CBD, cannabidiol, was the first of the pair to gain widespread recognition for its non narcotic effects in the body. The molecule is the basis for the first FDA approved pharmaceutical in the sector. Called Epidiolex, the drug was approved as an antispasmodic for the treatment of some forms of intractable childhood epilepsy.
The enthusiasm for CBD was also the foundation of the industrial hemp and hemp extracts movement. As the market ramified, companies began to become more interested in other constituents of the plant. Many researchers began to extoll the virtues of these other constituents, including the other cannabinoids as well as fractions such as the volatile terpenes.
Looking into the other constituents
As a result, product developers began looking into full spectrum hemp extracts and single ingredient products made from the other cannabinoids.
Thus the stage was set for the wide scale market introduction of CBG, or cannabigerol. Cannabigerol is derived from cannabigerolic acid, the so-called ‘parent cannabinoid,’ from which the others are derived, principally CBD and THC. Most of the cannabigerolic acid is converted to those forms during the growth of the plant, leaving only 1% left over for CBG and the other, ‘minor’ cannabinoids.
Colorado-based company Geocann was among the first to the growing CBG party with the launch of CBG-only and combined CBG-CBD products in late 2019.
Now comes the launch of a new suite of products from Portland, OR-based Lazarus Naturals, one of the older names in hemp extracts.
Lazarus was founded in 2014 in Oregon in the wake of the first federal Farm Bill. That legislation opened the door by allowing research into hemp cultivation, and state ballot initiatives in places such as Oregon and Colorado opened the door further. The 2018 Farm Bill opened up the door still further to new products.
Just as there are no good reads on exactly how many CBD and full spectrum hemp products are on the market, so too is any enumeration of the CBG market pure guesswork. A quick search turned up at least 10 online portals selling CBG products in addition to Geocann’s and Lazarus’ new products.
Combo and standalone products launched
Lazarus’ new offerings include a combination CBD:CBG full spectrum tincture and a CBG isolate tincture. The company is also offering CBG isolate in bulk quantities. Lazarus also grows its own hemp, and advertises having 120 acres of organic hemp close to harvest along with additional acreage grown under mainstream agricultural methods.
“We’re enthusiastic about the potential benefits that the preliminary research has already shown with CBG,” said Sequoia Price-Lazarus, CEO and founder of Lazarus Naturals.
“CBG works in synergy with other cannabinoids, like CBD and CBC, to boost the beneficial effects and we are just at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding all of the cannabinoids. We are excited to provide new solutions to improve our customers’ health and well-being at affordable prices,” he added.
Formulation flexibility is quickly becoming one of the points of differentiation in the extraction of cannabinoids and the manufacture of finished goods. New extraction facilities that have come online in recent months or are about to come online in Colorado all advertise the ability to separate out the cannabinoids and capture the volatile terpenes all with an aim toward being able to create custom formulations for clients.
Price-Lazarus said while acknowledging that CBG’s low prevalence in the plant would tend to make it expensive, his company intends to hold the price line on its CBG products.