Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide in people under the age of 45. Many who survive severe head injuries suffer permanent behavioral and neurological impairment that adversely impacts learning and memory and often requires long-term rehabilitation. An estimated 5.3 million Americans are living with a TBI-related disability.
Even so-called mild cases of TBI can result in post-traumatic seizures, impaired brain function, and lower life expectancy. People can also suffer an acquired or nontraumatic injury, such as in the case of stroke, which causes similar damage to the brain by internal factors like lack of blood flow and oxygen (ischemia).
Cannabinoids like THC and CBD may reduce the trauma and the symptoms that follow brain injury thanks to their positive interaction with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). A 2011 article in the British Journal of Pharmacology describes the ECS as “a self-protective mechanism” that kicks into high gear in response to a stroke or TBI. Coauthored by Israeli scientist Raphael Mechoulam, the article notes that endocannabinoid levels in the brain increase significantly during and immediately after a TBI. These endogenous compounds activate CB1 and CB2 receptors, which protect against TBI-induced neurological and motor deficits.
By manipulating the endocannabinoid system with cannabinoids, medical scientists have been able to reduce brain damage and improve functional recovery in animal studies of stroke and TBI. According to a 2010 report in the British Journal of Pharmacology, CBD can limit the amount of damaged tissue and help normalize the heart rhythm disturbances like arrhythmia that are common after a closed head injury.
A damaged brain can be remarkably plastic, but there is only a limited window of opportunity — generally thought of as 10 to 60 minutes — for therapeutic intervention to prevent, attenuate, or delay the degenerative domino effect of brain cell death and damage to the protective blood-brain barrier that occurs during a secondary injury cascade (a wave of further damage that occurs as a result of the lack of blood flow to the brain following the initial injury). CBD expands that window of opportunity. Researchers have learned that CBD can convey potent, long-lasting neuroprotection if given shortly before or as much as 12 hours after the onset of ischemia.
In 2016, scientists at the University of Nottingham (UK) reported that CBD shields the protective blood-brain barrier from the damaging effects of lack of oxygen and fuel after an injury. CBD prevents your blood-brain barrier from being damaged and becoming more permeable by activating the 5-HT1A serotonin receptor and the PPAR-gamma nuclear receptor.
CBD also protects the brain by increasing the concentration of endocannabinoids in the brain.
The researchers at the University of Nottingham have also conducted preclinical animal or laboratory research that examined the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), the raw, unheated version of CBD found in the cannabis plant. “Like CBD,” the researchers concluded, “CBDA is effective in reducing blood brain permeability and inflammation in a cellular model of stroke.” CBD and CBDA both restore blood-brain barrier integrity by activating the 5-HT1A serotonin receptor, which mediates CBD’s and CBDA’s anti-inflammatory effects.
Several athletes claim that CBD can help to ameliorate the lingering neurological problems associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a particularly severe form of TBI caused by the accumulation of numerous concussions.
CTE increases the risk of neurological problems later in life and hastens the progression of dementia. The anecdotal benefits of CBD-rich cannabis oil for CTE are well known among football players, boxers, and other professional athletes who are prone to head injuries.
Project CBD’s 2019 survey found that among people using CBD for a brain injury, CBD proved most helpful for relieving headaches, irritability, and agitation. CBD was less helpful for balance issues. In a small percentage of participants, CBD seemed to make issues with memory, concentration, and self-expression worse, but it’s unclear if that was the result of CBD or THC or if there were other unknown factors at work.
‘Type V’, cannabinoid free hemp’–compared to Type I (high THC), Type II (moderate THC & CBD), Type III (high CBD), and Type IV (high CBG) cannabis–would ensure THC compliance regardless of crop maturity. Development of Type V hemp with combined fiber fractions on lower stalks and seed production on upper branches is underway to provide a dual-use alternative crop for Texas producers across millions of acres currently cultivated in cotton, sorghum, and other crops.
The nutritional value of hemp seeds is remarkable, having an ideal balanced omega-6: omega-3 fatty acid ratio (2.5 : 1) that is similar to salmon and far superior to soy (6.9 :1 ), corn (60 : 1), olive (> 100 : 1), or sunflower (> 100 : 1). Hemp seeds have been consumed throughout history, and Texas A&M University researchers are working to further improve their nutritional value. One PhD student in the Industrial Hemp Breeding Program (Christopher Garcia) is currently working to induce plants to double their chromosomes. This results in exceedingly large seeds, increasing their value as a grain crop and luxury food.
Another PhD Student in the program (Joshua Van Dyke) is working to develop hemp completely free of cannabinoids in order to reduce the THC-compliance risk for farmers seeking to grow hemp for its grain and/ or fiber commodities.
Interest and funding in grain: fiber hemp in TX has to date been very limited, but if successful his project would essentially guarantee farmers 100% compliant hemp crops. Providing this level of security could alleviate the hesitancy that significantly hinders mass cultivation of hemp.
Texas A&M University’s industrial hemp breeder (Dr. Russ Jessup) has prioritized both Christopher and Joshua’s projects in order to develop dual-use (grain: fiber) hemp cultivars that are economically attractive to farmers, industrially suitable for fiber markets, and nutritionally superior for consumers.
What’s so special about CBD? Why all the hype? Let’s strip it down to the basics.
Discovered more than 80 years ago, CBD/cannabidiol is a chemical compound found only in the cannabis plant. In high-THC/tetrahydrocannabinol cannabis “strains” – those with the most pronounced psychoactive effect – CBD is typically the second-most abundant cannabinoid. But there are also cannabis varietals with more or less equal parts CBD and THC, as well as CBD-rich cannabis and “hemp” plants with little THC.
Though structurally similar, THC and CBD act in different ways on various receptors in the brain and throughout the body. Both compounds are hypotensive, lowering blood pressure, and neurogenic, stimulating brain cell growth. But CBD and THC also exert opposing effects at the CB1 cannabinoid receptor. THC is notorious for inducing “the munchies,” for example, while CBD lessens appetite and lowers the ceiling on the THC high.
Overall, CBD has a significantly broader range of pharmacological action than THC or any other known plant cannabinoid, of which there are more than 100. A recent paper highlights the role of transient receptor potential [TRP] ion channels in mediating CBD’s effects on seizure, inflammation, cancer, pain, acne, and vasorelaxation. CBD also binds to serotonin receptors and PPAR nuclear receptors that regulate lipid metabolism and gene expression.
It’s this “promiscuous” nature, coupled with the extensive reach of the endocannabinoid system anchored to CB1 and CB2 receptors throughout the human body, that explains why CBD can affect such a broad range of physiological processes – and why there continues to be so much clinical and pre-clinical research focused on its therapeutic potential.
Below are some of the latest medical science findings: evidence of, if nothing else, CBD’s sheer versatility.
Killing Harmful Bacteria
The authors of a new study in the journal Scientific Reports
suggest that CBD could be “repurposed” as an antibacterial agent in clinical trials given its ability in lab experiments to counteract a variety of harmful bacteria, including some classified as multidrug-resistant. Pure CBD exhibited antibacterial activity against all 21 strains of Gram-positive bacteria tested, as well as against lipooligosaccharide-expressing bacteria and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (the cause of tuberculosis).
But CBD performed better, especially against problematic Gram-negative bacteria, when paired with low concentrations of the powerful antibiotic polymyxin B, suggesting an additive or synergistic effect that could reduce reliance on this drug of last resort – and thus help maintain its efficacy. “We highlight the promising translational potential of CBD repurposing as an antibacterial agent, mainly in the combination [of] CBD plus polymyxin B against Gram-negative bacteria, for rescue treatment for life-threatening infections,” the authors write.
Healing Depressive Symptoms
The downstream effects of CBD’s wide-ranging activity in the brain are key to a recent study of depressive-like behaviors in mice. Here’s the rationale followed by the China-based researchers, whose work was published in February 2022 in the journal Frontiers of Medicine:
A growing body of evidence suggests CBD may be an effective antidepressant, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. It’s known that chronic stress impairs neural stem cell differentiation and adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN), and that promoting AHN can increase stress resilience against depression, the study authors write. So could this be a pathway through which CBD exerts an anti-depressive effect?
Based upon an experiment in which CBD administration relieved depression and anxiety symptoms in stressed mice, the authors think so. While the findings don’t implicate a specific receptor or molecular target, they do reveal a previously unknown mechanism for neural differentiation and AHN in depression, the researchers write, and provide mechanistic insights into the antidepressive effects of CBD. While they’re optimistic about the implications (“undeniable direct evidence that CBD could be a potential treatment option for depression”), the authors acknowledge that much more is left to learn – especially in humans. “This study highlighted the need to deepen our understanding of CBD-induced neurobiological effects to understand fully the therapeutic potential of this phytocannabinoid in psychiatric disorders,” they conclude.
Reducing High-THC Cannabis Use
Could CBD-rich cannabis help people who engage in problematic use of high-THC cannabis? A March 2022 paper in Frontiers in Psychiatry describes a survey out of France in which 11 percent of cannabis-consuming respondents (n=105) reported using CBD (mostly via smoked hemp-CBD flower) for the primary purpose of reducing consumption of illegal, high-THC cannabis. Of these, more than half reported a “large,” real-world reduction in high-THC cannabis use.
But the next survey question was even more interesting: when asked how, exactly, CBD use reduced overall consumption, most respondents cited “reducing cannabis withdrawal symptoms.” (Other options included “delaying first illegal cannabis joint of the day,” “using less illegal cannabis in joints,” and “increasing the time between smoking joints.”) This suggests they weren’t using high-CBD flower as a simple placebo or filler, but rather because the CBD actually diminished their desire for high-THC cannabis.
Again, these findings appear at least partially predicated upon the fact that in France high-CBD hemp flower is legal and high-THC flower is illegal. But the notion that CBD can ameliorate some unwanted side effects of too much THC is sound. In fact, earlier this year researchers in Colorado reported that cannabis with a balanced 1:1 THC:CBD ratio was associated with similar levels of positive subjective effects, but significantly less paranoia and anxiety, as compared to high-THC, low-CBD bud.
Nate Seltenrich, an independent science journalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area, covers a wide range of subjects including environmental health, neuroscience, and pharmacology. Copyright, Project CBD. Reprinted with PAID permission.
Delta-8 and smokable flower are keeping many of the states hemp farmers busy in recent months. After several regulatory loopholes and a DSHS lawsuit the state has allowed for Delta-8 to be sold legally in Texas, but not without some confusion. Delta-8 is a legal cannabis product that comes from hemp but can still give the consumer a light psychotropic high entirely on its own. Many states have issued restrictions around the product, usually states with a strong cannabis market in place, while others simply ignore it altogether. Nonetheless, a high demand for hemp flower has been a lifeline to growers who planted hundreds of acres nationally in 2019 expecting a boost in CBD products, only to see the market prices plummet after a year of over production in many states.
According to Green Market Report, Hemp Benchmarks reported that after rising 4% in May 2021, the average cost per-kilogram price for delta-8 THC distillate fell 1% in June to $1,215. “Notably, both the low and high ends of observed transaction data – $900 and $1,650 per kilogram – were up compared to May.” In Georgia, Reginald Reese of Green Toad Hemp Farm told Hemp Benchmarks that delta-8 THC was here to stay. “The beauty of it is, Georgia [like Texas,] refused the [delta-8] ban,” he said. “We have the right as licensed hemp growers to use every part of that hemp.” Reese spoke to Hemp Benchmark saying that efforts to ban delta-8 THC are part of a “full-court press” from the businesses participating in licensed, state-legal marijuana industries, which do not want the competition.
But that isn’t a problem in many states like Texas who have a fledging small cannabis program for 1% medical marijuana anyway. This has created a boom in Delta 8 sales across Texas and many other states.
Growing Smokable Flower
The Hemp Benchmark report stated“the study has documented over 168.2 million square feet registered for indoor or greenhouse production. This figure is up 328% compared to over 39.5 million square feet recorded in June 2020 and up 85% from over 90.8 million square feet ultimately documented by the end of last year.”
Nationally, and here in Texas, it seems that many outdoor grow operations have focused growing more greenhouse and indoor operations to fulfill the smokable flower demand. The Benchmark Report reported that smokable CBD Flower has continued to hold its value in the U.S. hemp wholesale market better than perhaps any other hemp-CBD product. “Flower grown indoors or in greenhouses also typically commands a premium price compared to that cultivated outdoors.” The study also concluded that flower prices leveled in June of last year around $300/pound that May. “Despite some reports of still-stagnant demand for CBG, the price for smokable CBG Flower rose 15% in June to average $326 per pound, exceeding the price for its CBD counterpart. The significant increase in the assessed price for CBG Flower this month follows an over 50% jump observed in May.”
If these indications from last years numbers continue to move in the upper mid $300-$400 range, then these are significant numbers that is welcomed news for most indoor farmers growing smokable flower.
Industrial Hemp in Texas
Since Hemp is regulated by the Texas Department of Agriculture, TDA, and THC tested for psychoactive properties. Most of our readers know already that a hemp crop with THC levels above 0.3% will be impounded and destroyed, so growers are mindfully cautious to not allow a mature rate over these levels. “As an alternative crop, the hemp industry in Texas is still in its infancy,” Calvin Trostle, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist and statewide hemp specialist in Lubbock told AgriLife Today “There is a massive amount of education going on, but we’re still trying to determine what varieties are adaptive so that we can help producers avoid headaches.” Trostle also noted that it doesn’t take a lot of acreage to mass produce CBD into small outputs for the retail and wholesale market. “It doesn’t take many acres to produce CBD for the end-product,” Trostle said. “Around 25 acres producing average yields can fill 1 million bottles that contain about 1 gram of CBD.”
Hopefully fiber will begin to expand here in Texas in the coming years. However, Trostle describes Texas conditions present problems for some growers. “The challenge we are trying to address in fiber and grain varieties is that most types are adapted to latitudes further north – Canada, Ukraine, Poland, France – and are very photo-period sensitive,” he said. “It’s not the heat units and sun they need like cotton, it’s longer summer days for growth and then increasing length of night to trigger reproduction. Plant reproduction is triggered far too early this far south.”
As for industrial production for hemp – fiber or grain, the main challenge we see here in Texas is that it will still be some time before established processing facilities are developed, and a boost of financial investment
Appropriately enough on 4/20/2021, MTV launched the documentary Going to Pot: The Highs and Lows of It on the streaming service Paramount +. As a lighter infotainment piece, the film touches on the “411 on 4/20” exploring cannabis based accounts throughout it’s history as well as debunks some popular myths and questions one may have about the plant.
Filmmakers and co-producers Fenton Bailey & Randy Barbato (World of Wonder Productions) co-directed the 73 minute documentary which is broken up into smaller vignettes of pot-based programming featuring accounts on everything from the history of the 4/20 lexicon to answering questions like “Can I really get a contact high?” into mini-biopics of notable marijuana advocates in pop culture like University of Texas and NFL alum Ricky Williams.
It plays out more like a suburban anti-propaganda education piece than a highly informational look into marijuana but aptly serves its purpose as a documentary showcasing much of the outline of pot FAQs that have generally plagued our popular culture in the past. Not to mention, it’s backed by a strong advisory panel including psychopharmacologists and integrative psychologists, cannabis attorneys, and investigative journalists which lends more credibility to the facts presented to those newer to the matter.
Writer Jim Fraenkel brings a lot of his MTV True Life influence to Going to Pot, following the topic of weed through a brief portrait of its existence andrefiningmore of the impact and positive influence it has had in it’s reintroduction. While a cannabis connoisseur might not gain a lot of new information in the hour-ish view, the featured pot personas show a firsthand glance into the innovation in the industry and where the room for expansion lies with the continuation of positive documentation of cannabis culture such as this.
Perhaps you’ve just entered the market for Texas Hemponomics or maybe you’re a veteran in the field already. Whichever one you are, here are 10 Texas Hemp Labs you can keep an eye on.
The list is not all inclusive, and is listed in alphabetical order. These are labs that are showing up to conventions and trade shows to showcase their abilities.
ABS LABS, LLC
In 2018 ABS launched cannabis testing consulting services, providing licensed laboratories throughout North America access to innovative, compliant cannabis analytical methods, laboratory support, and leading testing technologies. AS of today ABS continues research and development for new applications in environmental sciences and healthcare, meeting the demand for accessible, innovative solutions ABS is headquartered in the Dallas, Texas metroplex area of Carrollton. For more information and how to get in contact with them visit https://altbio.com/abs-labs/ or call (972) 241-1388
cannabis oil cbd
ANALYTICAL FOOD LABORATORIES, INC.
Founded over 25 years ago, in 2018, AFL joined the Tentamus Group, which was founded a decade ago, providing clients access to a global network of labs. Accredited and licensed Tentamus Group tests, audits and consults on all products involving the human body. Tentamus Group is represented in over 50 locations worldwide with more than 2,500 highly-trained staff members working in over 2 million square feet of laboratory and office spaces.
AFL can assist you with product analysis and development, trouble-shooting, quality assurance and compliance issues. Routine laboratory analysis is offered on a per test basis and to meet customer needs. AFL is an ISO 17025 accredited lab, and also holds accreditations with USDA, NELAC/NELAP and is registered with the FDA. Procedures comply with official methodologies including FDA, USDA, AACC, AOAC, AOCS, ASTA, EPA AND USP.
Bluebonnet Labs had the honor this past year to be the official lab for testing of the submissions entered into the 3rd annual (2021) Texas Hemp Awards. BL has been serving the hemp community since 2020. Bluebonnet labs yields a quantitative analysis to determine the potency of Cannabinoids and Terpenes. Contaminants such as Pesticides, Heavy Metals, Residual Solvents, Microbiological and Mycotoxins are carefully analyzed using baseline values established as unsafe or harmful and reported to a high level of accuracy.
BL offers cannabinoid potency testing, residual solvent testing, pesticide testing, microbiological testing, terpene testing, heavy metal testing, mycotoxins testing, along with filth and foreign material inspections. BL is AL2A certified and ILAC MRA accredited.
Eastex has been in the laboratory game since 1986. Eastex Environmental Laboratory is 100% employee owned – and they feel that ownership of their name, their quality of work, and their relationships is what sets them apart from the competition. Eastex offers along with hemp testing, (surface & core) complete soil evaluation of surface and subsurface samples per customer specifications, ground water evaluations of wells and public water systems, and water quality of lakes, ponds and creeks among other items.
EEL is Accredited for Chemical Sampling through the Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation, Inc. ALong with their various testing packages, Eastex provides some consultation work to help ensure farmers are getting the most out of their time with their crops.
EEL has two locations in Texas, one in Coldspring and the other in Nacogdoches. For more information visit hemp.eastexlabs.com and https://www.eastexlabs.com/ 936-653-3249 [email protected]
IONIZATION LABS
Founded by Cree-Crawford, Ionization Labs is the testing service used by the Texas A&M Agrilife Extensions Hemp Program. Ionization Labs is an ISO-17025 Accredited Potency Testing Lab and AL2A certified.The unique thing about Ionization Labs is their CANN-ID testing system which allows for farm to market in-house testing along with lab verification upon sending in samples.
This allows for anyone partnering with Ionization labs to test their products immediately upon either harvest in hand or on the shelf products to initially know what they really have. From there an official sample is sent to Ionization Labs and their team verifies the results. This eliminates having to send multiple samples over and over and wait for turnaround. Just test the samples you want to test and send in the ones you desire for verification.
Ionization Labs is headquartered in Austin, Texas and can be reached at 737-231-0772 or find them online at https://ionizationlabs.com/
KJ SCIENTIFIC INDEPENDENT TESTING LABS
KJ Scientific LLC is a certified Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) with a global reach. KJ Scientific was founded with a mission of ensuring human and environmental health through rigorous testing and analysis of the chemicals and products introduced to the market. To uphold these high standards, they became the first product testing lab in the world to exclusively use new, innovative in-vitro technology in their chemical testing products and services outside of the hemp sphere.
KJ Scientific utilizes advanced chromatographic instrumentation and detection techniques to test and analyze each sample to ensure they’re legally compliant and safe for market consumption. Consulting and Direction – their services cover every aspect of vertical production of CBD from extraction to final validation for the market. KJ Scientific is part of the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) and has ISO/IEC 17025 certification.
Founded by Jesse and John Kerns, New Bloom originated in Tennessee and expanded into Texas once the state passed it’s hemp program in 2019. The lab is ISO/IEC 17025:2017 certified. NBL is capable of testing plant material, crude oil,concentrates, isolate, distillate, kief, topicals and ingestibles.
NBL built an entire customer service department in their company. What this means is that their dialogue with their customer doesn’t end when they deliver a certificate of analysis. Instead, when a client needs a consultation or help interpreting results both their customer service team, as well as technical staff are available to help consult you on your results. NBL also commonly helps customers create a testing and compliance program that’s the right size for their business. Not everyone needs to test as much as some others might. NBL will help you identify your best practice needs for testing crops and products, and keep you from ordering unnecessary testing.
Santé Laboratories is an Accredited Hemp Testing Laboratory in the State of Texas. Santé Laboratories has a combined 35 years of experience in analytical chemistry, drug development and pharmaceutical sciences. Santé is committed to serving the hemp and CBD industry safeguarding all end-users through premium, high quality, and transparent testing. Santé Laboratories is currently holding the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation.
Regardless of phase in development and borrowing from relevant expertise in cannabinoid formulation sciences, Santé Laboratories can provide flexible drug delivery and manufacturing solutions to overcome solubility, room temperature stability, and absorption challenges to quickly transition into the clinic. In addition to leveraging the lipid-based nanoparticle delivery system, Santé Laboratories can perform rapid formulation screening studies which can be developed into candidate formulations to be evaluated in nonclinical and first-in-man studies.
Sante Labs is located in Austin, Texas. For more information on their lineup of services visit http://www.santelabs.com/ or contact them at 512-800-9117 and http://www.santelabs.com/
TPS refers to their business as “Your Crop’s Dieticians.” TPS Labs has been operating in Texas since 1938 and helping farmers in various fields of vegative growth during that time. TPS Labs are one of only a few labs in the world that still use CO2 extraction to test nutrient availability. This process is very labor-intensive but mimics how plant roots extract nutrients from the soil, stating that’s why it produces the best results.
Growers utilizing TPS Labs HEMPlan will have a complete picture of what soil nutrients are immediately available and what’s in reserve. Customized fertility recommendations will show customers how to correct deficiencies, and sustainable practice recommendations will show them how to unlock tied up nutrient reserves.
TPS Labs’ program gives growers an edge over the competition by providing advanced notification of possible heavy metal contamination in their soil. They perform a complete 32 element heavy metal analysis on your soil to make you aware of any potential problems.
Veterans Scientific has the honor of winning the best Texas-based Hemp Ancillary Support or Services category for the 3rd Annual (2021) Texas Hemp Awards. VSL was co-founded by Garvin Beach, B.A.S. and is currently led by James W. Johnson Jr as the CEO. Both gentleman are Air Force Veterans working in the cannabis space today.
VSL offers potency testing, moisture content, heavy metals, aerobic plate count, staph auerues, water activity, pesticides, coliforms/E Coli, yeast/mold, terpenes, residual solvents salmonella SPP, mycotoxins on hemp/cbd products. VSL also offers a line of fiber testing on hemp products.
Veterans Scientific Laboratories is located in San Antonio, Texas. For more information visit http://www.vetscilabs.com/ or contact them at 210-682-9883 or [email protected]
Running for office in a democratic nation is one means through which you can throw in your lot and take a shot at effectuating change. However, achieving success in such an endeavor often requires the exchanging of one’s ideals for cash and capital, as we explored in my previous article about lobbying.
If a candidate needs a certain amount of cash to achieve their objectives, and the only way to access that cash is by making concessions and promises, well then, a candidate isn’t really running on their own platform are they?
Candidates’ platforms are built atop the stacks of cash, or bands if they’re lucky, that are provided by donors, and that capital comes with caveats. (For those not in the know concerning street terms applied to cold hard cash, a “stack” is a thousand dollars, while a “band” is ten thousand dollars.)
To explore how lobby money and the pro-cannabis position of a candidate interplay, I made an attempt to present you with an interview featuring an individual running for the U.S. House of Representatives, to represent a Congressional District of Texas.
Will Texas come around before Washington when it comes to cannabis?
When they had an opportunity to receive a gratis consultation from me on how cannabis can help their campaign, they were motivated to schedule the taking of my time. When I presented them with an opportunity to explain how they will help cannabis if their campaign is successful, they did not give us any of their time to explain why.
Following is a script of questions I suggest you present to any politician that tells you they are fighting for cannabis and want to use cannabis to bolster their platform. If they answer, get their permission to send it to me for prospective publication in a future issue of THR. Adjust the terms in brackets as needed for the politician you are presenting the questions to.
1-In 100 words or less, let us know the platform of your campaign, and where cannabis fits in.
2-What is your position on cannabis in Texas?
3-What is your position on cannabis nationally?
4-What can a member of [the U.S. House of Representatives] do to support cannabis?
5-Would the [U.S. Representative from the 21st Congressional District] in Texas have any sway or influence concerning where the TX State Legislature goes with cannabis in 2023?
6-How much money does it cost to mount a campaign for the [U.S. House of Representatives]?
7-If/when you take a few stacks or even a band from a donor, how bound do you feel to their ideology?
8-How does a lobbyist make you understand that the money you are receiving is conditioned on you voting a certain way?
9-If, for example, a “national” cannabis advocacy group founded by a Colorado law firm funded by Colorado cannabis companies were to offer $50,000 towards your campaign on the condition that you oppose micro-grower licenses and support high barriers to entry in the eventual Texan recreational cannabis market, so that the Colorado cannabis companies can wedge their way into then conquer our market, would you accept it? What factors would you consider before deciding?
10-What do you think Texans can do today to advance recreational cannabis tomorrow?
Well reader, there you have it, some data about how lobbying and politics interplay in the cannasphere, and how that might affect where Texas is going in that regard. Keep this in mind as you take the proactive approach. Reach out to your representatives and communicate your desire for recreational cannabis, micro-grower licenses, and the option to self-cultivate. Lounging on leather, seat back on recline watching the world pass by does have its appeal, however, doing so with legal recreational cannabis would be exponentially more appealing. Let’s do this, Texas.
The Spring Edition of the Texas Hemp Reporter profiles Texas Lab Testing that we recommend , a History of the 420 in pop-culture, The East Austin CBD Crawl, CBD & Pets, meet the new faces of the Texas Legislature. Will a “Changing of the Guard” improve cannabis law reform in the Lone Star State? Also banking and Hemp, Actor Jason Gann of “Wilfred”, Dispensary Etiquette, the top 10 labs you should know about in Texas and more.
3THE NEW ISSUE WILL BE AVAILABLE ACROSS THE STATE AFTER APRIL 3RD
With the nature of CBD and hemp being high risk products in the eyes of the financial world, finding stability and even options in merchant services has not always been an easy feat for retailers in the industry. Flex Payment Solutions offers a personal approach in their dedicated CBD merchant accounts as well as adaptability to business’ processing needs.
A family owned company based outside of St. Louis, MO, Flex Payment Solutions offers credit & debit card processing, ACH, e-check, and fund-to-debit-card solutions while allow retailers a range of savings in both fees and time. Each merchant with Flex gets their own monitored account and ID, unlike many of the mainstream batch-model processors, which allows them individuality no susceptibility to any chargebacks and payment issues that commonly arise in aggregate accounts. This often leads to the entire portfolio being bounced by the bank and a resulting inconvenient disruption in business for the retailer. With this tendency, Flex encourages redundancy to merchants in this space. With a backup processor, they ensure a constant focus on their business.
Flex places focus on the attention to intricacies in the industry, staying informed and transparent among the fluctuating state regulations and new laws. Strenuous pre-vetting and underwriting eliminates many potential issues in the groups they bring on. They understand the nature of the space of CBD and hemp historically and take into account the discord present in review structures throughout the processing spectrum. Compliance is key in both industry regulations and typical business operations. In their vetting process, Flex requires proof of valid licensing, lab testing, and COAs which make the underwriting process a lot longer for this industry but ensures proper observance to the legal standards on both sides. With financials, businesses must show a successful operation of a merchant account in the past and that bank accounts reflect activity and ability to pay their debts.
Traditional ISOs are more widespread but come with more stringent guidelines on what products retailers can process through their services; many have policies against smokables, edibles or Delta 8. Flex Payment Solutions is all encompassing in regards to all hemp and CBD products outside of Delta 10 and HHC which require further education in legalities for banking institutions.
The bulk of Flex’s current clientele are online retailers with a secondary pocket of wholesalers. They are open to helping all facets of the industry including farms, co-ops, and equipment companies as the primary or redundant processor which allows for cheaper pricing based on the specific business model as their commercial nature poses less of a risk than a high volume of daily retail or wholesale orders.
Flex Payment Solutions began with the motivation to aid businesses in the more complex niche industries. They built up relationships with Native American tribes in online lending and business as their initial clientele and added in the branch of CBD not long after the Farm Bill passed as a continuation of their existing model of success that they’ve built. Alongside putting in the effort in vetting and compliance, they provide additional value in their intention, not just being a race to the price. Flex is conscientious on choosing industries where they can provide value with their services offered with a personal approach that has proved a big impact among users.
They remain involved and invested in the industry participating in the US Hemp Roundtable and have grown to have a centralized focus in Texas specifically with a Flex representative based in Houston. With founding members and representation in the Texas Hemp Coalition they do their part to keep the industry as safe and profitable as they can.
Flex Payment Solutions is always willing and available to help those looking to build long term, reliable relationships in their processing solutions and remain focused on growing their programs to meet the current landscape. More information and contacts can be found at www.flexpaymentsolutions.com.
The new edition of the Texas Hemp Reporter is available in Austin and Houston area smoke shops this week for free . . many growers and producers will also receive them by mail as well. This February we honor Jack Herer as his brand of genetics makes its way to Texas via the Texas A & M Hemp Breeding Program with Dr. Russell Jessup. Also profiled is Belushi Farms of Oregon, they grow some of the best cannabis in the Northwest US and Jim and his team share some of their success with us here in Texas. Also when it comes to merchant services we discuss how best to start using our friends at Flex Payment Solutions. Also we look at the Culture of Cannabis nationwide as the country moves into more states with legal programs. Introducing the Texas Agriculture Commissioner Candidates for the March 1, 2022 – Primary Election.
While the legalization and participation in the hemp industry is growing in the US, the lack of banking support with funding these businesses remain a national issue. Herring Bank is making strides right here in Texas to change that narrative with their CBD & Hemp Banking Program.
Herring Bank is a FDIC insured institution that must adhere with federal, as well as state regulatory requirements. In banking the Marijuana Related Businesses, Related Entities, Hemp and Hemp Derivative businesses, Herring Bank, if not in compliance with federal and state regulatory requirements, faces the potential of severe penalties.
The bank began serving the Marijuana Related Business, Related Entities, Hemp and Hemp Derivatives industry in April 2019 and has since built a multi-state program that now services over 20 states. Headquartered in Amarillo, Texas, Herring Bank has branch locations in Texas, including Grand Prairie, Vernon, Azle, Clarendon, Seymour, in Colorado (Colorado Springs) and in Oklahoma (Altus). Herring Bank has also grown outside of their branch footprint to other Texas cities such as Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and McAllen in which to serve the hemp and hemp derivative industry. Herring Bank’s Marijuana Related Business, Related Entities, Hemp and Hemp derivatives strategy has positioned the Bank to take advantage of opportunities that may be available with the passing of any future cannabis legislation.
Andrew Escamilla is Herring Bank’s Hemp and Hemp Derivative Product Manager. With nearly 15 years banking experience behind him, Mr. Escamilla has the knowledge and excitement to assist businesses in obtaining banking services. Herring Bank has, and continues to, learn about and reach out to the industry. Mr. Escamilla explained that the regulatory/legal environment and the required resources and infrastructure required to support a compliant program. Mr. Escamilla explained that it is important for a bank to understand the industry to know the challenges experienced by industry businesses and individuals, to ascertain the importance of providing a banking service solution as well as identifying the various state compliance requirements the industry must adhere with.
Mr. Escamilla explained that industry clients must provide certain information to the Bank in order to receive access to banking services. The information provided to the Bank is carefully reviewed by the Bank prior to providing any banking service to a potential client. The submission of the information is important to ensure that Herring Bank meets its federal and state compliance requirements as well as it allows the Bank to monitor the respective client’s adherence with its applicable state’s compliance requirements. Mr. Escamilla explained that information prospective clients must submit, includes such things as, information about their respective location(s), the intent of business, type of products being sold, the business structure, business ownership details, supporting documentation such as lab reports on crops, state licensing, etc.
Mr. Escamilla explained that the Banks willingness to Bank the entire spectrum of cannabis related businesses, of all sizes and types. Mr. Escamilla enjoys working with and assisting, potential and existing hemp and hemp derivative clients with their banking needs. Mr. Escamilla believes in staying up to date with what is occurring in the industry and continuing to learn as much as he can about the industry, including the associated federal and state laws that impact the industry. Escamilla has seen many customers come in who have been closed out 2-3 times by banks before they get to him, just trying to operate but encounter limited tolerance of the industry or simplistic pilot programs that cannot fully support their needs.
Herring Bank paves the way in cannabis related product banking to help the industry. Herring Bank’s moto is “Building Relationship for a Lifetime”, which is something the Bank lives every day. Herring Bank would like to establish a relationship with everyone in the hemp and CBD industry. Mr. Escamilla would love to meet you and discuss what Herring Bank can offer you.
Grassroots and Hemp Seeds: How Traditional Political Action Has Failed TX Cannabis
With the 87th Texas legislature having come and gone without any particularly exciting progress on cannabis, it is clear that efforts on selling the conservative voting bloc on legalizing it have not been as fruitful as we might have hoped. Sessions come and go, and while other states are generating billions of dollars in tax revenue through recreational cannabis markets, funding education and social programs, and generally not being the worst to their voting constituencies, Texas continues to push the bar on careless legislating.
It might be fulfilling, even entertaining, to blame the legislature and the politicians, but keep in mind we vote them in, and remember this when considering whose name to tick off next time. Willie Nelson for governor anyone? He does claim to have begun the “Teapot Party”, but let’s hope he doesn’t take to tossing bales of cannabis into a harbor should Texas ever decide to legalize and tax the agricultural commodity.
Cannabis is Not from California, Nor Will It Turn Texas Into California
marijuana leaves cannabis plants a beautiful background
Texas does not have to become California to make progressive steps towards generating billions of dollars in tax revenue. Instead of hippie weed, why not country wildflower? It’s all about framing and packaging, and given that some of the worst political presents in history were wrapped in the most wonderful cutest little boxes that the nation just could not wait to tear open, why not repackage the cannabis market for the Texan psyche?
The drastic leaps backwards concerning women’s reproductive rights notwithstanding, the 87th Legislature of Texas denied cancer patients and veterans the ability to purchase cannabis with sufficient levels of THC to do what the entire purpose of medical marijuana is to do: provide adequate levels of THC to impactfully support treatment.
If the government were to limit the amount of alcohol allowed in beer to ineffective levels, or deny sufficient amounts of cheese to populate the space between patties and buns on a Big Mac, the nation would explode like a powder keg into a second civil war, complete with patriotic psychedelic fireworks (more on psychedelics in a future article).
So how do we get the conservatives on board and actually make some godforsaken progress this next legislative session? Pitch them not on the lifestyle benefits of pot, but on the economic value of the complete cannabis plant. Hemp is cannabis. Hemp is legal, employing thousands of citizens and generating millions in taxable revenue for good ‘ol Tejas at this very moment.
The mainstream asks, “so how is hemp legal and weed is illegal if it comes from the same plant?” Great question, mainstream, let’s draw a parallel they’ll all understand.
The Alcohol and Tobacco Analogy Pushes the Dials and Doesn’t Just Run the Wheels
Alcohol is to wheat what marijuana is to hemp and nicotine is to tobacco: an agricultural byproduct. All three are intoxicants, all three can alter one’s consciousness, although only two kill hundreds of thousands of Americans annually, the two that are legal. Why again is marijuana illegal?
It’s Already Here, Why Not Tax It and Save on Useless Law Enforcement Efforts?
Cannabis herb and leaves for treatment.Buds. Skunk. cbd, hemp buds and money,Closeup of assorted American banknotes.World economic crisis associated with coronovirus.
The character played by actress Michelle Rodriguez in the film “Machete” by director Robert Rodriguez says something like “We didn’t hop the border, the border hopped us.” The historical and political poignancy of this quote from an otherwise grindhouse feature of ultraviolence and Danny Trejo-driven awesomeness aside, cannabis in a similar manner has already transcended the borders of Texas. We have legal hemp, and if you might be looking for a product of the cannabis plant containing more than the legally allowed .3% THC, you likely know a person, or know a person who knows a person. You dig? It’s around, man, don’t be a square and it just might find you.
Marijuana Enforcement Measures are Exceptionally Discriminatory
As reported by the New York Times, Willie Nelson was caught by canine officers in the West Texas Town of Sierra Blanca with a quarter ounce of “high-grade, domestically grown marijuana”. Way to keep it ‘Merican Willie. The Hudspeth County Attorney on the case, Kit Bramblett, stated to local publication The Big Bend Sentinel, “I’m gonna let him plead, pay a small fine, and he’s gotta sing ‘Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain’ with his guitar in the courtroom. I ain’t gonna be mean to Willie Nelson.”
Now, substitute out “Willie Nelson” for “a Black teenager in a hooded sweatshirt”, and take a moment to envision what might have happened to our theoretical teenager if caught in West Texas with a quarter ounce of “high-grade, domestically grown marijuana”. I think it is safe to assume the canines and officers would have taken a different approach during the arrest, and the prosecutor would not be asking them to sing ‘Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain’ in the courtroom then let them go with a small fine.
Making the Effort? Reaching Out to Your Representatives
While you might think that the hemp companies generating hundreds of millions annually and their lobbyists will sway the minds of the Texas Legislature to legalize marijuana, don’t. It hasn’t happened yet, while recreational cannabis has been proving it value across the nation for nearly a decade at this point. While niche progress is made here and there to support commerce and the interests of the companies paying the lobbyists, as with the smokable hemp ban, broad political change takes broad effort on behalf of the body politic. Us.
Reaching out to your local representatives and communicating your position in support of legalizing recreational cannabis might be helpful. Before voting, determine who supports cannabis, and ask them what they plan to do in support of it if they make it into office. Vote with your voice, and inform your choices with hard data not glossy propaganda. Instagram is not news, but do slide into people’s DMs whom you find attractive, that’s what it’s for they tell me.
Money with sheet of marijuana close-up on background of one hundred dollars with an artificial ray of light, high quality image. Thematic photos of hemp and cannabis
Recreational cannabis is not far away from Texas, in fact there’s a market just above us in Colorado, and quite a bit of products diverted from other markets already here. Whether or not Texas decides to do what is best for the citizens of the state depends upon us. Or not. In all likelihood the Fed will legalize cannabis before Texas ever does, so advocate and vote, or don’t, it ultimately might not make any difference in the end. Just do you, live long and prosper, and maybe at some point you can legally buy a joint at a recreational dispensary in Texas to get over the futility of it all while allowing a moment in time to go up in smoke.
The Texas Hemp Reporter this November will be blooming itself across the Lone Star State in time for Harvest Season. With the recent expansion of Houston Texas market to receive the September edition, the Austin TX based Cannabis publication is headed north and south this November adding in two more metros totaling over a 1000 smoke shops in Texas. Dallas and San Antonio will begin receiving the free magazine in area CBD stores and smoke shops this holiday season. The expansion is a good thing for the growing Texas cannabis and Hemp market. With recent public awareness about new legislation and readily available medicines , cannabis has a growing fan base with fellow Texans.
The Texas Hemp Reporter is expanding the magazine across the state and will be offering a subscription base option for growers and fans of the industry publication living in more rural areas of the Lone Star State.
The producers of the magazine also host a popular podcast in the Texas arena , The Texas Hemp Show discuses legislative concerns, banking challenges, and often interviews business professionals in the Hemp space around the State. Tommy Chong, Sid Miller, Freeway Rick Ross, and recently Cheech Marin appeared on the podcast that also currently airs on local Talk Radio News Radio 590 KLBJ.
For more information or to advertise your business with the radio show or the magazine reach out to Publisher and Host Russell Dowden at 512-897-7823 or email [email protected] for more details on how to be a guest on the show or have your business profiled in the magazine.
The moment I went from being a cannabis consumer to a cannabis brand owner, everything shifted. It’s like picking the red pill vs the blue pill, pick the blue pill and you can stay unaffected, unaware, and in contented ignorance. But pick the red pill and you are in for a truthfully rude but rewarding awakening.
That’s exactly how I felt when I launched RESTART CBD in 2018. I was now confronted with having to pick, and once I did, there was no going back.
Growing up I was a cannabis consumer. I was curious, passionate, and quite frankly, a regular. Austin, Texas had some effect on that being the live music capitol that it is. But I was also shielded. While marijuana wasn’t formally legal, our town is known for its relaxed stance on the plant.
Yes, legalization was a trending topic, but I knew it would be a long-shot before Texas got its head into the game. Plus, up until founding my own company, I had employers, and didn’t want to get myself tangled up in cannabis laws and regulations. It seemed daunting to even consider where to begin.
And then in 2015, as a pedestrian, I was hit by a car. I fractured my pelvis in two places and turned to cannabis as medicine. It soothed me and helped me heal, and in particular CBD was the active cannabinoid I accredited a lot of my pain relief to.
So when we launched RESTART CBD, my history with both personal appreciation as well as personal recovery from this plant was the foundation for our brand. But I didn’t go into it thinking this is how I’m going to change the world.
I did, however, know that by telling my story, I could help impact someone else who was on the fence about cannabis. I had short term vision in what would turn into a long term pursuit.
Quickly my one-on-one conversations with consumers began to multiply. I was watching this industry unfold before my eyes, right here in my home state, and I was a helping hand in that development.
I remember thinking early on in 2019, after we had been in business for a few months, wondering what the regulatory process was like and considering how to get involved. I determined that instead of waiting and being reactionary to the industry, I would be proactive and participatory in how things were rolling out.
Now that I was self employed and embarking on this emerging industry in not only Texas, but really in our nation, I decided I would take the red pill and journey into the unknown.
The work that I and others are doing in the industry is extremely important and perhaps this resonates with you as well.
The point that I’m trying to make is we are just in the beginning stages of a very turbulent endeavor. We’ve had smokable bans thrown at us, FDA warnings sent to prevent deviating from the law, and legislative sessions that seem like they’re going to make history for better and for worse all at the same time.
We have also made incredible discoveries of new and emerging cannabinoids. Hemp’s federally legal status has allowed for more cannabis related research on it’s long term effects relating to treatments and diseases.
In my short but deep time in the industry, I’ve learned a lot from running a cannabis business.
There is so much to unpack and understand. The nuances of the industry could keep you up at night. It can be overwhelming, but can also be rewarding. Both for the good and the bad guys.
There will be people who want to make a quick buck, game the system, and exploit cannabinoids to unassuming consumers. I see it happening every day. They exist and will continue to exist. You will have to navigate around them.
But there will also be people who are dedicated to making genuine change in this industry. And I’m a big believer in making the impact in your own backyard. So while it may feel like you’re taking on a mountain, you really just have to focus on your next best step.
Look, I’m not the enforcement agency. I’m truly just a die hard Texan who seeks to see her state have proper cannabis laws. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t hope for a future where I would have access to continue to sell, work, and educate in an industry that I love.
The hard truth is, we don’t know what the future holds. We can’t project how the politics and policies that govern this plant at a state and federal level will go. But we can sure as hell pull a chair up and ask a lot of questions.
It starts with you.
There are some amazing organizations who are truly dedicated to helping make change happen. I highly recommend getting involved with as many as you can.
Texas NORML has been a key resource from the beginning for me, in keeping me both aware of what is happening, as well as providing me with a path towards action. Another organization that has recently emerged is the Texas Hemp Coalition. As a business, I am in business for the consumer, and as part of that I need to band together with people who are motivated by similar reasons.
Working with both organizations has been integral in helping me be able to leave a mark in an industry that has given me so much.
We can make change, but we have to make the choice to do so first.
Which pill will you take?
This column is an extension of the To Be Blunt podcast, new episodes every Monday at tobeblunt.buzzsprout.com, and I’d love to personally connect with you on IG @theshaydatorabi.
