December Edition

TEXAS HEMP AWARDS: 2022

Drops of Life

Freedom Extracts

Happy Karma Hemp Healthy Herb Hometown Hero

Hummingbird Hemp Mixer Elixir

Natures Purpose Oak Cliff Cultivators

Power Biopharms Rebel Dread Corp Sweet Sensi

Texas-based Hemp Retail Brick and Mortar

1937 Apothecary (Custom Botanicals)

Alamo Botanicals

Ambary Health

AMI Distribution and Panacea Shop Austinite Cannabis

CBD American Shaman 249 & Louetta

CBD American Shaman Coppell

CBD American Shaman of Allen

CBD American Shaman of Plano

CBD Pros Green Relief Dispensary Greenbelt Botanicals ATX

Haus of Jayne

Hemplication House of CBD Joint Custody Lazy Daze

MARYJAE

Moon Taxi Express

Natural Ways CBD and More N-Tegrity Hemp Pure CBD

Red Bird Hemp Dispensary RESTART CBD Rio CBD

Royal Organix Premium Hemp and CBD

Sacred Leaf Conroe

TayCo Farms

Texas Canna RN

The Weed Spot

Third Eye Healing

Thrive Apothecary - Ft Worth Tribe CBD + Cannabinoids

Texas-based Hemp e-commerce

Barton Creek Botanicals

Bayou City Hemp

Blunt Babe

Casper’s Oil

Chameleon CBD Clutch City Farms

Tejas Hemp

Texas Premium CBD Today I Am Well Hemp Valley Bros Hemp Co.

Texas-based Advocate/ Warrior

Aaron Owens - Tejas Hemp Alamo Botanicals

Amanda Grace Hughes

Ambary Health Marlene Jessup

Anne O’Quinn

Austin Zamhariri

Blunt Babe Casper’s Oil

Charles Castro David Bass De la stoner

Dori Wile - Half Baked Housewives

Freedom Extracts

Gramps - Chris Grisolia

Gustavo Rojas

Hummingbird Hemp

Ilissa Nolan, Texas Hemp Coalition

Janelle Graham-Anciso

Jessica Alvarado @candlejointjess Kelly Almond

Leah Lakstins

Liz Grow & Patrick Pope

Lukas Gilkey

Michael Weinstein

Moon Taxi Express

Natural Ways CBD Russell Dowden

Shayda Torabi

Sweet Sensi

Texas Cannabis Collective Texas Hemp Today

Texas Hemp Event in 2022

Go Green Botanicals (Back to School Bash)

Taste of Texas Hemp Cup Texas Cannabis Round-Up Texas Hemp Harvest Festival

Texas Hemp Summit

Texas Marijuana March and Freedom Festival by TCC & DFW NORML Texas MJ Policy Conference in College Station TX Outlaw Party at SXSW

Texas Hemp Pet Product

Alamo Botanicals Pet Tincture Casper’s Oil cbd MD hip and joint pet chews

Green Skylines - Scarlett’s Choice Happy Karma Hemp Paws and Relax Harper’s Pet Elixir by Rebel Dreads Corp

Healthy Herb Hemp Paws Honest Paws

Natural Ways CBD Pet oils Power Biopharms Griff’s Greens Pet CBD

Restart CBD Pet Chews

Sacred Leaf Conroe pet products Spencer’s Elixir TayCo Farms Sweet Sensi DBC dog treats and tincture

Tejas Hemp CBD 300mg Welcel CBD Oil for pets

Texas-based Hemp Ancillary Support or Services

Candle Joint- Product Packaging Chelsie Spencer (attorney) David Sergi (attorney) Ilissa Nolan, Texas Hemp Coalition Lisa Pittman (attorney)

Texas-based Hemp Production Bayou City Hemp blog Feminized with Liz Grow Grow House Media Roach & Budd cartoon

Shayda Torabi Let’s be Blunt podcast TayCo Farms blog

Texas Cannabis Collective podcast Texas Hemp Coalition podcast Texas Hemp Reporter magazine/Texas Hemp Show podcast The Lonestar Collective podcast Yanasi Farms, LLC blog

Texas-based nonprofit with a cannabis focused mission

Texans for Responsible MJ Policy

Texas Cannabis Collective Texas Hemp Coalition Texas NORML

Texas Veterans for Medical Marijuana V.E.T. Coalition (Veterans Educating Texas)

Texas-based Hemp Processor/ Extractor/Manufacturer (must provide license to win)

Alamo Botanicals

Ambary Health Bayou City Hemp Blunt Babe

FreshGrown TX

Happy Karma Hemp Healthy Herb Hometown Hero Moon Taxi Express Natural Ways CBD Power Biopharms Pur IsoLabs

Rio CBD Rebel Dreads Corp Sweet Sensi TayCo Farms Tejas Hemp Texian Pharmaceuticals

National Education Course with a certificate earned Green Flower Media Mother Earth University Pacific College of Health and Science Texas A&M Agrilife

The Ganjier Trichome Institute

Favorite TikTok or Instagram account to follow

Alamo Botanicals @alamobotanicals Austin Cannabis Co @austinitecannabis_co Blunt Babe @bluntbabehp CBD Pros USA @cbdprosusa De La Stoner @delastoner and TikTok de.la.st0n3r

Earth SmokesAlot @earthsmokesalot2 Grow House Media @Growhousetx Jesse Mike Williams TikTok @flamingmoes

Kim Flores aka The Hemp Housewife TikTok @mamma_ needs_a_minute

Sacred Leaf Conroe @sacredleafconroe

Shayda Torabi @theshaydatorabi Snoop Dogg @snoopdogg

Texas Cannabis Collective

@txcannabiscollective

Texas Cannabis TV @texascannabisTV Texas Marijuana Policy @txmjpolicy Valley Bros Hemp Co. @valleybroshempco

FIVE TEXAS CITIES decriminalized cannabis flower in elections

BY JESSE WILLIAMS

Each town had a over a 60% share of votes for the prop osition, with San Marcos seeing the most favorable re turn. With over 15 thousand votes cast for it to pass, Prop A got a yes answer by 81.8% of the vote to win. Just over 3k voters voted against it.

Denton, lead by Decriminalize Denton along with Ground Game Texas and TCC, passed Prob B with 71.35% of the vote. This area saw 32,610 people voting for the measure. Just over 13 thousand voted against the measure.

Killeen was a city that with its prox imity to Fort Hood and local paper that was showing it was not in favor, was an election for advocates to closely pay at tention to. In the end though Prop A saw 68% of the vote go to the yes side of the checkboxes. 11,662 people voted to pass the measure. 5,399 voted against it. Now to see how Ft. Hood responds to this as a whole, considering the still federally illegal status of the plant.

Harker Heights was another town to pay close attention to for the same reason. Prop A saw 62% of the votes go in favor

of the measure. 3,789 voters voted for it while 2,290 voted against it.

Elgin saw 74% of the voters approve their measure. 1,555 voted for it while 546 voted against it.

What do these propositions do? These propositions will establish city ordinances that end low-level marijuana possession enforcement. This means that citations and arrests for possessing less than four ounces of marijuana and related drug par

aphernalia are to not be enforced. They also included bans on using city funds and staff to test for THC.

So, how can these cities pass marijuana ordinances despite the state has laws mak ing the plant illegal? The cities are known as home-rule cities. Texas as two types of cities, general law and home-rule cities. Home-rule authority means the jurisdic tion may establish any law or ordinance it wants to unless it is expressly forbidden by state or federal law. All of the cities with these propositions are currently in the category of home-rule cities.

This means that unless Texas changes the law in the next legislative session, the cities involved so far have the authority to change this on a local level for how enforcement works. That does not mean that DPS has to observe those measures, nor do the Sheriff’s in those counties where those cities sit.

Now advocates possibly wonder with the election results across the state, how will the legislature react to this monu mental move for the cannabis communi ty? How will the legislature in Texas react to this during the 2023 legislative session?

Yesterday, Texas voters in San Marcos, Denton, Killeen, Elgin and Harker Heights showed strong support for ballot propositions to decriminalize misdemeanor marijuana possession.

The possible fate of Delta-8 in Texas

BY JESSE WILLIAMS OF TEXAS CANNABIS COLLECTIVE

Texans turned out to the polls late Octo ber and early November to show who they favored to be stewards of Texas for the next two to four years.

The results are a largely unchanged Texas legislative landscape. Republicans still have a majority, a few new faces will appear, and statewide incumbents that ran kept their seats.

Last year, I chimed in on delta-8 in Texas. I noted that in this next legislative session we can expect to see varied interests coming out on all sides, including medical marijuana groups that are going to have input about this, and the hemp industry needs to be ready with answers and be ready to fight for their products. We are all in this together and we all need to push the industry forward together in a healthy and responsible fashion if we want this to work.

I think those words are still true today. With what everyone saw transpire in the 2021 leg islative session, people should be ready for a war on the hemp front overall. Delta-8 is not the only thing on the line.

We watched as several bills moved over to the senate, to include one that dealt with penalty reduction measures for concentrates of marijuana. The hemp clean-up bill was

involved in the mess that resulted in the death of both bills.

Take a look at the current planks for the Re publican Party of Texas and you’ll notice that they mention hemp. That the party wishes to reduce the regulation of hemp in the state. How would that even be done in a state where the state is looking for its program to meet just the minimum federal requirements to stay as open as possible?

The program gets more restrictive is what takes place. How can removing regulation make things more restrictive you may be asking. Currently the state of TExas has a regulation as part of the law for the hemp program that keeps a county from banning hemp as a whole or in part. They cannot ban the transportation through their county, per federal law, but when has that stopped Texas from still arresting for the transportation of hemp and confiscating the plant?

Deregulating in that area would allow places like Montgomery County, Navarro County, and counties across the panhandle to explic itly ban the substance. It could be flower they ban, it could be oils that they ban. Edibles could go away, so could industrial hemp if they so desire. They could just say that hemp as a plant is banned there.

Delta-8 was the obvious target last session. It was setup in a way to cause factions between the hemp industry. Farmers vs shops was the dichotomy that was evident in the end. Both should be on the same team though. The farmers make money from their product cur rently being sold by shops as the industrial side is still getting set up to process mass product. Ending either side of that equation in the next few years will cripple the Texas hemp market even further.

Federally a court has ruled that delta-8 is a legal item on that level. That if congress intended for it to not be an item of legal avail ability, the body could have done something about it by now. There is nothing that ex plicitly states though that a state has to keep a specific isomer.

This should be expected in the upcoming legislative session. And it must be said as a big picture item that hemp bills are not the only place where hemp can get torn apart. The industry will have to pay attention to all of the cannabis bills put forward this session. Delta-8 could face issues in any number of bills.

Pay attention to the advocacy organizations in the state and when they are releasing up dates about legislative items. If you’re a con sumer, be ready to write letters and show up to hand out information or be available when a mass lobby day is announced. For busi ness owners and consumers alike, be ready to testify at committee hearings that could be scheduled for 8am one morning and not have the bill heard until 9-10pm at night or possibly later.

If you are a business owner in this space, this is part of running your business from the start of the legislative session, until the end of said session in 2023. Your business is on the line, your farm is on the line, your processing facilities are on the line. If you are a consumer, your favorite products are on the line. Do not let this slip away without a massive push to keep it in place at a minimum.

Texas advocates and business owners should be prepared at minimum to fight like hell if needed.

BY CAMERON F. FIELD

New Mexico Ahead of Texas in Cannabis:

Our neighbor to the west, New Mexico, whose billboard advertisements across Texas attempt to entice tourists with its adobe architecture and pine forests, now has another reason to draw Texans across the border--legal marijuana. On April 1, 2022, New Mexico officially allowed cannabis dispensaries to operate as part of an adult use recreational program. In the first six months of the program, dispensaries across New Mexico reported $135 million dollars in sales—not bad for a state whose population is smaller than Houston.

New Mexico’s path to a legal adult-use mar ijuana program followed a traditional path, starting with a compassionate use medical marijuana program in 2007. Like Texas, New Mexico’s medical program was tightly restricted to specific debilitating diseases. New Mexico did not allow, like some states, persons to qualify for medical marijuana with general anxiety disorders or non-se vere chronic pain. Nearly all states that have adult-use programs first started with a med ical program. New Mexico made the leap from a medical program to an adult-use rec reational program thanks to its legislature, which passed the Cannabis Regulation Act on March 31, 2021.

The rollout of a recreational market in New Mexico has been relatively quick.

Only a few months after the Cannabis Regulation Act passed, it became legal to possess marijuana in New Mexico and legal to grow up to six mature cannabis plants. The legislature also expunged past cannabis convictions under New Mexico law. Only a year after the initial law passed, recreation al sales began earlier in 2022.

Now, six months into the program, New Mexico has administered about 1,500 li censes to retailers, manufacturers, and growers. Undoubtedly the market within the state will face the same boom bust cycle seen in other states such as Oregon that did not throttle the production of marijuana or number of dispensaries. In those situ ations, an initial frenzy drives an overpro duction of marijuana to meet the demand

from local residents, then falling prices coupled with a large number of competing dispensaries leads to rapid consolidation.

But even with the rocky road of a new industry, New Mexico has spawned a new industry that is creating jobs and driving tax revenue. New Mexico is taxing recreational cannabis sales at 12% for now (medical mar ijuana is not taxed in the state). Over time, that tax rate will climb to 18% by 2030. With hundreds of millions of dollars of sales, the adult use marijuana industry in New Mexico will annually generate tens of millions of dollars of tax revenue.

Meanwhile, across the border in Texas, an individual can still be imprisoned for up to two years for possessing marijuana extract, a product that people in New Mexico are now growing, manufacturing, selling and taxing. Texas is not a state to be shown up by others, so let’s hope New Mexico pulling ahead on cannabis reform helps paint a nearby example of what could be a thriving industry here in the largest prohibition state.

RED, WHITE, BLUE AND GREEN: THE POLITICS OF CANNABIS IN THE BIG CITY

FROM: KEN GIBSON

I spent last night in midtown Manhattan, sipping champagne at Ciprianis and watching Congressman Lee Zeldin lose the gubernatorial race.

The good thing was that it was close.

The bad thing was that it was close.

Close enough to wonder if he could have won, had he listened to people like Dion Powell, about whom I wrote in the last is sue of Texas Hemp Reporter. Dion - and many others - told this candidate from the affluent county of Suffolk - to take it to the streets and walk around in the hood. Peo ple were looking for change this year, blue was turning red, or at least some shade or purple was going on. He won Suffolk; he lost the inner city, and thus the state.

And what about my bid for congress, as an Independent write in candidate who brazenly asked strangers and passers-by uptown to vote for him but refused to take campaign donations?

Having run against a long term incum bent in the party that has held court for decades, the party known as Tammany Hall in New York, I feel good to have taken over 1200 votes. Some of these cast for me be cause of my support for Cannabis sativa, others for the fact I was wearing a Yankees hat. They lost - to the Astros - and I lost to a party that is bigger than any team in the American League, which could afford to fly in the vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris. She, along with Hillary Clinton, NY Governor Kathy Hochul, NY Attorney General Letitia James and oth er luminaries, spoke at Barnard College

while the Secret Service blocked traffic on Broadway.

I stood outside as the police kept on eye on me and my subversive signs questioning the status quo. I was reminded of the time when, as a four-year-old, President John son arrived, and all of us protesting the Vietnam War had to run for cover.

The next day a similar assemblage of top guns converged near where I lived, and I waited outside a church in which big dems received praise and worship - and presum ably offerings of cash.

The first to emerge from the love in was the Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schum er - and he started to hold court on the street, with ABC and other news outlets salivating. Seeing opportunity, I made my move, got in his face as Congresswoman Maxine Waters encourages people to do, and asked him a simple question:

“Why did he take money from Mark Ep stein - Jeffrey Epstein’s brother?”

As the cameras rolled towards us, and police started to take an interest in the dis cussion, Schumer slid away like a snake who has seen a mongoose.

In the future, I hope that Schumer will in fact be arrested over his ties to the Ep steins - especially after Mark was able to mysteriously acquire what is known as the “Rape House” - after making donations to Schumer. That building is on E66th and

Mark only paid $0. No surprise that it came from one of Jeffrey’s friends and that women sent to that location experienced violations of their rights at the hands of rich men, some with ties to Schumer and the Humpty Dumpty Institute of which Epstein is a director. Schumer exercised his right to remain silent while I continued handing out fliers.

Not far from this incident the neon signs of a smoke shop flickered into the night, and my mobile shattered the silence with a call from Dion, who had more information about the NYC cannabis scene. He put me on the phone with this friend Dr Phil, who has filed to get a legal cannabis stand, or ‘herbspot’ as it is called in the West Indian community.

Dr Phil has been watching the canna bis business for years, he once presented the case for cannabis to New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. At present, he does not operate a concession. He explained that the

smoke shops I see now - including the two in vans parked outside the 34th Precinct in Washington Heights - fall short of the law. And that a dozen of these pop up shops had been closed down this week in Brooklyn. The city and state have little patience with those who fail to render unto Caesar.

He sees no point in opening up, even if he made a fortune in the short term - if they smash his stash he gets a record and cannot apply for a permit. He would rather wait for the permit and be in for the long haul.

The situation seems confusing, laws change and no one seems to know if they are going to the bank or going to jail. Dr Phil explained that the state knows what it is doing, even if it does not make clear the protocols - which he says are being made up as they go, tantamount to fixing the plane while flying the plane.

One point that is not clear is the source of the product, which legally needs to be grown in New York to be sold in New York. Pop up vans that sell marijuana don’t keep records of their wholesalers, even those that park next to paddy wagons.

Dr Phil’s application is #50 out of a to tal of 903, thus even if all permits were granted, there would be less shops in the city than there are now. He has a vision of his shop as having excellent customer

service, reminiscing about how a salesman at Buster Brown would find just the right pair of shoes for the customer, checking the width and length so that they buyer walked out with a pair that were comfortable. He wants his staff to be able to educate the public about the different varieties of can nabis. Another point he is aware of is the security - this is New York, and whether he opens a shop in Queens, Manhattan, or Babylon - as will be his three options if he wins approval - he will need muscle on the floor. Which he intends to be happy and accommodating rather than a buzzkill.

As the state sorts out its policies and can nabis farms will be seen from the I-95, I am looking to introduce a piece of legislation about all cannabis plants that are used for medical or recreational use. The law I want is one that guarantees the use of the stems in paper making so that jobs can be created not just from the leaves, flowers and buds, but from the whole plant.

As we see more and more inflation, which is one of the main reasons that ex-demo crats are going on the radio to exhort their listeners to vote against the party - we need to take steps to ensure we don’t end up like Germany did in 1921. By the end of 1923, it cost billions of marks to send a letter. City dwellers rode out to farms to steal the

crops, farmers had to hire armed security to ensure a harvest.

And farmers are struggling now with harvests as fertilizer prices rise dramati cally, driven by the struggle in the Ukraine. Sourcing fertilizer is another piece of po litical activism on my part. The NYC San itation Commissioner, Jessica Tisch, at a Town Hall recently, bragged about local composting in Queens. But when I asked her about using this statewide, or nation ally, she continued to talk in local terms. She waxed enthusiastic about the flowers in community gardens. Not to tiptoe too harshly on her tulips, I see that the priority is sustainable farming on a state and federal level - in which cities send all the biode gradable waste to the farms - and cannabis growers save the stems from their harvest for paper mills (some might ask why not just use them for compost, and the answer is that hemp stems are mainly C/H/O, in a compound knows as cellulose, and do not provide the necessary N/K and other ele ments that are more desirable in fertilizer).

Rural cannabis farmers and urban dwell ers can all work together. The economy and the ecology can be maintained with sensible policies. Dion, Dr Phil and myself all have a part to play in the coming years and so do we all.

If Texas Legalized Adult Use Cannabis Tomorrow, Who Would Get a License?

BY SHAYDA TORABI

Coming off of an exciting Texas Hemp Summit, I can’t help but be a voice of reason in the room. It was awesome to see so much support and interest in the burgeoning hemp industry here in the lone star state. We got to hear from Texas AG Commissioner Sid Miller and had leaders in hemp fly in from across the United States to weigh in on the future of hemp, and really cannabis, in Texas.

As a CBD retail operator since 2018 my self, I am no stranger to the ever-moving landscape here. From newly discovered cannabinoids hitting the market like CBC and THCV, to the emerging market of chemically derived cannabinoids like hemp-derived delta 9 THC. We’ve faced lawsuits as a state, most recently losing the manufacturing and processing of smok able hemp products in Texas. And we’ve seen the state slowly introduce a medical marijuana program, which to me, is the domino that needs to fall before we see

any type of adult use market here in Texas. Which is exactly where I want to dive in. If Texas legalized adult-use cannabis tomorrow, who would get a license? How many licenses would they issue? What

would a license cost? And if full plant ac cess was granted, what would that do to the thousands of CBD retailers operating in Texas alone?

These are questions not meant to intimi date you, but rather to prepare you.

I spend a lot of time studying this market, as I mentioned I have skin in the game and want to ensure I’m doing my due diligence

to take the best next step forward. But I also, through my podcast To Be Blunt, have ongoing conversa tions with industry leaders across the United States and even global ly, deciphering their failures and successes in hopes of gathering enough intel to speculate what and when Texas might make her move.

I think a good indication is to look at where medical marijuana is currently at in Texas. For those who may be unaware, there are three licenses in circulation un der the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP), with only two in operation. The application to even apply for a dispensing organization license is $7,356 and the license fee is $488,520 for a two-year period. That is just to get your license to operate, not counting all the operational costs, etc. On top of that, the TCUP license requires vertical inte gration meaning you have to grow, extract, process, manufacture, distribute, and sell.

So I ask you, who has the funds and assets to qualify for a TCUP license? And out of the thousands of operators currently sell ing CBD and hemp-derived cannabinoid products, who is going to qualify for one of the limited available licenses under the current program and rules?

Look, I am hopeful like the rest of you, but I also live in reality, and to ignore these facts is to willingly walk into a wall.

I recently saw the Texas DPS announce they were considering opening up TCUP licenses, which would be a step in the di rection towards adult use recreation be cause I believe we need a more advanced Medical Marijuana/ TCUP program before you see adult use/ recreation legalized in Texas.

TCUP is currently limited to a 1% THC cap, and the broadest qualifying condition is PTSD as expanded during the 87th Texas Legislative session. Our 88th legislative

session kicks off in January 2022 and I anticipate whatever move ment we get will be an indication of how much that program will advance, leading us to infer the progression of the legalization of cannabis in the state.

On top of all of this, hemp is currently capped at .3% Delta 9 THC on a dry weight basis, the language of “dry weight basis” has made a massive loophole not just for Texas hemp brands but re ally nationally we’re now seeing a wave of hemp derived delta 9 THC hit the market.

So from my perspective, on one hand, we already have legalization of THC in Texas to some extent, and on the other hand, how in the hell does this all get reg ulated, and who will it affect?

Some speculate Delta 8 and hemp-de rived Delta 9 will be taken away, others argue how can they “put the cat back in the bag” so to speak. And personally, I’m not really sure what this legislative session will hold, but I can tell you I’m gonna roll up my sleeves and advocate and influence policy however I can.

But don’t say I didn’t warn you!

New episodes of To Be Blunt air every Monday at tobebluntpod.com

KushKards: The gift every stoner wants this holiday season

BY RACHEL NELSON

That’s the pain point Lauren Miele faced as she scoured the greeting card options at CVS, unable to find a relatable card for her stoner friend who she “just wanted to give weed to.”

The predicament led Miele to launch KushKards, which boasts a creative assort ment of gifts and accessories curated with stoners in mind. Currently, KushKards is heavily promoting its Stoner Stocking, which may be purchased at KushKards. com.

“Even for non-cannabis consumers, it’s an easy and approachable gift to give to some one who does consume, because even if you don’t smoke, I guarantee you know someone who does,” Miele said. “KushKards is the new bottle of wine you take when you’re going to someone’s house.”

Where it all began

Miele — an alumna of the Fashion In stitute of Technology (FIT) — had a back

ground in exhibition design and home products development before finding her purpose with KushKards.

“I was a young designer,” Miele said. “I went to FIT and had all these ideas, but I had no way to make them real. So I really use my education, every part of it, today.”

When Miele started KushKards in late 2013, she was an ambitious designer work ing in The Big Apple. She said she used to walk the streets of New York City, eager to find inspiration while scouting out the latest trends.

“As far as the home and gift world, I was already there,” she said. “That already was a part of me. It was nothing new. Plus, I’ve always been kind of a cannabis consumer, and I love greeting cards.”

As she gained experience in the novelty space, Miele said she was struck with the idea of creating a weed-inspired greeting card. The first designs read, “A special treat for a special person,” with a blank space in side to write a personalized message. The cards included blunts that Miele sewed on by hand, as well as a match and a match striker.

“Basically, you could get this card in the woods, and we could still get high,” Miele said.

One day, Miele said a friend suggested “KushKards with a K” for a business name, which stuck.

“The dots connected,” she said. “My mom trademarked KushKards because everyone around me knew that KushKards would be something. It just worked, most ly because of who I am — creative, canna bis driven. That’s it.”

Major movement in the mountains

As KushKards took flight, Miele was boarding planes to Denver.

“I’m heading out to dispensaries to see if it’s working, having meetings,” she said. “I was able to go over there and really see the market. At every dispensary I went to, I bought something and left samples. I just felt like this was a great place to keep coming back to and targeting.”

Eventually, Miele’s boots-on-the-ground approach paid off when she sold her first KushKards counter display.

“It started with that first sale, then it just became the second sale,” she said. “When one person sees the card, five people min imum are seeing the card. … Now we’ve grown into about 4,000 retail locations.”

Miele felt called to move her business to Denver, and her enthusiasm is stronger than ever.

“On mother’s day and father’s day, I’m like, ‘People are opening my cards right now.’ It’s very overwhelming for me.,” Miele said.

Continued growth

Throughout 2015-16, Miele continued to fiercely market her product by attending events and relying heavily on Instagram and word-of-mouth marketing.

“I decided to do it the grassroots way,” Miele said. “I hand–made the cards for three years. These hands will never be the same.”

While a large part of KushKards re mains handmade, the business is making strides in manufacturing and recently

partnered with a distributor that is help ing to streamline the process. KushKards is also adding more novelty items to its catalog — such as charms, keychains and “polka-pot” wrapping paper.

“Ask me my mission, and it changes all the time, but I think my mission now is to provide the stoner- or cannabis-themed option for stores to have,” Miele said. The fruits of her labor are becoming more ap parent every day.

“I feel like showing up all these years consistently, right now I’m seeing the piv ot,” she said. I think every great woman in cannabis comes with a fierce background, and we bring all of that to the cannabis industry.”

A KushKard is featured in “Senior Year” on Netflix, starring Rebel Wilson. “If you’ve seen the movie, it’s the part where she becomes an influencer, and you can see the KushKard in the background.

– KushKard CEO Lauren Miele

Cannador Owner Credits ‘Divine Inspiration’ for Decade-Long Entrepreneurial Success

BY RACHEL NELSON

In 2013, Zane Witzel had an epiphany while he was in the shower.

“I wondered, ‘Why doesn’t anybody have anything that can keep your weed fresh, safe and organized?” he said.

Witzel said the question was spurred by a pre-gaming experience he had with a friend.

“Before we were about to go out, he broke out his box — a shoebox with baggies of weed, a pipe, a grinder,” Witzel said. “I thought, ‘Man, there has got to be something better.’”

Upon doing some online research, Witzel noticed the lack of attractive, quality options for cannabis storage. He vowed to fill that gap by launching Cannador.

“In 2014, I picked out my suppliers and designs,” he said. “I was ready to go, and I launched that year. I started with two models, and every year I’ve been adding a couple more.”

One of the main observations Witzel said he noticed about existing products was that they were mostly adorned with cliché

“Our customers come from all walks of life,” Witzel said. “We’ve had everyone from architects and lawyers to the typical pothead and crime scene investigators. You can never really judge anybody who smokes weed anymore.”

While Witzel said he always envisioned starting his own business, he admits he had no clue what industry it would be in.

“I guess you could call it divine inspiration that kicked things in gear,” he said. “Life is so random. Sometimes something you didn’t even know you wanted comes out of left field.”

Patented Technology

Witzel was able to secure the patent for VaporBeads™, which were originally designed to maintain the appropriate relative humidity inside cigar humidors using water vapor. WItzel knew they could be easily adapted to accommodate cannabis.

Because Cannador’s customers live in a variety of climates, Witzel said there is some trial-and-error that goes into using the storage solution.

“We sell a lot of units to customers in Florida, which has a higher humidity,” Witzel said. “Our prescription for what you need to do isn’t necessarily a one-sizefits-all because the humidity is different all across the country. We guide customers to take a less is more approach, because you can always add humidity to it. But once

Bob Marley designs and Rastafarian colors. However, that does not appeal to everyone.

you dial it in, once you get it right, man it’s fantastic.”

In addition to keeping buds fresh, Witzel said Cannador helps to eliminate the harsh burn that can come along with smoking.

“There’s nothing worse than smoking weed and having that scorched, burning feeling in your throat,” he said. “Plus, VaporBeads™ are renewable, so you don’t have to keep buying them. You just have to add water. Other similar products dry up too quickly and have other issues. This product has micro-pores and is coated with a salt-based solution.”

A Growing Brand

Witzel said he always envisioned starting his own business, but he had no clue what industry it would be in.

“I guess you could call it divine inspiration that kicked things in gear,” he said. “Life is so random. Sometimes something you didn’t even know you wanted comes out of left field.”

While he calls his product “a win for the cannabis industry overall,” Witzel said traditional retail outlets are not commonly privy to stocking their

shelves with cannabis-related products. However, Cannador was the first cannabisrelated accessory to be sold at Macy’s/ Bloomingdales, as it was featured at limited nationwide stores during the past two holiday shopping seasons.

“We’re breaking boundaries,” Witzel said. “With the popularity of CBD — a lot of retailers don’t want to miss out on that, so it’s becoming more normalized. As more and more states begin to legalize, I’m seeing more and more retailers reach out to us. But for the most part, we’re mainly online.

Benefits of Microdosing Edibles

DR. PEPPER HERNANDEZ

Let us first start by explaining what microdosing is. It’s a technique that involves taking minimal amounts of cannabis on a disciplined regular schedule. The point of this activity is to find your body’s THC perfection point. One can do this by only taking enough THC to barely perceive the effects on your mind and body without getting too altered. Why would someone want to do this? If you are a newbie and want to get familiar with cannabinoids and or terpenes, this could be a preferred method for you. Microdosing helps people get the light, therapeutic effects of cannabis without achieving a heavy, uncomfortable high and feel more comfortable with the plant itself. The art of microdosing requires discipline, patience and mindfulness.

Finding your Minimum Effective Dose MED

In this sphere of medicine, the MED [minimum effective dose] is something pa tients and health care providers need more understanding of. Cannabis is biphasic, so you have this excellent anti-inflammatory, relaxing properties with little to no side effects in small amounts. In large amounts, there is the possibility of unwanted effects of being too altered.

Many people who try edibles for the first time become overwhelmed by the experi ence. That is because everyone has a differ ent tolerance level. For example, a 10 mg piece of chocolate will affect each person differently. Also, edibles are much different than smoking cannabis. Why do cannabis edibles feel so different? The human body processes cannabis through the liver and

GI tract. The effects of the potent metabol ic byproduct are called 11-hydroxy-THC. This compound resulted in a faster onset and a more intense psychoactive experi ence than simply THC.

Microdosing with 2.5-milligram prod ucts allows the consumer to ingest the initial THC and then gradually eat more the following day until they find their pre ferred comfort level. Most people who are interested in microdosing cannabis typi cally start with about 2.5mg or less. One can start with various teas, mints or choc olates with THC concentrations starting at 2.5 milligrams suitable for microdosing. It can take over an hour to feel some edi bles’ effects, so I suggest waiting a day and trying an increased amount the following day. The reason is that some edibles if tak en properly, like a tincture, can be held

under the tongue goes directly into the bloodstream. Simultaneously, others are digested in the stomach and can take hours to feel the effects depending on a person’s digestive system. So it is important when microdosing to chart the amount and wait for results.

Cannabis is a medicine that should be tailored to each patient’s individual make up. Not all people are the same, and not all products are created equal. Cultivate an understanding of your endocannabinoid system by keeping a journal to track the cannabis farmer or grower, cultivar type, consumption method, dosage and side effects. Take your time and be patient when figuring out what dosage and consumption method works best for you. Be mindful of other elements that may impact the out come of your experience when microdos

ing. Such as your nutrition, hydration, en vironment or even state of mind. As these can all affect your experience.

Beneficial in Resetting Your Tolerance

Like in all other forms of medicine, you want to treat yourself with the lowest effec tive dose. For those cannabis connoisseurs, micordosing can help you identify the per fection point you may need to reset your THC tolerance. Maybe you needed higher doses of THC for treating a past condi tion. Maybe you have to consume larger amounts of cannabis edibles to achieve any helpful high than you once did. You have built a tolerance to the effect and may need to take a small break. If this is the case, you can try to reset your tolerance to the effects of cannabis products by microdosing.

The length of a tolerance break depends on your consumption patterns. In general, it works to stop or slow down consumption for 48 hours. After that time frame, you can start again with small doses of 1 to 2 mg of THC slowly building yourself back up. I encourage my patients to do this at least once a month to reset their tolerance levels.

Micrdosing Studies on the Rise

In Israel on July 1, 2020, PRNewswire.com -- Israeli med-tech company Syqe Medical has conducted the first clinical trial to demonstrate that extremely low and precise doses of inhaled

THC – the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis – can effectively relieve pain while avoiding the common side effects associated with cannabis use.

The study, published in the European Journal of Pain, is the first scientific con firmation that microdosing – the process of using extremely low doses of active drug compounds to treat various conditions –actually works with cannabis.

According to GetFluent.com, medical card users with these conditions have seen success with microdosing:

• Cancer

• Epilepsy

• Glaucoma

• HIV/Aids

• Seizures

• Crohn’s Disease

• PTSD

• ALS

• Chronic Muscle Spasms

• Parkinson’s Disease

• Multiple Sclerosis

• Chronic Pain

• Sleep Disorders

• Tourette Syndrome

• Autism

• Anxiety Disorders

Microdosing can help people get the ther apeutic effects of cannabis without achiev ing a heavy, uncomfortable altered state and generally feel more comfortable with canna bis products. Micrdosing can also help one achieve the perfect amount for their specific healing process. If you or someone you know requires help or would like more information, contact your Cannabis Therapy Consultant for more guidance.

All information in this article is for edu cational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources. Please check with your Cannabis Educated Primary Health Care Phy sician or Cannabis Therapy Consultant before beginning any new diet or lifestyle change.

Written by Dr. Pepper Hernandez ND, Ph.D., CTC, CNHP in ECS & Naturopath ic Medicine, Cannabis Therapy Consultant, The Founder and Education Director of the Cannabis Holistic Institute. To find out more about her Telemedicine Consultations, Ed ucational Programs, YouTube videos, and other creative content, you can find her on the massive inter-webs on all platforms or at DrPepperHernandez.com.

Has the 88th Texas Legislature began filing bills?

BY JESSE WILLIAMS OF THE TEXAS CANNABIS COLLECTIVE

The 88th Texas Legislature will con vene to begin on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at noon. Prefiling of legis lation began on November 14, 2022. The 140th and final day of the 88th regular legislative session, known as “Sine die” is May 29, 2023. We hope to keep this page updated with bills as they are filed in the regular ses sion. If an 88th legislature special session does take place with can nabis bills, a separate article will be published to address the situa tion. Be sure to subscribe with TCC and other advocacy organizations to stay up to date as articles are re leased. Yes, the 88th Texas Legisla ture has began filing bills, and here they are below.

Medical Cannabis Bills

SB 121 by Sen. José Menéndez – Relating to authorizing the possession, use, cultivation, distribution, delivery, sale, and research of medical cannabis for medical use by patients with certain medical conditions and the li censing of medical cannabis organizations; authorizing fees.

SB 127 by Sen. Carol Alvarado – Re lating to the possession, use, cultivation, distribution, transportation, and delivery of medical cannabis for use by patients as the best available medical treatment, the licensing of medical cannabis dispensing organizations, and the registration of cer tain individuals; authorizing fees.

Penalty Reduction Bills

HB 127 by Rep. Terry Canales – Relating to the criminal penalties for possession or delivery of marihuana concentrate.

HB 218 by Rep. Joe Moody – Relating to the criminal and licensing consequences of certain marihuana possession, drug paraphernalia possession, and tetrahydrocannabinol pos session offenses; imposing a fee.

HB 382 by Rep. Nicole Collier – Relating to a defense to prosecution for the posses sion of certain consumable hemp prod ucts containing a controlled substance or marihuana.

HB 388 by Rep. Senfronia Thompson –Relating to the criminal penalty for the pos session of a small amount of marihuana.

HB 520 by Rep. Gene Wu – Relating to criminal penalties for possession offenses under the Texas Controlled Substances Act.

SB 87 by Sen. Nathan Johnson – Relat ing to the criminal penalties for possession or delivery of marihuana concentrate.

SB 208 by Sen. Sarah Eckhardt – Relat ing to the criminal penalties for delivery and possession of marihuana and citations given for those offenses.

Legalization Bills

SB 209 by Sen. Sarah Eckhardt – Re lating to regulating the cultivation, man ufacture, processing, distribution, sale, testing, transportation, delivery, transfer, possession, and use of cannabis and can nabis products; authorizing the imposition of fees; requiring occupational licenses; creating a criminal offense.

Miscellaneous

HB 513 by Rep. Will Metcalf – Relating to the manufacture or delivery of a con trolled substance or marihuana causing death or serious bodily injury; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty. Given that this is a penalty cre ation bill and increases criminal penalties involving cannabis, the following is an excerpt from the bill to get a clear idea of what this bill aims to do.

An offense under this section is a felony of the second degree, except that the offense is a felony of the first degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the person to whom the actor delivered the controlled substance or marihuana died or suffered serious bodily injury as a result of injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or introducing into the person’s body any amount of the controlled substance or marihuana manufactured or delivered by the actor, regardless of whether the controlled substance or marihuana was used by itself or with another substance, including a drug, adulterant, or dilutant.

Joint Resolutions

What is a Joint Resolution? A joint resolu tion is a legislative measure usable by both chambers of the Texas legislature to propose amendments to the Texas Constitution. Each joint resolution requires a super majority in both chambers of the legislature to be ad opted. The joint resolution does not require

action by the governor. Before becoming ef fective as an amendment to the Texas Consti tution, the resolution must be also approved by the voters of Texas.

SJR 22 by Sen. Sarah Eckhardt – Propos ing a constitutional amendment to direct the legislature to authorize and regulate the possession, cultivation, and sale of cannabis.

Texas Cannabis Clinic

BY LIS RILEY

Texas Hemp Reporter: Welcome to the Texas Hemp Reporter magazine this holiday season. Tell us about the Texas Cannabis Clinic and what are some of the qualifying conditions for cannabis in the lone star state?.

Texas Cannabis Clinic: Thanks for the warm welcome! At Texas Cannabis Clinic our experienced team of medical cannabis clinicians treat people of all ages with alternative healing methods through Texas’ Compassionate Use Program. The team expertly navigates the path from certifying you based on your qualifying diagnosis, to the formation of your personalized medical cannabis treatment plan, and then connecting you with a State licensed Texas dispensary.

Our physicians design treatment plans to relieve symptoms associated with cancer, au tism, multiple sclerosis, PTSD, muscle spasms, seizures and 100+ more conditions. They are also experts in using medical cannabis to treat spasticity and neuropathy to help patients that are in chronic pain.

Texas Hemp Reporter: I understand your team can also offer patients a video appointment?

Texas Cannabis Clinic: That’s right, Texas Cannabis Clinic ONLY offers video appointments - we are 100% virtual. This allows us to service all Texas residents, and not be constrained by an office location.

Texas Hemp Reporter: Many older adults are still unaware about getting prequalified for this type of medical

treatment and many have alot of questions. Does Medicaid cover this cost?

Texas Cannabis Clinic: You’re right, there’s a lot of work to be done on building awareness about medical cannabis in Texas and answering questions. Our website is quite comprehensive and we try to cover the most common to the most complicated questions. Check us out @ Texascannabis clinic.com.

Our intake staff is available via text or phone to answer question 8-5pm Monday - Friday. They are very responsive and spend a lot of time educating Texans and answering ques tions about TCUP as well as our process.

Because marijuana is still illegal under fed eral law, even when used for medicinal pur poses, appointments are not covered by Med icaid, Medicare or any other federally-funded programs. Further, no insurance programs can be accepted. TCC takes all major credit cards, including FSA funds.

Texas Hemp Reporter: What is the cost . . . if I am approved through your clinic?

Texas Cannabis Clinic:

There is no cost to be evaluated to see if you qualify for the program. You simply fill out a form, upload your proof of diagnosis (or we can pull your medical history) and our intake team will let you know if you qualify.

An initial appointment with a medical can nabis physician is $180. Follow up appoint ments, required every 6 months, are $110. If you’d like to transfer from another medical cannabis provider, that is also $110. Anytime you would like to check in with a physician within your 6 month window, it’s $75.

Texas Hemp Reporter: How strong is the cannabis I get from your clinic ? Many think they can smoke it?

Texas Cannabis Clinic: This is a topic we have to clarify often. We are a medical clinic only, we evaluate you and prescribe the medicine however, we DO NOT distribute or sell any products/ medicine. Once the patient sees us, they are certified through the Texas Compassionate Use Program and their Rx is sent to the dispensary. The dispensary fills the prescrip tion. Based on your condition and treatment plan, your physician will prescribe a ratio of CBD to THC that is sent with the Rx. Formulas at the dispensary currently are THC-Only, Balanced and High-CBD. I rec ommend going to Texas Original’s website to learn more about the various products and rations.

Current legal cannabis consumption methods include: tinctures, lozenges and gummies. Flower, or smokeable weed, is not legal under TCUP mainly due to the difficulty of regulating the dosage and ratios.

Texas Hemp Reporter: your service is totally a Tele-Health service statewide correct?

Texas Cannabis Clinic: That’s right, we can service all Texas resi dents no matter their location. All you need is wi-fi or a data plan.

Texas Hemp Reporter: What changes do you look to see happening in the next session with regards to cannabis laws in Texas?

Texas Cannabis Clinic:

TCUP expansion, adding more qualifying conditions. Chronic pain specifically is a con dition we feel so many people suffer from. This medicine has not only proven to alliviate pain but many are able to forgo dangerous and addicitive drugs like opiods.

Texas Hemp Reporter: We need to push for Doctors discretion on the amount of THC a patient can receive. Do you agree?

Texas Cannabis Clinic: Absolutely. While we are able to serve many patients with the products available with our limited THC cap we also have patients that this program fails because the medicine is not strong enough with the current % cap.

Texas Hemp Reporter: What is the next step readers can do to get prequalified for Texas /TCUP program?

Texas Cannabis Clinic: The process is so simple. Go to our website and click on “Get Seen Today”. You may also go to our “Schedule a Video Appointment” tab. It’s best to have your medical records/proof of diagnosis handy and ready to upload. You will be able to choose your appointment time and get started immediately. If you think you may have PTSD but have yet to be diagnosed, we are able to evaluate and diagnose you all in your initial appointment.

Texas Hemp Reporter: Thank you for your time Lis in speaking with us and educating our readers more about the Texas Cannabis Clinic.

Texas Cannabis Clinic: It’s a pleasure, thank you! We appreciate

Texas Hemp Reporter for giving us the floor to speak to Texas about this program that is changing lives. Please follow us on FB, Instagram and/or TikTok. We love to share our patient’s success stories as well as relevant MMJ news and statistics.

Our Top 4 Picks for Hot Genetics in 2023

BY RACHEL NELSON

As we head into the new year, Adam Reposa, own er of ATX Budtenders, gives expert insights on the hottest bud selections for 2023.

#1: Super Boof

Super Boof is a calming, hybrid strain that emerged by crossing Black Cherry Punch and Tropicana Cookies. Reposa said his weed delivery business — which brands its products as Mr. Chinga — will make Super Boof its signature strain in 2023 and plans to offer it at $150 an ounce (a $50 discount from 2022).

“People can buy a combo, spend $300 and receive an ounce of Super Boof and an ounce of something else, plus get a collector’s item t-shirt,” he said. “It’s kind of like the Cheese of The Month Club with weed and t-shirts.”

So, what’s so great about Super Boof?

According to Leafly, this strain boasts earthy and cherry notes that come from its dominant terpene — myrcene.

“It’s the livest fruity weed around,” Reposa said. “Plus, there’s nothing wrong with an every day standard, and Super Boof is so good, I think it can be everyone’s every day weed. With most people, you can smoke a certain strain every day and then buy another zip of something else.”

#2: Runtz

What do Dessert Runtz, Midnight Runtz, Pink Runtz and White Runtz have in common? They are all strains that graced the ATX Budtenders menu in 2022. In 2023, Reposa said his business will continue to carry Runtz, as well as keep an eye out for new mixtures that may emerge.

“You can’t go wrong with Runtz,” he said, comparing it to other legendary strains like White Widow and Northern Lights. “I’m just waiting for the Polka Dot and Chocolate Runtz strains to come out because I’m sure they’re coming.”

Runtz, also known as Runtz OG, is named for its fruity aroma that is comparable to the distinguished candy brand. It was named Leafly’s Strain of the Year in 2020, and it is known to produce euphoric and uplifting effects.

#3: Sweet Island Skunk

It’s an oldie but a goodie, according to Reposa. In fact, Reposa said he has been tossing around the idea of bringing more throw back strains into his collection, hoping to win over customers through nostalgia.

“They say that every time you do a reunion tour, no one comes, but I think there could be a lot of opportunity here,” he said.

For those who enjoy sativas and are looking for an energizing high, Sweet Island Skunk is worth trying. It was created by mix ing Sweet Pink Grapefruit with Skunk #1, and its green buds are adorned with vibrant yellow and orange hairs.

#4. Zlushiez

This strain is from highly regarded cannabis company Raw Genetics — the creators of Gastro Pop and Apples and Bananas. “They’ve got a bunch of badass weed,” Reposa said.

Zlushiez is an indica-dominant hybrid, and Raw Genetics boasts a robust collection of popular strains that have been crossbred with it — such as Stuffed Cherry Zlushiez and Zuni.

BY RACHEL NELSON

CBD Delivery ATX Serves Customers in Austin and Beyond Get a Variety of Products in 2 Hours or Less

In March 2020, before anyone knew the pandemic would drastically change the world, three Austinites launched CBD Delivery Service. According to co-owner Liz Pruett, the timing was on their side.

“Delivery became a more important part of everyday life,” she said. “A lot of our customers have been with us since the beginning because, for whatever reason, they can’t leave the house, don’t want to leave the house or feel intimidated about going into a head shop. So I think it does kind of fill a niche market of people who want to stay closer to home.”

Pruett and the other co-owners — brothers Rob and TJ Leonard — received their first delivery order a week prior to the COVID shutdown and say the phone has not stopped ringing since. Initially, the trio said they went with a delivery business model to save money on leasing a storefront, but they hoped to eventually grow into a brick-and-mortar location. However, they soon realized that “deliv ery was kind of the way to go,” Pruett said.

“In the early days of our business we kind of thought it was going to die off when the pandemic was over, but it kind of went the other way,” Rob Leonard said. “It just became more, so I guess this is what so many businesses are doing be cause people love the convenience of it.”

The owners of CBD Delivery ATX tout their assortment of locally sourced prod ucts as well as their diverse customer mix — from war veterans to soccer moms and massage therapists.

“We have some people that order bath bombs and others that want every type of THC that we carry that’s legal,” Rob Leonard said.

Compliance is a priority at CBD Deliv ery ATX, and every customer must show their ID upon arrival.

“We always ensure that it doesn’t get into the wrong person’s hands,” Rob Leonard said.

While the owners of CBD Delivery ATX steer clear of making medical claims

about their products, their customers have boasted many healing effects — such as relief from pain and anxiety.

TJ Leonard said his business motivation stems from wanting to help people consume hemp legally. He grew up in Maine and later moved to California — both legal states. Now that he lives in Texas, he said he hopes the business helps keep people out of legal trouble. Additionally, CBD Delivery ATX aims to be fast and discreet.

“When you go into a head shop, it kind of feels like you’re doing something ille gal, even though everything’s legal,” TJ Leonard said. “With us, it’s as discreet as you can make it. We don’t wear uniforms, our cars aren’t decorated.”

The owners all say they are pleasantly surprised at how busy they have been since the pandemic cooled off, and their delivery area extends beyond the Austin city limits. A map of the service area can be found at cbddeliveryatx.com, and ev eryone who orders can expect to receive their products in two hours or less.

Standard delivery is $10 but jumps to $20 for the extended delivery region. However, all customers who spend $100 or more receive free delivery. Addition ally, every new customer receives 25% off of their order total.

Hemp Advocacy in the MJ Space: NoCo Hemp Expo Team Goes to MJBizCon

BY STEVEN HOFFMAN

The team at We Are for Better Alternatives, publisher of Let’s Talk Hemp and producer of NoCo Hemp Expo — recently attended MJBizCon, the cannabis industry’s largest trade show and conference, held each year in Las Vegas.

Participating in a hemp meetup, and interact ing with hemp-based exhibitors and advocates among a crowd primarily comprised of mar ijuana producers, manufacturers, equipment suppliers and more, the WAFBA team was there to promote the many uses of industrial hemp, in addition to the medicinal cannabinoids derived from the hemp plant. According to WAFBA President Morris Beegle, it was important to be there to build bridges between the marijuana and hemp communities, and to explore oppor tunities where innovation and collaboration can meet.

After several years of economic turbulence, the cannabis industry was resurgent at the Las Vegas event, buoyed by a number of recent events, including an announcement in October from President Biden pardoning certain simple marijuana offenses, legislation introduced in the Senate this past year to end federal cannabis prohibition, and Maryland and Missouri voting on November 8 to legalize cannabis in their re spective states. According to the National Con ference of State Legislatures, 37 states, three ter ritories and the District of Columbia currently allow the medical use of cannabis products, and as of this most recent election cycle, 21 states, two territories and the District of Columbia have legalized the adult use of marijuana for recreational purposes.

“The tide is turning, slowly but surely” said Beegle. “Now, the FDA needs to get its act together and regulate CBD within a dietary supplements framework, so the hemp-derived cannabinoid market, too, can grow its business, free from an uncertain, unfavorable and unjust regulatory environment.”

As such, Beegle urged hemp and cannabis industry members to back two legislative bills: H.R. 841, the Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act, which would allow the use of hemp-derived CBD in dietary supplements, and H.R. 6134, the CBD Product Safety and Standardization Act, which would regulate the use of canna binoids in food and beverage products. Both bills are expected to be reintroduced in 2023. In addition, H.R. 6645, the Hemp Advance ment Act, expected to be reintroduced by bill sponsor Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME), seeks to eliminate overly complicated regulations for farmers, producers and small businesses. “If the hemp industry expresses its voice collectively to our representatives, we can create the regulatory environment we seek, but not without advocacy and vigilance in the coming year,” Beegle said.

As the 2022 event was this editor’s first MJBiz Con event, my initial impressions were that the cannabis industry is changing fast, innovation is rampant, and consolidation is expediting. Entrepreneurs, executives, investors and oth ers are building more sophisticated brands and exploring a range of cannabinoids, though the show was mainly about THC. While the first floor of the exhibit hall was focused on prod ucts and services geared toward growers, the second floor featured a bevy of shiny stainless steel extraction and processing equipment with advanced technology designed to scale com mercial production. With a dynamic tension

of “the people’s plant” and patentable invention and innovation on display, the show was … OK, I’ll say it … high energy, and the attendees were in a positive, uplifted and friendly space.

Among the many cool cannabis offerings at the show, what was notable to me as Editor of Let’s Talk Hemp were some of the hemp-orient ed companies on display, including Hempak, founded by two young entrepreneurs intro ducing sustainable, biodegradable hemp plastic packaging to a marijuana industry steeped in petroleum-based plastic packaging; Holista pet, a woman-owned, hemp-derived CBD pet products company; High Hemp, maker of non-GMO, organic, hemp-based rolling paper cones, papers and wraps; Irwin Naturals, a lead ing natural products dietary supplements brand displaying an array of CBD and THC supple ment products; and leading organic food brand Once Again Nut Butters, cleverly marketing its natural and organic nut butters as an ingredient for the edibles market. In addition, I enjoyed networking and interacting with hemp and can nabis industry leaders at a breakfast hosted by Doug Fine, author of American Hemp Farmer, and Andrew Deangelo, co-founder and board chair of the Last Prisoner Project.

Yet, while the show featured the world of mar ijuana and cannabis, hemp players were in the minority at this year’s MJBizCon. MjBizDaily recently closed its hemp offshoot Hemp Indus try Daily and has focused its efforts on the adult use, high-THC cannabis space. Those who are interested in the traditional, low-THC, industri al uses of the cannabis plant, such as food, fiber and environmental applications, can look at the 9th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo set for March 2931, 2023, at the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs. NoCo is the perfect bookend to the MJBiz show. Both are of great value to leaders in cannabis and hemp, and we hope you’ll mark your calendar to attend NoCo Hemp Expo this coming March.

Texas Hemp Coalition Q&A Column

BY ILISSA NOLAN

Cameron Field, Senior Counsel - Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

Why did you get into the hemp industry?

I got into them hemp industry because I already had experience helping agricultural and consumer packaged goods companies navigate regulations and commercial con tracts, and the brand new hemp industry at the time needed experienced lawyers to help guide companies through changing regula tory processes and develop sound contracts.

Tell me about your company? What does it specialize in?

I am a senior counsel with the law firm Michael Best. We are a full-service tier one business law firm, meaning we can essen tially provide all of legal services a business will need with our network of experienced attorneys across the country. Our cannabis industry group within the firm contains law yers that specialist in intellectual property, corporate transactions, regulatory work, and litigation.

What is something unique that your business does?

We were one of the first and are still one of the only sophisticated tier one law firms to represent clients in the cannabis industry. There are a lot of boutique law firms in the cannabis industry, some great, some not so great. We don’t only represent cannabis cli ents, so our attorneys bring perspectives from multiple industries such pharmaceuticals

and agribusiness when they are working with our cannabis clients.

What do you think are the main challenges within this industry?

I see three main challenges right now: 1) a lack of research 2) a lack of uniformity in regulations and 3) lack of capital. Regarding a lack of research, the legislation recently signed by President Biden will help more research in the cannabis space and, in par ticular for the hemp industry, into alterna tive cannabinoids. The lack of uniformity in regulations is making it hard for some companies to grow in the space as growth often requires a careful state by state plan and specific marketing and product labelling strategy. Finally, every industry needs capital to grow, and the hemp space has its fair share of challenges in attracting capital. I see in vestors balk and opportunities in the space because of the changing and lack of unifor mity in regulations, which shows how these challenges are not siloed, but interconnected.

What is the most important advice that you would give individuals who

are looking to get involved in this industry?

The hemp industry is a broad industry right now, so my advice would likely change de pending on what aspect of the industry they are hoping to be involved in. But the one overarching piece of advice that would hold for the whole industry would be to find good people you can trust to do business with. There are a number of snake oil salesman and profiteers that haven’t been shaken out of the industry yet, so best to do you due diligence and work with credible individuals, of which there are plenty in the industry.

What do you hope to see for the future of the hemp industry in Texas?

I hope Texas becomes a innovator and powerhouse in the manufacturing of hemp products for industrial uses. Our state is growing fast, and how great would it be if more houses could be built or insulated by hemp material grown right here in Texas?

How to contact Cameron:

Cameron F. Field - Senior Counsel - Mi chael Best & Friedrich LLP | LinkedIn cffield@michaelbest.com

The Texas Hemp Coalition’s goal is to pro vide industry specific information to grow ers, processors and entities that are involved in the Texas Hemp Industry. We will serve as an advocacy, educational and networking liaison to reputable entities within the hemp industry. Visit www.texashempcoalition.org for more information and membership avail abilities.

Meet