Bahama Mama & Ropeace: Redefining Excellence in the Counter Culture Industry with Best Retailer in the Central USA Award
In an era where the counter culture industry is burgeoning, with new brands and stores
popping up at every corner, standing out from the crowd is no small feat. Yet, Bahama
Mama & Ropeace CBD Wellness has done just that. Established in 2020 by a
management team with a combined 25+ years of retail experience, it quickly rose to
prominence, expanding to 65+ locations by the end of 2023. This rapid growth and
commitment to excellence culminated in a significant accolade at the beginning of 2024:
Bahama Mama / Ropeace was awarded Best Retailer in the Central USA at the Counter Culture Awards, held during the CHAMPS trade show in Las Vegas on February 14th.
The Counter Culture Awards are known for recognizing the best in the industry—those
who push the boundaries, innovate, provide exceptional service to their customers and
contribute to the betterment of the industry. Winning such a prestigious award is a
testament to Bahama Mama & Ropeace dedication to creating an unparalleled
shopping experience. Unlike typical smoke shops & CBD retailers, Bahama Mama &
Ropeace prides itself on creating a luxurious, product-rich environment that puts
customers first. This customer-eccentric approach, combined with a constant curation of
the highest-quality products and knowledge-based sales approach, has set Bahama
Mama & Ropeace apart in the competitive landscape of counter culture retail.
What makes Bahama Mama / Ropeace victory at the Counter Culture Awards even
more remarkable is the company’s history. In just three years, Bahama Mama, which
started in Houston has not only expanded its footprint across multiple cities (with
Ropeace launching in Austin in 2021) but has also created a strong, family-like
relationship with all vendors across every vertical of its supply chain. The keen attention
to detail on their execution has created a “customer-first” company culture that is
embodied by even the most junior staff members who have successfully retained this
culture as it scaled over the past three years.
For those in Houston, Austin and Dallas looking to experience what makes Bahama
Mama / Ropeace the Best Retailer in the Central USA the options are plentiful. With
several locations in and around the city, customers can easily find a store near them.
For those in Austin, Ropeace locations are found on both sides of the river. Each
location is designed to offer a unique shopping experience that reflects the brands
commitment to luxury and quality. Whether you’re a connoisseur of the counter culture lifestyle or new to the scene, Bahama Mama / Ropeace knowledgeable staff and wide
range of products ensure that every visit is both educational and enjoyable.
Bahama Mama & Ropeace victory at the Counter Culture Awards is not just a win for
the brand but a win for the industry at large. It signifies a shift towards more customer-
focused, experience-driven retail environments in the counter culture market. As
Bahama Mama / Ropeace continue to grow and evolve, it sets new standards for what
consumers can expect from their retail experiences. The award for Best Retailer in the
Central USA is just the beginning for Bahama Mama & Ropeace brand, and the industry will undoubtedly be watching what they do next with great interest.
As the United States progresses with cannabis legalization, a transformative wave is reshaping perceptions and uses of this plant. Despite federal hesitations, state-level advancements are paving the way for a renewed understanding of cannabis, emphasizing its medicinal benefits and reducing longstanding stigmas. In this evolving landscape, the need for education and innovative consumer engagement has never been more apparent, leading some businesses to take matters into their own hands.
One such pioneer is Ricky Donnell Ross, known as Freeway Rick Ross, who is at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge technology in the cannabis retail space with the launch of Freeway Ricky’s Dispensary in Los Angeles, California. This venture not only aims to offer an enriched shopping experience but also seeks to educate consumers on cannabis through advanced AI-powered solutions and the acceptance of cryptocurrencies.
Freeway Ricky’s Dispensary: A Nexus of Innovation and Education
Located in the Sunland region of Los Angeles, Freeway Ricky’s spans over 3,000 square feet, dedicating itself as a hub for future-forward cannabis retail. Emphasizing customer engagement and education, the dispensary introduces AI-powered kiosks that facilitate both learning and transactions, including an option for cryptocurrency payments. This approach reflects a broader trend of digital transformation across various industries, aiming to enhance convenience and safety for consumers.
The Team Behind the Vision
Ross collaborates with a skilled team comprising Diedra Greenaway, Eric Hughes, and Scott Lambert, each bringing a unique set of experiences and expertise to the table. This diverse team underscores a commitment to operational excellence, strategic marketing, and sound financial management, positioning Freeway Ricky’s as a leader in the cannabis retail sector.
Embracing Cashless Transactions and Educational Tools
Acknowledging the shift towards cashless economies, Freeway Ricky’s is pioneering the use of cryptocurrency within the cannabis industry, despite current regulatory and banking challenges. This initiative not only anticipates future trends in digital payments but also aligns with the dispensary’s goal of providing a seamless and modern shopping experience.
The utilization of AI in customer service, specifically through interactive kiosks, allows Freeway Ricky’s to personalize consumer interactions, guiding users to products that best suit their needs. This technological adoption not only streamlines the shopping process but also plays a crucial role in educating consumers about the diverse benefits and uses of cannabis products.
A Vision Rooted in Redemption and Community Empowerment
Ross’s journey from his past involvement in the Iran-Contra affair to becoming a cannabis entrepreneur is marked by redemption and a desire to impact positive change. Through Freeway Ricky’s, Ross envisions a platform that not only serves the cannabis community through innovative technology and education but also engages and uplifts marginalized groups affected by past cannabis policies.
Freeway Ricky’s Dispensary stands as a testament to the evolving cannabis industry, where technology and education converge to redefine consumer experiences. By prioritizing knowledge, innovation, and inclusivity, Ross and his team are setting new standards for cannabis retail, highlighting the potential for businesses to drive change and foster a deeper understanding of cannabis as medicine and a lifestyle choice.
Chef Tavis Petersen Tours the U.S. Serving Infused Dinners at Luxury Air BnBs
Travis Petersen was a long-time professional in the oil and gas industry when his love of the culinary arts led him to sign up for a show called Masterchef Canada. He appeared in two episodes in 2016.
“I had fun with that,” he said.
Around that time, oil and gas hit a recession, and Petersen was laid off from his job. However, he received a severance package that allowed him to kick off a new career in cooking. He began doing chef popups, cooking lessons and meal prepping until October 2018, when his home country of Canada federally legalized cannabis for recreational use.
That’s when Petersen hosted his first cannabis-infused pop-up dinner. He converted his house into a restaurant and served 150 people in four days. Since then, Petersen has served more than 15,000 people their first cannabis-infused meal, with 900 of those guests being first-time cannabis users.
“A dinner party is a perfect introduction for people,” Petersen said. “If you were ever going to try cannabis, our dinner parties are the best way.”
Safety is paramount to Petersen, and guests are dosed individually based on their tolerance level.
“We don’t want to give people too much or not enough,” he said. “It’s about hitting that perfect medium and utilizing the terpenes to mold the experience they’re about to have. Everything is full spectrum, so we’re not using isolates.”
Launching Nomadic Nights in The US
In 2021, Petersen relocated to Arizona, where he launched his latest business endeavor — Nomadic Nights. He travels around the U.S. hosting infused popup dinners in 29 cities where recreational cannabis use is legal.
“I rent luxury Air BnBs and turn them into little popup restaurants,” he said. “It provides a dinner party experience for all the guests.”
Guests have been known to enjoy menu items like 72-hour short ribs with a miso glaze and infused kimchi, or a mini croissant dessert cereal with infused matcha milk.
“What’s really cool is we’ll have anywhere from 20 to 40 people at the dinners, and they’re all strangers sitting around the table,” Petersen said. “Looking at them, one might think, ‘Oh, those people have nothing in common.’ But at the end of the night, they’re exchanging numbers, they’re friends, and they’re planning to see each other again.”
Petersen said that although he didn’t originally set out to be a cannabis chef, watching these special connections unfold is what inspired him to take the idea full-time. He even published a cookbook titled “Introduction to Culinary Cannabis” that is available for purchase at www.thenomadcook.com/shop.
“I thought this was going to be a niche fad,” he said. “The average age of my guests is 39, and they are 60% female. I couldn’t have been any more wrong about what the clientele was going to be, and that this is an actual cuisine that is here to stay.”
A Dedication to Safety
In 2020, Petersen launched the first recognized Culinary Cannabis Certificate for Safety and Responsibility in Canada, which he said received a great deal of positive media attention.
According to Petersen, people too often Google, “How do I make weed brownies?” Then, they make recipes that do not provide the correct dosing information, which can lead to bad experiences.
Properly dosing cannabis-infused dishes is an art Petersen hopes to share with others. This year, he is turning his certification course into an online master class that will launch on April 20. Through it, he will teach the methods, equipment and fundamentals necessary to serve infused meals safely and responsibly.
“The ultimate goal of what I’m trying to achieve is that I want the next generation of chefs to be able to do this in a restaurant,” he said.
Last year, Nomadic Nights hosted 102 dinners in 11 months, and their calendar is filling up for 2024 as well. All dates and locations are announced on Petersen’s Instagram, @the_nomadcook.
The cannabis beverage market is buzzing with the latest entrant – Snoop Dogg’s ‘Do It Fluid.’ This collaboration between the rap icon and Hill Beverage Co. signals a significant shift in cannabis consumption trends, blending the world of music, culture, and cannabis innovation.
The Snoop Dogg and Hill Beverage Co. Collaboration
Snoop Dogg’s venture into the cannabis beverage industry with Hill Beverage Co. isn’t just about creating a drink; it’s about a lifestyle shift. The line named ‘Do It Fluid’ is designed to offer a high-quality, all-natural alternative to smoking. The drinks contain both CBD and a touch of Delta-9 THC, derived from hemp. However, the THC content is carefully measured to stay under the legal limit, ensuring a safe yet enjoyable experience.
The Product Line
The ‘Do It Fluid’ range includes flavors like Blood Orange, Blue Razz, Cherry Limeade, and Peaches ‘n Honies. Each 8-oz can contains 3mg of THC and 25mg of CBD. The emphasis is on delivering a natural and high-quality drinking experience, suitable for both long-time cannabis enthusiasts and newcomers.
Jake Hill of Hill Beverage Co. brings his expertise in cannabis-driven technologies to ensure the highest quality. The beverages boast real fruit juices and purees, aiming for a consistent and premium experience. The proprietary blend of cannabinoids allows for immediate absorption, offering effects within minutes – a notable advantage over traditional edibles.
Future Plans
The launch of ‘Do It Fluid’ has been met with enthusiasm, highlighting a growing interest in alternative cannabis consumption methods. The collaboration between Snoop Dogg and Hill Beverage Co. is seen as a significant step forward in the cannabis beverage sector, providing an inviting option for those seeking a non-traditional way to enjoy cannabis.
At Texas Hemp Reporter Magazine, we’re always excited about innovative cannabis products. We’d love to see more of Snoop Dogg’s beverages in Texas, offering our readers a taste of this unique blend of music, culture, and cannabis innovation. ‘Do It Fluid’ represents not just a product but a new direction in the cannabis industry, and we’re all for bringing this refreshing twist to the Lone Star State.
The thriving Austin comedy scene has a new place for stoner comedians to gather and share jokes.
Comweedians Open Mic Cannabis Comedy Show takes place every Wednesday from 8-10 p.m. at The Yard TSC, located at 523 Thompson Ln. Comedians can sign up to perform three-minute sets starting at 7 p.m. The event is 420-friendly, and prizes are given for the night’s best joke.
The weekly event kicked off on Jan. 17. Chris “2Stoned” Adams, event coordinator for the venue, said the premiere event was well-attended despite cold weather.
“Most comedians were new to Austin,” he said. “We want to be the spot where, if downtown spots are booked and busy, they can come here.”
In addition, the owner of The Yard TSC launched a community called High Flyers Club. Visit 420highflyersclub.com to join an 8.3k-member private Facebook group that provides event information, cannabis-themed giveaways, as well as a safe space to post 420-themed topics.
Adams said The Yard TSC began hosting events in 2023. In addition to the new comedy series, they have sports watch parties, movie nights, vendor markets and more. One of The Yard TSC’s most unique offerings is its recurring “Head in da Clouds” Mic Drop event. For $50, artists and bands can do a one- to three-minute performance, which is filmed by staff. Lights and smoke machines are provided, and performances are edited and mixed by in-house engineers and directors. Artists receive a digital copy of the performance for promotional purposes, and they also air on High Flyers Club’s YouTube and Instagram channels.
The Yard TSC is nestled behind the Texas Smoke Connection smoke shop, which is open daily from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Follow @theyardtsc on Instagram to stay up-to-date on future events.
Upcoming events at The Yard TSC in Austin
Every Wednesday Comweedians Open Mic Cannabis Comedy Show, 8 – 10 p.m.
February 3 Cartoons and Cereal Wake & Bake Party, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
February 3 Indoor Popup Market, 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Join High Flyers Club
Instagram @420highflyersclub
Youtube.com/@highflyersclub
Facebook.com/groups/420highflyersclub
Since Hemp was first legalized in 2019 Texas, it has been thriving as a hub for the prosperous hemp industry. The cannabis industry has grown dramatically in recent years in response to expanding legalization. Texas has had its share of leaps and bounds over the past few years as the Lone Star State embraces the potential of hemp cultivation.
There have been many challenges (and solutions) faced by those trying to maneuver the hemp market that either propel or discourage them from moving forward. Some of those hurdles include having to navigate through the tangled web of complex rules and requirements, excessive fees, marketing censorship, and even regulatory compliance issues, just to name a few.
The hemp market is a dynamic industry influenced by factors ranging from global demand to bad weather conditions. Most farmers are faced with the uncertainty of the market that discourages them from moving forward, yet misconceptions about hemp still persist, leading to a lack of awareness and education.
It’s important in any industry to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible to face regulatory changes that affect the community, farmers, advocacy groups, and businesses which can lead to a more streamlined approach to concerns. Submerse yourself in the who, what, when, and how of the industry to stay up to date with current rules and regulations that allow for the exploration of diversification strategies. Bridging the educational gap is crucial for dispelling industry myths and also helps to raise awareness of the diverse uses and benefits of hemp. This helps to build resilience in the face of a constantly changing market and helps overcome misconceptions that lead to the development of innovative solutions. Advocates must engage themselves in community outreach programs, workshops, and even public events to better inform consumers and policymakers about the uses of hemp and its benefits. If these events are not readily available in your community, you can consider hosting your own Hemp 101 forum or workshop and start from there. You can also inform advocates about the latest technology trends that optimize farming operations and help match researchers with industry players to help form collaborations to support the continued growth and improvement of the industry.
As growth occurs, challenges arise, and coming up with new and innovative ideas will be vital for continued growth. When industry partners work together, bonds are reinforced and growth occurs. Texas continues to shape its identity in the hemp industry and implementing innovative solutions essential to sustaining its growth for years to come. By working together, staying well informed, and adapting to the evolving landscape, Texas can become a world leader in a thriving hemp market.
Leading with Vision: Carlos Qualls at the Helm of CBD Pros USA
In the dynamic landscape of cannabinoid products, CBD Pros USA emerges as a leading company in the United States, thanks in large part to the strategic leadership of Carlos Qualls, Senior Buyer & Vice President of Sales. His journey from Buckle to the forefront of the CBD industry is a story of visionary leadership and innovative strategies that are shaping the future of cannabinoid products.
A Strategic Shift to CBD Leadership
Carlos’s transition from his successful tenure at Buckle to CBD Pros USA was a calculated move. Recognized for his exceptional sales acumen and leadership qualities by Cody Fisher, co-owner of Buckle, Carlos was perfectly poised to take on the challenge of propelling CBD Pros USA to new heights. His decision to join the company marked the beginning of a transformative era in its history.
Redefining Industry Standards at CBD Pros USA
At CBD Pros USA, Carlos has been instrumental in establishing a culture that emphasizes education, unparalleled customer service, and leadership development. This approach has set CBD Pros USA apart, ensuring that every customer experience is consistent and enlightening across all locations. By fostering a team of knowledgeable leaders, Carlos has enabled the company to excel in balancing top-notch customer service with effective sales techniques.
Expanding Reach and Influence
Under Carlos’s guidance, CBD Pros USA has achieved significant milestones. When Carlos joined CBD Pros USA in 2019 they had one store. Currently, CBD Pros USA has 23 stores across the United States and 14 dispensaries in New Mexico. Strategic partnerships, such as the one with Cheech and Chong for NASCAR sponsorships, showcase the company’s expanding influence in the industry.
Quality and Transparency: The Cornerstones of Trust
CBD Pros USA stands out for its unwavering commitment to product quality and transparency. Adhering to third-party testing and securing certifications like USDA organic and GMP, the company ensures that customers have access to safe and reliable products. Carlos has championed these practices, understanding that customer trust hinges on product integrity and transparency.
Education and Training: The Foundation of Excellence
Recognizing the complexities surrounding CBD and cannabinoid products, Carlos has prioritized comprehensive education and training for all team members. This focus on knowledge empowers employees to provide insightful guidance to customers, further solidifying the company’s reputation as a leader in the cannabinoid market.
Navigating Challenges with Foresight and Resilience
Carlos’s role in navigating challenges, from public misconceptions to regulatory complexities, has been pivotal. His proactive involvement in the hiring process and strategic marketing ensures that CBD Pros USA not only maintains high standards but also actively educates the public about the benefits and safety of cannabinoid products.
Community Engagement and the Road Ahead
CBD Pros USA’s commitment to community engagement, evident in initiatives like food drives and volunteering, adds a meaningful dimension to its business model. Looking to the future, Carlos envisions leveraging the company’s growth for further expansion, particularly if legislative changes in Texas occur. His foresight and planning are setting the stage for CBD Pros USA to continue its trajectory as a national leader in the cannabinoid market.
Carlos Qualls’ Impact on CBD Pros USA and Beyond
Carlos Qualls’s journey at CBD Pros USA is not just about leading a company; it’s about setting new standards and driving growth in the cannabinoid industry. His story reflects a blend of strategic insight, unwavering commitment, and innovative leadership, positioning CBD Pros USA as a beacon of excellence in the United States’ cannabinoid market.
In an industry burgeoning with possibilities, Ray Kaderli stands out not just for his innovative use of hemp as a building material, but also for his forward-thinking vision. As we go into the world of hemp building through Ray’s eyes, we find a blend of pragmatism, passion, and environmental stewardship shaping the future of sustainable construction.
Ray’s journey into hempcrete was initially driven by a quest for efficient and durable building materials. This quest became a passion when he discovered hempcrete’s sustainability benefits following the 2018 Farm Bill. His company’s mission revolves around using healthy, planet- friendly materials to revolutionize the building industry.
Ray’s pragmatic approach to building materials evolved into a passionate entrepreneurial pursuit. The legalization of industrial hemp opened a world of opportunities, and Ray was quick to recognize the potential in hemp building. His previous experience in compost and organic recycling further fueled his drive for environmental stewardship, aligning perfectly with the opportunities hemp presented.
Ray identifies supply chain issues, lack of knowledgeable professionals, and distractions as the primary challenges in hemp building. His company addresses these through networking, leadership, and educational efforts. Initiatives like HempBuildSchool.com and HempBuildNetwork.com are testaments to his commitment to developing professional
resources and fostering a focused community in the hemp building sector.
Aiming to make hemp building mainstream, Ray’s company focuses on innovation in materials and methods. They are exploring mechanical installation, prefabrication, and new material mixtures, aiming to simplify and enhance hemp building processes.
Hemps ability to significantly reduce both embodied and operational carbon makes it a winner in sustainable building. Ray emphasizes the importance of moving beyond divisive political rhetoric to unite environmental stewardship and economic opportunity under one banner. Education is a key pillar for Ray’s company. Through Hemp Build School and participation in the US Hemp Building Association (USHBA), they aim to educate professionals and the public about the benefits of hemp building. The 2018 Farm Bill was a game-changer, according to Ray. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and navigating the evolving regulatory landscape, including codes, standards, and testing requirements, for the future of hemp building.
Ray’s company has evolved with a clear focus: PROJECTS. The demand for hemp building projects drives their growth, and Ray envisions a future where this demand only increases, propelled by successful project completions. Being an early adopter has given Ray a unique advantage. He believes in cooperating with peers for mutual success. His goal is to facilitate and supply projects, fostering a community where success is shared.
Looking back, Ray finds satisfaction in the stability and relationships built through his hemp building journey. The once uncertain path now seems more defined and promising, thanks to the collective efforts of his network.
Ray Kaderli’s story is not just about building with hemp; it’s about vision, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of a sustainable future. His approach – balancing economic viability with environmental responsibility – sets a precedent in the sustainable building industry, inspiring a generation of builders and entrepreneurs.
Sweet Sensi’s journey began with a passionate vision. Founded by Greg Autry, a pioneer in the rosin industry since its early days in Southern California, Sweet Sensi stands out as one of the first rosin companies globally. Greg’s dedication to creating products true to the plant’s essence, dating back to his early work with bubble hash in the 2000s, marks the brand’s commitment to authenticity
and quality.
What sets Sweet Sensi apart in the crowded hemp and cannabis market is its focus on gourmet candy and beverages. Winning numerous cannabis cups for products like chocolates, gumdrops, and tinctures, Sweet Sensi attributes its success to a combination of home-grown hemp, minimal processing extraction methods, and the use of organic ingredients in their self-developed gourmet recipes. Their approach to flavor pairing enhances the cannabis taste rather than masking it, creating a unique sensory experience.
Sweet Sensi’s expertise in regulated cannabis products since California’s prop 215 in 1996 has equipped them with the knowledge to comply with local and state laws meticulously. Their patented process of creating high THC rosin from hemp without chemical manipulation has allowed them to expand legally into more states and countries than other brands.
The process of creating Sweet Sensi’s renowned rosin begins with rigorous testing of hemp plants for cannabinoids and terpenes. Utilizing low-temperature extraction and a heat press designed by Greg Autry, the brand ensures that every chemical compound in the plant is preserved, reflecting their commitment to delivering products that address their consumers’ needs effectively.
Sweet Sensi upholds the highest standards in product quality and safety, adhering to GMP standards and food safety management. With a team well-versed in these protocols, the company conducts comprehensive testing, including full panels, bacterial, and microbial tests, ensuring transparency and reliability.
Sustainability is a cornerstone of Sweet Sensi’s operation. From a water system that reuses nutrient run-off to using solid plant
waste for compost tea, the company is on a mission to become waste-free. Their packaging solutions are environmentally friendly,
emphasizing recycled materials, reusability, and compostability.
Sweet Sensi actively engages with the local community and the broader cannabis industry through events like their
Hemp Harvest Fest and numerous weekend activities. Their educational efforts extend to both retailers and the public,
fostering a well-informed community.
Sweet Sensi is at the forefront of innovation, with recent advancements like a preliminary patent for a water-soluble hash/rosin formula. Despite the regulatory challenges in the Texas market, they maintain a rigorous testing regimen to ensure compliance and product efficacy.
Sweet Sensi is gearing up for an exciting future, with plans including a new retail store on 607 Congress Ave, Austin, offering fresh infused pastries, small batch chocolates, and a cannabis cocktail lounge. Additionally, the brand is set to expand into Europe, underscoring its commitment to growth and innovation in the hemp and cannabis industry.
Sweet Sensi’s journey from its inception to becoming a leader in the hemp and cannabis market is a testament to its dedication to quality, innovation, and community engagement. As they continue to expand and evolve, Sweet Sensi remains a beacon of excellence and authenticity in the ever-growing world of cannabis and hemp.
There is no secret about it: Sales of hemp-derived products have exploded all across the Lone Star State. Just about every CBD store, smoke shop, and even gas stations are displaying a multitude of various hemp cannabinoid products with contents ranging from broad spectrum CBD isolate to very potent THC and THC derivatives. In fact, a recent report by Whitney Economics suggests Texas businesses engaged in the hemp retail sector are bringing in 8 million dollars in revenue and hiring 50,000 people (1). That is a substantial number in a state where “marijuana” is still illegal.
However, not everyone is winning in this emerging market. Reports began dropping on June 7th of this year, a shop selling hemp-derived products in Garland was raided by local law enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration (2). Bee Hippy Hemp was accused of selling illegal THC products and law enforcement seized the store’s products and other assets. The owner has since maintained their business did nothing wrong, all the products were federally and state compliant, and they had proof of valid Certificates of Authenticity (COA).
Soon after, a shop in another North Texas town called Happy Hippies faced a near similar situation. On August 29th Little Elm PD obtained a warrant to find illegal THC products. They ended up seizing thousands of dollars of products for testing, but made no arrests. Then came Venom Vapors in Killeen on October 20th. This time, the owners were told by police their COAs, which allegedly were valid, had levels of THC too high to be legal. Killeen PD believed the THC levels established probable cause for a warrant to be issued to seize the product, no matter what hemp laws say. This happening in a city that has decriminalized misdemeanor amounts of marijuana through a local referendum.
While all of these cases are currently under active investigation or pending prosecution, one common theme among them is the lack of understanding of Texas hemp law by local, state, and federal police, and how they are translating it against long-standing marijuana enforcement. Hemp law was established in 2019 at the Texas Legislature, which virtually legalized everything about the cannabis plant except levels of delta-9 THC over .3% concentration by dry weight. And while Texas hemp is regulated by the Department of Agriculture and Department of State Health Services, little to nothing has been invested by the state to educate local law enforcement agencies about changes in hemp law. This all sits in juxtaposition to a medical cannabis program (Texas Compassionate Use Program) regulated by the Department of Public Safety.
Clear evidence of limited knowledge of Texas hemp law by local police was fully on display during the last Denton City Council meeting addressing marijuana decriminalization measure Proposition B on June 6th. Denton Police officers and representatives from the Denton Police Officer’s Association testified against the ordinance, and time and again, could not differentiate between hemp and marijuana from a policy, industry, or cultural standpoint. The measure was subsequently not adopted by Council.
Without a statewide paradigm shift in education and training, Texas remains a Wild West arena, where a variety of hemp-derived cannabis products are legal and widely available, but could land retailers or consumers in jail. And until one of these situations turns into a high profile court case that awards damages, the confusion as to how to enforce hemp and marijuana laws in Texas will continue to linger in limbo.
Daryoush Austin Zamhariri is the Executive Director of the Texas Cannabis Collective, a 501c4 nonprofit dedicated to news/media, advocacy, and premier events focused on Texas cannabis policy, industry, and culture.
2023 saw a number of consequential legal developments for the cannabis industry despite the failure of any law, pro or con, related to cannabis to pass during the Legislative Session, due to Leadership’s showdown over competing property tax proposals, despite the postponement of the new Farm Bill until next year, and despite the FDA’s punt on CBD. Most of the legal action this year occurred in the court system across the country, where the terrain of what part of the plant is legal in what state continuing to shift on a daily basis. Here is the latest as of December 2023 by topic:
Smokable Hemp
Though the smokable hemp case was decided last year, its chilling effects were felt in 2023. The Crown Distributing case challenged statutory language in the Texas Hemp Act that addressed manufacture and sale, where the manufacture of hemp for smoking was specifically forbidden. The chief impediment to the passage of Texas’ 2019 hemp law was the skepticism that cannabis would only be used for industrial and therapeutic CBD purposes; therefore, they did not want it to be smoked. They thought if they kept you from making it, then you couldn’t sell it, not thinking about the internet and interstate commerce. State Department of Health Services (DSHS) subsequently issued a rule that also explicitly forbade the sale of smokable hemp. Because the retail ban was not as specific in the statute, the court held DSHS did not have the authority to also ban the sale of smokable hemp. But the manufacture ban was clear and so we are stuck with that. Because the mere application of labels to a consumable product is “manufacturing,” this one element of the operation now has to be outsourced to another state, at significant economic disadvantage to Texans. In 2023, DSHS posted a notice on its website about the case and that the manufacture ban would be enforced, and formally adopted a rule banning the manufacture of hemp for smoking. DSHS also commenced inspections and has been citing local companies making their own pre-rolls. To remedy this absurdity, this Session, Rep. Briscoe Cain filed HB 4918 to eliminate the manufacture ban in the statute. Other Congressmen who in sessions past were vehemently against smoking were less preoccupied with the issue in 2023. This bill died with all the others. The next opportunity to modify the smokable hemp law will be in the 2025 Legislative Session.
Delta 8/THC Isomers/Intoxicating Cannabinoids
Intoxicating cannabinoids have been a controversial thorn in the Legislature’s side, as each session brings fresh drama between dueling prohibitionist hemp bills that threaten to wipe out the entire industry through vague and expansive language. At the same time, positive hemp bills are being introduced, which made for a rich session of intense lobbying, only for it to all collapse under the property tax showdown. Particularly worrisome was Sen. Perry’s SB 264 that prohibited the manufacture, sale, or purchase of a consumable hemp product that contains synthetically derived THCs, without defining what was meant by synthetically derived. The bill also forbade the sale or distribution of cannabinoids unless they were GRAS by the FDA, an impossibility, and created concerning beyond the law penalties. This bill did not pass. Recently, Rep. Stephanie Klick, the author of the Compassionate Use Program (CUP), wrote in the Fort Worth newspaper about the scourge of delta 8 and other THC isomer products and the necessity of preventing children from accessing these products. Rep. Klick is influential on these topics and was supportive of SB 264. The next time to address these issues legislatively will be in 2025.
In September 2023, the Third Court of Appeals heard procedural arguments in the lawsuit pending against DSHS over the manner in which its Health & Human Services Commissioner changed the definition of THCs in the Texas Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in January 2021. It is the Commissioner’s mandated duty to establish and modify the CSA schedules, and she does so periodically, through a required notice and comment process. The new THC definition makes all THCs illegal, with the exception of delta 9 from hemp under .3%, effectively making delta 8 and any other THC isomer an illegal controlled substances. DSHS testified in the 2021 Legislative Session at a hearing on a bill to outlaw delta 8 that it considered delta 8 to be illegal already anyway due to this definition. After a lawsuit was subsequently filed against DSHS by hemp companies, a temporary injunction was issued to suspend the effectiveness of the definition change until a later legal resolution. The court delayed an uncommonly long time in hearing arguments in this case, likely waiting out the Legislative Session so a ruling would not be rendered moot. The only effect of the September court ruling is that the injunction will continue to stay in place allowing business to continue as usual until a trial is held in the lawsuit which will finally determine the matter of whether the definition change was effective or not. This should occur in 2024.
Law enforcement intervention of hemp stores selling various types of intoxicating hemp products, including THCa flower, hit a fever pitch in 2023, along with DSHS inspections and enforcement. THCa brings its own legal conundrums and growers and sellers are subject to two distinct bodies of law that are not congruent with one another: civil/regulatory/administrative versus criminal law and the CSA. The Texas Crime Lab decarboxylates products, instantly converting THCa flower into marijuana, and tests other products under differing standards from hemp labs, resulting in stiff felony charges for products carrying a “compliant” hemp Certificate of Analysis. None of these criminal cases has made it through the system, so 2024 will likely bring a reckoning on the exploitation of perceived loopholes in the hemp laws. Note that the 2018 Farm Bill made falsification of a COA a felony – and we are seeing lots of modified COAs.
Hemp Laws and Lawsuits in Other States
States across the country are enacting legislation to severely curtail or completely eliminate hemp derived THCs and intoxicants, motivated by a mixture of governments seeking to ban intoxicating cannabinoids and marijuana industry players who have to spend considerably more on their regulated products than hemp companies do. Procedurally, as in Texas, in most of these cases, the current postures of the lawsuits are that an injunction is in place allowing the manufacture/sale of the to-be-banned cannabinoids until trials on the merits can be conducted to resolve the legal disputes. In March, DEA declared THC-O to be a controlled substance. In May, the DEA announced that a rule regarding synthetic cannabinoids would be forthcoming, but we have not seen it yet, and an official stated Delta 8 was considered illegal even when extracted from legal CBD.
So, we continue to piece together the agency crumbs and litigation across the country to determine what is likely legal or not. 2023’s notable laws and litigation included the following:
Kentucky,Florida, and Tennessee each enacted flaws to regulate hemp products to prevent the sale of products to those under 21 and to prohibit the sale and marketing of hemp products that appeal to children. Florida’s Department of Agriculture also inspected thousands of hemp companies and targeted 107,000 products marketed toward children. Florida has just been sued by a hemp company challenging the new regulations. As a result of a similar sequence of events in Kentucky last year, in 2023, Kentucky introduced regulations aimed at preventing sales to minors. This has just gone through the notice and comment process, and will be one to watch in 2024. Tennessee added age requirements and a special tax for hemp products.
In Alaska, a law was recently enacted banning any amount of THC in a hemp derived product, reserving the sale of those exclusively for marijuana licensees. A lawsuit was just filed by the Alaska Industrial Hemp Association and will be one to watch in 2024.
Minnesota birthed a burgeoning hemp product market when it made rules allowing for higher concentrations of THC in hemp products last year. But this year, Minnesota legalized cannabis for adult use, and it appears that hemp product makers will be held to registration and other requirements just as marijuana licensees, and synthetics and smokables will be banned. Note that you must now register with the State if you are selling hemp products into Minnesota. Another market to watch in 2024.
In New York, an injunction was just issued to prevent enforcement of emergency regulations that put extreme potency limits on the processing and retail sale of hemp products.
In Arkansas, an injunction was just issued to prevent the enforcement of a newly enacted law that criminalized all hemp synthetics and psychoactive substances.
In Maryland, an injunction was issued to prevent enforcement of a law that prohibited the sale of any intoxicating cannabinoids from hemp, reserving those products for marijuana licensees, which resulted in the closing of many stores.
In Virginia, an injunction was notissued to prevent enforcement of a law that banned delta 8 and enacted extreme potency limits on hemp products.
In Georgia, law enforcement was ordered to return seized hemp products after a court disagreed that the products were controlled substances. Separately, the DEA just stated that Georgia’s plan to use pharmacies for medical marijuana distribution violates the CSA.
New Hampshire,Vermont, Connecticut, and North Dakota banned the sale of all the THC isomers. At the beginning of the year, Louisiana issued regulations that made 100’s of hemp products illegal. Lawsuits resulted in a walking back. Note that you must have your product approved by the State to sell in Louisiana.
As for “Delta 9” products, a number of states have enacted regulations and restrictions on the potency of hemp products, such as Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Oregon, among other states mentioned in this article.
Selling and distributing hemp requires you to be familiar with all of these states’ legal ping pong matches, as the status of whether a product is legal or illegal can change overnight. Not every state is mentioned in this article, which is meant for general informational purposes only, and not legal advice.
FDA Quits CBD Regulation
Things aren’t clear at the top, either. On the day the 2018 Farm Bill was signed, FDA issued a statement that CBD may not be placed in food or beverage in interstate commerce nor marketed as a dietary supplement because CBD was already an FDA approved drug for epilepsy. Subsequently, FDA held a number of public hearings and took reams of public comment on regulation. Its Commissioner frequently spoke pro-actively about regulating CBD. Then, in 2021, everything changed. No regulatory activity at all has occurred since with CBD.
Nevertheless, FDA had no hesitation in throwing down plenty of roadblocks in 2023. FDA (and sometimes FTC) sent hundreds of warning letters to CBD companies for making impermissible medical claims, and in 2023, FDA denied several investigational new drug applications, even though they contained the medical studies that FDA claimed it needed.
Further, at the end of 2023, the FDA punted everything altogether, issuing a statement saying Congress needed to develop a special regulatory pathway for CBD, leaving hemp companies in a precarious legal limbo situation, trying to operate responsibly in an environment that refuses to specify any uniform standards. The lack of legal clarity prevents CBD companies from fully accessing business services and capital they need to grow.
The Texas Compassionate Use Program
2023 was the biggest year that wasn’t for the CUP since 2017. Rep. Klick introduced HB 1805, which would have added chronic pain as a condition, would have created a 10 mg dose, and would have had a mechanism to add conditions between sessions. This bill had broad bi-partisan support, positive hearings, and positive progress. It really was going to make it, but for the property tax showdown. So, we ended up with no improvements to the CUP, but that wasn’t all that happened. In 2022, the Department of Public Safety (DPS), which oversees the CUP, began preparing for the inevitable expansion of the Program, and in January 2023, DPS opened CUP applications for the first time since 2017. Currently, there are only three licensees to serve the whole state, all 3 of which are around Austin, and only 2 of which are operational. DPS recognized that patients are not being effectively served across the state through essentially only one provider, so steps are being taken to expand the manner in which patient access is provided. DPS is conducting studies to determine how many licenses should be issued, where, when, and to whom. But, due to the lack of a change in the law, all the hype that saw 245 companies submit applications for a license, resulted in no judging yet of the applications that were due in April. 2024 should be active on the application and rulemaking front for the CUP, and 2025 will see a renewed effort to grant Texas a viable bona fide medical program. I am hopeful that changes in federal laws and leadership will provide political cover for Texas to finally relent and let us use cannabis therapeutically at least. Anyone that wants us to have an actual cannabis industry must begin lobbying your representatives and senators during 2024 – once they are in session, they will not be able to take your donations, so now is the time to make your voice and your interests heard.
Historic strides were also made in decriminalization and penalty reduction bills pertaining to marijuana possession this Session, but as all the bills, they died with the property tax showdown.
Federal Rescheduling?
A potentially significant move was made this year when the President asked Health and Human Services (HHS) and the DEA to re-evaluate and reschedule marijuana. Because marijuana is federally illegal for all purposes as a schedule one controlled substance, businesses cannot deduct expenses or use banks, among hundreds of other issues caused by the conflict between state and federal law. In December 2023, HHS released hundreds of pages of documents related to its recommendations to DEA for the rescheduling of marijuana to Schedule 3. HHS’ review focused on currently accepted scientific medical uses for marijuana, as well as its abuse potential. Those redacted records are posted on the On Drugs blog by Matt Zorn and Shane Pennington. Both pro and anti marijuana politicians have urged DEA acceptance/rejection of the recommendation. Schedule 3 would alleviate the business issues, but will create completely unknown new ones, considering the oversight the FDA has over the dispensing of drugs on the schedules. The hope is that the many federal agencies involved in the determination will come to an actionable consensus before the next presidential election, which would set the tone for a new era of legal cannabis in 2025, coinciding with, and potentially having positive effect on our own legislative session that year.
Rescheduling would also aid in ushering in comprehensive legalization laws to address the conflicts between the states. The legalization bill prepared by Nancy Mace is the most business friendly and sensible effort, and it also addresses CBD regulation. Several more states legalized in 2023 for a total of 24 adult use states, with more than 50% of the population now living in a legal state, and, a record of 70% of people supporting legalization according to Gallup, up from 12% in 1969. 2024 should be a yuge year for cannabis nationwide, unless it isn’t….
Contact me if you have any questions about the status of the ever-evolving laws here in Texas and beyond at [email protected].
Festival Brings an Elevated Cannabis Experience to Austin
On Nov. 3-4, the aroma of hemp and jerk chicken filled Distribution Hall in East Austin.
Sweet Sensi’s Third Annual Texas Hemp Harvest Festival featured two days of live music,
Jamaican cuisine from Winston’s Kitchen and meaningful connections.
The event hosted an impressive lineup of reggae bands, from Austin’s Mau Mau Chaplains to national acts Passafire and 10 Ft. Ganja Plant. Greg Autry, owner of Sweet Sensi CBD, curates the bands based on his own playlist. He was especially enthusiastic about bringing Josh Heinrichs & SkillinJah to the event.
“The amount of enthusiasm that goes into their shows is just ridiculous,” Autry told the Texas Hemp Show Podcast on Episode 148. “These guys are just on fire when they’re on stage.”
The two-day festival also gave small businesses a chance to promote their products — everything from decorative straw hats and tie-dyed overalls to hemp-infused seltzers and honey.
“We’re doing this for the industry,” said Autry, who organizes the event with is wife, Tracy. “That’s why we started it was to bring attention to cannabis and the hemp industry.”
A gift basket raffle also took place with proceeds benefitting two local charities — Mobile Loves and Fishes and Forney Memorial VFW.
Although the event just wrapped, plans are underway for next year’s festival.
“We’re already thinking about next year,” Autry said. “We have some really big possibilities coming up. We’ve been invited by some local municipalities to apply or put our name forward for a huge venue in town. So, we’ll see what happens with that. We don’t know for sure yet. We’ve got our feelers out for bands that are bigger than what we’ve had.”
Though coverage options have opened up to the hemp industry in recent years, hemp is still considered a high-risk industry with special insurance considerations that those in the hemp industry should be aware of. Whether you are a farmer, processor, manufacturer, or retailer, insurance is an important risk mitigation tool for you to have to in place. This article provides an overview of practical tips for securing the right insurance coverage for your business and includes other risk management issues to assess.
Work with a knowledgeable broker and shop around when securing insurance – and be sure to secure all required coverage lines needed to protect your business.
A broker with experience securing coverage for hemp and cannabis businesses can help you negotiate the right coverage. However, its important to do your own due diligence as well. Shop various coverage lines with multiple insurers. Not all insurance companies in this space are offering a good product, and some sell insurance coverage with so many exclusions you may be left high and dry should an accident occur. A skilled coverage attorney can also help by reviewing any policy terms you have been offered, breaking down your scope of coverage, and spotting any terms you may want to negotiate to have added for your specific business needs. Often, we see companies that believe they had secured correct coverage, only to find out during an adverse event that the coverage they needed had been whittled away by an exclusion to the policy.
Be sure to do a full business analysis to understand all of the coverage lines you require to be protected in all disaster scenarios. Ensure all buildings, machinery, crop, and lots are covered, but don’t just focus on only the product, equipment, or store front–you will need all the traditional first-party and third-party insurance coverage that every other type of standard business should have. First-party coverage refers to insurance for harms that occur directly to your property or business, such as property and crop insurance, business interruption insurance, intellectual property infringement, data loss, cyber insurance, and crime insurance. Third-party coverage covers liabilities to a third-party you may become responsible for, the most common being commercial general liability insurance. Commercial general liability generally affords protection when people get injured on your property (think “slip and fall” scenarios). Other types of insurance you likely need include commercial automobile insurance, workers’ compensation or employer liability insurance, and product liability insurance.
Should an incident arise, make sure you know which policies are triggered. Sometimes you can find surprise coverage in a policy you would not normally think would be triggered by a certain incident, so it is good practice to give each policy a quick review each time you have a potential claim.
Be familiar with your lease agreement and any included insurance requirements.
You should read and study your lease agreement cover to cover just like you would do with your insurance policy (and hire counsel to help you through it if resources allow). It is important that the landlord for any space you intend to rent for your hemp business understands the full purpose for which you plan to rent the space, especially any hemp cultivation or manufacturing activities. Your lease agreement governs the terms between the landlord and your business, and many of those terms relate to how risk is allocated between the parties. For example, your lease agreement should identify who is responsible for certain repairs, day to day maintenance of the building, and who owns improvements. It is also common for lease agreements to set forth certain minimum insurance requirements. Failure to adhere to the required insurance terms can put your lease at risk and reduce coverage availability. Make sure the “scope of use” terms of your agreement are broad enough to encompass your business activities. Also, take note of the renewal and termination terms, and whether and how much notice is required. Counsel may be able to help negotiate lease terms in your favor such as pushing the start date of your lease to after the date your business becomes fully operational, solidifying purchase options or the right of first refusal, or reducing certain obligations required of you under the proposed lease.
It is a good idea to have counsel in negotiating the terms of a lease agreement. It is relatively common for key terms to be missed in agreements drafted among parties, which can leave parties without much direction or recourse should something go wrong. It is smart to include terms that commit your landlord to complying with all rules and regulations needed to stay compliant for your businesses’ licensing or premises’ activities. Your landlord is equally likely to want to negotiate terms for legal “outs” for things such as illegal activity, bad grow years, lack of payment, and/or environmental violations. Landlords often also require indemnity from tenants for any liability or civil forfeiture issues.
Watch out for broadly written exclusions, and see if key endorsements can be added to your coverage.
Insurance policies are written in a complicated and hard to decipher format, where coverage is granted by a relatively broad coverage form, and that same coverage is then slowly stripped away by numerous exclusions and policy endorsements listed in different places throughout the policy. This is why it is important to read closely or work with coverage counsel to determine the scope of coverage your policy truly affords. For example, a broadly drafted “health hazard” exclusion in a product liability policy could remove coverage for the types of third-party injuries you would be seeking coverage for if it voids coverage for “any type” of adverse health effect resulting from the any use of your hemp product. Another one to look out for is language that bars coverage for any delta-8 or other novel cannabinoid product – many carrier forms will define “hemp” based on total THC content, not distinguishing between delta-9 and other variants. Vape-related exclusions are also common.
On the flip side, coverage counsel may also be able to help identify key coverage endorsements you can negotiate to have added to your policy. For example, a retailer selling CBD and delta-8 products would be smart to negotiate an Advertising Injury Endorsement, which protects the business from parties that claim to have been injured by an advertising claim made by the business. Make sure to ask your broker if they consider any form of false advertising claim fraudulent. This is one of those tricky areas where hemp or cannabis businesses often believe they have secured coverage – only to later find out when served with a lawsuit that the insurer will deny coverage. It is also a good idea to have an Intellectual Property Endorsement, which protects against accidental intellectual property infringement, a strict liability claim that can be costly to defend without proper coverage. Depending on the extent of your e-commerce activities, data loss coverage may also be recommended.
Understand the requirements of your insurance policies in the event you do need to make a claim.
All insurance policies will have specific terms within the policy you need to comply with in the event that you need to submit a claim. When an incident occurs that you think could be covered, don’t wait – most policies require you to provide prompt notice of a claim, and any significant delay could reduce or void coverage. Other terms explicitly require cooperation with the insurer’s investigation of the incident, and they will likely set forth numerous other policy conditions that must be satisfied for insurance to cover the incident. Compliance is also huge when it comes to ensuring you get the coverage you paid for – anywhere your business is out of compliance with federal, state, or local laws or regulations puts you at risk of losing coverage should an insurable event related to your business or product arise. You should also be mindful of what actions explicitly void coverage under your policy. Insurers will often dispute coverage and reserve their right to decline coverage when there is even a small chance that an exclusion may be found to apply to your claim. When communicating with your insurer, be sure to put everything in writing. Be sure to respond fully and promptly to all insurer requests. Also, be aware of privilege issues. Assume any communications with your broker will not be privileged in a later dispute over the claim should one arise, and do not forward any legal communications with your coverage counsel to another third party. In the event your insurer responds to your claim with a denial letter, skilled coverage counsel can review the basis for the denial and often find a legal basis for why coverage should be afforded. Where necessary, coverage counsel can escalate the denial to filing a demand or suit against your insurer.
While risk management is often the last thing a company wants to think about when getting started, it is essential to the long-term success of your business and one of the most important forward-facing steps you should cover from inception. It only takes one claim or lawsuit to put your business at severe financial risk. As the age old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Making sure you have a comprehensive insurance and risk management plan in place can help keep you protected.
Rae Guyse is an associate attorney with Ritter Spencer PLLC. Rae handles matters for companies in all sectors of the hemp, cannabis, and alternative medicine industries, including manufacturers, distributors, and retailers in matters related to compliance, licensing, insurance, trademarking and litigation. Prior to joining Ritter Spencer, Rae spent over two years as an insurance recovery attorney, helping companies maximize their insurance payout in claims against their insurers. As a skilled coverage attorney, Rae can assist you in reviewing your insurance policy before you sign the dotted line to ensure proper coverage. You can reach Rae at 214-295-5070, or email [email protected] to schedule a consultation with her.
From the formation of the United States to the ongoing struggles that our veterans face today, Grunt Style embodies a legacy of patriotism, resilience, and unwavering commitment to America’s heroes. Grunt Style is not just a clothing brand – it’s a movement, a testament to the indomitable spirit of America’s military personnel and their families.
Dressing the American Spirit
“Who we are, to us, what you wear is more than just a necessity; it’s about attitude!” As stated on their website, Grunt Style has always been about instilling the fierce, fighting American spirit into everything they produce. With a dedicated team of nearly 400 people, their mission is to design and deliver the most patriotic apparel, ensuring that every American can wear their pride from head to toe.
However, this brand is not just about the clothes. It’s about the ethos – the unyielding commitment to freedom, the love for bacon, whiskey, and everything else that defines America. And as their iconic logo history suggests, each symbol and phrase – from the crossed 1792 Springfield muskets to the motto “This We’ll Defend” – reflects a deep-rooted reverence for America’s rich history and unwavering values.
Beyond Apparel: The Grunt Style Foundation
Founded in 2021, the Grunt Style Foundation takes the brand’s commitment to service members, veterans, and their families a step further. Recognizing the dire mental health challenges that plague the veteran community, this national nonprofit organization offers life-changing resources and experiences. Their core belief is simple yet profound: No veteran should ever be left behind.
Staggering figures underscore the urgency of their mission – in the last 20 years, 30,177 service members lost their lives not in combat but to the agony of suicide. As Tim Jensen, the President of the Grunt Style Foundation, emphasizes, “This is unacceptable.” Hence, the foundation is forging innovative paths, exploring alternative treatments like THC in Cannabis, Psilocybin, DMT, and Ayahuasca to combat PTSD and alleviate the harmful long-term effects of prescription opioids and opiates.
But the foundation’s efforts don’t stop there. Food insecurity, an often-overlooked challenge that military families face, is also at the forefront of their agenda. This Labor Day weekend, the Grunt Style Foundation aims to distribute a whopping 36 tonnes of food to active military members and their families, exemplifying their comprehensive approach to supporting our nation’s heroes.
A Leader with a Vision: Tim Jensen
Tim Jensen is not just a businessman; he’s a trailblazer. The U.S. Marines instilled in him invaluable leadership skills, shaping his journey from a serviceman to the co-owner of Grunt Style and a published author. His book, “Violent but True Bedtime Stories,” and the planned series is a testament to his dedication to preserving and sharing real military stories with a unique, tongue-in-cheek twist.
With Grunt Style’s apparel featured in over 17 retail locations and more than 4,000 wholesale outlets, including giants like Buc-ee’s, Academy, and Cabela’s, Jensen’s leadership has undoubtedly propelled the brand to great heights. Yet, at its core, Grunt Style remains committed to its roots, bolstering a lifestyle that champions patriotism and service.
A Call to Action
As we admire the vibrant, patriotic designs on Grunt Style’s apparel or browse their Instagram page, let’s not forget the deeper mission that drives this brand. Behind each t-shirt and each initiative lies a heartfelt plea – to remember, support, and uplift every American hero who has risked it all for our freedom.
Every American might not be a veteran, but every American can stand by them. Grunt Style reminds us of that duty, urging us all to defend the legacy and well-being of our nation’s bravest.
August 2023 marked 5 years of RESTART, the hemp based retail cannabis brand I own and operate with my two sisters in Central Austin (in addition to hosting the To Be Blunt podcast).
We hold one of the states original hemp licenses in what has grown to become a sea of operators ranging from dispensaries to wholesalers, distributors, manufacturers, cultivators, labs and processors.
We’ve navigated through two legislative sessions and countless other industry lawsuits like the smokable hemp ban that was imposed last summer, not to mention the ongoing attack on Delta 8 THC.
Since 2020 we’ve been executive board members with the Texas Hemp Coalition, which has enabled us to advocate and influence policy – In fact I just made my second trip back from D.C. where we got to meet with key federal stakeholders regarding pressing issues impacting hemp operators and retailers like myself.
And we lead by example and focus heavily on educating our team so that we can pass that education onto our customers.
I’m super proud of what we’ve accomplished, and as a native Texan, still a bit in disbelief that we have the opportunity to work in this industry in my home state.
It does come with it’s set of challenges from marketing, and banking, to compliance, but it’s also been rewarding pioneering in the industry and helping pave a way for this new market to exist.
All I can hope is that the next five live up to the first five.
So in honor of that, here are five lesson’s I’ve learned in five years in Texas Hemp:
Always Have a Backup Plan – Whether it’s a backup payment processor or a backup plan for packaging because your shipment of pop tops got held at customs, you must always be prepared due to unforeseen circumstances. Running a business is hard, but running a business in hemp/cannabis is like driving to a destination without GPS. You may generally know the direction you are going from A to B, but you have no idea what road closures or detours may be up ahead so you have to be prepared for anything to happen. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail, so be prepared and keep rolling with the punches and probably have a backup plan for your back up plan just in case.
Evolve or Die – Things move fast, like super sonic. From science expanding, to laws changing, what we know about the boundaries of this industry are constantly evolving and to stay in the game you have to keep moving. When we first entered the marketplace in 2018 the primary product we were selling was CBD sublingual oils, which is a complete 180 to what my top product category is in 2023 (it’s THC edibles in case you’re wondering.) Plus, here we are five years later and we have a plethora of cannabinoids to choose from in addition to CBD like THC, CBG, CBN, and THCV. Of course, this could all change on the flip of a dime, which is reinforcing my motto to always have a backup plan and keep evolving!
Don’t Believe The Headlines – In the spirit of our industry being so knew, there is going to be a lot of chatter and hype, and in reality misinformation. It’s always served me well to keep an open mindset and to pay attention to as much perspective as possible. As a Texas operator, what is going on in Texas is extremely personal to me, but other states looking in might not be able to relate to what’s going on and vice versa. We have an opportunity to make a real impact with this plant, but we have a lot of stigma to work through both inside and outside of the general hemp and cannabis community. Because this is a moving target the information is updating constantly so paying attention to the fine details and not getting caught up in headlines is key.
Stay Curious – To succeed you must become a sponge! Talk to as many people as you can and learn as much as you can about the laws, the plant, the science, and the market. Talk to your peers, talk to your operators, get involved, watch the trends, and then apply that to your own business or brand. Putting on the To Be Blunt podcast over these last three years has enabled me to stay in tune with what is going on nationally while also allowing me to have a platform to share realtime updates about our market here in Texas. Additionally organizations like the Texas Hemp Coalition are invaluable for connecting key stakeholders together so that the rising tide can lift all boats. It’s been great to meet other operators and have a community of peers that are also going through the same things which feels empowering to know we’re not alone.
Think Like a Consumer – At the end of the day, this industry is becoming a CPG (consumer packaged goods) industry and I put emphasis on the “consumer” part. The customer comes first, and if you’re smart, you’d actually talk to your customers and get their feedback. Especially here in Texas where, for example, a lot of our community is unaware of variances between Delta 8 THC and Delta 9 THC which causes us to have to overly educate and think through their challenges when engaging with these products. We should also take into consideration all the aforementioned information included in points 1-4 when it comes to bringing these consumer packaged goods to market. There is a legal landscape, a regulatory landscape, quality assurance and safety concerns, as well as efficacy that the consumer is seeking that all need to be taken into consideration if you want to succeed not only today but tomorrow too.
So the final piece of advice is to now figure out what that looks like for you, your brand, your business and then implement a plan to take the next best step forward to help you better navigate and understand the playing field.
Maybe that’s joining an advocacy group like the Texas Hemp Coalition, or pressing play on one of my many free To Be Blunt episodes which you can tune into Monday’s at TOBEBLUNTPOD.com.
Whatever you do, don’t take your foot off the gas!
The DEA’s viewpoint on delta-8 THC derived from CBD has been a topic of debate and concern within the hemp industry. A recently uncovered email provides fresh insights, suggesting that when derived from CBD, delta-8 THC is regarded as a controlled substance by the agency.With the federal legalization of hemp, there’s been a boom in the delta-8 THC market. These products, derived from hemp and its popular extract CBD, have been surrounded by legal challenges, especially as certain state policies aim to restrict its sale. Shane Pennington, a notable attorney, brought to light a 2021 correspondence from Terrence Boos, the DEA Drug & Chemical Evaluation Section Chief. Boos clearly stated, “Transforming CBD into delta-8-THC through chemical reactions renders the delta-8-THC synthetic, hence not protected Under the Agriculture Improvement Act [2018 Farm Bill]. Consequently, such synthetically derived delta-8-THC becomes a controlled substance.” This information, while not entirely new, provides clarity for those still uncertain about DEA’s stance on the issue.
Earlier in 2023, at the Supply Chain Conference, Boos also mentioned that DEA considers synthetic cannabinoids as prohibited and shared the agency’s plans to formalize this policy, backed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Interestingly, while delta-8 THC can be naturally found in cannabis, its amounts are minimal. So, if it’s directly extracted from cannabis, it’s legal, as DEA confirmed in 2021. However, most delta-8 THC products in the market are usually from a synthetic process. Pennington, however, raises questions about Boos’s interpretation, particularly around the terms “derivative” and “extract” in the Farm Bill. Alongside attorney Matthew Zorn, Pennington argues that the intention behind the Farm Bill was perhaps to allow semi-synthetic hemp derivatives, like delta-8 THC. They further highlighted how DEA’s historical actions and language used in legal texts, including the Farm Bill, seem to challenge the agency’s current stance on delta-8 THC. Their position got a boost when a federal appeals court ruled that delta-8 THC is exempt from control as per current statute, emphasizing its allowance of hemp derivatives. Yet, Pennington and Zorn remind us that understanding the DEA’s viewpoint is crucial. As it stands, unless contested by courts or Congress, the agency’s perspective holds significant weight.
Despite the DEA’s consistent statements on delta-8 THC, its market remains robust. Although some states have prohibited these products, on the federal level, the FDA has mostly issued warnings to specific companies deemed problematic. In related updates, the DEA confirmed in 2020 the removal of the CBD medication Epidiolex from the Controlled Substances Act’s Schedule V, effectively unscheduling it. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram recently expressed her willingness to consider an evaluation from HHS on marijuana, following President Joe Biden’s directive last year. There was a mention of a letter from the president regarding this, but its existence remains unconfirmed as of now.