The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has issued a new request for proposals seeking contractors capable of producing hundreds of thousands of marijuana joints.
According to the agency, demand for “marijuana cigarettes” and other controlled substances has surged in recent years, driven by an increase in drug abuse research. Because of this, NIDA is now searching for suppliers that can produce joints in bulk, with a particular emphasis on those able to hand-roll smaller batches with specific levels of delta-9-THC, cannabidiol (CBD), or both, as needed for research purposes.
In NIDA’s 141-page document they mention “sample task orders”, including manufacturing tens of thousands of standardized joints, along with thousands of hand-rolled joints. The THC and CBD concentrations for these samples will be relatively low compared to the legal marijuana market. For example, THC content ranges from 1% to 5%.
In addition to rolling joints, the request outlines tasks like testing the strength of marijuana cigarettes, conducting quality control, and ensuring the integrity of previously manufactured products. One task example includes monitoring product stability at various temperatures over time to assess chemical composition.
The proposal isn’t limited to cannabis, as it includes a wide variety of substances NIDA may want to research, including nicotine research cigarettes, morphine and methadone.
Another task outlined involves sourcing hard-to-find controlled and uncontrolled substances, including importing specific research chemicals for NIDA’s drug supply inventory when necessary.
