Raphael Mechoulam, the first person to synthesize THC, earning him the moniker the “Father of Cannabis Science,” has died, Analytical Cannabis reports. He was 92 years old, and his legacy will most certainly live on for centuries to come. The esteemed chemist is also called the father of cannabis research. Some of his additional game-changing contributions to drug science include isolating and synthesizing other cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabichromene (CBC). 

While THC, CBD, and CBG are basically household names today, that would not be the case if it weren’t for Dr. Mechoulam, so smoke one out for him in remembrance. A medicinal chemistry professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, his work laid the groundwork and got the ball (or blunt) rolling to prompt future breakthroughs, such as illumination into the human body’s internal cannabinoid receptors in the 1980s and ’90s, as detailed in the 1993 academic paper titled Molecular characterization of a peripheral receptor for cannabinoids. 

Make sure to pay your respects today, as Dr. Mechoulam’s friends and fellow scientists are, as you pass the peace pipe around with your buddies. “This is a very sad day for me, for the science community and for the cannabis community. Professor Raphael Mechoulam or as we called him Raphi, was one of the greatest scientist[s] I ever met and was my teacher and mentor in many aspects. I truly believe he [deserved] a Nobel prize!” wrote David “Dedi” Meiri, an associate professor at Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology, and one Mechoulam’s colleagues, in a touching online statement. “Thank you Raphi for all the great things you did and discover[ed] in your life and thanks for all the help and support you gave me. Rest in peace my dear friend,” he continues. 

Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1930, Mechoulam and his family relocated to Israel, where he began studying chemistry. His inspiration to start his successful hunt for THC began after wise observance of other drugs’ mechanisms. In an interview with CNN in 2014, Mechoulam pointed out that: “Morphine had been isolated from opium in the nineteenth century, early nineteenth century, cocaine had been isolated from coca leaves [in the] mid-nineteenth century. And here we were, mid-twentieth century, and yet the chemistry of cannabis was not known. So it looked like [an] interesting project.” According to the National Library of Medicine, in 1964, he succeeded. And the story behind how Mechoulam obtained the cannabis he studied may surprise you. 

While working as a chemist in the early 1960s at the Weizmann Institute, Mechoulam got some weed from the Israeli police with his goal already in place: to discover and isolate what makes pot psychoactive. Once THC and other cannabinoids, such as the aforementioned CBD and CBG, were identified, in 1992, Mechoulam and his team discovered the chemical arachidonoyl ethanolamine, which you know as anandamide (derived from the Sanskrit word ananda, which means bliss). Anandamide is something our body’s endocannabinoid system produces on its own (as if we are built to use cannabis) and activates the CB1 receptor. 

Deeply passionate and hardworking, Mechoulam continued his research right up to his death. At the age of 88, at the cannabis conference CannMed in California in 2019, he announced another breakthrough, synthetically stable cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), the main phytocannabinoid in fiber and seed-oil hemp, which contains anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsant, and anti-cancerogenic properties, and that’s likely just the tip of the iceberg. “We have taken the unstable acid molecules of the cannabis plant and synthesized them to provide a stable, consistent basis for researching new therapies across a wide range of medical needs,” Mechoulam explained at the conference. He also used his stage time to encourage the scientific community to invest more into cannabis research, as enough time has already been lost, citing the many people from the past who would have vastly benefited from medicinal cannabis should it have been available. “Did we have to wait 30 years? No,” he said. “We could have helped thousands of children, and we didn’t.” 

Rest in Power, Dr. Mechoulam, and may everyone lucky enough to have access to the results of his work enjoy the power of plant medicine today. 

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The cannabis industry is skyrocketing, and with that comes an influx of new brands. With so many options on the market, it can be tough to stand out from the crowd. However, there is always room for quality-minded brands willing to go the extra mile in their production and marketing. That’s what this company, a top-tier brand quickly making a name for itself in the industry, proves. Despite being around for a relatively shorter time than its competitors, the brand has already made a big splash in the market. The brand is quickly becoming synonymous with high-quality, cutting-edge CBD products, and thanks to that, it’s poised to become a major player in the CBD space.

Led by visionary engineers, the brand is all about combining science and artistry to create unique products. The team has spent hundreds of hours perfecting the hardware and product to give customers a seamless and enjoyable user experience. The Mad Labs experience begins with beautifully designed vape pen cartridges that are both visually stimulating and enjoyable. These unique designs are the product of innovative vape technology and high-quality components. The vape pens are made of high-quality Pyrex glass tanks and ceramic coils, making for a pretty and safe package. Some brands use plastics that can contaminate the vape oil and cause health issues, but Mad Labs does things differently.

Another key feature of Mad Labs products is that they are all-natural. Mad Labs believe there is no need to have pretty packaging without providing value to the customer. The team spends hours testing different terpene levels and formulas to obtain a final product that exceeds customers’ expectations. Mad Labs products are produced from high-quality, full-spectrum extracts that give them a distinct aroma. Its cartridges contain high-THC, Delta 9 Category 3 Certified oils, and all-natural terpenes, giving all its products high potency of 82% from recent lab tests.

Mad Labs also guarantees additive-free products, making them a safer option than many brands on the market today. The brand uses an innovative, solvent-free extraction method that minimizes the contamination of the oils. The absence of potentially harmful chemical additives results in superior quality products with a cleaner taste than their competitors. Additionally, Mad Labs uses organically grown, pesticide-free flowers. This has also helped manage the amount of fertilizer and fungicides that end up in the final product.

The rigorous and thorough manufacturing process does not stop there. The brand takes its products through third-party testing for purity and potency in reputable, independent laboratories. Customers can view the certificates of analysis (COA) on the company’s website or use the company’s innovative authentication process. All products come with two QR codes customers can use to access the reports from the third-party analysis. One QR code directs the customers to a detailed COA and the other to Mad Labs’ Instagram page, where the brand posts all the results.

Mad Labs continues to satisfy its customers through new product lines. The brand recently introduced its innovative disposables with over 15 flavors. Now the team is working on its new edibles, concentrates, and exclusive blends they hope to unveil soon. Mad Labs is also working on expansion plans within California. The goal is to become a billion-dollar brand, changing the cannabis industry for the better.

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A remembrance: The Harvard physician’s 1971 book laid the scientific foundation for today’s legal cannabis laws.

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