Welcome to the future.

A random google search turned up this discussion. Is this news? Apparently, at least one person has been performing experiments, to genetically modifying marijuana.

I have started a new identity here on OG to give you guys a heads up to the research I am doing.

I am no newby to Overgrow or growing in general. I am Canadian and have a solid backround in DNA properties and manipulation.

First I would like to say that ALL the research I am doing is out of my own pocket. I am not being paid for my time, I am using my lab and all the equipment within. Let me stress I am doing this out of MY OWN wallet. Trust me, a couple microliters of restriction enzyme can run a pretty penny.

Genetic modifications are become very common. Since cannabis is an illegal substance, it is not getting the attention that it should. There is research and development being carried out, but it is not to the end that will benifit the recreational user. These studys are however serving as reference for my work

There are two really interesting things going about this.

The first is that someone is that genetic modification has become so easy and commonplace that some educated and well situated people are in the position to do some of their own, purely for there own entertainment.

The second is that perhaps a little less obvious, and that is that information and knowledge is idly being transfered and dissected on a web bulletin board. I’ve seen similar things going on in other forums, but geneticly modifying plants?

But what’s next?

I am in complete research mode right now. I have the basis for two experiments and am currently researching more indepth into how to adapt the procedures for cannabis.

The one that looks the most promising is to overexpress the enzyme THCA synthase. This enzyme catalyzes a dehydrogenation reaction of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid to THC (see pic).

I am trying to characterize the regulation sequences of THCA-synthase and modify them so that the enzyme is produced in the largest quantity it can be. I would like to change the sequence of the promoter to make it so that the RNA polymerase will bind the DNA more often thus making more messenger RNA.

If there is an abundance of mRNA that will be translated into an abundance of THCA-Synthase. HOPEFULLY, more enzyme will equal more THC content..

He’s definitely not alone, and this didn’t just happen. The discussion in question started back in 2002.

What’s more, the government has been doing this a lot longer. All government created weed, used for the creation of marinol as well as the few research projects that are permitted are genetically modified.

In order to create sterile plants for medical marijuana and government santioned experiments, Monsanto was recruited to use their ‘grandfather’ gene process – that creates fertile plants with infertile children – so that plants could be created without fertile seeds being distributed. Heaven forbid viable plants from a government source should fall into the hands of your local stoner. Let’s forget about the fact that viable seeds are available from all sorts of places already. (This was Monsanto’s first genetic creation, and at the heart of their business model. Why create frankentomatoes if you can’t have a monopoly on the seeds.)

However, apparently Monsanto is not only creating sterile plants, but deliberately creating low potency strains under governmental guidelines: pharmaceutical schwag.

Cannabis seeds from Monsanto are almost definitely genetically engineered. Genetically engineered plants can be patented, and it is in Monsanto’s best interest to hold a patent on any seed they sell. Seed patents ensure that companies like Monsanto can continue to profit from seeds from year to year, as farmers are legally bound to buy patented seeds from the patent holder rather than simply store them from the last year’s crop.

Interestingly, low-potency pot of the kind produced by Monsanto seeds at the University of Mississippi is exactly the kind of product the Ministry of Health is asking for from contractors. The guidelines ask specifically for “standardized marijuana cigarettes with THC content of between 4% and 6% and weighing [about] 850 mg.”

Which means the cigarettes to be used for clinical trials will be phatties containing over three-quarters of a gram of schwag bud each! These fat joints will deliver about twice the tar per dose as marijuana currently available from experienced growers, which reaches between 8-10% THC.

So, there you have it. Genetic engineers creating super potent weed strains is rather difficult to reconcile with the concept of weed being a mentally debilitating substance. And, the government is burning your money on high tech solutions to non existent problems.

But, I think, to the average stoner, this is probably better than jet boots and flying cars combined. We are living in the future. Genetically modified weed! Genetically modified weed!

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