19 minute read
Food, Sex, and CBD
Slutty Vegan Founder Pinky Cole shares her journey from television producer to restaurant royalty.
By Ebby Stone
In the two years since launching her first Slutty Vegan location, founder Aisha “Pinky” Cole has amassed a national following. With revenues topping $4 million in the first six months, Cole’s vegan junk food is bringing communities together in four locations and growing. She’s now using that momentum to move into the CBD space.
Slutty Vegan CBD gummies are available nationwide, offering organic, pectin-based edibles to vegans and meat-eaters alike. What stands out most among her accolades is a commitment to philanthropic work in her community. Since launching the business, she has already provided life insurance to 25,000 Black men, paid the tuition of 30 Clark Atlanta students, and founded the Pinky Cole Foundation to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship.
As a former television producer and casting director, Cole is well versed in the world of entertainment and uses all her experience to leverage a creative, provocative brand strategy that’s paying dividends across the Deep South. In this interview, Cole explains what inspired her to enter the CBD space and how she’s handling the demands of motherhood and entrepreneurship.
Cannabis & Tech Today: What was happening in your life when you launched the Slutty Vegan brand?
Pinky Cole: I started Slutty Vegan in 2018. It was really just a concept that popped in my brain. I’m like, “Okay, I’m going to do this thing. I want some vegan food on a late night, and I’m going to just create this little movement.” At the time I had already had my dream job, I was a casting director. I knew it was going to be a good side hustle, but I had no idea that it would turn into one of the most popular concepts in the country.
C&T Today: What inspired the name Slutty Vegan?
PK: So I said, if I can connect the two of the most pleasurable experiences, and that’s sex and food — as a television producer, I know what makes people want to pay attention. I know what bores them. I know what makes them want to change the channel. If I could create a dialogue around something racy and something that’s been coined as boring and tasteless, if I can merge those two worlds, I knew that I would have something people would pay attention to.
Photo: Drea Nicole Photography
C&T Today: How did this passion for food and branding translate to the CBD space?
PK: First of all, a lot of people around me use medical marijuana, and some people don’t use it medically. So I’ve realized the whole [cannabis] world was a world that I could exist in. I know there are so many health properties.
So to be able to offer a unique product to people in my community that can help them with their pain, can help them with their anxiety, it’s a no brainer. And it’s a game changer. Especially because we are moving into a space where more people are using CBD and more people are using marijuana. Because Slutty Vegan is such a forward-thinking brand, I knew that it would be right on brand to do something like that.
Even beyond that, when I thought about the vegan and plant-based space, the gummies that we use are whole plant extracts with organic ingredients. They include a base that doesn’t have animal gelatin in it. People who are plantbased and vegan don’t have to compromise when they try our CBD gummies.
C&T Today: You’re a new mother to a 5-month old, right? Something coming up more often is the use of CBD as a momfriendly alternative to frequently used relaxants like wine or prescription medications. How do you feel about CBD as a tool in your self-care arsenal?
PK: Well, I love it. I eat my own CBD gummies now, when I have a long day at work and I come home and I just want to wind down. I’m usually very tense because I’m dominating all my meetings. I’m having all my calls. I’m coaching, I’m leading, I’m guiding people, I’m doing so much. So by the time I get home, I’m just exhausted. So when I take a CBD gummy, it really allows me to take the edge off and I can just chill.
There’s nothing better than being able to come home and take your clothes off and relax. Take a gummy, just chill, sit back, and reflect on the day. Those are the little things that mean a lot to me, so I recommend it. The working mom has so many pressures on her to be an entrepreneur, to be a leader in the workplace. Then to come home and be a mom and a homemaker — sometimes we just need some time for ourselves and that’s okay.
C&T Today: How is community engagement part of your strategy for success?
PK: The reason I’m successful is because of the community. None of this would be possible if it weren’t for the people who stand in line for two hours a day to support me. I’m very honored and blessed that I can utilize my platform and resources to create an ecosystem for people to have better opportunities because it’s good karma. That good karma comes back to me in the form of more customers in my store.
I love helping people. I love giving people opportunities. I love giving them resources to be better and get out of their circumstances. I love helping entrepreneurs. Just recently I did an activation where I signed up 40 entrepreneurs to get their LLCs. Things like that show me that as long as I continue to foster what the community needs, the community will always take care of me. ❖
Advocating for Access
Changing the Trajectory of the Medical Cannabis Revolution
By Andrea Morhardt
Medical cannabis is gaining traction and acceptance. Studies show it can ease physical ailments like chronic pain and muscle spasms. It can also help relieve emotional and mental health problems like anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. The benefits of medical cannabis are being proven, with more studies emerging every day.
Plus, according to the National Library of Medicine, patients undergoing chemotherapy find relief and see remarkable results when using cannabis as an anticancer agent. Despite this progress, many obstacles to medical cannabis access remain in the way.
In addition to legal and legislative barriers, many physicians are not yet convinced that the health benefits of medical cannabis outweigh the risks. According to one study, “Colorado Family Physicians’ Attitudes Toward Medical Marijuana,” nearly all physicians agreed on the need for further medical education about medical cannabis.
Patients will have to overcome these obstacles to gain full access to medical cannabis and the relief it can provide. That day will come, but progress is slow going. That’s why medical cannabis advocates are creating a movement to accelerate that progress.
What is a medical cannabis advocate?
A medical cannabis advocate works to ensure safe and legal patient access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. Advocates work to overcome various barriers to access by creating momentum in multiple ways:
• Developing policies to open up access to medical cannabis for more patients and researchers • Facilitating legislation, education, and research • Breaking down political, social, and legal barriers • Firing up grassroots movements • Partnering with medical cannabis providers and insurance agencies to create innovative solutions
Drivers of the Medical Cannabis Advocacy Movement
Every day, notable new developments pop up in the medical cannabis revolution. Patients are demanding alternatives to traditional pharmaceutical remedies. Federal approval is on the horizon. Plus, insurers are seeing the benefits of medical cannabis — both in costs and outcomes.
Medical cannabis advocates see the writing on the wall. They feel that patients today deserve the same options that patients a decade or two in the future will enjoy. These advocates sense the gravity of the situation for so many patients today. And they realize there is no time to waste.
Patients Want Medical Cannabis
Anne Davis is a successful attorney, mother, and community leader in New Jersey. She is also a national expert on medical cannabis and a sought-after presenter for healthcare law and advocacy initiatives.
She was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). Shocked by the diagnosis, Davis conducted thorough due diligence about treatment options. Many of the traditional medications offered to her would result in unfortunate side effects and harm vital organs. As a result, frequent lab testing was recommended to monitor those organs.
To avoid both scenarios, Davis decided to use her professional knowledge about medical cannabis. The decision to ignore the traditional pharmaceutical treatments, however, was not supported by her physician.
“I knew from my years in the industry cannabis was effective and had zero side effects. I was well aware of the research that indicates cannabis has neuroprotective qualities, in addition to symptom relief. For that reason, I decided to use it every day as part of my treatment plan,” Davis said.
New Jersey attorney Anne Davis turned to medical cannabis when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Studies indicate that Davis’ story is more common than you might think. A survey of MS patients conducted in 2019 showed that more than 40% of patients said they used medical cannabis in the past three months. Of course, MS patients are not alone. According to Statista, 51% of cancer patients report that medical cannabis manages their symptoms very well.
Medical Cannabis Is Likely to Receive Federal Approval
Although the federal government continues to label cannabis an illegal substance and employers and insurance companies don’t cover cannabis like other medicines, all signs indicate change is coming.
The SAFE Banking Act now allows banks and other financial institutions to provide support services to cannabis companies without the risk of violating the law. The Act will help cannabis companies more easily operate their businesses.
In September of 2021, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee voted to advance the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act. This bill would federally legalize cannabis. The bill would also remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act.
According to the latest Gallup poll, 68% of Americans support marijuana legalization. Medical cannabis advocates realize there are still hurdles to overcome and they are working to bridge the gap. Until cannabis becomes legal at the federal level, patients who can afford it are paying out-of-pocket to get their hands on medical cannabis. That’s how badly they want to avoid traditional medicine and its side effects. For patients who can’t afford to pay out of pocket, insurance agencies may soon be coming to the rescue.
Insurance Coverage Is on the Horizon
Bennabis Health is the first health care plan in the nation that covers medical marijuana. The company has been marketing its proposal to workers’ compensation carriers. Wondering why they think they have a chance? We’d all like to think that insurance companies put patients first. But demutualization has driven insurance companies to become laser-focused on the bottom line.
However, the good news for medical cannabis is that it makes sense from a profitability perspective. A recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that cannabis enables employees to return to work sooner. Claims data shows that employees who used cannabis for pain management filed 20% fewer medical claims.
Of course, the efficacy of medical cannabis is just as important. The results of various new studies are emerging and they continue to be quite encouraging.
Consider a new study reported in Frontiers in Psychiatry about medical marijuana and depression. The study found an increasing number of patients who failed to respond to traditional anti-depressants are now using medical cannabis to find relief. Medical cannabis users experience less severe symptoms of depression than non-users. Further, medical cannabis users reported improved quality of life, better sleep, and less pain.
Medical Cannabis Advocates: Moving Public Policy Forward
For decades, young people have been advocating for cannabis — both recreational and medical. Since the 1990s, groups like Students for Sensible Drug Policy have been developing strategies and solutions to overcome challenges facing the medical cannabis market.
Other advocacy groups like the Americans for Safe Access, Veterans Cannabis Project, and The Cannabis Patient Advocacy Association are fighting for cannabis patients.
These groups are creating forward momentum every day. They now have a seat at the table when it comes to decisions that will impact the future of the cannabis market. Their voices are growing louder and they are being heard. ❖
Advocacy groups like Americans for Safe Access, the Veterans Cannabis Project, and the Cannabis Patient Advocacy Association are creating forward momentum for cannabis patients.
Fantastic Flavonoids
The Next Evolution in Cannabis Innovation
By Roger Brown
Cannabis is brimming with fragrant, colorful, and therapeutic compounds ripe for exploration and extraction. Yet, innovators have barely scratched the surface in developing products that utilize the plant’s complete spectrum profile.
While consumers are aware of major cannabinoids and terpenes, the industry hasn’t introduced therapeutic flavonoids in a meaningful way quite yet. However, the cannabis industry is always searching for new innovations, and flavonoids have the potential to be just that. Not to mention, they smell and taste great, too.
Flavonoids are exciting, not only for their unique wellness properties but also for their capacity to introduce a vast array of new products that have yet to be seen in this everevolving industry.
What are flavonoids?
Flavonoids are not exclusive to hemp and cannabis. You can find 8,000 varieties of flavonoids in almost every plant species, including vegetables, fruits, and herbs, as well as products such as wines and chocolate. Flavonoids provide pigment, flavor, and environmental protection for plants, preventing damage from environmental stressors like bacteria, fungi, insects, and the sun’s UV rays. Studies have also shown that flavonoids are highly therapeutic to humans.
These tiny compounds are making a big splash in the cannabis industry. According to Market Reports World, the flavonoids market will reach $1.2 billion by 2024, bolstered by the increased interest from brands and innovators. However, there’s still a significant gap between industry interest and consumer education. The general public is largely unaware of flavonoids, despite news of their remarkable therapeutic properties beginning to circulate in the mainstream.
Researchers are finding that flavonoids provide an array of benefits beyond functioning as antioxidants and anxiolytics (anti-anxiety).
A study published in the American College of Nutrition found that 500mg of the botanical flavonoid Quercetin taken each day over eight weeks helped reduce stiffness and pain for women with rheumatoid arthritis.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School found that Caflanone, a flavonoid extracted from a rare cannabis strain in Jamaica, may potentially be a therapeutic drug against COVID-19. Caflanone recently received the “Orphan Drug” designation from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
A review of Kaempferol found that it controls and modifies critical processes, including apoptosis (cell death), inflammation, and metastasis (cancer spread).
A 2020 review of existing literature concluded that botanical flavonoids, including Apigenin, block the synthesis of inflammatory mediators.
Flavonoids and the Healing Potential of Full Spectrum
Despite the troves of flavonoids research, the cannabis industry hasn’t focused on testing for these compounds or on developing flavonoidbased products. Innovators need to start investing in understanding how flavonoids occur, how to extract them, and how they may play a role in the entourage effect — a process by which cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other compounds interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). Once they do, brands can produce strains with profiles to tailor the consumer experience. They can also infuse strains with botanical flavonoids or create custom flavonoid extracts.
Tailoring an individual’s cannabis experience depends on understanding how the cannabis compounds work together to create its therapeutic, flavor, and fragrance profiles. Like cannabinoids and terpenes, flavonoids act as anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, and antibacterials. These factors make their presence fundamental to maximizing the therapeutic powers of the full spectrum from controlling pain to producing mood-altering, uplifting results.
Why Brands Should Look Beyond Cannabinoids and Terpenes
It’s time for the industry to look beyond cannabinoids and terpenes alone and begin proactively testing products for flavonoids while utilizing the vast scientific information available to create tailored products.
We must continue learning about these compounds based on evidence, not anecdotal information. Pharmacokinetics — the study of drug movement through the body — and studies on bioavailability — the extent a substance becomes available in the body — are integral to understanding how flavonoids function. As an industry, we must prioritize testing for these compounds as the first step in formulating effective compounds for developing new products. Those who take advantage of these extraordinary compounds will surely capitalize on the market’s growth.
Innovative Niche Product Potential
It’s clear that ingestible products are today’s most significant growth sector in the cannabis industry — exemplified by cannabis beverages’ rise in popularity. Developing flavonoid extracts, for example, is an effective strategy for entering a new segment of the market that acts as both an ancillary and distinct product. Since flavonoids provide flavor, fragrance, and pigments, botanical extracts open the door for experimentation. Combining cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids can create delicious, endocannabinoid-activating experiences.
Thanks to the public’s growing interest, hybrid plant wellness products are also rising. Botanical/CBD blends are on the market in several forms, including teas, tinctures, and capsules. Some brands are combining the medicinal properties of CBD, CBG, CBN and terpenes with the healing powers of mushrooms and cordyceps. Flavonoids are a dynamic botanical to add to the cannabis repertoire. And since they represent popular flavors and aromas including chamomile, ginger, and berry, there are many ways brands can add them to edibles, beverages, tinctures and more.
There is a clear path to entering this niche: more frequent and improved testing can help close the information gap on flavonoids by providing easy-to-understand Certificate of Analyses (COAs) illustrating the product’s specific compound profiles. As this information becomes readily available and better understood, brands, consumers, and budtenders can access it and seek out blends and products that meet their specific needs.
The Future of Flavonoids
At ACS Laboratory, we trust that more brands will begin regularly testing for flavonoids. Additionally, we need to investigate how to best extract flavonoids from cannabis/hemp to begin flavonoid-based product innovation. By committing to testing and research initiatives, brands can learn more about the compounds present in their products, and consumers will have the tools to make informed decisions on their paths to personalized usage.
We are excited to continue exploring the vast potential of cannabis and hemp. Innovation is key to creating comprehensive options that elevate cannabis’ full spectrum potential and research studies are the key to proving efficacy. ❖
Growing Up
The home grow just became more sophisticated.
As more states legalize cannabis across the nation, a new hobby is on the rise. In-home cultivation is more accessible than ever. States from New York to New Mexico have legalized personal cultivation and thanks to advances in technology, anyone can give it a try.
In New York state, adults 21 and over can grow up to six plants in their residence (12 if there are multiple adults in the home). For many, the biggest question is not if they’ll grow, but how to do it. Many metropolitan residents have the will but not the space to cultivate. Closets in New York City are seldom walk-ins and yards are virtually non-existent. Plus, in a small space, discretion is crucial. Nobody wants their home to smell like a grow room.
Innovations in in-door growing technology are making these concerns obsolete. The Armoire by Green Goddess Supply was designed to be odorless, elegant, and to blend seamlessly into the home. CEO Eric Robichaud said The Armoire was created to help people become self-sufficient.
“We’re a small, scrappy start-up, and the founders have spent millions of dollars and over 6 years of our lives inventing, patenting, and bringing The Armoire to the market. We use them ourselves and are incredibly passionate about helping our customers and teaching them how to grow at home,” Robichaud said.
This discrete system blends into the user’s interior design and is available in several finishes.
“Our furniture-inspired looks make this an attractive, stealthy option that doesn’t have to be hidden,” Robichaud said. “The product isn’t built from wood or metal, but a special synthetic material that is anti-mold, anti-mildew, won’t rust, and has the highest possible rating for fire retardancy. It was built with ergonomics in mind and our unique, proprietary grow protocol makes it incredibly easy for the beginner to master right out of the box.”
That’s not a promise most grow machines will make. You can plant a seed, but you can’t force it to grow. Every Armoire purchase includes ninety days of Concierge Service. Customers are encouraged to call, ask questions, and participate in video walkthroughs with techniques and tips.
“We’re on a mission to empower the average home user to take control and grow their own clean, organic flower at home — quickly, easily, and inexpensively,” Robichaud said.
Each state is developing their own protocols for safety and quality. While those regulations are refined, growing at home can offer a qualitycontrolled alternative to dispensary cannabis.
“For those who are health conscious or healthchallenged, being able to ensure clean, organic flower with no mold or pesticides is important,” Robichaud added.
Innovations like these are creating an entry point for people across the country to grow their own sustainable, high-quality cannabis. As Robichaud emphasized, “We’re making it more accessible to the casual home consumer who doesn’t want to get a PhD in botany to figure it all out.” ❖
The Armoire by Green Goddess Supply was designed to be odorless, elegant, and to blend seamlessly into the home. “Our furniture-inspired looks make this an attractive, stealthy option that doesn’t have to be hidden,” said Green Goddess Supply CEO Eric Robichaud.
