Johnson & Johnson JLABS Backing Cannabis Research

In this round of weed news, get ready for even more evidence that marijuana is entering the mainstream. Ever heard of Johnson & Johnson? The name may not ring an immediate bell, but open up your medicine cabinet and I guarantee you’ll probably have at least one of their products at hand. The company makes tons of goods that are designed to “advance the health and well-being of people around the world”, according to their credo. Now, the company has begun funding and housing cannabis research.

Breaking Historical Precedent

Johnson & Johnson has been around since 1886, and in those 131 years has filled drug store shelves with brands like Band-Aid, Tylenol, and Neutrogena. And the company has about 250 other subsidiary brands, so odds are you’ve picked up one of their products without even knowing it.

In order to stay an industry leader, J&J has expanded into emerging scientific research by starting JLABS. JLABS provides funding and workspace for scientists to work on the breakthrough tech of tomorrow, and it seems cannabis is now viewed as one of those potential breakthroughs.

Due to the excellent weed news of marijuana legalization in Canada, cannabis has become a legitimate opportunity for scientists to explore.

The Future of Cannabis Products

JLABS Toronto has accepted its first medical cannabis company: Avicanna. Avicanna is the first, and so far only, cannabis research company to gain entrance to the JLABS Toronto program. They’ve raised $1.6 million as seed money to begin operations, and will begin work in their 40,000 square foot workspace.

The “innovation center” as it’s called, contains a flexible space with room and equipment for both offices and “wet labs”, where the actual research will occur.

Avicanna will be focusing on development of its “PURA Elements” line of medicinal marijuana products, which includes creams, oils, tinctures and more.

Avicanna’s Scientific Advisor, Dr. Justin Grant, had this to say about the exciting weed news: “We seek to clinically demonstrate the safety and efficacy of our unique cannabinoid delivery products over the next six months. Furthermore, we will develop novel products with advanced physical and performance properties to improve their medical benefit to patients around the world.”

One of the ways Avicanna and JLABS plan to do this is through the continued development of transdermal patches, which were big in weed news when they came out. As one of Avicanna’s most interesting proprietary cannabis products, transdermal patches allow THC or CBD to be absorbed directly through the skin. Cannabinoids are usually too big to pass through the epidermis, so the PURA patches include additional plant extracts that make your skin more permeable.

This is incredible weed news especially for medical consumers, who may suffer adverse effects from smoking or whose stomachs may be too sensitive to knock back brownies or other edibles every day. The simple application, ‘just peel and stick represents an incredible achievement in the medical cannabis industry. We certainly hope the trend toward innovation continues.

Article By: Spencer Grey