Cannabis Pellets

{
  "publication_number": "US2017202895A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Cannabis Pellets",
  "abstract": "A cannabis composition in pellet form, a method of preparing a cannabis composition in pellet form, a method of separating a plant resin from a harvested plant material, a method of treatment with a cannabis composition in pellet form, and a kit including a cannabis composition in pellet form are provided. The cannabis composition in pellet form may include a cannabinoid resin. The cannabinoid resin may include one or more of: a tetrahydrocannabinol extract and a cannabidiol extract.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A cannabis composition, comprising: a cannabinoid resin, the cannabinoid resin comprising, one or more of: between about 50% and about 100% (w/w) of a tetrahydrocannabinol extract; and between about 0.1% and about 100% (w/w) of a cannabidiol extract, the cannabis composition being in the form of a compressed pellet. 2. The cannabis composition of claim 1, the compressed pellet comprising the cannabinoid resin in an amount between about 50 mg to about 2000 mg. 3. The cannabis composition of claim 1, the compressed pellet comprising the cannabinoid resin in an amount of up to about 1 g. 4. The cannabis composition of claim 1, the compressed pellet consisting essentially of the cannabinoid resin or the compressed pellet consisting of the cannabinoid resin. 5. The cannabis composition of claim 1, further comprising an anti-clumping medium. 6. The cannabis composition of claim 5, the anti-clumping medium comprising one or more of: hemp oil and fine leaf dust. 7. The cannabis composition of claim 1, the cannabinoid resin comprising, (w/w): between about 50% and about 99.9% of the tetrahydrocannabinol extract; and between about 0.1% and about 50% of the cannabidiol extract. 8. The cannabis composition of claim 1, the cannabinoid resin comprising between about 50% (w/w) and about 100% (w/w) of the tetrahydrocannabinol extract with respect to the cannabinoid resin. 9. The cannabis composition of claim 1, the cannabinoid resin derived from a Cannabis crop, the Cannabis crop characterized by one or more of: a seeded Cannabis crop, a short-season Cannabis crop, and being grown in the absence of one or more of added: fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide, insecticide, and fumigant. 10. The cannabis composition of claim 1, the cannabinoid resin derived from a Cannabis crop, the Cannabis crop being characterized by a tetrahydrocannabinol content percentage (w/w) with respect to a dehydrated weight of the Cannabis crop of less than about one or more of: 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, and 1%. 11. The cannabis composition of claim 1, the compressed pellet being configured to be at least partly vaporized between about 100° C. and about 200° C. at a pressure of 1 atmosphere. 12. The cannabis composition of claim 1, the compressed pellet being configured to be substantially or completely vaporized between about 100° C. and about 200° C. at a pressure of 1 atmosphere. 13. The cannabis composition of claim 1, the compressed pellet being configured for ingestion. 14. The cannabis composition of claim 13, the compressed pellet being configured to be formulated in foodstuffs of one or more of: cookies, brownies, cakes, bars, pastries, breads, hard and soft candies, syrups, sauces, and drinks. 15. The cannabis composition of claim 1, the compressed pellet comprised in a unit dose packet, pouch, cup, container, or blister pack. 16. The cannabis composition of claim 1, the compressed pellet being one of a plurality of compressed pellets characterized by a standardized dose per pellet. 17. A method 100 of preparing a cannabis composition in pellet form, the method comprising: 102 providing a Cannabis crop; 104 extracting a cannabinoid resin from the Cannabis crop, the cannabinoid resin comprising one or more of: a tetrahydrocannabinol extract; and a cannabidiol extract; and 106 formulating the cannabinoid resin into one or more compressed pellets. 18. The method of claim 17, the Cannabis crop being characterized by a tetrahydrocannabinol content percentage (w/w) with respect to a dehydrated weight of the Cannabis crop of less than about one or more of: 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, and 1%. 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising growing the Cannabis crop in the absence of one or more of added: fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide, insecticide, and fumigant. 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising dehydrating the Cannabis crop prior to extraction of the cannabinoid resin. 21. The method of claim 21, the dehydrating comprising one or more of: distillation, azeotropic distillation, reduced pressure, heating, desiccation, and lyophilization. 22. The method of claim 17, the formulating comprising contacting the cannabinoid resin with an anti-clumping medium. 23. The method of claim 22, the anti-clumping medium comprising one or more of: hemp oil and fine leaf dust. 24. The method of claim 17, the compressed pellet being formed, comprising, (w/w): between about 50% and about 99.9% of the tetrahydrocannabinol extract; and between about 0.1% and about 50% of the cannabidiol extract. 25. The method of claim 17, the extracting comprising one or more of: mechanical separation, percolation, trituration, solvent extraction, supercritical solvent extraction, subcritical solvent extraction, vaporization and condensation, steam distillation and condensation, and sublimation and condensation. 26. The method of claim 17, the compressed pellet comprising the cannabinoid resin in an amount between about 25 mg to about 2000 mg. 27. The method of claim 17, the compressed pellet comprising the cannabinoid resin in an amount of up to about 1 g. 28. The method of claim 17, comprising formulating the cannabinoid resin into a plurality of the compressed pellets characterized by a standardized dose per pellet of the cannabis resin. 29. A method 400 of treatment, comprising: 402 providing a patient in need of treatment for a condition; 404 providing a cannabis composition in the form of a compressed pellet; 406 administering the compressed pellet to the patient effective to ameliorate one or more symptoms of the condition, whereby the condition is treated. 30. The method of claim 29, the administering comprising causing the compressed pellet to at least partly vaporize to form a cannabis vapor, and contacting the patient with the cannabis vapor. 31. The method of claim 29, the administering comprising ingesting of the compressed pellet by the patient. 32. The method of claim 29, further comprising: determining a dose of a cannabinoid resin effective to ameliorate the one or more symptoms of the condition; and providing dosage instructions directing a user to provide the cannabis composition in the form of one or more of the compressed pellets in an amount effective to deliver the dose of the cannabinoid resin to the patient. 33. The method of claim 29, further comprising: determining a dose of a cannabinoid resin effective to ameliorate the one or more symptoms of the condition; and vaporizing the cannabis composition in the form of one or more of the compressed pellets in an amount effective to deliver the dose of the cannabinoid resin to the patient. 34. The method of claim 29, further comprising: determining a dose of a cannabinoid resin effective to ameliorate the one or more symptoms of the condition; and providing a plurality of the compressed pellets characterized by a standardized amount of the cannabinoid resin per each compressed pellet, the standardized amount of the cannabinoid resin per each compressed pellet being effective to deliver the dose or a portion of the dose of the cannabinoid resin to the patient effective to ameliorate the one or more symptoms of the condition in the patient. 35. The method of claim 29, causing the compressed pellet to at least partly vaporize to form the cannabis vapor comprising contacting the compressed pellet with energy in the form of one or more of: heat, light, radiofrequency energy, and ultrasound. 36. The method of claim 29, causing the compressed pellet to at least partly vaporize to form the cannabis vapor comprising heating the compressed pellet to between about 100° C. and about 200° C. 37. The method of claim 29, the condition comprising one or more of: cancer, migraine, anorexia, cachexia, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, schizophrenia, epilepsy, stroke, head injury, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathic pain, chronic pain, muscle spasm, nausea, sleep disturbance, HIV/AIDS, diabetic neuropathy, and fibromyalgia. 38. The method of claim 29, the cannabis composition in the form of the compressed pellet comprising: a cannabinoid resin, the cannabinoid resin comprising one or more of: between about 50% and about 100% (w/w) of a tetrahydrocannabinol extract; and between about 0.1% and about 100% (w/w) of a cannabidiol extract. 39. The method of claim 38, the compressed pellet comprising the cannabinoid resin in an amount between about 25 mg to about 2000 mg. 40. The method of claim 38, the compressed pellet comprising the cannabinoid resin in an amount of up to about 1 g. 41. The method of claim 38, the compressed pellet consisting essentially of the cannabinoid resin or the compressed pellet consisting of the cannabinoid resin. 42. The method of claim 41, further comprising an anti-clumping medium in contact with the compressed pellet. 43. The method of claim 42, the anti-clumping medium comprising one or more of: hemp oil and fine leaf dust. 44. The method of claim 38, the cannabinoid resin comprising, (w/w): between about 50% and about 99.9% of the tetrahydrocannabinol extract; and between about 0.1% and about 50% of the cannabidiol extract. 45. The method of claim 38, comprising between about 50% (w/w) and about 100% (w/w) of the tetrahydrocannabinol extract with respect to the cannabinoid resin. 46. The method of claim 38, the cannabinoid resin being derived from a Cannabis crop, the Cannabis crop characterized by one or more of: a seeded Cannabis crop, a short-season Cannabis crop, and being grown in the absence of one or more of added: fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide, insecticide, and fumigant. 47. The method of claim 38, the cannabinoid resin derived from a Cannabis crop, the Cannabis crop being characterized by a tetrahydrocannabinol content percentage (w/w) with respect to a dehydrated weight of the Cannabis crop of less than about one or more of: 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, and 1%. 48. The method of claim 38, the compressed pellet being configured to be at least partly vaporized between about 100° C. and about 200° C. at a pressure of 1 atmosphere. 49. The method of claim 38, the compressed pellet being configured to be substantially or completely vaporized between about 100° C. and about 200° C. at a pressure of 1 atmosphere. 50. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing one or more of the compressed pellets each in a unit dose packet, pouch, cup, container, or blister pack. 51. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing a plurality of the compressed pellets characterized by a standardized dose per pellet."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The medicinal properties of marijuana have been reported as early as 2700 BC, though the use of marijuana has since remained a controversial topic. Despite marijuana's divided history, twenty-three U.S. states have legalized medicinal marijuana since 1996, and it is likely that more will follow suit, not to mention countries outside the US. Although it is becoming common for patients to request medicinal marijuana to aid in treatment of various ailments, many medical practitioners remain hesitant to prescribe medicinal marijuana due to concerns with reliable and consistent dosing, e.g., due to the uncertainty of the source and particulars of the Cannabis crop. Unfortunately, patients who do not receive prescriptions often turn to the dangerous and illegal recreational market to fulfill their needs. The Cannabis flower, which is typically smoked by users, contains a variety of potentially harmful chemicals and may vary greatly in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content. Additionally, the high temperatures (500° C.-700° C.) used to burn and smoke Cannabis plant material are unsafe. Medical practitioners simply feel uncomfortable prescribing a largely unregulated substance and believe it is their responsibility to ensure the safety of their patients.\n\nFurthermore, Cannabis plants have been bred upward over the last few decades to produce crops that contain more than three times the amount of THC than previously grown crops. These designer crops often have lesser amounts of other cannabinoid components, such as cannabidiol (CBD).",
  "cpc": [
    "A61K 36/3482",
    "A23L 1/3002",
    "A23L 33/105",
    "A23P 10/20",
    "A23V 2002/00",
    "A61K 2236/15",
    "A61K 2236/17",
    "A61K 2236/30",
    "A61K 31/05",
    "A61K 31/352",
    "A61K 31/658",
    "A61K 36/185",
    "A61K 9/0053",
    "A61K 9/007",
    "A61K 9/1664",
    "A61K 9/2059",
    "B02C 23/08",
    "B03B 1/00",
    "B65D 75/36",
    "Y02A 40/963"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61K 31/05",
    "A61K 31/352",
    "A61K 36/185",
    "A61K 9/00",
    "A61K 9/16",
    "B65D 75/36"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Kevin Anthony Hugh"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-01-18",
  "publication_date": "2017-07-20",
  "priority_date": "2016-01-18",
  "application_number": "US-201615000016-A",
  "family_id": "59314261",
  "cited_by_count": 35
}