Manufacturer Claims New Pot Plant Will Cut Costs

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — One of Minnesota's medical marijuana manufacturers says it's cultivating an extra potent form of the plant that could help reduce costs for patients.

Medication sold through the state's program has a combination of two major chemical compounds. Minnesota Medical Solutions announced Wednesday they've bred a plant with much higher amounts of cannibidiol, which helps treat seizures and other ailments.

Chief Executive Kyle Kingsley says that will reduce costs by requiring fewer plants to extract the same amount of medicine. He says the new strain has been verified by an independent lab.

High costs for medicine have held down enrollment in Minnesota's program. Kingsley says he expects to cut costs by as much as 10 percent in the next year.

Kingsley's competitor, LeafLine Labs, says they're already growing a similar plant.