George Weiblen, Assistant Professor of Plant Biology, is one of the University of Minnesota scientists involved in the breakthrough discovery of the different DNA fingerprints in marijuana and hemp plants. The technique could be useful in regulating industrial hemp farming. Industrial hemp is generally differentiated from marijuana by its THC content. This allows regulators and law enforcement officers to distinguish between drug varieties of cannabis and non-drug agricultural varieties. But the THC test has its limitations.
Industrial hemp and marijuana seeds look the same and can't be tested for THC. The DNA test, which requires only 20 milligrams of plant tissue, can be applied to seeds, making the DNA test very useful in the development and regulation of industrial hemp seed banks.
Lawmakers often promise to address the issue of industrial hemp once it can be effectively distinguished from marijuana. Of course, THC tests, in combination with licensed farms and certified seeds, made that possible a long time ago — not to mention the fact that the difference between marijuana and industrial hemp is visible to the naked eye. The new DNA test definitively confirms that there is no need to confuse industrial hemp with marijuana.
