The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Criminalistics Laboratory recently updated its policies regarding Cannabis testing in light of the 2018 Farm Bill, S.F. 599 and H.F. 2581. Under the new laws, cannabis containing less than 0.3% total THC (Δ9-THC + THCA) is considered hemp. Hemp extracts, including CBD, are no longer controlled substances under state […]
Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is a well-known qualitative laboratory technique to separate, detect and identify plant material extracts that have been processed so they longer possess botanical characteristics that can be observed through macro and microscopic analysis. This includes cannabis products like gummies, truffles, bars and other edibles, but also substances like tar, ground plant […]
Police have historically relied on the Duquénois-Levine (D-L) colorimetric field test to presumptively identify botanical material as Cannabis for the purpose of arresting a suspect for possession of marijuana. The reagent used in the D-L test reacts with a particular part of the THC molecule producing an intense violet color that is readily identifiable by […]
Under Iowa Code chapter 124E, Iowa residents, who submit written certification by a heath care practitioner that they are suffering from a certain debilitating medical condition, can apply to the Department of Public Health for a medical cannabidiol registration card. This card enables Iowans access to concentrated extracts of marijuana containing both THC and CBD […]
According to data recently published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, THC remained detectable in blood at levels greater than 2.0 ng/ml during several days of abstinence. Investigators affiliated with the University of British Columbia reviewed the relevant literature assessing residual THC plasma levels in those who regularly consume cannabis. They reported: “[I]n all […]
I recently came across a little-known study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology that raises serious questions regarding whether the gold standard in forensic urine testing could mistake hemp-derived CBD for THC. Many laboratories include derivatization as a part of their sample preparation for analysis by gas chromatography – mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Derivatization is the […]
Governor Reynolds has now signed into law HF 2581 regulating the possession and sale of hemp products in Iowa. This provision explicitly legalizes the retail sale of consumable products containing hemp extracts like CBD, CBC and CBG. Since the passage of the 2018 federal Farm Bill, which differentiated between marijuana and hemp containing less than […]
On June 5, 2020, the Iowa Senate, by a vote of 48-1, passed the latest hemp provision that formally recognizes the legality of consumable hemp products in Iowa. The same measure met with approval in the Iowa House by a vote of 99-1 in March. All that’s left is a signature from Governor Reynolds. This […]
Today, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service finally approved the state’s hemp plan submitted by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. This brings Iowa farmers one step closer to putting seed in the ground for the 2020 growing season. Farmers can apply for a hemp license or seed permit starting April 1, 2020. We […]
On March 6, 2019 GRL’s own Colin Murphy presented the topic of the Legal Status of Hemp Extract in Iowa before a full room at the Webster County Bar Association’s annual March Madness CLE. Colin thoroughly explained the history of cannabis in the United States and the rise of “Refer Madness” that led to decades […]
