The world of 3D printing is expanding to include everything you can imagine – from whole neighborhoods to human hearts, and now marijuana. That’s right. The Ranch Companies, owned by former boxer Mike Tyson, just obtained a worldwide license to 3D print edible cannabis products. The company will be collaborating with a California-based US startup, called Smart Cups, which uses 3D printing technology to manufacture beverages. The purpose of such a product is to allow a better dosage of the plant when used for medical purposes.
Tyson, a firm promoter of utilizing cannabis for pain relief instead of more potent addictive drugs, said:
I mean, when you look at what they are doing it is really cool. I see the long-term benefits it will have, helping people be confident and understanding proper dosing. It is important to know what we are putting in our bodies, as well as how much of certain ingredients, medicines, etc. We’ve seen ingestible forms of cannabis continue to grow as popular alternatives for many users who wish to avoid smoking. With this global license for printing cannabis, we’ll be able to address the dosing issue, which has plagued the cannabis industry for years.
Chris Kanik, CEO of Smart Cups, said:
At the moment, the industry lacks consistency. When an individual consumes 100 mg of aspirin, wherever they are in the world, they are sure to take the right dose. Smart Cups technology can bring that same confidence to consumers. Through our partnership with The Ranch, we use water-soluble cannabinoids and are able to accurately 3D prints them on virtually any surface. The 3D printed active ingredients and flavors are released when they come into contact with a liquid.
Rob Hickman, CEO of The Ranch Companies, added:
Dosing has been one of the systematic issues plaguing this industry. Acquiring the science and technology to efficiently deliver consistent and accurate dosages will be a game-changer in the cannabis marketplace.
We have partnered with leading research universities to collect essential clinical data to support CBD for medical purposes and pain relief. Smart Cups’ technology is a new delivery system that we believe will set new standards in this industry.
Smart Cups prints the ingredients (as capsules) to the bottom of bio-plastic cups. The capsules burst when liquid (like water or soda) is poured into the container, which releases the ingredients.
Making beverages this way reduces transportation costs and increases the number of drinks that can be shipped at a time. Not only does the method save money and reduce carbon footprints, but it also offers the opportunity of tailor-made tastes – like cannabis-based products.
Kanik explained:
In this specific application, we use water-soluble cannabinoids and are able to precisely print them on virtually any surface. The printed actives and flavors are released when they come in contact with a liquid (i.e. water, soda, or saliva).
Lately, cannabis products have become unbelievably potent. It’s easy to miscalculate. The line between effective and ineffective medication is blurry, but The Ranch Companies is confident they’ll make it clear and help countless people with its new drink line.
Tyson said in an exclusive interview with Forbes:
For The Ranch Companies, it is very exciting to be working with Smart Cups’ technology, because it gives us the opportunity to make anything that is possible with this innovative tech. Having the ability to produce lines of ingestible cannabis products that will have accurate and consistent doses of cannabis is incredibly important to us.
The company now awaits approval to market its products wherever cannabis is legal. Meanwhile, it is developing a range of products utilizing the Smart Cups printing technology. When they get the green light, expect worldwide distribution.
