Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1244583
Tablets & Capsules May 2020 11 Blister packaging materials Using the latest technology to produce best-in-class custom packaging is the safest path toward guideline compliance. A wide range of films and foils can be used for blister packaging applications for various cannabis formulations, such as CBD oils in capsules. When selecting a blister packaging film, be sure to match the film's quality and production efficiency to the needs of your product and process. For example, polyvi- nyl chloride (PVC) films come in a variety of thicknesses, colors, and other properties that can be tailored to your packaging requirements. For blister packaging, a PVC thickness between 150 and 300 microns (.006 to .011 inch) is recommended, depending on the required cavity size and shape. compound annual growth rate of 20.7 percent between 2018 and 2025, with product development and innova- tions according to new packaging regulations anticipated to drive the market [1]. While promising, the cannabis industry is new and remains somewhat controversial. As such, manufactur- ers and their products will be scrutinized at every point in production and distribution. A few key standards and processes should remain top priorities, including: • Delivering the product in a reassuring format, such as capsules; • Implementing seamless tracking and reporting for manufacturing and distribution operations and supply chain; • Ensuring safety and environmental integrity in the packaging; and • Building brand trust by providing valuable product information, such as specific dosage instructions. Package design is critical and must be appropriate for the product's distribution channel. Broadly speaking, CBD product distribution channels are segmented as pharmacy, e-commerce, dispensary, and retail. The future of CBD product distribution in retail chains is still emerg- ing, but it will likely include club, grocery, convenience, and dollar stores as well as food service and vending. Challenges in cannabis packaging The cannabis market faces several challenges, the first of which is the disharmony between state and federal regulation. In the US, cannabis dispensaries—the physi- cal locations where consumers can acquire cannabis and cannabis-related items—are regulated for medical and/ or recreational usage at the state level. This means that packaging regulations vary from state to state. Packaging plays a critical role in protecting the safety and integrity of any product, and cannabis products have particular packaging needs related to compliance, potency, purity, safety, aroma, and efficacy. Packaging for cannabis products must address four fundamental challenges, which are shown in Figure 1. A wide variety of delivery systems, or routes of admin- istration, are available for CBD products, as shown in Fig- ure 2. There are also many possible package types (both flexible and solid) and materials, as shown in Figure 3. Choosing the right package type and material is critical to delivering a safe, high-quality, and affordable product to consumers. The National Association of Cannabis Businesses (NACB) provides clear packaging guidelines for cannabis products [2]. These include ensuring that containers "are made of materials that are generally recognized as safe for use as components of articles that contact articles under 21 CFR Parts 170 through 186 (i.e., FDA Generally Recog- nized as Safe)" and that they protect the product "against foreseeable external factors that may cause deterioration or contamination of the cannabis or cannabis product." Figure 1 Packaging challenges for cannabis products Protection: UV, O 2 , H 2 O vapor Compatibility (migration testing) Permeability Durability (Gelbo flex testing) Figure 2 CBD product delivery systems Lungs/ Inhalation • Smoking • Vaping Oral • Edibles • Capsules Topical • Transdermal • Lotions Figure 3 CBD product packaging types and materials Flexible containers • Blisters • Pouches • Sachets Rigid containers • Bottles and jars • Tubes • Tins Materials • Aluminum (metal) • Plastic • Paper/carton • Glass