Cannabis and hemp both come from the same plant. As its legalization continues to spread from state to state, fruit and vegetable producers may wonder if these crops fit into their growing plans—now or in the future.
A Versatile Plant
The cannabis plant has many uses: its crushed seed can be used as a foodstuff but is better known as having three principal functions: as a source of fiber, a pharmaceutical, or an intoxicant.
Cannabis is an extremely complex plant, but the most important ingredient is tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC, which causes intoxication. Other compounds include cannabidiol (CBD), which has many medicinal uses, and cannabinol (CBN), a mild psychoactive compound.
Since the cannabis plant has approximately 460 known chemical components, sorting through them can be confusing. The best-known is cannabidiol (CBD), generally acknowledged to have few or no psychoactive properties.
Lisa Gabor, founding partner of BPCM Cannabis, a communications strategy firm, sees the significant surge in demand continuing for “products made with minor cannabinoids.”
She says there are many different products for household and personal care use, with what she characterizes as a “very minimal” cognitive effect.
Gabor notes “a push toward awareness of mental as well as physical wellness,” adding that medical studies have shown users benefit from these products.
With this multitude of uses—known, recently discovered, and yet to be discovered—one might think the commercial possibilities for cannabis growers are limitless, making it a tempting alternative for growers of fruit and vegetables, who know the risks and drawbacks of their crops all too well.
Not necessarily.
This is an excerpt from the cover story of the May/June 2021 issue of Produce Blueprints Magazine. Click here to read the whole issue.
