act. Staff at psychedelic therapy clinics will
also be required to report any injuries or deaths im-
mediately to the government. As clinical trials on
psychedelics continue around the world, many may
wish to consider implementing similar policies on
counselor qualifications or incident reporting.
The emerging world of psilocybin patents
with the world of rocks and gemstones, but organic
compounds such as psilocybin can also inhabit crys-
talline structures. Very pure psilocybin naturally
exists as a white, crystalline powder. And although
psilocybin is largely converted to the active metab-
olite psilocin in the body, psilocybin is normally the
focus of much psychedelics research as psilocybin is
very unstable in environmental conditions. 
“Chocolate comes in various different crystal forms.
And then it melts in your car and then it doesn’t
taste as good anymore,” Roggen gave as an example.
“Polymorphs are important. Different [crystal] poly-
analyticalcannabis.com | 29
 Analytical Cannabis Digest

morphs will have different absorption in the body,
and different medical effects.”
If a psychedelic company has the correct polymorph
for a certain application, with all of its favorable ab-
sorption and therapeutic properties, then the com-
pany can treat a patient with it. Importantly, the
company can also patent it.
As research continues within the psychedelics sec-
tor, this issue of patenting crystalline structures is
certainly likely to raise its head again. Roggen’s own
lab, Delic Labs, has recently began working with a
crystallization expert to further explore cannabi-
noid and psilocybin crystallization, with a view to
better understanding the chemistry which controls
these processes. 

This is already happening; Compass Pathways was “Crystals are not just the boring end product. It has
granted a US patent for a psilocybin structure named a lot of inf luence on biological uptake, patentabili-
Polymorph A in October 2021. This patent was sub- ty, medical effects, and the value foundation of this
sequently challenged by a group arguing that this industry,” Roggen said.
sort of discovery should not be patentable. However,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), a group of
administrative judges within the United States Pat-
ent and Trademark Office, recently decided that this
petition would not move forward to trial. 

Iquistimis; hiconsultuid
arbis. Ex nonoven
erdiusque forunces iam
morsu ius.
Ra inatquid consimiu
videm actus, pos huidet

30 | Analytical Cannabis Digest

Psych Corner: The Science Behind Psychedelics
Most Ayahuasca Users Vomit, Study
Finds
By Molly Campbell
A
new study by researchers at the Univer-
sity of Melbourne has analyzed adverse
effects reported by users of the hallucinogenic
tea, ayahuasca.
Ayahuasca
The hallucinogenic beverage ayahuasca has been
used for religious and medicinal purposes by
Amazonian tribes for thousands of years. More re-
December 2022
cently, ayahuasca retreats and research projects – 
exploring the beverage’s potential effects on health,
spirituality, and personal growth – have seen its
use expand globally.
The hallucinogenic effects of ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is made by prolonged heating or boil-
ing of the  Banisteriopsis caapi  stem with the leaves
of the  Psychotria viridis  plant.  B. caapi  provides a
analyticalcannabis.com | 31
 Analytical Cannabis Digest
source of harmine, which inhibits the breakdown of
dimethyltryptamine (DMT) supplied by P. virdis, in-
creasing the bioavailability of DMT in the body and
resulting in hallucinogenic side effects.
At the University of Melbourne,  Dr. Daniel Perkins  even in non-traditional ceremonies, not only is vom-
is involved in a number of research projects sur-
rounding medicinal psychedelics and medicinal
cannabis. He is the director of the Global Ayahuasca
Project, which aims to increase the understanding of
ayahuasca drinking across the world, includ-
ing why people drink it, the reported impacts of aya-
huasca on health and wellbeing, and the potential
risks associated. His team’s latest research, published
in  PLOS Global Public Health,  provides potentially
the largest source of information on ayahuasca’s ad-
verse side effects to date.
The Global Ayahuasca Project online
survey
The researchers analyzed data from an online Global
Ayahuasca Survey that ran from 2017–2019 and re-
cruited 10,836 respondents from over 50 countries.
The questionnaire obtained demographic informa-
tion, such as age, sex, level of education, history of
mental health diagnoses, and data relating to aya-
huasca drinking history, such as frequency, patterns,
and contexts of use. Participants were asked to re-
port any acute adverse physical effects via a check-
box system, and a subsequent question asked wheth-
er they had ever experienced any medium-term men-
tal health, emotional, or perceptual changes in the
weeks or months following ayahuasca ceremonies
or sessions.
Responders for whom the “adverse effects” section
of the questionnaire was not complete were exclud-
ed from the final analyses. In total, Perkin’s study
included 8,216 responses for the adverse physical ef-
fects section of the questionnaire and 7,839 respons-
es for the adverse mental effects section. Approxi-
mately 46% of the participants were female with an
average age of 40 years and over.
Nausea and vomiting were the most
common physical side effects
Acute physical health adverse effects were reported
by 69.9% of the sample. The most common effects
32 | Analytical Cannabis Digest
were vomiting and nausea (68.2%), headache (17.8%),
and abdominal pain (12.8%). The researchers em-
phasize that vomiting and nausea are considered a
“normal” effect of ayahuasca for experienced users:
“In the case of traditional ayahuasca ceremonies and
iting/nausea not considered an adverse effect, but it
is even sought out for its purging and perceived spir-
itual cleansing benefits,” they wrote in the paper.
Approximately 2.3% of the participants reported
that they required medical attention for any ad-
verse effects. “These results are consistent with
previous studies, with regular users reporting that
most adverse physical effects seem to not be seri-
ous and do not compromise health,” Perkins and
colleagues explained.
Several factors were more likely to be associated
with adverse events occurring, including:
• A higher use of ayahuasca in the previous year
or lifetime
• The age of participants – those that were older
when they first drank ayahuasca were more like-
ly to experience adverse events
• Physical health conditions
• Comorbidity anxiety disorder
• Previous diagnosis of a substance use disorder
• Use of ayahuasca in a non-supervised context
An uncomfortable experience?
Fifty-five percent of the survey responders report-
ed adverse mental health effects, a “relatively high”
figure according to the researchers. However, “al-
though the frequency of any adverse mental health
effects was high, only ‘hearing or seeing things that
other people do not hear or see’ was observed in
28.5% of the ayahuasca users,” the researchers say.
Approximately 21% of participants reported “feeling
disconnected or alone”, while 4.4% experienced vi-
sual distortions. The duration of any adverse mental
health effect reported in the survey was less than one
week. When asked to offer qualitative perspectives
on these experiences, some of the participants ex-

pressed how they are considered a positive element
of their ayahuasca journey.
Ayahuasca is not just a pharmacological experience
– it is considered a spiritual practice in its tradition.
“In the context of such experiences, it is not sur-
prising that a process of psychological integration
and assimilation may be required,” Perkins and col-
leagues noted.
I have had numerous
experiences where
ayahuasca has brought
difficult patterns into
my awareness in my
daily life, which is never
comfortable but always
results in growth in the end,
– an anonymized quote
from one of the survey
participants
Ayahuasca drinking history variables were not sig-
nificantly associated with adverse mental health
effects. “This finding, while intriguing, is in ac-
cordance with the early age of ayahuasca initia-
tion in traditional contexts, both Indigenous and
in ayahuasca churches, where researchers  failed to
find long-term neuropsychiatric alterations,” the
authors note.
Previous work Dr. José Carlos Bouso, director of the
International Center for Ethnobotanical Education,
Research, and Service and a co-author of the paper,
also found that long-term use of ayahuasca was asso-
ciated with a higher positive perception of health, or
with a healthy lifestyle.
December 2022
Implications for global health
There are limitations to the study design that must
be acknowledged and could limit its validity, includ-
ing its reliance on self-reported data gathered in a
retrospective nature. However, the large sample size
makes this work “the most important source of in-
formation regarding ayahuasca’s adverse effects” to
date, in the research team’s opinion. But what does
this resource tell us? It appears that ayahuasca has
notable – though rarely severe – side effects on both
physical and mental health, which have implications
for public health.
“In that sense, ayahuasca practices can hardly be as-
sessed with the same parameters used for prescrip-
tion medicines,” the authors say, “since the myriad
of its effects include challenging experiences that are
intrinsic to the experience, some of which are con-
sidered as part of its healing process.”
“Many are turning to ayahuasca due to disenchant-
ment with conventional Western mental health
treatments, however the disruptive power of this
traditional medicine should not be underestimated,
commonly resulting in mental health or emotional
challenges during assimilation.”
“While these are usually transitory and seen as part
of a beneficial growth process, risks are greater for
vulnerable individuals or when used in unsupportive
contexts,” the researchers concluded.
analyticalcannabis.com | 33
 Analytical Cannabis Digest

Out of CANNtext
I “Just one-in-ten U.S. adults say
n an industry awash with milestone events and
expert-led commentary, we know it’s impossible to
keep up to speed with it all. To help you out we’ve marijuana should not be legal
pulled together a selection of our favorite quotes and at all.”
comments from key opinion leaders from across the
industry this month. The results come from a recent Pew Research
Center poll of 5,098 adults in the US.

“The Senate passed the Medical

Marijuana and Cannabidiol
Research Expansion Act that
passed the House this year
It’d help eliminate red tape
hindering cannabis research for
new treatments
Now it goes to @POTUS and we’ll
keep working for more cannabis
legislation in the lame duck.”
US Senator Chuck Schumer tweeted the above
after a medical cannabis research bill passed
through the Senate, becoming the first piece of
cannabis-specific legislation to make it the US
president’s desk.

“We observed higher cannabis

use to relax and reduce pain,
concurrent with decreasing
nonmedical use of prescription
drugs and use to get high,
suggesting that cannabis may
have been used to cope with
stressors or compensate for
disrupted access to prescription
opioids.”
Researchers from the Denver Health and Hospital
Authority and the University of Colorado School
of Medicine noted in a recent study, published in
JAMA Network Open, that cannabis use became
more prevalent during the Covid-19 pandemic
in medical-use states and in states with total
cannabis prohibition. In the expert above, they
speculate the reasons behind this increase in
cannabis use.
34 | Analytical Cannabis Digest
“In a historic decision, the
#NYCCB has approved the first
round of CAURD licensees.
28 Justice-involved individuals
& 8 Nonprofit organizations will
make the first adult use-sales
by New York farmers and bring
countless opportunities to our
communities.”
The New York State Office of Cannabis
Management tweeted the above, announcing
the first batch of licensed adult-use retailers
in the state, which should open its marijuana
market by the end of the year.
 CANNABIS NEWS &
RESEARCH GROUP
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 March 2022

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