CYNTHIA BREWER INTERVIEW / KAYCHA LABS

CYNTHIA M. BREWER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

kaychalabs

TELL ME A BIT ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND GOALS.

Kaycha Labs is a Multi-State Operating Cannabis and Hemp testing lab. We opened our first location in 2017 in Davie, Florida and now have 9 laboratories operating in 8 states with plans for an additional 4 locations very soon. From day one, our focus has been to ensure product safety, efficacy in testing and help to educate patients, policy makers and the public on transparency in Cannabis. We want to support our clients, but also be a trustworthy company that the Cannabis industry can turn to when things don’t always go as planned.

WHAT MADE YOU GET INTO THIS INDUSTRY? WHEN DID YOU GET INTO IT AND HOW DID YOU ACCOMPLISH IT?

I got into Cannabis for my family, I have had multiple family members utilize cannabis for various illnesses and saw the benefits first hand. I was not always a canna friendly person, but witnessing how cannabis use could alleviate the pain and discomfort of a loved one made me want to learn more and be involved. You never really know how precious time is, until its gone… and you never get more time. I wanted to make sure I spent my time advocating for this plant. I got involved in Tallahassee after Amendment 2 passed, testifying for the House and Senate and speaking to whomever would listen. Being relentless and annoying probably helped.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO DO TESTING ?

Testing ensures that a product presented to the public is safe for them to use. Seems easy enough, but surprisingly the patients really have no idea what could be in their medicine. Lab testing for cannabis medicine is the last line of defense before patients- we need to be able to catch any concerns that could pose a threat to patients.

DOES KAYCHA OFFER ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO THE PRODUCERS ASIDE FROM COMPLIANCE TESTING?

Kaycha Labs is not your average cannabis lab- we have a large network of professionals with cannabis experience and expertise that can be called on for guidance and support whenever our clients may need it. If a client gets unfavorable results we support them in finding a quick and safe solution so they can keep moving forward. Research and development are also crucial to our side of the industry. Right now, Kaycha is assisting clients to conduct their own on-site testing for viruses and viroid that could affect the health and yield of their plants. This test kit was created and validated by our team and hopefully it will save our clients time and money.

COULD YOU GIVE US A LOOK INSIDE

YOUR LAB ? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE INSIDE?

(Did you want photos?) I would be happy to let you tour

the lab in Davie or Gainesville at anytime! Seeing it in person is so much better than having me describe the sleek lines of an LCMS or GCMS- triple quad.

HOW MANY TOXINS AND ADULTERANTS DO YOU TEST FOR?

Our instruments currently look for the presence of and quantify values for 4 heavy metals, 6 microbial species, 5 mycotoxins, 76 pesticides and 21 solvents. Kaycha Labs can do additional testing for further contaminants if requested by our clients or if in their respective markets there is a change to the testing requirements of that state.

DO YOU HELP CLIENTS MITIGATE ADULTERANTS THAT MAY BE FOUND ON SITE OR IN THE PRODUCTION/PROCESSING OF MEDICINE?

Yes, Our LIMS (Laboratory Inventory Management Software) system is our company’s favorite feature, not only because our CEO created and validated it himself, but because the software is a wealth of knowledge for our clients and for our lab. The LIMS accommodates real time tracking of contaminants even in trace amounts, it allows us to determine where and when these impurities originated.

Using this information, we can work with clients to pinpoint the sources of specific contamination and then create a plan to eliminate any problems using safe and effective options.

Because contamination can be caused by so many variables, our additional level of traceability is vital in examining the entire cultivation and production process to locate the source of prospective failures

IF I WANTED TO GET INTO THIS PART OF THE INDUSTRY, WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND I STUDY OR GET TRAINED ON?

Obviously studying Biology, Analytical Chemistry or Micro-Biology is always a good start and necessary in any lab, but not all Scientific disciplines translate to cannabis…there needs to be a focus and understanding of the plant, its problems, behaviors, and history. And maybe read “The Art of War” by SUN TZU.

WHAT DO YOU FORESEE FOR THE STATE OF CANNABIS IN FLORIDA FOR THE NEXT DECADE ?

I would like to see legalization within the next few years- 2022 would be nice, but 2024 probably more reasonable. I think specifically 2021-2022 will showcase Florida’s good and bad side as it pertains to cannabis. The state must issue more licenses, this will happen, however, this will change the current market dramatically and how we handle that will be very telling. We must catch up on directives we have not yet fulfilled, we need to eliminate barriers to entry and right the wrongs from 2014 that have plagued us for years now, like the iicense for the black farmers. We need to fully implement Article

10 Section 29 of the constitution…then we can start dreaming of the next decade.

IF YOU COULD BE A FLY ON THE WALL ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD YOU BE AND WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO?

Anywhere? Locker room of Seattle Seahawks, half-time, at CenturyLink field, for a late season, second game, against the Rams, Cardinals or 49ers. I want to hear what words of encouragement RW3 and Pete would give the team to excite the players to go out there and play to win. I hopefully would be able to record these words and listen when im needing some inspiration!! I love football.

IF YOU COULD ONLY SAVE ONE CULTIVAR WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Rude Boi OG, I would fight a bear or walk into a volcano for that one!

HOW DOES THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ENSURE THE SAFETY OF PATIENT MEDICINE?

The state requires that we submit all Certificates of Analysis (COAs) to them, whenever we issue a failure. so they can keep an eye on the medicine’s next steps.

The Department of Health is tasked with the implementation of regulations that should ensure safety, but in fact they are in a tough spot to keep patients protected from cannabis products that weren’t tested properly and accurately or were manipulated into looking compliant and viable because the lack of a software tracking system.

WHAT’S THE SINGLE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE FLORIDA MMJ PROGRAM?

The Issue I find the most problematic is: Lack of a state assigned Seed to Sale tracking software- The state cannot prevent the nightmare of dirty medicine ending up on the shelves and being sold to sick patients if they do not know what is on the shelf and the journey that medicine took to get there.

This is a Huge gap in our program that other markets, even newer markets, do not worry about, but we have not completed that task as of yet and its been over 4 years since we came up with language that requires it.

HOW MANY RECALLS FOR MEDICINE HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN THE FLORIDA MMJ PROGRAM?

Zero! No recalls have been

issued, there was one patient notice a while ago but no recalls for safety. Either Florida has some work to do or we are the best at growing marijuana!

DOES THE STATE LAB DO RANDOM TESTING OF MEDICINE THAT’S FOR SALE IN THE MMTCS? IS THERE ANYTHING IN PLACE TO PREVENT LAB SHOPPING IN FLORIDA?

The state does not have a lab to conduct random testing right now. Nor does the state have the authorization, by the lawmakers and the current cannabis rules, to collect random samples for testing from a dispensary, except edibles. This has presented a challenge in Tallahassee for the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) to be able to govern our program effectively.

WHAT IS LAB SHOPPING?

Lab shopping is when a company doesn’t like the results of the analysis and although they can be completely accurate, they choose to source results from laboratories that either provide more favorable results or sometimes don’t have the capabilities to detect the problem they may have. This happen a lot in other markets too with highest potency meaning bragging rights, some labs have capitalize on that competition and they will inflate numbers and acquire a lot of business from that. We want our clients to trust not just us but our data, it may not be the highest potency they want but they know the values are real.

Currently the Florida Medical Program has no language or rules in place to avoid MMTCs from “lab shopping”. It is a problem we have seen since we were licensed back in June 2020.

Instruments can provide accurate data that is traceable and reliable, but if its not quite high enough in THC percentage, Terpene presence, or if a contaminant hit shows up that is unexpected and problematic for them to sell, some companies will choose to source data from laboratories that are willing to produce results they would prefer.