Vireo Health International wants to sell cannabis cigarettes but it may not be as easy as they think.
The company, which dubs itself a science-focused, multi-state cannabis company, announced recently that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for its patent application titled, “Tobacco Products with Cannabinoid Additives and Methods for Reducing the Harm Associated with Tobacco Use.”
“This patent is a component of our strategy to disrupt the tobacco industry and help save lives,” stated Chief Executive Officer, Kyle Kingsley, M.D.
He added, “As a physician, I am passionate about finding ways to use cannabis to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco. We look forward to collaborating with research institutions and tobacco companies committed to developing less harmful tobacco products.”
The patent application covers cannabis-based additives that can be formulated into tobacco products to reduce the harm associated with tobacco use.
The company’s press release states that “this novel application of cannabis covers the use of one or more carefully formulated cannabinoids as harm reducing agents in tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco and smokeless tobacco products.”
The press release also says that “potential benefits associated with cannabinoid additives in tobacco products include the reduction of irritation, inflammation, and carcinogenicity. According to a 2016 study, scientific evidence supports that cannabinoids may have substantial anti-cancer effects.”
