The current research on cannabis smoking and vaping. How much THC is inhaled, which compounds are formed through heating and combustion, and how is this research done.

1. Collaborative Research into
Cannabis Delivery Techniques
and Fundamental Product
Makeup
Dr. Markus Roggen

2. Fundamental Collaboration
• Current Vaping
• GRAS
• THC Inhalation Methods
• Puff by Puff Inhalation
• Thermal Degradants
• Risk Factors

3. Current Vaping
• 380 confirmed and probable cases
• 36 US states, one territory effected
• 6 deaths
• Symptoms: cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue and vomiting
• This is a new indication, not a previously misdiagnosed one

4. Current Vaping
• 380 confirmed and probable cases
• 36 US states, one territory effected
• 6 deaths
• Symptoms: cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue and vomiting
• This is a new indication, not a previously misdiagnosed one
Pulmonary Illness Related to E-Cigarette Use in Illinois and Wisconsin
— Preliminary Report; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1911614

5. Current Vaping
• No single cause identified yet
• Mostly from the illicit market, one death from Oregon dispensary
• Some reoccurring compounds: Vitamin E acetate, MCT oil, propylene
glycol and vegetable glycerin (all GRAS)
Vit. E Acetate
PGVGDiacetyl
MCT

6. GRAS
GRAS: Generally Recognized As Safe
FDA: “the use of a food substance may be GRAS either through scientific
procedures or, for a substance used in food before 1958, through
experience based on common use in food Under 21 CFR 170.30(b), general
recognition of safety through scientific procedures requires the same
quantity and quality of scientific evidence as is required to obtain
approval of the substance as a food additive.”

7. GRAS
Current number of GRAS compounds: 859
Used to be GRAS: trans fat
GRAS but not good to inhale: sea water
Not GRAS: butane
https://www.fda.gov/food/generally-recognized-safe-gras/gras-notice-inventory

8. THC Inhalation Methods
• Maximum available THC/CBD tested
• Cannabis Joints and Dabs studied
M. Hädener et. al., Forensic Science International 295 (2019) 207–212

9. THC Inhalation Methods
• THCA/CBDA are fully decarboxylated
• Smoke temperature: 44˚C (111˚F)
M. Hädener et. al., Forensic Science International 295 (2019) 207–212

10. THC Inhalation Methods
• Smoking: ≤27% THC recovery
• Dabbing: 75.5% THC recovery
M. Hädener et. al., Forensic Science International 295 (2019) 207–212

11. Puff by Puff Inhalation
R. Zimmermann, S. Ehlert, J. Heide, A. Walte; Universität Rostock, photonion
• Puff by puff concentrations are dependent on consumption method

12. Puff by Puff Inhalation
R. Zimmermann, S. Ehlert, J. Heide, A. Walte; Universität Rostock, photonion
• Puff by puff concentrations are dependent on consumption method
• Puff by puff analysis of spliffs shows THC, CBN and nicotine in smoke

13. Thermal Degradation
R. Paul Jensen et. al., Scientific Reports 7, # 42549 (2017)

14. Thermal Degradation
• ATD-GCMS
• identified and quantified gaseous
degradants
• target analytes and a non-target analysis
J. Meehan-Atrash et. al., ACS Omega in press

15. Thermal Degradation
C4 – C5 C6 – C7 C8 – C10
O
O
O
O
+
J. Meehan-Atrash et. al., ACS Omega in press

16. Puff by Puff Inhalation
R. Zimmermann, S. Ehlert, J. Heide, A. Walte; Universität Rostock, photonion

17. Thermal Degradation
• Cannabinoids and terpenes have
similar degradation mechanisms
• More terpenes = more VOCs
J. Meehan-Atrash et. al., ACS Omega in press
Group 1 Carcinogen Group 3 Carcinogen
Group 2B Carcinogen
Group 2A Carcinogen
Group 2B Carcinogen

18. Thermal Degradation
• Dabbing produces higher levels of degradants
• Increased voltage on vape cartridges = more degradants
Component THC dab SND dab Vape 3.2 V Vape 4.0 V Vape 4.8 V
Methacrolein, g 2.7  0.8 12  0.82 5.6 E-3 3.2 E-2 1.9 E-1
Benzene, ng 33  14 360  120 9.9 E-1 2.7 E+0 3.6 E+1
Isoprene, g 9.6  1.7 44  3.5 3.0 E-2 8.3 E-1 6.0 E+0
Other Alkenes, g 5.3  0.7 21  11 4.2 E-2 7.2 E-1 7.9 E+0
Total VOCs, g 2.0 E+01 7.7 E+01 9.4 E-2 1.5 E+0 1.2 E+1
J. Meehan-Atrash et. al., ACS Omega in press

19. Risk Factors
Quantitative risk assessment to interpret data
• QRA treatment may be applied to literature values for smoking
• Caution when interpreting data:
1) Machine smoking does not represent realistic use
2) Despite the presence of carcinogens in cannabis
smoke, long-term data does not support carcinogenicity
J. Meehan-Atrash et. al., ACS Omega in press

20. Risk Factors
• HI: Quantitative risk assessment for non-cancer effects
• ELCR: Quantitative risk assessment for cancer effects
J. Meehan-Atrash et. al., ACS Omega in press
Consumption type HI ELCR
Smoking flower 2 E+2 4 E-4
Dabbing distillate 2 E-1 2 E-7
Vaping distillate @ 4.8 V 4 E-2 2 E-7
Vaping distillate @ 4.0 V 6 E-3 2 E-8
Vaping distillate @ 3.2 V 8 E-4 2 E-9

21. Other Potential Compounds
• Synthetic Cannabinoids

22. Limitation
• Most research done on reference standards
• Limited access to real-world products
• Little understanding of real-life usage
• No collaboration between actors

23. Fundamental Collaboration
CBDV collaborates with academic, industry and private groups around the
globe. Some highlights of those collaborations are:
• University of British Columbia, Vancouver
• Loyalist College, Belleville
• Vialpando, LLC by Dr. Monica Vialpando
• Veridient Science by Dr. Linda Klumpers
• Fritsch Milling
• PerkinElmer

24. Complex Biotech Discovery Ventures
CBDV is a young research venture that seeks to add fundamental scientific
insight to the field of cannabis production.
We seek to support the cannabis industry by establishing a centralized
hub in Vancouver, BC for collaborative research focused on:
• Process Design
• Process Optimization
• Process Analytics
• Formulation Research

25. Unknown unknowns
CBDV’s Metabolite Database

26. Unknown unknowns
CBDV’s Metabolite Database
• 24 compound categories
• 762 compounds

27. Unknown unknowns
CBDV’s Metabolite Database
• 24 compound categories
• 762 compounds
• 75 cannabinoids
• 416 terpenes

28. Thank You
Thanks go to our collaborators:
• Prof. Dr. Robert M. Strongin, Portland State University
• Jiries Meehan-Atrash, Portland State University (jiries2@pdx.edu)
• Prof. Dr. Ralf Zimmerman, Universität Rostock
• Dr. Monica Vialpando, Vialpando LLC
• Dr. Linda Klumpers, Veridient Science

29. FOUNDERS
Dr. Markus Roggen
Dr. Roggen received his Masters in Science degree from Imperial College, London, UK in 2008, and
his PhD in Organic Chemistry at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETHZ), which he
received in 2012. He was awarded a DAAD postdoctoral fellowship to pursue further training in
physical organic chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla from 2013-2014. He then
entered the cannabis industry, at first as laboratory director for Davinci Laboratories of California, an
analytical laboratory from 2014 to 2016. In 2016 he moved into an executive position overseeing
production, R&D and process optimization for OutCo, a cannabis manufacturer. Dr. Markus Roggen
is also a trusted advisor and mentor for multiple startups, startup accelerators and organizations.
Positions include advisory positions at Bloom Automation, a cannabis robotics company, Redfield
Proctor, a waste management company, and former co-chair of the NCIA Scientific Advisory
Committee.
Prof Dr. Glenn Sammis
Prof Sammis is an Associate Professor in the Chemistry Department at the University of British
Columbia. He has built an internationally recognized research group working on the development of
novel synthetic methods for the preparation of natural products and pharmaceuticals. Prof. Sammis
received a B.Sc. in Chemistry with Honors and Distinction from Stanford University in 1999. He then
went to work with Prof. Eric Jacobsen at Harvard University as an NSF Predoctoral fellow, obtaining a
PhD in Chemistry in 2004, followed by a two-year NIH postdoctoral fellowship with Prof. Erik Sorensen at
Princeton University.

30. CBDV TEAM
Luiz Geraldo – VP Finance
Currently pursuing his MBA, Luiz is an Industrial
Engineer and has 5 years of experience in strategy
and operations consulting and strategic planning.
Gursaanj Singh Bajaj – Data Science Associate
Gursaanj is an Astrophysics major in the
department of Physics and Astronomy at UBC, with
a background in data analysis. He will be going into
his 4th year of his undergraduate degree.
Kendra Payne – VP Business Operations
Experienced Program Manager/Coordinator and
Senior Administrator with a demonstrated history of
working in the education management and
biotechnology industries. Skilled in Biotechnology,
Project Coordination and Life Sciences.
Callum MacPhee – Business Associate
Callum is a going into his fourth year at the
University of British Columbia and is pursuing
a Bachelor of Commerce.
Sajni Shah – Research Associate
Currently studying Chemical Biology in the
Department of Chemistry at UBC. She is
going into her final year of her undergraduate
studies.
Klara Wyse – Marketing Associate
Klara is a Media Studies and Urban Studies
student at UBC, going into their fourth year.

31. Dr. Markus Roggen markus@cbdvl.com