Doctor Pot: PhD in Cannabis Production

"It [cannabis] is not really a big part of my life outside of the science."
"There is a need for the science and there is a market and there are people that are growing it and they are going to have to grow it safely and make money -- and they can't just make it all up themselves."
"They [University of Guelph] offered a number of plant courses and I took some on a whim and fell in love with it. I'd always been interested in economics and business and I figured I wanted to get into an exciting, fast-growing industry and unfortunately there's not much that qualifies in terms of the plant science."
"I was trying to graduate to be done by the time legalization [as of October 17 in Canada] was happening so I kind of had my head on the ground, not looking for work."
"But I had a number of companies contact me, some with some very serious interest in having me on to continue to do research with them or to help them improve their production practices."
"It's interesting and new and the fact that there is [little] research in the area [meant] I could have free rein of what I wanted to do. Being able to get into the forefront of a scientific topic these days doesn't seem like even an option, it's kind of just built upon the work of others."
"Any crop you're producing you have to know how much to fertilize it, how much to irrigate it, what to grow it in. And because there's not academic research on the topic, there's very little guidance for growers and growers are forced to rely on [often[ unreliable information."
"We custom=formulated and evaluated several growing substrates -- specifically for cannabis and determined what would work best."
"There's a lot of practices that we see with cannabis growers that are interesting and have some kind of logical explanation, but not necessarily one that's founded in plant science."
Deron Caplan, alumnus, University of Guelph

Deron Caplan will soon be what is believed to be North America’s first Ph.D in pot production. (Turgut Yeter/CBC)

This  enterprising young man who has earned Canada's first doctoral degree in cannabis production focused on the basic horticultural elements of cannabis production ... basically methodology which, during the era of prohibition -- soon to be concluded -- represented trial and error. His doctoral thesis in effect has resulted in an academic body of expertise on vital agricultural methodology relating to optimal fertilizer rates and growing mediums, useful for large licensed producers and at-home growers alike.

Methods of propagation and best practise in stem-cutting techniques also received their due. Although University of Guelph, best known in Canada as an outstanding agricultural institute of higher learning is the first to have produced a specialist in specifically growing marijuana crops McGill University also has three students with doctoral theses in neutral hemp production, none yet having earned their PhD with an emphasis on the medicinal and intoxicating marijuana strains that will become legal in Canada in October.

Other major agricultural schools across Canada have yet to focus on producing programs that will result in doctorates in marijuana production. Now, pot doctor Deron Caplan will find his academic skills in high demand. Though he is the first Canadian to emerge as a PhD in cannabis production he won't be the last as more postgraduate degrees will most certainly emerge, according to Anja Geitmann, dean of agriculture at McGill University in Montreal.

"I'm pretty sure it's going to change the research landscape in the sense that researchers now have access or can do research on the plant much easier", she commented. In so doing, scientific knowledge relating to the cannabis plant will expand as universities respond to the legalization of pot. Taking undergraduate classes in environmental sciences at Guelph, Caplan's interest in cannabis science was sparked leading to the serendipitous synchrony of his completed doctorate with the new cannabis law.

Once his undergraduate degree was realized, Caplan was inspired to approach horticulture professor Youbin Zheng who has worked extensively with cannabis, to enquire about the possibility of a master's study of the plant. While awaiting an opening for postgraduate studies in cannabis research, Caplan filled in the time by travelling for eight months to France, Germany, Croatia, the Netherlands, Greece, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and Russia.

His travels came to an end when Professor Youbin messaged him that a project was at hand, compelling Caplan to return to Guelph to pursue the research in 2015, which he later combined with his doctoral work in 2016. Professor Zheng acted as thesis adviser which led to the two collaborating on the first research paper in North America to be published in a peer-reviewed journal on indoor cannabis production.

A worker at Cann Trust's Niagara region greenhouse cultivates marijuana plants. Cann Trust will be one of a number of licensed marijuana producers looking to hire graduates from Niagara College's new commercial cannabis program. (Turgut Yeter/CBC)

Preparing for the Consumer Pot-Acquisition Onslaught

"[The study's purpose is to provide a] comprehensive outline of the scope and scale of cannabis consumption in Canada."
"Actual demand remains unknown and there is no statistically proven method to know demand with statistical certainty."
Health Canada-commissioned report on cannabis consumption in Canada 

"[There will be a] huge curiosity spoke [of those waiting to buy legal cannabis in the early days of legalization across Canada]."
"I don't think there will be empty shelves, but there might be shortages of some strains."
Brad Rogers, president Canntrust cannabis growers

Concerns are being raised over the ability of Canada's licensed medical marijuana producers to supply enough cannabis for a legal recreational market. (Julie Gordon/Reuters)

An air of expectancy is palpable among recreational drug users in Canada. The country is set to become the first to legalize recreational marijuana right across the country, by an act of Parliament. Cannabis growers have been revving up activities with frenzied determination. Investment in infrastructure for marijuana production has been driven on overtime. Advertising and public relations campaigns have been very visible over the past year. Suddenly, cannabis, a herb whose growth, production, sale, acquisition has been illegal save for prescribed medical services, is set to become readily available to consumers.

Cannabis-growth operators are confident they are able to spin the demand into amply-provided products to satisfy the drive by consumers to have their fix and smoke it too. And then, the stunning
news out of a report commissioned by Health Canada predicting that demand will outstrip supply in the first year of legalization. This, at a time when producers have been slavering to get their product to market, ramping up production with the happy visions of dollar signs twinkling in their bedazzled eyes.

With the use of a 2017 federal survey on cannabis use to enable the study's estimation of the numbers of Canadians and their appetite for readily-acquired, legal weed will be in the initial year of legalization, the calculation of 926,000 kilograms was arrived at inclusive of recreational and medical cannabis use; 41 percent higher than the Parliamentary Budget Officer's estimate in 2016 of 655,000 kilograms. The outlook, should the new number accurately reflect demand, augurs shortages from October 17 forward.

To industry experts this will not come as shocking new news, since they have predicted Canadian cannabis growers would be unable to produce sufficient product from the outcome, until the situation stabilizes and producers prove themselves equal to the difficult task of putting their production skills to the test, enabling them to satisfy demand and in the process build their singularly successful pot-production empires.

"We all know there is not going to be enough product on Day One, not nearly enough", pronounced Greg McLeish, a financial analyst who specializes in cannabis, with Mackie Research Capital Corp. His prediction is that it won't be until 2020 that supply will finally match demand. Even now, provinces preparing for an unprecedented demand in reflection of a product that was illegal until October 17, have updated their orders from 10,000 kilograms to 17,000 kilograms.

The issue, of course, is to be able to adequately stock legal stores and at the same time determine anticipated tax revenue collected from cannabis sales. Spinoffs such as job creation, and regulatory services to come out of the entire experience all require attention, from licensing to public education and policing related to matters such as driving infractions. If it all seems somewhat 'on the fly', that's because it is, despite the long window of preparation, given the many ponderables involved.

The study, commissioned by Health Canada had a price tag of $90,000 reflecting the combined research of Marijuana Policy Group located in Denver, and BOTEC Analysis research firm also in the U.S.There is uncertainty over how many pot users will simply continue supplying themselves from familiar illicit sources, from known dealers, dispensaries and friends. The anticipated shift to the legal market will rely upon competitive pricing and convenience, the variety of products and whether illegal dispensaries will successfully be shuttered by the law.

According to an estimate from a CIBC World Markets report, cannabis growers currently produce roughly 350,000 kilograms annually even while the large grow operations are expanding at a frantic pace and new companies vie for licences. Billions in investments are announced along with plans by ambitious companies to become leaders in the field. "Construction and production promises in this industry are a dime a dozen", the report by CIBC published in May, noted.

Cannabis: Harm Reduction and Hyperbole

"The tricky part is that part of harm reduction will continue to be that you shouldn't be using this product."
"By being more honest and open that cannabis can be used responsibly it will add credibility to the messages that say, 'but you shouldn't really use it under these settings, and one of those is if you're a young person."
"[There is evidence supporting each of the proposed health warnings by Health Canada] and none of them -- except for the warnings around pregnancy and breastfeeding -- actually say people shouldn't use cannabis. That's harm reduction."
"[Most people use pot responsibly] but there is a reasonable number who can have problems controlling their use, and signs of daily use can be an indication of that."
David Hammond, professor, school of public health, University of Waterloo, Ontario

"[People tune out sensationalist scare tactics and condescending messages; abstinence-only propaganda -- and 'Just Say No' campaigns fail to resonate with youth...]"
"If they do find themselves struggling with use, they need supports they can use rather than judgement, or, worse, criminalization."
Heather D'Alessio, spokeswoman, Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Health Canada wants all weed to be labelled with health risks. Photos via Health Canada

The group, Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy has undertaken an initiative of their own, to produce a "Sensible Cannabis Toolkit" information package which they have based on what they feel is realistic evidence-based information to help guide young adults in their conversations with adults when discussing the use of weed. Most pot users, they point out, do not use pot as a 'gateway' to transition to the use of harder drugs.

They also take issue with the use-associated mental health problems in the heavy use of cannabis concluding that there is an association with cognitive impairment and other mental health problems. "Any strong conclusions around causality" -- which came first? -- remain uncertain, according to their informative website.

Recently, a review of available literature associated with pot use led by researchers at the B.C. Centre on Substance Use discovered that what is believed to be a link to a lower IQ in later life among adolescent-use of high frequency, is belied by the findings of more recent studies concluding no association after controlling for social factors like background poverty and the neighbourhood that users grew up in.

Early efforts at Colorado public health after the state's 2014 legalization saw some of their informative harm-reduction efforts fall flat and face criticism by pot advocates for their condescending undertones. Leading Professor Hammond to the view that pot advertisements must reach beyond "use or not-use", to include information more specific such as that smoking adds toxicity in excess since THC levels in the pot currently in circulation are much higher than what prevailed during the Boomer era.


Health Canada is preparing to roll out a $5.1-million marijuana education tour to travel across the country in an effort to prepare the public before the cannabis legalization comes into effect in Canada by the target date of October 17. Plans are underway to set up exhibits at local events such as fairs, festivals and Canadian Hockey League arenas from July in the Maritimes and Northwest Territories before moving on to other provinces and territories.

Exhibits will be complete with climbing walls, interactive graffiti walls and similar such infrastructure in an effort to encourage people to to discover activities "that can give them a natural high, rather than using cannabis". "Ambassadors" will be tasked to "engage visitors in conversations about the health and safety facts on cannabis", to staff the exhibits.

A list of proposed pot packaging warning labels is being released by Health Canada. That cannabis smoking is harmful; that teens are at greater risk of harms; that people should not drive stoned; that women should not use if pregnant or breastfeeding (new links of pot exposure in the womb or through breast milk have been identified with stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight and poorer mental developing in children), are all driving the government's effort to ensure people are adequately informed of risks involved in indulging in cannabis.

Critics,  however, have highlighted one of the warnings for special attention; the warning that "up to one in two people who use cannabis daily will become addicted", has been seized upon as extravagantly unwarranted. Dr. Hammand and colleagues published a paper last year in the Canadian Journal of Public Health outlining their findings that a "very small proportion of Canadians report using cannabis to a degree that is problematic", with only two percent of the sample of respondents reporting the use of pot in the past three months seen to be at high risk of developing health or other problems.