One such threat was the hop latent viroid – a plant-specific pathogenic RNA that had begun to ravage cannabis crops across the globe. At first, the viroid had gone unnoticed, lurking in the shadows like a silent assassin. But as more and more growers began to fall victim to its effects, it became clear that something had to be done. The viroid had the potential to destroy entire crops, decimating the fledgling industry and leaving countless people out of work.