Former Detroit Lions Player Calvin Johnson Explains Why Nanotechnology Makes Medicinal Cannabis Effective For Pain

Calvin Johnson Jr., the former Detroit Lions wide receiver, is a force behind the cannabis-focused company Primitiv, which has a wellness approach to its research and products.

With a focus on nanotechnology, Primitiv, Johnson co-founded with another former Detroit Lions veteran Rob Sims - is dedicated to providing a more natural path to healing.

The company debuted in Michigan earlier this year by opening its first retail location in Niles.

“We’re here to serve in every capacity,” Johnson told Eric Hultgren, MLive’s director of brand strategy and social media, at MLive’s Cannabis Insights event at the Garden Theater in Detroit on Tuesday. “It’s more than about the money that’s coming in — it’s how you affect your community. How do you build a better quality of life?”

Primitiv’s product offering includes flower, edible, live resins and CBD products.

Johnson first turned to cannabis to help ease the pain and injuries sustained during his years in the NFL preceeded by Georgia Tech.

“Cannabis was one of those things that is a natural substance,” Johnson said. “It’s not a panacea; it’s not a cure-all. But if you learn about your endocannabinoid system and understand how it affects and regulates your body, there’s a lot of things this medicine can help with.”

Cannabis & Nanotechnology

In the meantime, nanotechnology has been overwhelmingly welcomed in the cannabis industry, given that it answers two challenges presented by cannabinoids- bioavailability and water solubility.

Being hydrophobic in nature, cannabinoids are not efficiently absorbed by the human body, Cannabis Tech writes.

With nanoemulsion technology - which reduces the particle size - absorption and water solubility are increased.

A new product poised to hit the market soon - developed by Primitiv Harvard University - utilizes nanotechnology to create cannabinoid emulsions with improved bioavailability.

“Basically, the nanoparticle is so small that it’s able to bypass the intestinal tract and go straight to the bloodstream and go straight to work,” Johnson said. “So that’s exciting for us.”

Emerging Market & Skeptical Critics

The global nanomedicine market, which utilizes nanotechnology, is expected to surpass US$ 300 billion by 2028, as per Global Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Market, Dosage, Price and Clinical Pipeline Outlook 2028 Report.

Nevertheless, critics are skeptical, saying that nanoparticles are small enough to penetrate the tissues in the human body in ways that can be controlled by neither producers nor consumers, AZoNano writes.

Moreover, they also posed the issue of accumulation, highlighting that medications produced this way are only intended for irregular or one-off consumption. The same can be said for the habitual use of recreational products that contain cannabis nanoparticles.

To deal with these uncertainties, cannabis scientists need to push more standardization, thus leading to safer products as well as more accurate testing.

Photo: Courtesy of cottonbro from Pexels