GCNC World View: The Global Cannabis Business Podcast · GCNC

GCNC World View: The Science of Smokability

·35 min·2 clips

Miyabi Shields says 0.65 matched the legacy dry-and-cure standard of 'dry it until the twigs crack.'

1. GCNC World View: The Global Cannabis Business Podcast focuses on the science of smokability, with Chris Day framing the episode around water activity and flower quality. 2. Chris Day hosts Dr. Allison Justice, Dr. Miyabi Shields, and Drew Emmer, and each guest brings a different piece of the cannabis supply chain. 3. The episode asks what water activity means for smokability, consistency, and the way the industry defines “quality.” 4. Allison Justice says her background is in plant science and post-harvest research, and she runs the Cannabis Research Center and Coalition. 5. Justice says the SOS study included experts such as Dr. Riley Kirk and Dr. Marcus Rogan, and she describes the work as industry-voted research and contract research. 6. Miyabi Shields says her PhD is in pharmaceutical sciences, and she studied drug discovery in the endocannabinoid system. 7. Shields says she has been a daily medical consumer for years and has always been focused on flower as a medical route of administration. 8. Shields says cannabis flower has not been researched as much as it should have been because of stigma around smoking. 9. Drew Emmer says Boveda has worked for 28 years in precision humidity control in cigars, musical instruments, and cannabis. 10. Emmer says Boveda cares about giving consumers a consistent experience and helping farmers keep the weight they packaged. 11. Justice says the study used a wide 0.4 to 0.8 water-activity range because science starts broad and then narrows the window through repeated tests. 12. Justice says an expected consumer range is about 0.55 to 0.65, while 0.45 is dry and 0.85 is wet. 13. Shields says 0.65 aligns with the legacy dry-and-cure method of drying until the twigs crack and then burping closed containers. 14. Shields says 0.65 matched the point where aromatic profile was maintained and smoothness and irritability changed. 15. Shields says water affects burning, particulate matter size, and the way joint, bong, bowl, and vape experiences differ. 16. Day says quality is more than THC content, and he pushes the guests to define quality in terms of expected reaction and consistency. 17. Emmer says his team tests flower with a portable water-activity meter in dispensaries and finds some samples in California at 22%, 28%, 35%, and 45%. 18. Emmer says products testing between 50% and 60% water activity are much more likely to create a positive repeat experience. 19. The conversation is an interview format with technical, explanatory pacing, and the guests repeatedly translate scientific terms into consumer and business language. 20. Listeners who care about cannabis cultivation, post-harvest handling, and product consistency will get the most from it, while people wanting a casual strain review may skip it.

As heard by us

A clear look at how water activity affects cannabis quality and smokability.

GCNC Worldview keeps its focus on one practical question: what water activity means for smokability, weight, and quality. Chris Day hosts Dr. Niyabi Shields, Dr.

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If you need quality to mean something measurable, start here.

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