Marijuana and the Cannabinoids

Chemical Fingerprinting of Cannabis 63
Table 4
Possible Marker Compounds
Compound
Presence indicates
cis-Nerolidol
Domestic
γ-Elemene a
Domestic
α- or γ-Gurjunene a Domestic
Butylated hydroxytoluene Foreign (likely Jamaica)
γ-Cadinene or β-farnesene a Thailand (or possibly domestic)
Guaiol
California, Hawaii, or Mexico
a
Tentative identification.
Individual compounds that could possibly be used as markers for indication of
origin are summarized in Table 4.
7. CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded from this work that chemical profiles of Cannabis samples could
be used to determine the geographic origin of the samples provided that a database is
available that has been established with profiles of samples of known origin. The predictions
that specimens from mature female plants would yield the most consistent
data and that specimens should be protected from elevated temperatures were confirmed,
as was the likelihood that certain chemical compounds, particularly terpenes,
contributed the most evidence of geographic origin.
Having in hand a fully functional Cannabis fingerprint system that could readily
be utilized to gather trafficking data, the goals of the study were realized. The system
provided a means to distinguish foreign grown marijuana from that grown domestically
as well as to distinguish plants grown indoors from those grown outdoors. The
system could also reliably determine the foreign sources of seizures of both marijuana
and hashish.
The reliability of the system and its utility is expected to be more in the area of
intelligence than for forensic purposes. The techniques developed for the fingerprint
system could, however, be applied in certain forensic situations, where the analysis of
the multiple constituents of a marijuana sample could rule out the possible sources of
origin, but not to definitively determine a specific source.
Although the system did not correctly classify every single specimen, it did show
the possibility that one could confidently reveal trends of both worldwide and domestic
drug sources. For the system to remain useful over time, the database would need
to be updated at regular intervals with high-quality authentic samples that reflect current
trends in marijuana production.
Following the phase II studies, agencies in the United States and abroad expressed
interest in a Cannabis fingerprint system. In 1998, UM licensed the Cannabis fingerprint
methodologies to the Kentucky State Police in support of their Marijuana Signature
Laboratory, part of intelligence operations focused on certain trafficking areas in
Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia known as the Appalachia HIDTA (highintensity
drug trafficking areas).