US Government grants patent for an invention that controls the potency of cannabis

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted a patent for an invention that will control the CBD and THC potency of harvested cannabis.

The patent was granted under United States Patent No. 10,874,703 on 29th December 2020. It was granted to an inventor from California known as Michael Brunson. He is not to be confused with Mike Brunson, of cannabis company Caviar Gold. 

The invention includes a step-by-step process used to control the CBD and THC content of processed cannabis, according to the patent application. The process includes infusing the harvested cannabis with additives, alcohols, and oils. The solution is then placed in a sealed container and subjected to a level of pressure between 65 psi and 75 psi. Finally, the solution is heated to between 125 degrees and 175 degrees Fahrenheit and left to wait before the alcohol is removed.

This process allows Brunson to completely control the CBD and THC potency of cannabis processed this way. It could be used on multiple parts of the cannabis plant, including cannabis flower, bark, stem, buds, leaves, and roots. 

In a statement released by his lawyer Arthur D. Hodge, Brunson states that this form of infusion can make the cannabis plant product “up to three times stronger”, delivering a “higher dosage of CBD than is available in the natural plant product.” 

By regulating the amount of oil content in the cannabis or hemp product, the cannabinoid levels in the plant matter can be controlled from zero to 90%.

Naturally, the applications for this technology are ground-breaking across the recreational and medical cannabis industries. 

Cannabis processed with Brunson’s method can be infused with a standardised level of CBD or THC, allowing companies to control the exact dosage of medical cannabis. This would increase the quality of cannabis medications and could be used to produce medical cannabis tailored to a patient’s individual needs. 

The process can also be used to enhance the quality of infused pre-rolls, infused blunts and “moon rocks“, which are cannabis nuggets infused with oils. 

Brunson is currently looking to issue patent license agreements to cannabis companies interested in his infusion process.