Mr. Jagdip Bal reports

UMBRAL INDUSTRIAL HEMP APPLICATION

In partnership with a hemp-based Canadian company, Umbral Energy Corp. is proceeding with an investment to finance the application of an industrial hemp licence.

On Nov. 21, 2016, Health Canada issued a Section 56 class exemption in relation to the industrial hemp regulations. The exemption better aligns regulation of industrial hemp with the demonstrated low public health and safety risk of the crop. The exemption is an interim measure to simplify the licence application process as the government moves forward with its commitment to legalize, strictly regulate and restrict access to marijuana. Umbral plans to finance and participate in an industrial hemp licence application for the purpose of cultivating hemp. Initially the partnership plans to take advantage of land currently under option and will identify the planting site within 15 days of seeding. Due to the regulation amendments there is no longer a minimum acreage requirement. One licence will cover all cultivation sites and activities. The decision by Umbral and its partners to pursue this opportunity is based on the government's commitment to legalize cannabis and the opportunities to process hemp for a variety of ancillary industries.

According to the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA). "Hemp could serve as a Canadian medicinal health product because it contains cannabidiol (CBD) but almost no THC, the psychoactive component," says Kim Shukla, executive director, CHTA. "Ironically, today Canadians who need the beneficial cannabinoids to treat medical conditions only have recourse to marijuana, while these components of our hemp crops are being left to waste in Canadian fields. Hemp farmers want the option to harvest their entire crop and explore the opportunity for the whole plant, including cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD)," adds Ms. Shukla. "New research continues to build the mounting body of evidence that CBD can have positive health effects, the situation is particularly poignant in the case of childhood epilepsy, for which high CBD is proving to be an effective treatment."

There is a growing body of clinical research demonstrating its potential therapeutic uses. Many natural health products including topical formulations could be developed. There are high levels of CBD in hemp and hemp does not have the psycho-activity that is prevalent in cannabis. Right now, the cost to patients of high CBD cannabis is equivalent to high THC cannabis as it is being grown in the same high-security facilities. Allowing hemp farmers to harvest CBD from their crops could substantially reduce the cost of CBD for patient care.

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