Ashley Mullens

In 2015, the Louisiana Legislature passed the Alison Neustrom Act, which paved the way for the production, recommendation, and use of therapeutic cannabis. The LSU AgCenter is currently operating its Therapeutic Cannabis Program under one of the two licenses in Louisiana.

After a lengthy and rigorous selection process, the LSU AgCenter selected GB Sciences Louisiana, LLC, as partner to cultivate and produce therapeutic cannabis products for patients with specific conditions. GB Sciences is a cannabis company focused on biopharmaceutical development and has filed patent applications for use of cannabis therapies with neurodegenerative disease, chronic pain and heart therapies, as well as arthritis, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease and asthma. In September 2017, with the approval of the LSU Board of Supervisors, the AgCenter finalized its agreement with GB Sciences Louisiana, LLC.Under the terms of the agreement, the LSU AgCenter will receive $3.4 million or 10 percent of gross revenue, whichever is greater, over five years and an annual research investment.

In compliance with the Act, approved physicians will oversee patients with debilitating conditions. The list of qualifying conditions was expanded by the Louisiana Legislature in May 2018 and includes cancer, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, cachexia or wasting syndrome, seizure disorders, epilepsy, spasticity, Crohn’s disease, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, Parkinson’s disease, severe muscle spasms, intractable pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and autism spectrum disorder.Patients who have exhausted all other medical options without a positive result may be recommended therapeutic cannabis by their practitioner.The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners has developed stringent guidelines for doctors to recommend therapeutic cannabis, including regular follow-ups and reporting.

The distribution of therapeutic cannabis will be done through nine licensed pharmacies that have been selected by the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy. The pharmacies will be located across the state in nine previously established health regions. Louisiana law does not allow for any product to be inhaled, raw, or smoked/vaped. Delivery methods are limited to oils, solids, liquid, or edible dosage forms, topical applications, transdermal patches, and suppositories.

As the licensee, the LSU AgCenter is authorized to conduct research on therapeutic cannabis. The potential for research in both genetics and planting breeding in addition to extraction, formulation and compounding processes are important elements in the initiative. The LSU AgCenter intends to apply its vast scientific knowledge and experience with existing technologies currently utilized on other agricultural commodities to the cannabis plant. Research will likely include tissue culture propagation, variety development, growth management practices, extraction techniques, compound identification and isolation, drug delivery methods, and efficacy testing. In addition, the LSU AgCenter has had preliminary discussions with Pennington Biomedical Research Center and the Health Sciences Centers in New Orleans and Shreveport on opportunities for research collaboration and clinical trials.GB Sciences Louisiana will support LSU AgCenter research through an annual monetary contribution for research initiatives and through the construction and equipping of a state-of-the-art research laboratory space.

Ashley Mullens is the coordinator of the LSU AgCenter Therapeutic Cannabis Program.

(This article appears in the winter 2019 issue of Louisiana Agriculture.)

Inside the GB Sciences facility in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.