There are numerous rumours on the internet and cannabis forums that Monsanto, the multi-billion agribusiness giant, has announced it has patented the first genetically modified strain of marijuana.
As usual there are fears that GM hemp can mix its genes with non-modified cannabis through cross-breading in fields and in the end destroy the diversity of cannabis DNA. Cross-breeding non-GM with GM plant in wild has happened in past - unapproved genetically engineered corn variety had contaminated the food supply for four years). According to university scientists, gene flow between wild and cultivated relatives is almost inevitable.
This rumour spread over the internet accross many news sites and cannabis forums which just copied over original article from entertainment site World News Daily Report which specializes in faking news. Monsanto denied this rumour on their website:
Of course it would probably make sense for Monsanto to enter marijuana agricultural sector as it is becoming large market with tens of billions dollars at stake. Probably they are just waiting for marijuana to be removed from Schedule I classification on federal level befor getting into the business.
Many other major commodities sold on today’s market like corn and soybeans are currently genetically modified from 90%.
On the otherside there are projects like Open Cannabis Project which fight for keeping varieties and strains free in public domain.
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The only thing that can block a plant patent is proof that the plant is not new. Anything that has been public for more than a year cannot be patented. It’s in the public domain, and it belongs to everyone.
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Only if we rapidly build a database of cannabis “prior art” can this process be stopped. Proof of prior art protects existing varieties from any kind of patent, and it makes these broad and dangerous patents hard to obtain, because it stakes out territory that can then no longer be claimed in patent applications.
What are your thoughts on genetically modified plants? Do they serve its purpose or they just pose a threat to ecosystem?
I’m against genetic modifications. Stop GMO!
I don’t see anything harmful on genetically modified plants.
Friend, one thing is spray your plants with BT, n another so much diferent mixture the genes… To do it safety ya need years n years of isolated experiments…maby to see it isent safe for human health or nature… Do you remember when we thinked plastics envelopements n food was a great idea, for example?..Or pesticides will finish with hungry in World?..
Ya dont understand me , @GrowerGoneWild : I love to spray BT in my plants, but wont smoke ganja with BT genes till Healthy Departamento here will say it is safe. A lot of “your” trasgenic food is forbidden here cos isent tested durin enought years in humans… N ya have serious problems in USA with the trasgenic corn n the “amaranto”…
I’m ok with BT in corn or MJ… If I dont have to spray pesticide because of BT genes in the crop… I’m ok with it, I think its less risk with BT.
I think me smoking cigarettes is more dangerous than GMO food.
if monsanto could develop a marijuana strain which flowered indefinitely i’d definitely love them… once the stretch stopped you could keep harvesting ripe buds and they would keep growing back forever…
except developing a once only purchase or last-a-lifetime products just isn’t good business these days, more likely they’d focus their energies on developing a plant which can’t be cloned and all seeds are sterile,… and automatically dies 3 months after sprouting
My biggest gripe of gmo is their synthetic nicotine pesticides. Natural nicotine can be produced cheaper from harvested tobacco then synthetic. Has the same affect and would put money in the hands of growers instead of chemical companies. Also it has a lower negative impact on our environment. Funny thing is if you look up using nicotine as a pesticide you’ll get all these fear monger options. That it’s addictive, can cause tobacco mosaic and plain harmful to plants. Many plants have nicotine including eggplant and tomato. In itself is as addictive as caffeine. Also processed forms of it do not carry the mosaic virus. It is the only effective natural pesticide i’ve found against root aphids . Honestly your usually better off starting over bc they’re evil lit bastards but if not that’s the only way to go.
The nicotine based pesticides are an environmental disaster for the pollinators. They become addicted to it!
A famous British organic gardener Eliot Coleman put it best. If you are producing food organically, there will be a small margin lost, every time, to the environment. So what?
They used nicotine for yrs without any problems. It wasn’t till synthetic nicotine that these problems arised. Bee’s are familiar with natural nicotine it’s been a natural compound 4ever. They know not to mess with it but synthetic is a different story.
