TERPENES & THE VAPE CRISIS | GRONKOWSKI TALKS CBD & THE NFL
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SURVIVING THE FIRST YEAR OF LEGAL HEMP
Inside the turbulent transition & the future of the plant. H E M P. C O
A journey to a thousand acres
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@phytonyx
begins with a single
™ seed.
Schoppee Farms in Machias, Maine completed their first successful harvest in 2019 and trimmed their ladies just in time for an early fall frost. More harvest shots on page 90
editor’s note
In the fall of 2017, when I first joined the HEMP team, the American hemp scene was mostly filled with passionate advocates. We believed in a hardy plant, grown by our ancestors, that could revitalize small farms and help the besieged environment. Then the federal government legalized hemp in late 2018. And, amid the accompanying crush of regulations, investment capital, and consumer excitement, it became more difficult for the hemp world to focus on achieving the promises of the plant. Today, after one year of federal legalization, we take a look back at this first year’s impact on the hemp community. In a three-part series, our Associate Editor Joel Hathaway and writers Kit O’Connell and A.J. Herrington examine what the first year meant for those who farm the plant, those who love its fruits, and those who seek to capitalize on it. For some, this first year of legalization has been one of realized potential. For others, this year has been tough. In general, the process of figuring out how to survive has understandably taken precedence over delivering on hemp’s promise to heal the Earth and help its workers.
In the pressure to survive this new market, I fear that the hemp industry may lose sight of the values that kept it alive throughout the decades of prohibition. In those years, hemp activists were persistent and vocal about the better world they wanted to build. In 2020, I hope the hemp industry can be just as loud about what hemp can provide and twice as dedicated to making it happen. It’s difficult to stare towards the horizon as your feet stumble across rocky terrain, but the alternative is to simply let your feet stray wherever they stumble. With imagination and tenacity, I still believe that hemp — if done right — can lift up those struggling economically, can make a healing plant widely accessible, and perhaps most importantly, can take better care of our planet. As the hemp industry has grown up, I’ve been honored to grow alongside it. This is my last issue with HEMP, and it’s one that I’m excited to share with you. I hope you’ll find it a useful place to start imagining that better future. In solidarity, Julia Clark-Riddell Executive Editor
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PHOTO COURTESY SCHOPPEE FARMS
We cannot think only of survival, but of the better world we are seeking to build with hemp’s help.
ISSUE EIGHT
features
East Fork Cultivars begins their long awaited hemp harvest in Oregon’s Illinois River Valley.
THE FIRST YEAR OF LEGAL HEMP What 2019 meant for hemp consumers, farmers, and entrepreneurs. FOR THE CONSUMER 58
FOR THE FARMER 64
Hemp acreage in the U.S. continued its rapid expansion, as a large cohort of first-time hemp farmers looked to cash in on the crop. By Joel Hathaway FOR THE ENTREPRENEUR 72
Investment flooded into the hemp industry, but many of the financial resources available to other industries lagged behind. By A.J. Herrington
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PHOTO COURTESY EAST FORK CULTIVARS
Consumers couldn’t seem to get enough of CBD, but uncertainty plagued the rapid growth of hemp’s star cannabinoid. By Kit O’Connell
ISSUE EIGHT
Amid an outbreak of vaping-related lung injuries, consumer and industry groups called for higher testing standards on vapes, including those with hempderived CBD. Read more on page 32
contents
HINDSIGHT 120
By Robin A. W. Kelley
The hemp train leaves the station, for real this time. By Ben Droz
Blue Dog Hemp is busy breeding hemp for its terpene content, while trying to connect with the community in their new home.
culture ASK THE HEMP HERO 81
HEMP’s advice columnist shares her tips on how to avoid a bad experience with CBD. By Kate Robertson
7 ODD NEW WAYS COMPANIES WANT YOU TO CONSUME CBD 85
terpenes 101
industry
A QUICK GUIDE TO TERPENES 28
GRONK’S NEW SPIKE: CBD 22
The hemp industry has now strayed far beyond the standard CBD tincture. By Paul James
By Joel Hathaway
FIVE BOOKS FOR TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE 107
What to know about these buzzy aromatic compounds and how to buy terpene-infused products. By Madison Ortiz WHAT TERPENES HAVE TO DO WITH THE VAPE CRISIS 32
Regulators are going after flavored vapes amid a wave of vaping-related deaths and illnesses. So how should terpenes be regulated? By David Heldreth HOW TO PAIR HEMP TERPENES & FOOD 50
Ever sit down to a nice meal and realize it needs a little something extra? By Liz Schoch
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Former NFL player Rob Gronkowski explains why he’s turned to CBD in his retirement. IN PHOTOS: AMERICA’S BIGGEST HEMP HARVEST SINCE WORLD WAR II 90
Snapshots from our friends around the country illustrate what hemp farms looked like across the United States this fall, as cultivators harvested the largest hemp crop America has seen since the 1940s.
Hemp is just a piece of the puzzle when it comes to helping the environment. By Julia Clark-Riddell
THE LIST: 6 HEMP PRODUCTS FROM VETERAN-OWNED COMPANIES 111
Be an informed consumer and vote with your dollars! By HEMP Staff
PHOTO COURTESY CDC
THE FIGHT FOR HEMP 15
GROWING HIGH-TERPENE HEMP IN COLORADO’S UNCOMPAHGRE VALLEY 40
EDITOR’S NOTE 04
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Publisher
Eugenio Garcia Creative Director
Todd Heath Executive Editor
Julia Clark-Riddell Associate Editor
Joel Hathaway Contributing Editor
Ben Droz Account Executives
Piers Dunhill-Turner Jean-Pierre Henraux Shelby Nelson Support Associate
Andy Gavin Production Manager
Maria MacVean Advertising
sales @ thehempmag.com Stay Connected
facebook.com/hempmagazine instagram.com/hempmag twitter.com/hempmag CONTRIBUTORS
Kristen Angelo Dan Armstrong Francisco Freeman David Heldreth A.J. Herrington Paul James Robin A. W. Kelley
Andrew Martin Kit O’Connell Madison Ortiz Kate Robertson Jonsara Ruth Liz Schoch Kelly Sikkema
On the Cover High-terpene hemp grows at Blue Dog Hemp in Colorado’s Uncompahgre Valley.
Photo courtesy Blue Dog Hemp
H E M P. C O
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HEMP TODAY MEDIA, LLC
East Fork Cultivars in Southern Oregon hangs their hemp to dry after 2019’s harvest. Check out more harvest photos on page 90
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contributor
S P OTLI G HT is a freelance journalist, copywriter, and the author of BarCharts Publishing’s Guide to CBD and Hemp. When not at his desk, you’ll find him exploring the mountains and rivers of Montana’s wild places. Joel is HEMP’s Associate Editor. JOEL HATHAWAY
is the founder and CEO of Panacea Plant Sciences, an agricultural biotechnology company developing a portfolio of cultivation and formulation intellectual property around the cannabis sativa plant. He’s an expert on various laws that affect the way hemp and cannabis are allowed to be cultivated, processed, and even used under federal law. Heldreth brings this knowledge and background to his work as Chief Science Officer with True Terpenes.
leads Congressional outreach for Vote Hemp and has worked as a hemp lobbyist on Capitol Hill since 2009. When he’s not talking or writing about hemp, he photographs for Washington Life Magazine, Brightest Young Things, Huffington Post, and others. Ben is HEMP’s Contributing Editor. BEN DROZ
ILLUSTRATIONS BY FRANCISCO FREEMAN
DAVID HELDRETH
KATE ROBERTSON is a freelance journalist based in Toronto.
Before developing a cannabis beat, she was the online and social media manager at Toronto’s alt-weekly NOW Magazine where she was nominated for a Digital Publishing Award. She also writes an advice column, Weedsplainer, at Lift & Co.
#hempmag 13
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state of hemp
THE FI G H T F O R H E M P The hemp train leaves the station, for real this time. Wo r d s a n d P h o t o s B y B e n D r o z
PHOTO TODD HEATH
AS WE BEGIN 2020, we find ourselves at the true dawn of the era of legal hemp in America. While hemp has been growing with federal approval since 2014 and the door to commercial hemp opened with the Farm Bill’s passage at the end of 2018, the framework for federally legal hemp production had not been built until now. With regulations handed down from the U.S. Department of Agriculture last autumn, the first completely legal crop will soon be sown into the ground. The hemp industry is now a massive train at the station, about to embark on a path that activists have spent the last few months trying to chart. The 2020 planting season is the first time that the USDA will oversee the hemp program and anticipation is high. Where the hemp industry heads from here will have lasting consequences. First Stop: USDA Regulations In October, the USDA released an 161-page document of draft regulations for how the department intends to oversee the hemp industry. Thousands of farmers, businesses, consumers, and coalitions had 60 days to submit comments to the USDA. At the time of this writing, the
USDA rules were in the process of being finalized. So, what are the challenges hemp advocates have identified in the USDA regulations? We interviewed some of the hemp movement’s most dedicated leaders to learn about the hemp rules and what they’ve struggled to change in the past few months. A consensus from the experts: It appears that the USDA does want to help farmers, and it sees hemp as a genuine opportunity to do so. However, other agencies aren’t as friendly towards the crop, and are refusing to let go of their misguided authority, which has made the regulations much more clunky than need be. For example, some of the USDA’s rules continue to incorporate DEA authority. Under the USDA draft regulations, the hemp tests — conducted to guarantee that the plants meet the legal limit of 0.3% THC or less by dry weight — must be completed by a DEA registered lab, which experts say is silly for several reasons. First, there are only around 150 of these labs across the country, and the expensive certification process takes months to complete. During harvest season, this is a recipe for a major industry bottleneck. But more importantly, many hemp advocates
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Current high-CBD seed is uncertified, highly variable, and sometimes misrepresented. Seed breeders will likely solve these problems soon, but producing a high percentage of CBD while staying under 0.3% THC will always be a challenge.
Roadblock: THC Testing Hemp activists have been lobbying the USDA to allow state-licensed laboratories to test hemp, and bring in the DEA only if a state-qualified test determines a hemp plant is too “hot” with THC. So how is hemp deemed compliant, if not through the DEA? “That depends on two things: the margin of error and method of sampling uncertainty,” says Eric Steenstra, founder and president of Vote Hemp. Testing protocols inherently have a margin of error, but might be much smaller than a natural variance that occurs through acres of hemp. If even one plant tests above the limit, this could tarnish a full harvest, unless a reasonable level of uncertainty is taken into account. Even with these margins, hemp farmers will need to be very careful and conservative, and testing remains
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the largest challenge the industry will face moving forward. Growing hemp for fiber or seed doesn’t pose any issues with the USDA regulations, since there are established, reliable, certified seed varieties safely within the margins of uncertainty and reliably producing very low amounts of THC. But with a market dominated by CBD varieties of hemp, the 0.3% threshold is being pushed to its very limit. Current high-CBD seed is uncertified, highly variable, and sometimes misrepresented. Seed breeders will likely solve these problems soon, but producing a high percentage of CBD while staying under 0.3% THC will always be a challenge. On the Horizon: Changing the 0.3% THC Definition of Hemp All cannabis sativa plants, hemp included, produce some quantity of THC. For stabilized industrial varieties of hemp, the THC has already been completely bred out, but it can sometimes appear in the plant again. When the plant experiences stressors like intense weather, winds, or droughts,
PHOTO TODD HEATH
don’t see why a hemp farmer should have to work with a DEA lab to begin with, given than the 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act.
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Heavy East Coast rains during Hurricane Dorian create challenging work conditions for Peter Edwards at Schoppee Farms in Maine.
PHOTO COURTESY SCHOPPEE FARMS
When the plant experiences stressors like intense weather, winds, or droughts, the hemp is prone to producing more THC. Even a crop with stabilized genetics, under these circumstances, could produce additional THC. the hemp is prone to producing more THC. Even a crop with stabilized genetics, under these circumstances, could produce additional THC. A bad test of a stressed crop, therefore, could cost a reliable farmer their livelihood by a few tenths of a percentage of THC. With such high stakes, farmers have their hands tied in order to minimize the risk of a catastrophic loss of their crop. When growing hemp for CBD, it doesn’t make much sense to narrow our gene pool to an arbitrary 0.3% THC. This number has been used in Canada since the late 1990s, but it’s a completely arbitrary line — admitted even by the scientist Dr. Ernest Small who first drew it. But the amount of THC to get someone high is actually much higher than 0.3% THC. Even at ten times this amount, a hemp plant with a THC level of 3% wouldn’t really get anyone high, particularly compared to the high-potency marijuana which is already available to most Americans. Therefore, the experts we talked to said raising the THC level of hemp should be one of the industry’s top, long-term goals. Already, there have been several online petitions to change the THC level for hemp. But this can’t be done by
the USDA. The language of the Farm Bill clearly stipulates the threshold of 0.3%, and any changes must be accomplished through Congress. The Next Stop As you read this, the USDA rules for the 2020 hemp planting season have been finalized and your state’s Department of Agriculture may be updating their rules along the same lines. The hemp farmers in your state will be gearing up for planting and preparing to face a few challenges, like staying under the THC threshold and following the testing protocol. This year, the hemp train is finally leaving the place it has been parked since hemp fields were last sown with federal commercial approval during World War II. The journey before it is long, not least because the FDA has promised it will be a struggle to figure out regulations for CBD. Down the road, as we continue to build the track and our train picks up momentum, it’s almost certain that we’ll arrive at increasingly larger stations, with cars full of grain and fiber for domestic and export markets. We know that soon, hemp will be a commodity like any other.
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Q&A
GRONK’S NEW SPIKE: CBD Former NFL player Rob Gronkowski explains why he’s turned to CBD in his retirement.
PHOTOS COURTESY GW PHARMACEUTICALS
B y J o e l H a t h a w ay | I l l u s t r a t i o n by F r a n c i s c o F r e e m a n
In March of 2019, Rob Gronkowski hung up his cleats. In his nine years with the New England Patriots, the famed footballer had amassed 7,861 yards, was voted onto the NFL’s All-Pro team four times, and won three Super Bowls. He’d scored 79 touchdowns, and after most of them, performed his signature “Gronk Spike” to celebrate in commanding, enthusiastic fashion. He is, in short, what they refer to as a first-ballot hall of famer. In sport known for culling the aged, 29 is still relatively young age to retire. But it wasn’t without reason. A few months after he walked away from football, Gronk held a press conference. The talking heads in the sports world speculated that he was coming out of retirement, adding a bit of buzz to their 24-hour coverage offseason doldrums — but it wasn’t meant to be. Instead, Gronk detailed what forced him to retire, saying, “I want to be clear to my fans. I needed to recover. I was not in a good place. Football was bringing me down, and I didn’t like it. I was losing that joy in life.” After Super Bowl LIII in February 2019, his body had had enough. “I got done with the game and I could barely walk. I slept five minutes that night. I couldn’t even think,” he said. “I was in tears in my bed after a Super Bowl victory. It didn’t make that much sense to
me. And then, for four weeks, I couldn’t even sleep for more than 20 minutes a night.” According to Gronk, what helped his recovery along, other than rest, was CBD. He’d become enough of a convert that at the press conference he announced that he’d invested in the Abacus-owned CBDMEDIC brand, which sells a line of topicals. We wanted to know a bit more about his dive into the CBD world, so HEMP grabbed a few minutes with the Gronk to talk the end of his NFL career, his investment in Abacus, and what’s coming next.
HEMP: Football, obviously, is a super physical sport. Physically and mentally, how do you feel now that you’ve had a well-deserved break? What have you been getting up to? Rob Gronkowski: For the first time in more than a decade I’m pain free. I’m leaner, faster, and sharper than I was eight months ago. I feel great! I’m excited to begin this next chapter in business working with Abacus Health Products as an investor. I’ll be dedicating time over the next few months to working hand-in-hand with Abacus to develop new products.
#hempmag 23
Rob Gronkowski announces his investment in CBD.
HEMP: There seems to a lack of understanding on the part of many fans about what players in the NFL have to put their bodies through to be out there and active every week. (Andrew Luck getting booed for retiring seems to highlight this disconnect.) Can you describe what guys have to go through on a weekly basis in order to be active on game day throughout a season? Gronkowski: The NFL has put so many great rules in place to help protect players, but we as players know what we are signing up for and the risks associated with getting injured while playing. I’m so thankful to the NFL for the opportunity to play on one of the greatest teams in history. However, during that time, I was taking constant hits, which combined with the surgeries were adding up. I had massive amounts of inflammation in my body. I decided to walk away from the game because I had to find new ways to recover.
HEMP: How did you discover CBD and when did you start taking it? Gronkowski: It was actually my dad that first introduced me to CBDMEDIC. He had been using it on his back arthritis and knew I was searching for natural ways to recover. I was blown away by how well it worked and wanted to get involved in a big way.
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HEMP: What do you take CBD for and how effective is it for your healing process? Gronkowski: After trying CBDMEDIC, I was blown away by how well it worked and immediately added it to my recovery routine. I’m very active and use the products before and after a hard workout, and any time I have aches and pains. These products have helped me safely manage pain better than anything else I’ve tried and, for the first time in more than a decade, I’m pain free.
HEMP: You’ve talked about wanting to be an ambassador for CBD to the NFL. The league and the commissioner have a reputation for be pretty conservative when it comes to a lot of issues. Even though hemp and CBD are legal, what do you think it is going to take in order for them to allow CBD, or even cannabis, as a pain management tool? Gronkowski: I’m advocating for CBD to be acceptable for all players to be used for recovery. I only wish I knew about [it] while I was playing, it would have made a huge difference for me during my career. I want the same opportunity for my friends and teammates.
“I’m advocating for CBD to be acceptable for all players to be used for recovery. I only wish I knew about [it] while I was playing, it would have made a huge difference for me during my career.” — Rob Gronkowski
There is an incredible opportunity to educate the NFL and all people on healthier ways to recover. There is a lot of misconception about CBD, such as it is from marijuana and can cause you to fail a drug test.
HEMP: You’re still a pretty young guy. I’m sure that a lot of your friends, whether in the NFL or elsewhere, are still at that point in life where work dictates their daily schedule. Even with your investment in Abacus, you’ve probably got more free time than you have in quite a few years, right? Have you already figured out how to fill your days to not go stir crazy? Or are you ready to embrace the 4 pm soup dinners and 7 pm Matlock reruns of a typical retiree?
was playing. I’m excited to have the opportunity to begin my own business ventures, as I grew up in a family that was very involved in business and its always been an interest of mine. Retirement from football has provided me with the time to get involved. I’ve also always been very active and am in better shape now than I was when playing. I’m leaner and faster. I’ve always loved sports and fitness, and will continue to play and watch on my own time — whether in a pick-up game with friends, or watching football from the sidelines. My partnership with Abacus Health Products brings together both of these passions, and I’m proud to dedicate my time to advocating for pain management alternatives, to help athletes of all levels recover and stay active.
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Terpenes 101
A QUICK GUIDE TO TERPENES What to know about these buzzy aromatic compounds and how to buy terpene-infused products. By Madison Ortiz
Terpenes are a group of major biosynthetic
building blocks in plants that work as aroma and flavor compounds. They’re found in many plants, including lemon trees, lavender bushes, and cannabis plants. (In this guide, marijuana and hemp will both be referred to as ‘cannabis’ because the plants are the same species and are separated legally only by THC content, not terpene content.) Research has shown that terpenes can provide a variety of therapeutic effects. Aromatherapy is the most common way of enjoying the soothing and invigorating potential of these flavorful compounds, though other applications are possible. It’s important to note that terpenes used as a flavor ingredient in products intended for ingestion should be Food Grade or Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). Terpenes can be extracted from a plant and isolated as an essential oil, or produced synthetically. When it comes to terpene-infused cannabis products, many are made with terpenes that don’t come from the cannabis plant. That’s because various cannabis extraction processes degrade the terpenes naturally present in the plant, so it’s quite common to see cannabis products with extra terpenes added back in after extraction. While companies are not legally required to say where their terpenes come from, customers should try and find out whether the terpenes present in a product were naturally present and cannabis-derived, plant-derived, or synthetically produced. It’s worth examining a product label and performing research on a company’s website to find out where the terpenes in their products come from.
Infographic Courtesy of Goldleaf, which sells informative prints and journals for tracking cannabis therapy at ShopGoldleaf.com
Where Do Terpenes Come From? Cannabis-Derived Terpenes: A single cannabis strain will not always have the same cannabis terpenes. That’s because each strain’s phenotype and chemotype will vary. But just because there’s not always consistency doesn’t mean there isn’t value. Many industry leaders believe that extracting the full range of terpenes and cannabinoids from the cannabis plant provides a synergistic effect more powerful than isolated THC or CBD. However, terpenes extracted from cannabis plants are a pricey ingredient. And ultimately, the return from extraction is very low. Plant-Derived Terpenes: Prominent terpenes that are found in cannabis are also naturally abundant in other plants, such as limonene in lemons and linalool in lavender. Many companies boost their products with plant-derived terpenes. It’s less expensive to source terpenes from non-cannabis plants and fruits. Until more research is done, it also won’t be clear if any medical benefits from terpene-infused products vary if the terpenes are not cannabis-derived. Synthetic Terpenes: Synthetic terpenes are produced in a lab by chemical manipulation and blending. The full effects of consuming synthetic terpenes, particularly when smoked, have not been studied.
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What’s All This Talk About ‘Spectrums’? There’s a lot of confusion surrounding the terms “full spectrum,” “broad spectrum,” and “isolate,” regarding the makeup of CBD products. So, what do these terms tell us about terpenes? Full spectrum: These products are made from cannabis extraction that uses the entire plant. That means that everything — including the leaf, stalk, and seeds — are processed. The final product includes all naturally present cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and fatty acids. That means full spectrum products have trace amounts of THC present, below the 0.3% legal limit. Full spectrum extracts should always have cannabis-derived terpenes.
Full Spectrum Oils are typically darker in color because the whole plant is used during the extraction process.
Broad spectrum: These are similar to full spectrum extracts, except they lack THC. They’re produced in one of two ways: (1) THC is removed from the full spectrum extract or the extract is made from a plant bred to have 0% THC; or (2) CBD isolate is combined with other isolated cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids in an attempt to mimic the full spectrum effect without THC. Broad spectrum extracts may have terpenes derived from any source. CBD isolate: These products solely contain the isolated CBD molecule. Products using CBD isolate are not implied to contain any other cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, or fatty acids naturally present in the product unless they were added separately. If terpenes were added, they could have been derived from any source.
Broad Spectrum Oils are typically much lighter in color because they have had THC and other cannabinoids purposely removed.
While terpenes have various possible applications, the way a terpene is consumed, as with anything, determines the possible function. For instance, myrcene — a common terpene in cannabis and other fruits like mango — turns into the toxic compound benzene when it’s heated above 610 degrees Fahrenheit. Many cannabis consumers dab concentrates at much higher temperatures without realizing they have altered the chemical composition of the substance they’re consuming. It’s always important to use extreme caution when utilizing terpenes when making or consuming products. Undiluted terpenes should never be consumed, inhaled, or applied to the skin, as they are concentrated and very potent. Consult a professional and refer to Safety Data Sheets before working with terpenes.
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VAPE CRISIS
Terpenes 101
Regulators are going after flavored vapes amid a wave of vaping-related deaths and illnesses. So how should terpenes be regulated? B y D av i d H e l d r e t h
Vaping has been on the rise for years. As its popularity has soared, so too have calls for studies into its effects and regulations on usage and products. Those warnings, however, have been largely unheeded. And now we’re here: The United States — and many parts of the world — are experiencing an outbreak of pulmonary illnesses believed to be related to vaping. The ill are showing symptoms such as difficulty breathing, chest pains, and in some cases, falling into a coma and even death. The outbreak has so far claimed dozens of lives and injured over a thousand others, according to the FDA and CDC. In the wake of the deaths, uncertainty of the cause has bred fear in consumers and regulators. It’s likely that there isn’t a single cause to this problem. Several reports have named a variety of potential culprits: vitamin E acetate, myclobutanil (a pesticide which becomes hydrogen cyanide when heated), synthetic cannabinoids, and heavy metals. Many of the people who have fallen ill are young; teen use of flavored nicotine vape products has been increasing dramatically since 2011. There’s science showing that youth use of these products is harmful for a variety of reasons. The FDA has been working on vape regulations for years, but nothing has been implemented. However, the FDA recently lost a lawsuit with several health advocacy groups this year, finally forcing their hand. This can be seen in their recent push to make an example of JUUL, the vape manufacturer and owner of the largest market share for flavored tobacco and nicotine vape products. Unfortunately, the flavored tobacco and cannabis vape illnesses have merged into a single issue in the minds of many regulators and consumers. As such, municipalities, states, and the federal government are considering — and in many cases have enacted — bans on flavors in vaping of both cannabis and tobacco products. While on its face this argument appears to be a way to stem the tide in teens using cannabis and nicotine products, while
reducing illnesses related to vaping, it may actually work to increase these problems. The Real Risks The most commonly touted solution to the vape crisis is a ban on certain flavors (or all flavored vape juices) popular with teens. But we already know prohibition doesn’t work. Years of prohibition of cannabis and other drugs didn’t work, nor did it work with alcohol. If there’s market demand for a product, its legality may dictate its price, or how easy it is to purchase, but it doesn’t reduce the number of people attempting to buy it. When something is illegal the market doesn’t go away, it just goes underground. One of the primary consequences of this is that the underground market is typically full of things that make the public sick. Bathtub gin is synonymous with tainted products and was a direct result of prohibition. Simply put, regulation works. After initially favoring a ban on flavored nicotine vape products, President Donald Trump, citing basically the reasons above, is now backing off of that sentiment. “If you don’t give it to them, it’s going to come here illegally,” Trump said at the end of November about flavored vapes. “You just have to look at the history of it. Now, instead of having a flavor that’s at least safe, they’re going to be having a flavor that’s poison.” Obviously, something has to be done to deal with the current crisis. But what? At the moment, many regulators are concerned about flavored vape products, many of which are created from terpenes, the organic compounds created by a variety of plants — including hemp — that produce odor and flavor. The concern is valid, but education appears to be more effective than a wide ban. For example, the reduction in the percentage of U.S. citizens using tobacco over the past few decades isn’t the result of banning specific products, it’s largely the result of a massive public health campaign explaining the dangers of tobacco use.
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Shucked hemp biomass can be extracted into oil for a vaporizer, but it’s usually lacking in flavor.
Why Flavors Are Needed Terpenes have been used in aromatherapy, foods, drinks, and inhaled in cannabis and other plant mixtures for thousands of years. They’re the building blocks of essential oils and most of the flavors that humans enjoy. However, the wave of flavoring bans across the country is beginning to threaten their use when it comes to vape products. The reason added flavoring is important for many cannabis and hemp vapor products is that, although you can extract terpenes and other flavor compounds from the cannabis plant, only top-quality cannabis produces the flavor and aroma levels that are necessary for products that meet consumer demands. In the CBD and cannabis vaping markets, there’s significant demand for ‘natural’
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tasting products — those that taste like the plant they’re derived from. However, most often, the material used to make a cannabis vape is coming from trim, which lacks terpene content. This problem is even more exaggerated in the hemp and CBD markets. Hemp is often produced in fields ranging from three to 30,000 acres, when compared with recreational cannabis, which is only an acre or less typically. This scale creates difficulties with harvesting and curing to retain flavor and terpenes. Most hemp is actually harvested with a combine and mulched whole plant, stem and all, into what is known as biomass for cannabinoid-only processing. This means that not only are you getting the terpenepoor parts of the plant, but that you have to create an isolate to achieve the cannabinoid levels you want in your product. Isolated CBD requires terpenes or other agents to allow it to be used in a vapor product. So many companies add terpenes to their vapes in order to add a desirable flavor. But What Kind of Terpenes? The terpenes found in cannabis are identical to the terpenes found in other plants. That is to say, linalool from lavender is the same compound as linalool from cannabis. So, while some companies add cannabis- and hemp-derived terpenes to flavor their vapes, others add terpenes derived from more easily grown, cheaper botanical plants. Some add synthetic terpenes created in a lab to flavor their vapes, but that’s a story for another day.
PHOTO TODD HEATH
A ban on flavors, including those created from terpenes, could push consumers to the illicit market, where they would then be purchasing products that weren’t tested for pesticides, heavy metals, potency, or additives, let alone verifying the age of the buyer. Report after report is identifying unregulated market products as containing contaminants that are being identified as likely sources for the illness, while the legal products do not. With that in mind, it’s likely more effective for human health to allow flavors to remain in use. Steps definitely need to be taken to reduce the number of teens using vape products. Even for adults, we need to ensure that the products they use are as safe as they can be. But there’s no evidence that a ban will indeed achieve these goals.
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The Center for Disease Control conducts a test of vapes for dangerous chemicals.
A Better Regulatory Solution First, and most importantly, we have to study and diagnose exactly which compounds in vaping products are causing this crisis. Before banning anything, we need to know exactly what it is we should be banning. To begin, regulators should require testing standards for pesticides, solvents, heavy metals, and other harmful compounds. Further, in place of a ban on botanical terpenes and flavors, regulators should begin to impose third-party audited GMP (good manufacturing practices) and ISO certification requirements onto companies that are selling vape products. This would create enforceable standards on product manufacturing and ingredients, which would reduce the chances of harmful contaminants. A system of compulsory but confidential ingredient reporting to regulatory bodies, with required labeling of the name of the flavor used would give regulators the tools necessary to quickly identify a terpene blend or flavoring that is a danger and remove them from circulation. There are companies like Portland-based True Terpenes, (Disclosure: I serve as the Chief Science Officer for True Terpenes), which have adopted many of these steps toward safety without any government requirements.
Before banning anything, we need to know exactly what it is we should be banning. To begin, regulators should require testing standards for pesticides, solvents, heavy metals, and other harmful compounds. The company has achieved GMP and ISO certification, was audited and passed, is registered with the FDA as a food company, and currently tests all of their products to their True Grade standard. True Grade represents their method of testing to the cannabis and hemp inhalation product standards for the strictest markets in the U.S., such as California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington. The CDC and FDA continue to attempt to stop the vape illness outbreak and reduce teen vaping, as they should. We’re all hoping to understand and minimize this health crisis. We hope they can find scientifically-derived answers to save lives before they throw terpenes out with the bathwater.
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Blue Dog Hemp prepares for a new season of farming in Colorado.
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Terpenes 101
GROWING HIGH-TE RPE NE HE MP IN COLOR ADO’S UNCOMPAHGRE VALLE Y
Blue Dog Hemp is busy breeding hemp for its terpene content, while trying to connect with the community in their new home. B y R o b i n A . W. Ke l l ey
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Blue Dog Hemp grew about 1,400 acres of hemp in 2019.
In the high grasslands of the Uncompahgre Valley in western Colorado, traditional farms growing corn, soybeans, and alfalfa have begun to make way for a new neighbor: hemp. In 2019, more than 250 hemp farms were licensed to grow thousands of acres of hemp in the small valley, which clocks in at just over 300,000 acres of farmland total. One company has quickly established itself in the valley, farming over a thousand acres of high-terpene hemp. The company, Blue Dog Hemp, came to the Uncompahgre Valley when its four founding partners moved to the area’s main city, Montrose, in 2017. Chief financial officer Jona Williams says Blue Dog Hemp’s expansion happened quicker than they expected. “We really liked what Montrose had to offer with both the soil and the growing conditions and the town itself,” Williams says. “We ended up finding a piece of property that was about 35 acres, and our intent was to farm that in year one and kind of go from there.” However, Williams says that they had enough success with their first harvest that they felt comfortable drastically increasing the number of acres they farmed with hemp. “We ended up expanding quite a bit and ended up farming 172 acres in our first year,” he says. “Then this year [2019], we have expanded to about 1,400 acres.”
Becoming a part of the community was important to Blue Dog Hemp, especially because it expanded so fast. “We want to be a productive and involved member of this community that we feel we are impacting greatly with the size and scope of our farming operation,” says Blain Klett, the company’s chief executive officer. “We feel it’s our responsibility, I believe, to make sure that we’re bringing positive influences along with us.” That community outreach comes in the form of helping first-time hemp farmers get started via a cost and crop sharing model, educating new farmers on growing best practices for hemp, and partnering to build a small hempcrete house through a community workshop.
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“The different ratios of those terpenes involved with different cannabinoid profiles will give different ensemble or entourage effects, so it’s really hard to quantify what that effect is.” — Blain Klett
Aside from working on integrating into the local community, Blue Dog Hemp says it focuses on producing high-terpene hemp. Having been interested in terpenes for the past seven years, Klett knew the hemp they’d grow in Montrose would have more than CBD to offer. “We’re producing high-terpene hemp and our goal is to capture as many of those terpenes that we can,” says Klett. As consumers learn more about CBD, a market is growing for hemp products that contain higher terpene levels because of their ability to deliver “the entourage (or ensemble) effect.” While the concept
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of hemp’s compounds working holistically together is gaining traction with consumers, there are still a lot of unknowns about the benefits and genetics of the hemp plant and its terpenes. “The synergistic way that [terpenes] are working together is still extremely new and really not fully understood,” says Klett. “What we are also finding out is the different ratios of those terpenes involved with different cannabinoid profiles will give different ensemble or entourage effects, so it’s really hard to quantify what that effect is. If the ratios of those terpenes — even the same terpenes but a different ratio of them — are with a different ratio of cannabinoids, the effects are going to be completely different.” Klett declined to disclose specifics on Blue Dog’s current breeding processes. However, Klett offered that breeding and the research that surrounds it are still in their infancy, and there is much to learn about how terpenes and cannabinoids work together for the benefit of the consumer. Blue Dog says they’re committed to extensive testing to understand what terpene levels and which terpene combinations can be bred within the hemp plant to create the best end product. Klett says this means that a goal for the company is to “see Blue Dog have increased standards of traceability for when we go to market for consumer brands.”
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While CBD continues to dominate hemp products in the United States, Klett sees an opportunity for high-terpene hemp to break into other important areas. “We’re definitely interested in exploring ways to reduce our dependence on petrochemicals,” Klett says, citing new research that shows terpenes could be used to create plant-based plastics. “Terpenes have a large implication for mitigating our dependence on petrochemicals when used in different polymers and plastics,” he says. As Blue Dog Hemp expands not only in the Montrose region of Colorado but also in other areas of the country, it plans to continue to consult with the local communities. “We want to consult as much as we can to get people up and going so what’s truly being grown in the U.S. is the best hemp out there,” Williams says. “We don’t want to compete with all the other countries. We’d rather be known as really strong hemp growers here in the U.S.”
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Terpenes 101
HOW TO PAIR HE MP TE RPE NES & FOOD
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Ever sit down to a nice meal and realize it needs a little something extra? R e c i p e a n d P h o t o s by L i z S c h o c h
Just as the right wine can complement a gourmet dish, a thoughtfully paired duo of great food and quality cannabis can elevate your dining experience to new heights. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to get high. While there are plenty of guides for making cannabisinfused meals that will set you off on a psychoactive adventure, we’re focused on adding high-CBD hemp (cannabis sativa with less than 0.3% THC) to the ingredients in the meal. More precisely, this style of complimentary dining involves pairing the aromatic compounds — known as terpenes — found in each strain with ingredients in a way that enhances flavor. So how do we know which strain to make or break bread with? It’s not as difficult as you might think. You can choose to pair terpenes to food using a “like-withlike” strategy, such as matching a lemony hemp strain with
Common Terpenes in Hemp Pinene:
The terpene pinene smells like it sounds: It has a fresh pine aroma that is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. It pairs well with savory dishes, as well as with many herbs. Serve with: Rosemary, sage, parsley, dill.
Limonene:
This citrusy terpene is possibly one of the most versatile compounds, pairing easily with sweet or savory dishes. It’s naturally occurring in citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and grapefruit, which makes it perfect for pre-dinner cocktails as well. Serve with: Lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, clove.
Myrcene:
Generally earthy and sweet, myrcene begs to be paired with a hearty main course. Once known for its sedative properties, this terp is perfect for a restful and relaxing evening. Serve with: Thyme, bay leaves, basil, lemongrass, hops.
lemony food. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, opposite flavors can be complementary. It’s important to note that if you’re hoping to add flavor to a dish with a CBD oil, it’s crucial to avoid CBD oils made from isolate and instead use a full-spectrum oil, certified by third-party lab test results, because full-spectrum oil will still contain the plant’s terpenes. You can look at a product’s test results or simply do a quick smell and taste test to figure out what terpenes and flavors are dominant. If you don’t want to drizzle hemp CBD oil over your finished dish, you can also smoke hemp flower before or after you eat. Once you understand the subtleties of your strain, you can play with combinations and aromas for a highly unique culinary adventure.
To Pair with Pinene:
Herby Chickpea Tomato Salad Ingredients2 sprigs fresh rosemary ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 ½ cups canned chickpeas, drained 10-12 grape tomatoes, sliced 2 oz feta, cubed 1 tbsp lemon juice Salt to season ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 cups mixed microgreens, to serve
Directions1. Rub the fresh rosemary between your fingers to release the
natural oils. Heat the olive oil and rosemary sprigs in a small pan over low heat for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, being careful not to let the mixture simmer. Strain and discard the stems and needles. 2. Drain the chickpeas and add to a large mixing bowl. Fold in
the sliced tomatoes and feta, then season with salt and a drizzle of lemon juice. 3. Toss with finely chopped parsley and microgreens and finish
with a generous drizzle of the prepared rosemary olive oil.
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To Pair with Limonene:
Lemon Crème BrulÊe Ingredients2 cups heavy cream 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 5 egg yolks 1 teaspoon lemon extract 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tsp lemon zest
Directions1. Heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and place 4 ramekins in a large baking dish. 2. Combine the cream and lemon zest in small saucepan and bring to simmer. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and lemon extract.
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3. Meanwhile, lightly beat the egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar. Slowly whisk the cream mixture into the beaten yolks, then strain through a fine mesh sieve. 4. Divide the custard between the 4 ramekins and add enough water to the pan to cover half the height of the ramekins. This technique is called a bain-marie, and it helps gently cook the custard.
5. Bake custards in the water bath just until set, about 40 minutes. The |center will still be jiggly. Remove from the water bath and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. 6. Sprinkle the cooled custard with the remaining sugar and caramelize with a culinary blowtorch. Let rest for 3–5 minutes or until the sugar has hardened.
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To Pair with Myrcene:
Simple Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Directions1. Salt a pot of water and bring to a boil.
Ingredients3 tbsp rosemary-infused olive oil or salted butter 4 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped 3 tbsp heavy cream 1 cup shaved parmesan cheese 1 cup gluten-free penne, or favorite pasta
Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter or olive oil in
a large skillet and add the sliced mushrooms and garlic. Once the mushrooms have softened and released their water, add the cooked pasta to the pan along with the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and fresh thyme.
3. Keep over low heat and stir
until the cream and parmesan have melted into the pasta. Finish with a touch more grated parmesan to serve.
Liz Schoch is a nutritionist who runs the Inspector Gorgeous blog, where she creates plant-based, low-sugar recipes at inspectorgorgeous.com.
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F i rs t Yea r o f L ega l H e m p T he
East Fork Cultivars in Southern Oregon.
What 2019 meant for hemp consumers, farmers, and entrepreneurs. n the chilly afternoon of December 20, 2018, O President Donald Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill into law — without a single mention of the plant whose fate he was changing with a slash of his pen. Buried within the 807 pages of the massive spending bill before him sat a little amendment to remove hemp from the Controlled Substances Act and build regulations for a commercial hemp industry. For the first time since World War II, hemp was fully legal across the United States. During those first weeks after the 2018 Farm Bill’s passage, people across the hemp industry celebrated. Decades of activism had paid off and now it was time to show the world this plant could deliver on its massive potential. But the full weight of the task ahead quickly became apparent. Regulating the hemp industry was going to be tough and not everyone was going to make it. Over the course of the plant’s first legal year in 2019, hemp saw plenty of victories, but each shaky step forward was often accompanied by a
stumble backward. CBD crawled its way onto every store shelf, but a lack of federal regulation meant CBD products were often mislabeled and untested. More farmers than ever tried their hand growing hemp, but without expertise or a developed supply chain, many struggled to make a profit. Those who launched hemp companies found themselves as early adopters in an exciting new industry, but faced intransigent banks and confusing regulations. After this first unstable year of legalization, it’s clear what a unique landscape the hemp industry occupied in 2019. It’s uncommon for new crops to splash onto the scene with such poise and yet so many problems; it’s rare for entirely new industries to emerge from such ancient technology as a living plant. We think it’s worth reflecting on the first year of legal hemp — in three articles that examine what the year meant to consumers, farmers, and entrepreneurs — to see what can be learned from this unique history. - Julia Clark-Riddell
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The First Year of Legal Hemp
FOR THE CONSUMER
Consumers couldn’t seem to get enough of CBD, but uncertainty plagued the rapid growth of hemp’s star cannabinoid. By Kit O’Connell
When activists and advocates pushed for hemp’s legalization on the federal level, they touted the plant’s many potential uses: as plastic, as textile, as biofuel, and yes, as medicine. But after one year of legal hemp in America, the hemp-consuming public seemed to forget the rest and focus solely on three little letters: CBD. Anyone who reads headlines can guess that sales of CBD supplements boomed in 2019. “Why Is CBD Everywhere” read one in the New York Times, “The CBD Craze” read another on CNN. An August poll from Gallup estimated that 14% of Americans had used CBDinfused products, with younger Americans being more likely to try it — though 8% of Americans over 65 said they had tried CBD too. Hemp Industry Daily estimated that hemp-derived CBD sales in 2019 surpassed $1 billion. The authors also estimated hemp-derived CBD sales could top $10 billion by 2024, if growth continues at the current rate. However you slice it, there were millions of people in the U.S. who at least dabbled with cannabidiol last year. And farmers responded by growing a huge amount of CBD to meet consumer demand. “The estimates I’ve heard is that the CBD crop [of 2019], if all of it was harvested and processed, that we would be able to provide
every American with 150 mg of CBD a day,” said Geoff Whaling, chairman of the National Hemp Association. In short, the CBD hype was real throughout 2019, at least on the surface. But underneath the boom in CBD pop-up shops and behind the shelves of up-charged products, there remained an undercurrent of uncertainty. Trickle-Down Consumer Confusion Amid Lack of FDA Oversight While the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp growing and created a better pathway towards fully legal CBD supplements, “a lot of people didn’t read the fine print in the legislation,” said Whaling. The fine print was that the Food & Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture would need to set the policy for CBD consumption and hemp farming, respectively. While the USDA released its hemp guidelines for farmers in the fall, CBD producers spent the whole year waiting for any substantial regulations to come down from the FDA. That left the hemp-derived CBD industry in a state of limbo. Using CBD as an additive or a supplement remained technically illegal, though the federal government seemed unlikely to enforce the law.
PHOTO FUSIONCBD.COM
“Educating the consumer then causes the consumer to ask the questions and demand the higher-quality products. It’s this shared responsibility that always boils down to education, education, education.” - J o y B e c k e r m a n
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The First Year of Legal Hemp
In the middle of this regulatory uncertainty, there were warning signs some of the earliest players in the space were beginning to struggle. In a November earnings report, CV Sciences, makers of the popular and well-known brand PlusCBD Oil, reported a 7% decrease in revenue from that time last year. They blamed increasing competition from other CBD brands, which likely makes it more difficult to stand out. Additionally, frequent warning letters from the FDA over health claims made by CBD brands built tension over the potential legal implications of selling CBD as a nutritional supplement and in edibles. CBD consumers were largely sheltered from these regulatory battles — there were always CBD tinctures just a click away on the internet. However, incidents such as the vaping health scare caused by unregulated flavored tobacco and cannabis vapes only reminded people further that their CBD products didn’t yet have federal oversight. Still, a report released in November from the Groceries Manufacturers Association found that 75% of Americans believed the FDA regulated the CBD market anyways. Educated Consumers Are Key to CBD’s Success With hemp-derived CBD products popping up in gyms, grocery stores and gas stations, 2019 was also a big year for knowledge about cannabinoid medicine to go mainstream.
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Well-researched guides hit bookstore shelves, medical organizations released reports about what cannabis studies show, and universities launched classes on the topic. Still, knowledge of and research into the endocannabinoid system is relatively new, says hemp advocate Joy Beckerman, the discovery of which she likened to figuring out the Earth is flat rather than round. Among other hats she wears, Beckerman is the president of the Hemp Industries Association and a regulatory officer and industry liaison for Elixinol, a CBD supplement brand. Beckerman says that the hemp-derived CBD industry is currently reflecting consumer demand for the cannabinoid, but that new consumer knowledge about CBD will drive changes in the industry. “Educating the consumer then causes the consumer to ask the questions and demand the higher-quality products,” Beckerman said. “It’s this shared responsibility that always boils down to education, education, education.” She also thinks we’ll see consumers start to crave more specialized products, focused on specific symptoms or emphasizing additional cannabinoids like CBG. Since research effects are still ongoing, she predicted the need for cannabinoids will grow even as hype-based products (like CBD deodorant) fade away.
PHOTO PERFECTPLANTHEMPCO.COM
Nashville, Tennesee’s Perfect Plant Hemp Co. was one of many hemp-specific stores that sold CBD products in 2019.
The First Year of Legal Hemp
Hundreds of companies, including Fusion CBD, sold CBD products in 2019 despite the fact the FDA had not yet released regulations.
PHOTO FUSIONCBD.COM
The FDA only looks at scientific facts and research, and won’t be swayed by the anecdotal testimonials or stories of children suffering with epilepsy that moved so many legislators towards action.
Through an educated consumer base, Beckerman foresees a space for both larger and smaller “boutique” CBD brands in the marketplace, as long as they maintain the highest standards of production from seed to shelf. “May the producers of products that are grown with the best possible practices, in the best possible soil, prevail,” she said.
The Future of CBD Consumption Although the experts we spoke with agreed, you don’t need to be a hemp industry insider to recognize that not all the CBD brands on the market can make it and the status quo can’t hold for long. Of course, the upcoming FDA guidelines will significantly change the sort of products that CBD consumers can access. The FDA only looks at scientific facts and research, and won’t be swayed by the anecdotal testimonials or stories of children suffering with epilepsy that moved so many legislators towards action. And that research comes with a massive price tag. “I think the numbers we were hearing from the FDA were that it could take between $16 and $20 million dollars to create a regulatory framework,” said Beckerman. She added that many stakeholders have urged the FDA to reconsider adapting the existing legal frameworks that already cover nutritional supplements, rather than insisting on developing an entirely new system for hemp extracts. Though she stressed she was largely speculating, Beckerman thinks the FDA will issue guidance around CBD dosage, CBD isolate could become more restricted, and it may take longer or be more difficult to get CBD in food approved.
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The First Year of Legal Hemp
FOR THE FARMER Hemp acreage in the U.S. continued its rapid expansion, as a large cohort of first-time hemp farmers looked to cash in on the crop.
With the 2018 Farm Bill’s passing last December, farmers — both those already in the hemp industry and those looking to get in — had ample time to digest legalization before planting season. While we don’t have the final harvest numbers in yet for 2019, from a permitting perspective, we can see that more farmers than ever decided to give hemp a try. What began as a niche cottage industry in 2014, when farmers weren’t able to plant enough acreage to fulfill public demand, is now something more mature. Hemp acreage steadily climbed over the past few years, and jumped up sharply with the news of federal legalization. According to Vote Hemp’s 2019 U.S. Hemp Grower License Report, the number of acres licensed to be planted with hemp in the U.S. rose to 511,442 in 2019, more than quadrupling the number of acres licensed in 2018. While Vote Hemp estimates that less than a quarter of those acres will eventually be planted and harvested, it’s clear that hemp cultivation is on the rise. So, what’s making farmers so excited to plant hemp? From Trade Wars to Hemp Hype Before hemp was federally legalized, reports popped up throughout 2018 that the Trump administration’s trade wars were pushing farmers to plant hemp. The thinking: In the face of punishing export markets, it made sense for American farmers to grow a popular product for domestic consumption. “Ag in general has definitely been a huge casualty of the trade war,” says Justin Flaten, who owns J.M. Grain, an exporter of pulse crops in Great Falls, Montana. “In the U.S. we produce more than we consume by a lot, so we rely
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heavily on exports. So when there’s a trade war, other countries are going to retaliate, and the first thing that comes to people’s minds is ag.” However, with the benefit of hindsight, we can see that the instances of established agriculturists switching to hemp because of export market fluctuation, while true in some instances, may be overstated. While the trade war may be affecting the bottom lines of farmers, and in some cases their planting choices, it’s overly simplistic to state that the trade wars are a primary driver in hemp’s ascendance. Because the trade war is coming at the end of an over decade-long period of commodity prices that were farmerfriendly, Flaten says that producers aren’t necessarily exchanging their tried and trues for something unproven and new. But when they are, Flaten says, those farmers are mostly doing so on a small trial run. “When you can’t make money with your bread and butter, you go out and try something else. Maybe just a couple of acres,” he says. “New crops like hemp, probably guys are willing to try it more. But the acreage is still pretty miniscule compared to other crops.” According to Eric Steenstra, president of Vote Hemp, most of the people who grew hemp in 2019 were first-time hemp farmers. “Last year, we had about 500 growing licenses nationally,” he says. “This year, we had over 17,000. A lot of people are growing for the first time this year. There are farmers joining us, obviously, but there are a ton of people getting into this that aren’t even farmers, and there’s a huge learning curve to grow hemp.”
PHOTO SCHOPPEE FARMS
B y J o e l H a t h a w ay
Russell Hanscom (left) and John Edwards hand-harvest the bottoms of their hemp plants, after the tops had been carefully selected first, at Maine’s Schoppee Farms.
The First Year of Legal Hemp
Breaks in the CBD Supply Chain One advantage for farmers in the U.S. hemp industry is that the crops they’re growing are for an exploding domestic market, rather than a finicky export market. That’s because almost all of the hemp grown in the
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U.S. is destined to be turned into CBD products. In the last two years, in particular, we’ve seen an explosion in the amount of hemp acres planted for CBD within the U.S., which has led to uneven supply system growth and struggles for farmers trying to bring their hemp to market. For example, in 2018, HEMP detailed how Montana farmers planted roughly as much hemp as the entire nation did the previous year. At the time, it was clear there were major concerns over how that hemp would eventually be processed — and those worries were founded. The company that had contracted much of the hemp acreage in Montana (previously called Vitality Health, now Eureka 93, the parent company of USA Biofuels) is being sued by Montana farmers, who are alleging fraud because of nonpayment.
PHOTO ANDREW MARTIN
Steenstra says that there’s one major reason why so many farmers gave hemp a try during the first year of legal hemp: They thought they could make a quick buck. “I don’t know if I want to use the word, but it’s money, basically,” Steenstra says. “[A few years ago], there were these really crazy stories about people making an insane amount of money on a half-acre of hemp. And people dove in head first. They didn’t really do their homework, not all of them, but the money is driving it. People are diving in but they don’t know how complicated it is. It’s not so-called easy money.”
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Farmers are facing bottlenecks at processing plants, so some, like Colorado’s Paragon Processing, are expanding to meet the need.
PHOTO PARAGON PROCESSING
“There’s just so much oxygen getting sucked out into this whole CBD thing, and obviously there’s a lot going on there, but I really want to see the fiber and the grain get a little more attention.” - E r i c S t e e n s t r a While instances like these present uncertainty and major challenges for farmers and give the industry a black eye, they also present an opportunity for others to step in and provide a necessary cog in the supply chain. This fall in Colorado City, Colorado, Paragon Processing opened what they describe as the country’s largest industrial scale hemp processing facility, with over 170,000 square feet of storage space, and an additional 70,000 square feet dedicated to extraction and processing, according to Matt Evans, co-president at Paragon. Evans says that the need on the part of farmers for processing is essential, if sometimes unnoticed. “From the farms we’re seeing, we’re seeing a substantial amount that are getting ready to harvest, and they don’t have the product sold, and they don’t have a plan for it after harvest.” Because of this, Paragon allows framers to store their harvested hemp at their secure storage facility while they figure out how they’ll get it processed. Before being
accepted for storage, the hemp is first tested to ascertain its CBD percentage and assure it’s free of pesticides, molds, funguses, or heavy metals via third-party testing. Paragon is also working on building a standardized approach to extraction, because as Evans says, most CBD products are moving towards using a CBD distillate formula that requires consistent cannabinoid levels. For an industry sometimes plagued by claims of snake oil salesmen and a lack of consistency, smoothing out kinks in the supply chain and providing secure places to process hemp crops hold the possibility to present a major step forward, not only for farmers, but for consumers looking for products that they can trust. Moving Beyond Farming Hemp for CBD Market demand will always dictate what farmers plant. And because of this, we’re seeing the supply chains for farmers growing for CBD start to stabilize. But we
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Most of the hemp grown in 2019 was for CBD extraction. However, advocates predict hemp grown for fiber will be more important in the future for its many uses, including as hempcrete building material.
know that hemp can offer much more than its starlet of a cannabinoid, both from functional and environmental standpoints. Unfortunately, both the market and supply chain for domestic industrial hemp appear to be lagging far behind. According to industry reports, 87% of hemp planted in 2019 was grown for CBD, not fiber or seed. “There’s just so much oxygen getting sucked out into this whole CBD thing, and obviously there’s a lot going on there, but I really want to see the fiber and the grain get a little more attention,” says Steenstra. “The construction piece is going to be way, way bigger long term,” he predicts. “It has the most potential to impact sustainability. Most of the hemp that’s being grown for CBD is anything but sustainable. It’s kind of sad to see.” Hemp growers will be waiting for demand for fiber to rise before acreage for industrial purposes sees a dramatic uptick. Until that happens, we’re likely to see a massive expansion of acreage again in 2020, with farmers planting a product with a more proven supply chain and a ready and willing consumer market.
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Investment flooded into the hemp industry, but many of the financial resources available to other industries lagged behind.
After the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, opportunities to profit from hemp seemed to exist behind every nook and cranny. But the expected rewards were tempered with challenges, including a hesitation from traditional financial institutions to lend to the emerging industry and a lack of crop insurance for farmers whose crops were destroyed. Prior to the Farm Bill’s passage, the conflation of hemp and marijuana under federal law meant that traditional sources of credit, leery of running afoul of anti-money laundering statutes, weren’t lending to the industry. That’s beginning to change, but for the most part, many hemp farmers and CBD entrepreneurs had to look elsewhere for capital to grow their businesses in 2019. Sourcing Capital via Alternate Means Where traditional funding sources such as large banks and government lending organizations came up short, private investors and innovative firms stepped in to fill the void. Austin Maness, the chief operating officer of agricultural investment firm Harvest Returns, says that there were numerous private investors willing to finance farmers in the new industry. “Many of them are very comfortable and ready to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to hemp,” says Maness.
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For example, Harvest Returns identifies hemp farmers looking for financial support and vets the operation — including background checks, antimoney laundering investigations, and support with compliance training — before presenting the opportunity to its network of investors via its online platform. Minimum investments are in the range of $10,000 to $20,000, according to Maness. “We have quite a list of hemp farmers that are looking to raise capital. What we try to do is make sure they’ve got a good business plan, make sure we do our due diligence on that company,” Maness explains. “And then we’re going to get that deal ready for prime time, as we say, and put it on the website.” Maness says that his firm has additional hemp investment opportunities in the pipeline as an increasing number of farmers look for funding from sources other than traditional banks. “There’s still some road to travel on the finance side,” notes Maness. “There are still some financial institutions that are not quite on board.” There’s no exact data on exactly how much outside investment poured into the hemp industry in 2019, but with reports estimating that the hemp industry could be worth an astounding $22 billion by 2022, speculation surged throughout 2019 and anecdotal reports showed millions in funding pouring into the industry.
PHOTO COURTESY EAST FORK CULTIVARS
By A . J. Herrington
Co-Founder and COO Aaron Howard, CEO Mason Walker, and President Nathan Howard of East Fork Cultivars walk across one of their hemp fields in Takilma, Oregon.
PHOTO TODD HEATH AND EAST FORK CULTIVARS
The First Year of Legal Hemp
Insuring Against Nature’s Wrath The first year since federal hemp legalization also saw progress on crop insurance, a matter of vital import to farmers and entrepreneurs looking to safeguard their crop. Jonathan Miller, the general counsel for the trade group U.S. Hemp Roundtable, says that crop insurance is needed to protect farmers from the perils inherent in the field. In the fall of 2019, for example, hemp farmers in Colorado reported major crop loss estimated at $25 million in damages due to hail; in Montana, farmers reported huge losses due to four feet of snowfall at harvest time. “It’s critical. We’re talking about a relatively brandnew crop for most farmers,” says Miller. “There are so many contingencies when it comes to farming, particularly with hemp farming: the weather, the climate, acts of God. And before the 2018 Farm Bill, there was no opportunity for hemp farmers to secure crop insurance, so hemp farming is a very risky endeavor. But crop insurance, once it’s fully engaged, will provide great risk protection for U.S. hemp farmers.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture took a step in the right direction when it announced in August that
insurance for some hemp farmers would be available from its Risk Management Agency (RMA) under the Whole-Farm Revenue Program (WFRP) in 2020. The plan will be open to producers in areas with a hemp agriculture plan approved by the USDA and to those participating in state or university research pilot programs. “Numerous producers are anxious for a way to protect their hemp crops from natural disasters,” says RMA Administrator Martin Barbre. “The WFRP policy will provide a safety net for them. We expect to be able to offer additional hemp coverage options as USDA continues implementing the 2018 Farm Bill.” Unfortunately, Miller says, such policies are generally difficult to qualify for and are usually out of reach for many small and medium-sized operations. “It’s not something that is going to protect most hemp farmers,” he notes. To make coverage more accessible, the U.S. Hemp Farming Alliance, an offshoot of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, has partnered with the insurance services firm Agrilogic to create a yield-based crop insurance program. Agrilogic spent much of the 2019 growing season gathering relevant data from farmers to develop a plan and, pending USDA approval, a pilot program will launch in 13 states in 2020.
“Before the 2018 Farm Bill, there was no opportunity for hemp farmers to secure crop insurance, so hemp farming is a very risky endeavor.” - Jonathan Miller
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The First Year of Legal Hemp
“Depending on its success, it will determine the next steps,” Miller says. “To have crop insurance, you have to know a lot of factors including the average yields and pricing. In a new industry it’s hard to collect that data. So hopefully, the pilot program will be helpful in that regard.” Next Up: Banking As successful businesses and investors continue to prove the viability of America’s rekindled hemp industry, banks and other traditional financial institutions are taking notice and beginning to test the waters. In September 2019, Customers Bank, a regional commercial and retail bank with operations centered in the Northeast, announced that it would begin serving businesses in the hemp industry.
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“The hemp and hemp-derived CBD industry is in the early stages of development and having access to the same business banking products available to other market segments is critical to the long-term growth of this sector,” Richard Ehst, the president and chief operating officer of Customers Bank, said in a press release. “Hemp-related businesses will become an economic driver across the country, especially as the demand for additional ancillary services increases.” As access to investment capital, crop insurance, and financial services for hemp growers expand, more farmers will begin planting, and existing cultivators will add acreage to their operations. To hit $20 billion in CBD sales by 2024, that expansion is going to require resources available to other, more established industries.
PHOTO TIM EVANS / UNSPLASH
After months of pressure from hemp lobbying groups, the federal government is moving to make banking and investing in the hemp industry easier.
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AS K T H E H E M P H E R O HEMP’s advice columnist shares her tips on how to avoid a bad experience with CBD. By Kate Robertson
Hey Hemp Hero! How do I find a CBD brand I can trust to help me avoid having an uncomfortable kind of “overdose” reaction? I’ve tried a bunch, and some have been more effective than others. Worse still, I tried one tincture labeled “pure hemp-derived CBD with 0% THC,” and well, owie! I took one full dropper, as usual, and realized an hour later while driving that something wasn’t right. Like, really not right. Turns out, it wasn’t 0% THC, and I’d just ingested an entire milliliter of concentrated THC. Since this resulted in basically 12 hours of crippling anxiety, a canceled date, and missed work time, I’m now super scared to try new brands. Is there any way to tell that a certain company’s CBD products are both effective, and well, not going to melt my freaking brain? Please help, PHOTO DAN ARMSTRONG
Anonymous
Dear Anonymous, First off, thank you for sharing. Sometimes we who advocate for the cannabis sativa family downplay the negative potential of hemp and cannabis consumption — such as the risk of dependence or spotty access to safe CBD — for fear of slowing down legalization with regulation or hurting a burgeoning industry. But we have to be frank about the potential risks if we’re going to help each other navigate this rocky terrain as safely as possible. So know that you’re not alone: There are all kinds of people out there who have had a bad experience. Unfortunately, we’ve grown accustomed to stories like this from people ingesting large doses of high-THC cannabis products. It’s less common with CBD, but it does occasionally happen. Of course, in America’s current unregulated CBD marketplace, there’s a good chance that information on a CBD label could be inaccurate or untested. That 0% THC promise could indeed be an empty one, as you found out. Unknowingly consuming a large amount of THC is super unpleasant and the experience frequently involves concerns about impending death. (By the way, if anyone is reading this is having a bad weed experience: You’re not dead! I promise. You’re not dead or dying, you’re just way too high….)
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First, try to buy only regulated CBD products. In the absence of federal regulation, the hemp industry has set up some of their own regulatory programs, such as the U.S. Hemp Authority, which puts a big orange ‘H’ on package labels for products that have passed strict standards and a third-party audit. And while CBD is legal in the United States so long as the product contains less than 0.3% THC, and therefore you should have access to a regulated supply of it somehow, your local state laws will impact how easily you can even find the stuff. But we do have to acknowledge one thing about regulated CBD: This stuff is expensive! Just remember that a low dose is about 40 mg, and think through how long a bottle of $300 oil will last you — this stuff ain’t cheap. I live in Canada, and let me tell you, it’s slow-going up here to try and get CBD products covered by health insurance, even though cannabis is technically legal. But why should you pay $300 for 100 ml of regulated medicine, exactly, if you’re insured? That doesn’t seem right, does it? Meanwhile, in the U.S., health insurance won’t cover CBD products, unless we’re talking about the single FDA-approved CBD medicine Epidiolex, which is still extremely expensive. And so as you discovered — no shame! This is a shamefree zone — sometimes unregulated CBD products look far more appealing to consumers because of their lower price point. I don’t subscribe to the idea that all of these products are risky, and thus we should completely avoid them. It’s just not realistic, what with how the laws are currently set up. It’s unaffordable and people are going to try unregulated products. However, if you are going to try an unregulated CBD product, you need to develop some street smarts, which is what we now call basic harm reduction principles. First, there’s an age-old harm reduction rule: Test it before you ingest it. Again, no shame, but I was shocked to read that you consumed an entire dropper of unregulated oil that you hadn’t tried yet. Even if a tincture or oil looks very legit, with a nice 0% THC right there on the label, take a small amount and wait a few hours before taking an entire dropper full.
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Second, it also helps if you check for third-party testing certificates on the brand’s website, and make sure the batch number that was tested coincides with the product you have. Third, look for products that you can access consistently so you aren’t switching up brands frequently. Think through pricing and quantity, and how long a product will last you to gauge its value. Percentages and ratios aren’t super helpful — look for the actual volume of cannabinoids on these packages. Ultimately, with FDA regulations lacking in America, a healthy dose of skepticism towards the billion-dollar
wellness industry will serve you well. Brands aren’t your friend, unfortunately, and governments need to establish some rules to keep populations safe. While there are great companies out there doing everything right — organically and sustainably growing their hemp and utilizing third party testing for each batch — with the amount of money flooding into CBD, there are also people, willfully or through negligence, that are selling inferior or dangerous products and simply looking to make money any way they can. I think the need for regulation is becoming more clear following the horrendous unregulated vape-related deaths occurring across the country, and I’m curious to see how cannabis and hemp policy are impacted. “With the latest string of vaping-related illnesses, it has become increasingly urgent that we begin regulating all cannabis products, including CBD, to ensure consumers know what they are getting and that there are set standards in place to protect public safety,” says Matt Sutton, director of media relations at Drug Policy Alliance. Until then, stay safe out there and keep a critical head on your shoulders.
Stay green,
Hemp Hero
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7 ODD N E W WAYS CO M PA N I E S WANT YOU TO CONS U ME C B D The hemp industry has now strayed far beyond the standard CBD tincture. By Paul James
Just a few years ago, farmers in the United States were only growing a little more than 9,000 acres of hemp a year. But by 2019, that number had skyrocketed to over 500,000 acres — and much of that growth has been powered by demand for one cannabinoid: cannabidiol (CBD). More and more people are turning down the outdated concept that cannabis is evil and are beginning to see just how much the plant can help. And given that hemp is legal nationwide and defined as the cannabis sativa plant with less than 0.3% THC, people are often able to access cannabis medicine most readily through CBD products derived from hemp. While the CBD market is currently dominated by tinctures and gummies, some companies are trying to expand the types of ways people can use CBD. And some of these ideas are quite unique (think the CBD hamburger from Carl’s Jr.). If their purpose is to stand out and start a conversation, it’s working. But First, a Disclaimer The trend of unique CBD products didn’t come out of blue. It was a direct response to the ever-growing demand for variety in CBD consumption. As more people begin to take CBD for its therapeutic abilities, even more people are going to want to try CBD products and want to use it in new ways. And for that reason, we advocate both businesses and consumers consider the best, safest methods to consume
CBD before marketing or purchasing a product, respectively. There are a seemingly infinite number of ways that pure CBD isolate — CBD in its raw, molecular form — can be purchased and added to different consumption methods. However, just because CBD can be added to something, doesn’t mean it always should. Though the stigma around the cannabis plant is eroding, it still lingers on and prevents CBD from reaching its full potential. Improperly labeled or misleading CBD products that leave consumers feeling discouraged only hurt the industry at large. While many of the products on this list may be CBDinfused and lab-tested, we can’t confirm that they all are. CBD products remain unregulated by the FDA, and often it’s these particularly unusual CBD products that run the most risk of being ineffective. For example, a recent study from Leafly found three out of four CBD water products contained absolutely zero CBD. As always, we recommend using your best judgment when buying CBD: look for CBD products through licensed vendors, look for third-party lab testing results, and look for products from experienced companies. For more on how to buy safe and effective CBD products, read our full guide here. Creativity and innovation are what drives any market. Since CBD is still in its early stages, we can only assume more unique products will hit the store shelves as time carries on.
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Here’s a list of the 7 most unusual new ways CBD has been incorporated into products floating around the market. 1) CBD Inhalers
4) CBD Shampoo & Conditioner
When it comes to developing unique CBD products, it’s vital for a business to understand the importance of relatability. Think of CBD gummies, which have grown so popular primarily due to the fact that consumers are used to seeing and eating vitamin gummies. One company, CBD Luxe, takes the idea of creating a relatable product in a different direction with its CBD Oil Inhaler. Inhaling CBD is fast and efficacious, but vaping isn’t for everyone — and particularly in the middle of a vaping health scare, consumers are wary of vaporizers. So, they’ve developed an inhaler that mimics those used by people who struggle with asthma. The goal is to develop something relatable that still provides inhalation’s fast-acting relief.
For years, companies have added hempseed oil (a food product which does not contain cannabinoids) to beauty products, both for its nourishing qualities and for the novelty of being able to sell products with hemp in it. But in a new development, some companies have started adding CBD to beauty products like shampoo and conditioner. For example, EMERA has developed a hair shampoo and conditioner that hopes to use the properties of CBD to alleviate dry hair. To take things further, the company also believes the natural properties of the hemp plant can provide you with healthier and smoother hair.
2) CBD Clothing A company named Acabada ProActiveWear took everything one step further when it designed activewear that claims to release CBD as you wear it. Though it’s a very interesting concept, we’re not entirely sure this would work out as well as your standard CBD topical — especially, considering these pieces of clothing contain only 25mg of CBD while most topicals will have well past 100mg. This wouldn’t be such a big issue if it weren’t for the price. A pair of leggings on Acabada’s website can run you $180 and a jumpsuit a cool $275. Considering the CBD only lasts about 40 washes (according to the website), that’s a hefty price to pay for some pain relief. Still, criticism aside, we’ve gotta give it to Acabada for designing one of the most eye-catching CBD products we’ve come across. It certainly got the company press attention, from the likes of Allure, Slate, and New York Magazine’s style section, The Cut.
3) CBD Suppositories CBD appears to be an anti-inflammatory that can also naturally relax muscles. For this reason, a number of products have surfaced that explicitly advertise these properties. Foria Wellness’s Basic Menstrual Suppository is one of them, and may just be the best known CBD product out there of its kind, as it’s gained press coverage in the Guardian — though the publication referred to them as “weed tampons.” With 100mg of broad-spectrum CBD that can be used vaginally or rectally, Foria Wellness (which is one of HEMP’s brand partners, but did not sponsor this piece) hopes to sooth and melt the tension women experience during their menstrual cycle.
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5) CBD Relief Patches One of the big advertising points for CBD topicals is its ability to target specific pain relief, particularly muscle and joint pains. Most CBD companies don’t stray away from the standard salves and lotions, but a handful have followed along the model of standard pain relief products and released transdermal patches. To name a few, Go Green Hemp’s broad spectrum patches, Pure Ratio’s 96-hour pain patch, and Palmetto Harmony’s organic transdermal patch all claim to help withstand inflammation and fight against aches and strains. All you have to do is slap the patch on like a sticker and continue on with your day.
6) CBD Toothpaste It’s a smart idea to add CBD to a product every person (at least every hygenic person) uses multiple times a day. One such idea: CBD toothpaste. CBD Technology Center has a CBD Toothpaste. So does ORL Labs. And so does the New York Hemp Company. It might seem crazy, but preliminary research in rats does show that CBD can actually help fight against gum disease, tooth decay, and bad breath, so this idea might have staying power.
7) CBD Toothpicks When we first saw CBD-infused toothpick packs, from companies like Ignite and PureKana, we couldn’t help but ask why? Admittedly, it seems a bit unnecessary, though it does seem inspired by products like tea tree oil-infused toothpicks, which claim to have antiseptic benefits. If you want to use CBD discreetly, toothpicks may be an ideal option — especially, if your friends and family are used to seeing you with a toothpick hanging out of your mouth. We just never thought we’d be chewing on a stick to get our dose of cannabidiol.
The original Birthday joint. Say goodbye to your average birthday candles. Birthjays empty 5 packs are available online and in stores nationwide. @ BIRTHJAYS WWW.BIRTHJAYS.COM
IN PHOTOS:
AME RICA’S BIGGEST HE MP HARVEST SINCE WORLD WAR II Snapshots from our friends around the country illustrate what hemp farms looked like across the United States this fall, as cultivators harvested the largest hemp crop America has seen since the 1940s.
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EAST FORK CULTIVARS | TAKILMA, OREGON Harvesting thousands of pounds of hemp and adult-use cannabis by bike during the months of September and October has become an annual tradition on the East Fork Ranch.
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In 2019, hemp farming continued to expand at an incredibly rapid pace across the United States, as federal hemp legalization encouraged farmers to get ambitious. While we're still awaiting the final post-harvest numbers, we know that the number of acres licensed to be sown with hemp more than quadrupled from 2018 to 2019. The following are photos of the farms, people, and plants from this year's record harvest. While we celebrate this growth, we've already got an eye on 2020's planting season, in what we expect to be another record-breaking year.
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EAST FORK CULTIVARS | TAKILMA, OREGON
LEFT: Jane Madrigal harvests an East Fork original cultivar, Llama Kush, branch by branch. The fresh flower is biked to East Fork’s intake zone where the water leaf is removed prior to being hung for a slow dry. TOP: Cat Moresco removes the water leaves from large branches of flower to prepare them for drying. MIDDLE LEFT: Sour Pineapple in bloom. An East Fork original cultivar, Sour Pineapple is grown both in Oregon’s adult-use cannabis market in addition to growing it as ‘hemp’ under direction of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Hemp farmers across the country can grow Sour Pineapple via East Fork’s tissue culture partnership with Vibrant Hemp Cultures. The aroma of this delicious cultivar has sweet and tangy notes. CBD: 17.1% / THC: 0.35% Parentage: Pineapple Tsu x Sour Tsunami BOTTOM RIGHT: Blue Orchid, another East Fork original cultivar, in bloom. This variety won best Type III (CBD dominant cannabis variety) in 2019 at the Cultivation Classic, a science-forward hemp and cannabis competition.
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STONEY BRANCH FARM | MACOMB, ILLINOIS
ABOVE: The team at Stoney Branch Farms hangs part of 2019’s harvest to dry in Illinois. BELOW: Run by a fifth-generation farming family, Stoney Branch Farms utilizes familiar equipment in their new agricultural venture: CBD-rich hemp flower.
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LEFT: Andre Gamard harvests whole plants for tinctures at Schoppee Farms. RIGHT: Matt Roberts selects the tops of hemp plants for smokable flower. BOTTOM RIGHT: Whole hemp plants dry in October 2019.
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SCHOPPEE FARMS | MACHIAS, MAINE
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ABOVE LEFT: Backporch Farms hand harvests the tops of their CBG-rich flowers for curing. ABOVE RIGHT: Hemp plants finish in Oregon’s autumn sun. BOTTOM LEFT: The Backporch Farms team celebrates the completion of the 2019 harvest. RIGHT: Farming is not a 9-5 job! The crew works late into the night to finish the 2019 harvest.
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BACKPORCH FARMS | BEND, OREGON
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ONEIL FARMS | TERRABONE, OREGON The Prineville Railroad train comes directly through Oneil Farms twice a day in beautiful central Oregon during the summertime.
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west coast growers | GRANTS PASS, OREGON A flower from the strain Sour Space Candy, raised by West Coast Growers on their 150-acre farm near Grants Pass, Oregon
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EAST FORK CULTIVARS | TAKILMA, OREGON Onion Hartman removes the water leaves from large branches of flower to prepare them to be hung in East Fork’s drying facility. East Fork Cultivars has 24 year-round staff members, whose wages and benefits are structured around the concepts of the book “Reinventing Organizations.”
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B U N D L E
FIVE BOOKS FOR TAC K L I N G C L I M AT E C H A N G E Hemp is just a piece of the puzzle when it comes to helping the environment. B y J u l i a C l a r k- R i d d e l l
Reading books about the climate crisis might
seem a little meaningless at first — “We have to ban plastics! Plant trees! Divest from fossil fuels!” an anxious voice croaks in your head — but it’s an important part of understanding climate change and what needs to be done to stop it. The science is clear: We have to fundamentally reshape our society in the immediate future or Earth will become
unlivable for humans. But why? And what should this reshaping look like? And what will it feel like to experience so much change? These five books approach the topic of climate change from five different perspectives, providing multiple windows through which to see problems and imagine solutions. Because, let’s be real, we’re going to need more solutions than legal hemp to save the world.
“This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate” by Naomi Klein
Perhaps the most well-known climate journalist working today, Naomi Klein has written a whole catalogue of books filled with smart analysis on everything from consumer culture to the Green New Deal to disaster capitalism. Out of all Klein’s books, “This Changes Everything” is a great place to start because it delves into the underlying problem of the climate crisis: capitalism. By looking at the problem at its root, Klein unveils the economy behind the crisis, opening up new ways of understanding why American society has avoided making a change for so long and why it won’t be easy now. But perhaps most helpfully, this book also includes inspiring reporting about how the climate crisis can be a gift that allows us to rebuild our world in a way that heals the pain of the past.
“The Soil Will Save Us” by Kristin Ohlson As most farmers know, soil health is crucial for the health of the planet and the people eating food grown from it. In “The Soil Will Save Us,” author Kristin Ohlson tracks how scientists, farmers, and the food industry have begun reshaping the way that we take care of our soil. This book lays out a path for how we can retain carbon in healthy soil, and the role soil plays in the issues of drought, pollution, and erosion. It’s not an overarching book on the climate or on farming, but it does provide some practical solutions to environmental degradation that everyone from farmers to foodies should examine.
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“Merchants of Doubt” by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway Hemp enthusiasts certainly can understand this book’s core idea: Sometimes politicians and scientists get together to craft bad policy and mislead the public in the name of profits. “Merchants of Doubt” doesn’t talk about hemp prohibition, though it does get close in its reporting on false studies about tobacco safety. Instead, it discusses how a small group of politically connected scientists waged a campaign to deny established research on climate change for over 40 years in an effort to support corporate interests. If you’re struggling with the fact that there’s so much public confusion and doubt about our changing climate, this incredible book of investigative journalism will help you understand why.
“Merchants of Doubt” discusses how a small group of politically connected scientists waged a campaign to deny established research on climate change for over 40 years in an effort to support corporate interests.
“The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable” by Amitav Ghosh
One of the most challenging aspects regarding climate change is coming to terms with just how hard it is to grapple with mentally. The mind just doesn’t know how to sit with the uncertainty, nor is it able to comprehend the true scale of the fight before us. But this book of crackling nonfiction essays from novelist Amitav Ghosh dives into this mental struggle. In three sections — stories, history, and politics — Ghosh writes about how our society lacks sufficient language to talk about the climate crisis and why our solutions so often favor individual morals over collective action. It’s a smart search into the feeling of environmental despair and the words we must find to talk about it. And of course, the words Ghosh finds in this book are beautiful to behold.
“The Parable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler This book is quite different from the rest of the books on this list; it’s a fiction book and it’s written for young adults. But “The Parable of the Sower” remains a cult classic among adults for a reason: It has a profound impact on the way its readers think about themselves, their capabilities, and their future. “The Parable of the Sower” is set in the years 2024 to 2027, when extreme income inequality and global warming have combined to throw society into extreme precariousness. It follows the story of Lauren Olamina, a young black woman figuring out how to survive and thrive in the harsh world before her. Lauren’s vision and strength throughout the book are inspiring, and in some ways, the lessons of this book stick around long after the facts from the news fade away.
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The New Standard in HEMP PROPAGATION
Products
6 Hemp Products from Veteran-Owned Companies Be an informed consumer and vote with your dollars! Photos By Todd Heath
Today, America has 18.2 million veterans, according to the most recent U.S. Census data. The problems that they face in returning to civilian life are well documented: Increased rates of substance abuse, PTSD, homeless, and other issues continue to go largely unaddressed. In the face of these challenges, many veterans remain steadfast advocates for themselves and their peers. For decades, veterans have been involved in the hemp legalization movement, pushing for a plant with the potential to help. In recent years, a handful of veterans have taken advantage of the new hemp laws and started working in the newly legal industry to form hemp companies. Often this has included advocating for veteran access to cannabis, the same plant as hemp but with more than 0.3% THC, which is still restricted under federal prohibition. It has also included raising awareness about how hempderived cannabinoid medicines appear to help heal a variety of illnesses common among veterans, such as depression and pain.
Here are six products from veteran-owned companies — from salves to CBD to food products — worth checking out.
1. Amelia’s Soothing Lotion from Veedverks 500 mg CBD / $39.95 / veedverks.com
This award-winning lotion comes in three different types. There’s the unscented version, an “invigorating” version with a citrus scent, and a “soothing” version with a lavender scent. We tried the soothing lavender blend, which won best topical at Colorado’s competitive Connoisseur Cup. While the consistency of the lotion was on the thinner side, it still left the skin feeling moisturized and soft. The best part of the product is its incredible smell. We recommend taking deep breaths while applying the lotion, and letting it bring a moment of clarity and calm to your day.
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2. Transdermal Patch from Warfighter Hemp
30 mg CBD / $34.99 / warfighterhemp.com
Warfighter Hemp (which, full disclosure, is one of HEMP’s brand partners) says it has a mission to improve the quality of life for veterans, so most of its products are dedicated to pain management. While many people report finding the best pain relief with cannabis products containing both THC and CBD, Warfighters’ products range from full-spectrum products (that contain trace amounts of THC) to zero-THC products. We tried both their 30 mg full-spectrum patch and their 30 mg zero-THC patch — one on each knee suffering from half-marathon training runs — and found a bit of relief.
3. Relieve Salve from Sana Botanicals
4. Hemp Agave Nectar from Pure American Hemp
200 mg CBD / $46.99 / sanabotanicals.com
500 mg hemp extract / $24.95 / pureamericanhempoil.com
This stuff is unique; it’s not like your classic buttery salve, it’s gelatinous and colored bright yellow by the turmeric it contains. But once you get past the unusual consistency, you’ll find a nice product that absorbs into the skin without leaving a greasy residue. It has menthol and aloe (and almost a dozen essential oils) along with the CBD. While the salve gives a slight but not uncomfortable cooling sensation when it’s rubbed on, it quickly warms up. Sana Botanicals was founded by a Gulf War veteran, and is made with U.S.-grown hemp in Tennessee.
We know, it’s an odd idea to add hemp oil to agave nectar! But we were curious, so we wanted to give it a try. It’s an unusually large bottle — more than half a liter — so it’s certain to last you a long time. The nectar is absolutely delicious, with a rich maple flavor tinged with the hemp’s herbal and nutty notes. Even when squeezed into a cup of tea, the nectar doesn’t leave an oily sheen, which isn’t the case if you like to start your morning with a drop or two of CBD oil in your cup. We like using agave in recipes to replace refined sugar, and in this agave nectar, the hemp flavor adds a bit of nuance to cut down on the sweetness.
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5. Full Spectrum CBD Oil from UnCanna 1000 mg CBD / $70 / uncanna.com
UnCanna’s origin story is the perfect example of the type of perspective that veterans are bringing to the hemp industry. Coby Cochran, the founder of UnCanna, served for more than 10 years in the U.S. Army and started to struggle in 2018 when two of his friends committed suicide. Cochran tried a variety of therapy methods and medications for a year, but the side effects “destroyed his mental state and created massive personal issues, almost resulting in the loss of his life by his own hands,” UnCanna says. So Cochran turned to alternative medicines, and found the cannabis sativa plant. A good entrance point to UnCanna’s products are their classic 1000 mg full spectrum hemp oil. Its full profile of cannabinoids, terpenes, and fatty acids means that it can contribute to what advocates and researchers often call the “entourage effect,” the idea that all of these compounds work together synergistically with the body to promote healing.
6. AC Diesel CBD Crumble from Extract Labs 800 mg CBD / $50 / extractlabs.com
This CBD crumble isn’t for the faint of heart or those new to consuming cannabis and hemp products, because in order to consume it, it must be dabbed or vaporized. But for those consumers who are comfortable with taking dabs, a product like this CBD concentrate filled with delicious terpenes is a welcome break from the intense experience of dabbing THC. The Colorado-based Extract Labs, founded by combat veteran Craig Henderson, has a veteran program that offers 25% off of their tinctures, topicals, shatter, and crumble.
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H I N DS I G HT
These lamps are made of mushrooms! Sebastian Cox and Ninela Ivanova found a way to pair mushroom mycelium with freshly cut wood waste to create a collection of sustainable furnishings.
Building the future of hemp involves learning from our past. At the Healthy Materials Lab, a design research lab at the Parsons School of Design in New York, students work with hempcrete (a centuries-old technology) and new bio-based materials, such as these mycelium lamps. The fungi-based lamps perform a lot like plastic when used, but are made from crop waste and are totally compostable. For more on hemp and natural building materials, head to thehempmag.com
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