Cannabis Traceability: Problems & Solutions -- CFN Media

GlobeNewswire - finance.yahoo.com Posted 5 years ago

Seattle, WA, April 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- CFN Media Group (“CFN Media”), the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the North American cannabis industry, announces publication of an article discussing Helix TCS Inc. (HLIX), a leading provider of critical infrastructure services for the legal cannabis industry, and how they have become an evident leader in providing traceability solutions—solutions that have a growing need as states continue to experience issues.

The global cannabis industry is projected to reach $146.4 billion by 2025, according to Grand View Research, representing a 34.6 percent compound annual growth rate over the time period. Despite these rapid growth rates, the industry has faced several high profile traceability issues in Washington, Nevada, Michigan, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, including diversion into the black market, product recalls from contamination, and lost revenue from traceability issues.

Click here to receive an investor fact sheet and corporate updates

Supply Chain Integrity

Oregon’s legal cannabis industry generated about $250 million in revenue in 2016, which was nearly six times more than official expectations. While the growth has been impressive, there is between 132 to 900 tons more cannabis grown than sold in the state. The excess cannabis often flows out of the state without a trace in what regulators call diversion. Growers are selling excess production into the black market to grow their revenue.

Nevada’s cannabis industry experienced a related setback when an audit revealed that discrepancies in data entry by marijuana businesses may have cost the state more than $500,000 in tax revenue over a six month period. In addition, the audit found that high-potency products meant for medical marijuana patients were sold to recreational customers in 43 percent of cases, threatening the health and safety of consumers.

Many states require cannabis businesses to track their products across the supply chain to reduce diversion. By establishing a chain of custody, regulators can ensure that no cannabis product goes missing or moves out of state. The technology used to trace cannabis throughout the supply chain ranges from conventional labels to genetic biomarkers that are absorbed into cannabis plants through water and soil.

Click here to receive an investor fact sheet and corporate updates

Product Recall Support

Michigan’s relatively new medical cannabis market has already experienced recalls due to contamination. In February 2019, the state recalled six batches—or more than 50 pounds—of medical marijuana available on the state’s regulated market since January. The caregiver grown product was contaminated with chemical residue, E. coli, arsenic, cadmium and Salmonella—all potentially dangerous to an already-vulnerable patient population.

These problems aren’t limited to the United States. As more countries implement legal cannabis programs, there has been a struggle to craft cultivation and testing standards that are effective in preventing contamination issues. Even Health Canada continues to issue product recalls on a regular basis despite the country having one of the most advanced cannabis regulatory frameworks in the world.

While quality assurance testing is instrumental to avoiding these issues, there will always be contaminated product that slips through the cracks since it’s impossible to test every single product. Traceability solutions can help immediately recall tainted products and even alert specific patients or consumers that they may have purchased tainted products. That way, the damage is minimized and solutions can be found to avoid future problems.

Click here to receive an investor fact sheet and corporate updates

Leading Traceability Solution

Helix TCS’ BioTrackTHC has become the clear market leader in providing traceability solutions. Upon propagation, each plant or clone is assigned a unique 16-digit identifier that records and archives the plant’s phases, additives, and employee interactions through maturity. At harvest, each batch of cannabis is assigned a new identifier that contains the plant history since propagation and includes pre-packaged goods or derivatives (e.g., oils).

Story continues

Cannabis batches undergo independent testing and a detailed manifest is prepared prior to transporting the cannabis between licensed businesses. BioTrackTHC also integrates with hardware for patient ID printing and sales limitations that can be easily validated in real-time using the system.

Regulatory agencies and law enforcement in some states can access a secure, online portal to track cannabis transportation and inventory in real-time. Detailed financial reports can also be generated for the Department of Revenue or other agencies responsible for taxation. This ensures that cannabis companies are compliant with chain of custody requirements, as well as held responsible for paying their fair share of taxes.

Click here to receive an investor fact sheet and corporate updates

Expanding into New Markets

Helix TCS Inc. (HLIX) has already become a leader in providing traceability solutions to both U.S. states and international markets. With over 2,000 customers in 34 states and six countries, the company’s traceability and point of sale technology has processed over $18 billion in cannabis sales. The company continues to expand its presence with new agreements in international markets, as well as expansion in domestic markets.

In March alone, the company deployed North Dakota’s Government Cannabis Traceability Program, which uses BioTrackTHC to trace the state’s entire medical cannabis supply chain for compliance and regulatory oversight; extended its contract with Hawaii for one-year to power the state’s cannabis traceability program; and, extended its agreement with Delaware to power the state’s medical cannabis traceability system for two years.

Investors may want to take note of these trends, as the company continues to cultivate its leadership position in traceability solutions for the cannabis industry worldwide. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.helixtcs.com

Please follow the link to read the full article:

https://www.cannabisfn.com/cannabis-traceability-problems-solutions/

About CFN Media

CFN Media (CannabisFN) is the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis. We help marijuana businesses attract investors, customers (B2B, B2C), capital, and media visibility. Private and public marijuana companies and brands in the US and Canada rely on CFN Media to grow and succeed.

Learn how to become a CFN Media client company, brand or entrepreneur: http://www.cannabisfn.com/featuredcompany

Download the CFN Media iOS mobile app to access the world of cannabis from the palm of your hand: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cannabisfn/id988009247?ls=1&mt=8

Or visit our homepage and enter your mobile number under the Apple App Store logo to receive a download link text on your iPhone: http://www.cannabisfn.com

Disclaimer

CannabisFN.com is not an independent financial investment advisor or broker-dealer. You should always consult with your own independent legal, tax, and/or investment professionals before making any investment decisions. The information provided on http://www.cannabisfn.com (the ‘Site’) is either original financial news or paid advertisements drafted by our in-house team or provided by an affiliate. CannabisFN.com, a financial news media and marketing firm enters into media buys or service agreements with the companies that are the subject of the articles posted on the Site or other editorials for advertising such companies.  We are not an independent news media provider. We make no warranty or representation about the information including its completeness, accuracy, truthfulness or reliability and we disclaim, expressly and implicitly, all warranties of any kind, including whether the Information is complete, accurate, truthful, or reliable. As such, your use of the information is at your own risk. Nor do we undertake any obligation to update the items posted. CannabisFN.com received compensation for producing and presenting high quality and sophisticated content on CannabisFN.com along with financial and corporate news.  

The above article is sponsored content. Emerging Growth LLC, which owns CannabisFN.com and CFN Media, has been hired to create awareness. Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/

Contact

CFN Media
Frank Lane
206-369-7050
[email protected]

  • 1