Plant Fingerprints

THE EAGLE: A Times Union Podcast

Marijuana and hemp are very similar plants. In fact, they are the same species. Telling them apart visually can be very difficult, especially for investigators at a crime scene. But if you take a closer look — a much closer look — at the molecular level, they are very different. One has a psychoactive component (THC) that keeps it federally illegal, while the other, thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, does not and as such is perfectly legal. To avoid unnecessary incarceration, a rapid field test that can tell them apart on the spot would be a handy tool for law enforcement. With help from a U.S. DOJ grant, University at Albany chemistry professor Rabi Musah is developing just such a field test. She joins us on this episode of "The Eagle" to discuss her work.

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