The demand for medical cannabis is blooming, but producers can’t always ensure quality and profile consistency across grows and batches. Molecular tagging and blockchain have the answer.
Cannabis and blockchain technology have a complex and closely linked history. But their relationship is taking on a new identity. Where blockchain technology has been used to build and diversify payments and unite cannabis communities in the industry, it is now drilling down into a smaller network – DNA.
Blockchain is a system that records information, assigning each piece of information with a non-alterable identifier which is logged into a public ledger. While blockchain has until recently been primarily used for cryptocurrencies, the same system can also be applied to DNA to trace the genetic makeup, grower, and even the origins of cannabis strains.
Molecular tagging is a process where DNA is used to label physical objects, similar to how a barcode label is printed onto the packaging of purchasable goods. The same method can be applied to cannabis in combination with blockchain technology.
