Cannabis or Weed as it is more commonly known as is a genus of flowering plants in the Cannabaceae family. It is available in three species including Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis Ruderalis. Increasing awareness among consumers regarding health benefits of cannabis and its growing acceptance for medical application is encouraging the growers to enhance the production and cultivation of weed in Europe. Apart from this the weed products such as weed concentrates, oil, extracts, and others have been utilized by various end use industries providing high-income to growers & manufacturers.

Increasing legalization of cannabis cultivation across various countries also supports the growth of cannabis industry. Rapidly increasing demand of medicinal cannabis along with the supportive government initiatives for cannabis industry and lucrative business opportunities attracting cultivators and growers more to invest into cannabis seeds market.

The Market

The medical application of cannabis is witnessing tremendous growth as consumers are becoming more aware of the medicinal benefits of weed.

Cannabis helps cure chronic pain and improves neurological and other conditions. It also helps with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy are a significant burden for affected patients. Cannabinoids have been shown to be useful as antiemetics for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

While the exact mechanisms of action are not well understood, researchers believe that the ability of cannabinoids to act on non-serotonergic receptors such as the CB1 receptor is responsible for their ability to delay nausea and vomiting in patients. In addition, weed has been used as a possible treatment for several neurological disorders, including epilepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, dementia, and traumatic brain injury.

Moreover, it is claimed that weed boost the immune system, help eliminate toxins, and aid in the healing process. Weed derived products are high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are beneficial for health. Moreover, weed derivatives have a high concentration of vitamin E, minerals, trace elements (such as zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus), digestive fibre, antioxidants, chlorophyll, and immune-boosting secondary plant substances.

One of the compounds in cannabis, the amino acid arginine, is known to help improve blood flow in the body and help maintain optimal blood pressure. Edible weed seeds can aid digestive health, owing to the soluble and insoluble fibre contained in the seeds. Thus, the rising use of weed or weed-derived products for food, medicinal and therapeutic purposes is expected to have positive impact on weed cultivation. To meet the consistently growing demand from various end use industries the growers are investing more on the production and cultivation of weed seeds.

Regular Marijuana Seeds

Regular Marijuana seeds are produced by crossing a male plant with a female plant, yielding a proportion of 50/50 male and female progeny. Male Marijuana seeds can be discarded or utilized for breeding, and female weed plants produce buds rich in cannabinoids such as THC and CBD. THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the molecule that gives Marijuana its psychoactive properties. CBD (cannabidiol) is an active ingredient found in Marijuana seeds which is an essential component of medical weed. The female plants grown from regular weed seeds are genetically more stable and will not become hermaphrodite under stress, allowing growers to create highly effective cuttings. Growers may experience the full manifestation of a strain's genetic history by using regular seeds. However, growers that utilize regular Marijuana seeds need to identify and remove the pollinating male plants.

Additionally, only 50% of female weed plants are produced using regular Marijuana seeds, which reduces the efficiency of the yield. This factor makes regular Marijuana seeds less popular among commercial cultivators. Since individual growers prefer smaller gardens stocked with female-only plants, regular seeds have gradually become less popular. However, cultivators who wish to produce genetically robust clones generally cultivate regular Marijuana seeds.

Hybrid Marijuana Seeds

Hybrid Marijuana plants are a combination of sativa and indica strains and cultivated in farms or greenhouses. The parent plants' combination determines the appearance of hybrid strains. Many hybrid Marijuana plants are cultivated to boost THC levels, but each variety has its own ratio of the two cannabinoids. Farmers and producers choose hybrids for their distinct characteristics. They can help in minimizing anxiety, stress, and side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Indica dominant, Sativa dominant and balanced hybrids are the most common classifications of hybrid weed strains.

Hybrid strains with more indica than sativa traits are referred to as Indica dominant, whereas those with more sativa traits are referred to as Sativa dominant. Pineapple Express, Trainwreck, and Blue Dream are some of the most popular hybrid weed strains.

Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Weed Seeds

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had a relatively moderate impact on the Marijuana seeds market. For instance, according to the 2021 World Drug Report, during the pandemic in 2020, more than half of people who had used Marijuana in the past 12 months said that they had used the same amount of Marijuana before the pandemic. Almost a third of weed users aged 24 and under reported using more weed than those aged 25 and above.

The pandemic helped to develop more awareness and interest in the medical sector of Marijuana. Various research has also been carried out during the pandemic which focuses on the use of weed on the treatment of COVID. For instance, weed has shown great potential in the fight against COVID19, largely due to its anti-inflammatory properties. The study published recently in Aging shows that Marijuana could significantly improve the condition of COVID19 patients by reducing a Cytokine storm and protecting lung tissue from inflammatory damage.

Research also shows that Marijuana and its compounds have other important therapeutic properties, such as pain relief and anxiety reduction. While these may provide treatment to COVID-19 patients, more research into Marijuana's pain-relieving and anxiety-reducing qualities on COVID-19 patients is required before any conclusions can be formed. Along with this, a lot of countries during this pandemic have been hit with tax shortfalls. The government of countries are looking for various source of tax income and a potential source of tax income can be the legalization of Marijuana which could become progressively engaging. An increase in the sale of legal sellers of Marijuana will provide a potential tax income gain. All these factors are expected to enhance the production and improve the conditions of Marijuana seeds growers and cultivators.