AHP to Release Cannabis Monograph

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. The American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) finalized its cannabis monograph to establish standards for the botanical's identity, purity, analysis, and quality. The monograph also provides information of cannabis' cultivation, storage and preparation.

Cannabis has been used medicinally pretty much throughout the entire timeline of written history, and from archeological evidence, far beyond into antiquity. Virtually every culture who had access to it either from local flora or trade, which was widespread, used it medicinally and recreationally," said Roy Upton, AHP president.

Set to release by the end of the year, the monograph will offer expert information for growers, caregivers, patients, practitioners, analytical labs, state regulators and researchers. In the future, AHP will publish a Therapeutic Compendium comprehensive review on the plant.

AHP medical director Aviva Romm, M.D., initially suggested AHP pursue a cannabis monograph after seeing patients benefit from the botanical. Since then, 20 states have recognized the botanical's medical utility to pass medical marijuana laws, but no universal standards have been adopted.

In January, American Herbal Products Association's (AHPA) Cannabis Committee drafted regulatory recommendations for medical marijuana dispensing in three states; the committee is a partnership with Americans for Safe Access (ASA), which expressed the need for widespread botanical benchmarks.

"The AHP monograph creates much needed quality assurance standards for States that have medical access laws," said Steph Sherer, executive director of ASA. "The adoption of these standards will create confidence in the quality and reliability of cannabis therapies for patients and their physicians."

AHP developed the monograph in collaboration with University of Mississippi, with help from Mahmoud ElSohly, Ph.D., professor of pharmaceutics and cannabis botanical expert.