Ep. 50 - Seed To Sale Insanity

Did you know that every cannabis plant sold legally in the United States is tracked from the time it is planted to the moment it reaches the consumers’ hands?  This is a mandated process called Seed-to-Sale, and while the intention of these regulations is to keep legal cannabis off the illegal market while ensuring transparency in the supply chain, there is a growing concern about how Seed-to-Sale data is used and the burdens related to this process.

In this episode of Cannabis Nurse Truths, we look at the complexity and concerns related to Seed-to-Sale processes, where currently, cannabis is the only industry that must follow these over-reaching regulatory and mysterious processes. And by the way, if you have purchased legal cannabis in a state-run dispensary, your personal identifying data is also part of this tracking system. So if you are thinking about buying a bunch of 'flowers' for your Valentine sweetheart, cannabis buyers beware!  

 

 

EPISODE RESOURCES

CannabisLifeNetwork.com. (2021, April 6). All About Seed-to-Sale Tracking: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly. https://cannabislifenetwork.com/all-about-seed-to-sale-tracking-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/

Caulkins, J.P., Davenport, S., Doanvo, A., Furlong, K., Siddique, A., Turner, M., & Kilmer, B. (2019). Triangulating web & general population surveys: Do results match legal cannabis market sales? International Journal of Drug Policy, 73, 293–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.06.010

Costantino, A., Maiese, A., Lazzari, J., Casula, C., Turillazzi, E., Frati, P., & Fineschi, V. (2023). The dark side of energy drinks: A comprehensive review of their impact on the human body. Nutrients, 15(18), 3922. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15183922

FlowHub. (n.d.). 2025 Marijuana Industry Statistics & Data Insights: How The Industry Is Performing And Where It's Headed. https://flowhub.com/cannabis-industry-statistics

Goldsberry, D. (2018, August 13). Is Seed-to-Sale Tracking Helping Or Hurting The Industry? Cannabis Business Times. https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/interviews-opinion/news/15696437/is-seed-to-sale-tracking-helping-or-hurting-the-industry

IndicaOnline. (2025, January 16). Industry Statistics 2024 And What We Learned. https://indicaonline.com/blog/industry-statistics-2024/

Lintilhac, P. (2019, October 5). The Fatal Flaws of Seed-to-Sale. Medium. https://medium.com/pauls-blockchain-blog/how-did-we-get-here-d80d169359e8

MJ Freeway. (n.d.). Cannabis Seed To Sale Software: What is Cannabis Seed To Sale Software? https://mjplatform.com/what-is-cannabis-seed-to-sale-software/

Pacula, R.L., Pessar, S.C., Zhu, J., Kritikos, A., & Smart, R. (n.d.). Federal Regulation of Cannabis for Public Health in the United States. https://healthpolicy.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/USC-Schaeffer-Center-white-paper_Federal-Regulation-of-Cannabis-for-Public-Health-in-the-United-States.pdf

Perdomo, C. (2024, September). Industrial Hemp Production in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029). IBIS World. https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/industrial-hemp-production/3315/

Sobie, R. (2024, November 12). 10 Things to Know about the Drug Supply Chain Security Act. Pharma Manufacturing. https://www.pharmamanufacturing.com/compliance/article/55242138/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-drug-supply-chain-security-act

Statista. (n.d.). Total number of medical prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. from 2009 to 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/238702/us-total-medical-prescriptions-issued/#:~:text=Total%20drug%20prescriptions%20dispensed%20in%20the%20U.S.%202009%2D2022&text=In%202009%20the%20number%20of,dispensed%20was%20around%206.7%20billion.

Vaders, M.J. (2021, October 20). Seed To Sale: The Buzz On Understanding the FDA Regulatory Landscape For Cannabis. https://www.womblebonddickinson.com/us/insights/articles-and-briefings/seed-sale-buzz-understanding-fda-regulatory-landscape-cannabis