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As the cannabis industry awaits potential marijuana rescheduling, eyes seem focused on state-legal operators and the tax relief they might enjoy. But there’s a group of players who’ve been surprisingly quiet, despite potentially having the most to gain: DEA-registered bulk marijuana manufacturers.
The current landscape for DEA bulk marijuana manufacturing
Currently, eight companies hold the coveted DEA registration for bulk marijuana manufacturing (“DEA Registrants”):
Biopharmaceutical Research Company LLC Bright Green Corporation Groff NA Hemplex LLC Irvine Labs, Inc. Maridose, LLC National Center for Development of Natural Products Royal Emerald Pharmaceuticals Research and Development Scottsdale Research Institute
These companies can grow federally legal marijuana for research/pharmaceutical purposes. The market for such marijuana is generally restricted to US and foreign researchers. However, under current US law, DEA Registrants are missing out on a massive opportunity.
The global market potential for DEA bulk marijuana manufacturers
While the market for researching marijuana is relatively modest, the global cannabis market is projected to reach $82.3 billion by 2027. Medical marijuana is expected to hit $21.04 billion by 2025. Germany alone, with the recent expansion of its medical program, has seen medical marijuana imports surge to 31.6 tons in