The Dialogue: Here’s What Readers Said About a Millennial With a Cannabis Invention, and a Former Mentor Who Says It Was Actually His Idea

Last week, WW wrote about a millennial named Andrew Jones who says his invention will dominate the cannabis concentrates industry, and his 73-year-old former mentor who says Jones is profiting from his invention ("Oil Wars," WW, Aug. 23, 2017). Here's what readers said.

John Retzlaff, via wweek.com: "[JD] Ellis made the mistake of not patenting his process. Had he done so, he could still have freely distributed his technology for all to use. Just because you hold the patent doesn't mean you have to make money from the technology, although it does ensure that you can block others from claiming it as theirs."

Sasha, in response: "The idea was not to profit, but rather to make the technology freely available to patients who needed these valuable cannabis extracts before they were widely commercially available. Open-sourcing this technology on the internet was a noble endeavor and a gift to the medical cannabis community in a world where most people seek to profit off of illness and medicine."

JustChecking, via wweek.com: "Why is anyone surprised that the cannabis industry attracts unsavory types?"

Tony Trinh, via Facebook: "This is like Breaking Bad except Walter White doesn't become Heisenberg and Jesse Pinkman is a thief and unredeemable shithead."

Tyler Chastain, via Facebook: "It's [people] like this kid who are ruining the cannabis business and holding it back the progress of the plant. Open source knowledge is how cannabis became the beautifully diverse species it is today, advancing breeding and evolving growing techniques where what a generation ago would be revolutionary thinking is common knowledge today."

Colby Judah, via Facebook: "Kinda Trumpy for someone who thinks he's anti-establishment, Mr. Jones. So blind to altruism he's patting himself on the back for 'winning.'"

Michelle Tafoya, via Facebook: "Gray Wolf is the inventor of closed-loop extraction. This patent should be legally challenged."

CORRECTIONS

In an Aug. 9 review of a Dilly Bar by Wiz Bang Bar, WW misrepresented the ownership of Uncle Nearest Whiskey. The brand is independently owned by Fawn and Keith Weaver.

Last week's story on CBD ("CBD X3," WW, Aug. 23, 2017) mistakenly called the Drug Enforcement Administration an "Agency." Also, Dean Pottle's homebrew speakeasy was on Northeast Fremont Street, not Northeast Killingsworth Street.

WW regrets the errors.

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