Pot

[xoxoxoBruce]

This article claims BioTech Institute LLC has been collecting "utility" patents on the DNA of different strains of pot. This will probably stunt medical research in the anecdotal claims of some strains having effects on certain diseases.

According to Holmes, a secretive company called BioTech Institute LLC had begun registering patents on the cannabis plant. Three have already been granted, and several more are in the pipeline, both in the U.S. and internationally. And these are not narrow patents on individual strains like Sour Diesel. These are utility patents, the strongest intellectual-property protection available for crops.

Utility patents are so strict that almost everyone who comes in contact with the plant could be hit with a licensing fee: growers and shops, of course, but also anyone looking to breed new varieties or conduct research. Even after someone pays a royalty, they can’t use the seeds produced by the plants they grow. They can only buy more patented seeds.

link

[Undertoad]

*shrug* i dunno

Certain plants, like tomatoes, can be cloned from cuttings... this is one of them... i think bananas are all clones... in theory nobody needs seeds, once they have a mother plant they like, but who knows?

[xoxoxoBruce]

That's fine if you're not selling it. They will only control the pot sold through government sanctioned pot stores, medical pot and pot going to research.

[Griff]

Hopefully Sessions prosecutes these guys so pot stays free market, otherwise control slips to DeVos and Prince.