Bret Worley’s Post

What’s interesting about the various emerging markets for thc infused hemp beverages is that they are all unique and often have very different rules from one another. But one thing is constant: compliance matters. Virginia has a lower threshold for thc at 2mg per package, and then a 25-1 cbd to thc ratio above that. In Virginia it’s the retailers who are suffering from VDACS enforcement, so for those who are looking to get products into Virginia please be mindful of Virginia’s unique rules. If a state says no, don’t do it. Common sense right? For retailers, you may want to consider some indemnification from your product providers if those products end up getting you a serious fine. Reach out with questions to our experienced hemp products compliance team. #hemplaw #hempproducts Holon Law Partners Above the Haze ®

Update on My Recent Article re: THCa My Cannabuff piece has sparked dialogue amongst our legal team Cooperation with the Alcohol Lobby I’ve been informed that contrary to common belief, there has been significant collaboration with the alcohol industry, especially with WSWA. Their adoption of our policy language is a promising step towards comprehensive regulation. Industry Divide: We’re seeing a clear split between compliant producers of low-dose THC beverages and those manufacturing high-dose products. This differentiation is crucial for the industry’s future. The explosion of hemp beverages in Minnesota illustrates the potential for these products to coexist with alcohol, backed by the alcohol lobby’s financial resources and experience. The hemp and marijuana lobbies face inexperience and underfunding, which has hindered federal progress. I might even know someone heading to DC to meet with staffers from the Senate and House Ag committees to push for these necessary farm bill fixes. Our collaboration with seasoned lobbies like alcohol could drive meaningful change. Stay tuned for more updates! #HempBeverages #CannabisIndustry #PolicyUpdate #Collaboration #Regulation

👏 CCIA applauds Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom, the California Department of Public Health, and the California Department Of Alcohol Beverage Control, for their swift action to protect public safety, preventing Californians — particularly youth — from accessing highly intoxicating and mislabeled hemp products. These unregulated products are rampant across the state, and require urgent solutions. We are proud to be working with Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) to advance #AB2223, to rectify the regulatory disparities between the cannabis and hemp industries. #cannabis #hemp #publicpolicy #youthprevention

There is a lot to unpack here. This story is going to create many issues with consumers trusting test results and licensed retailers, and just the whole regulated system in general. All this tax money consumers are paying was supposedly based on them being protected from tainted products. This is complicated issue. A few of the factors at play, as I see it, are: 1. Brands and labs cheating to pass testing (greed and capitalism) 2. The fact that packaging and vape hardware can be tainted and cannabis oil and the terpenes in flower/ pre-rolls can absorb nasty chemicals from packaging and hardware post testing that can make the results different than what they were when they were originally tested. Many brands know this and arrange to have their products tested immediately after putting the cannabis into the hardware/ packaging to avoid failure. There needs to be testing of packaging/ hardware performed by the companies selling it, and this should not be the responsibility of the brand purchasing it. Though it is the brands responsibility to ask for and read these results. 3. The sad reality that much of our agricultural land in California is tainted and cannabis is a bioremediator that sucks up chemicals from previous bad farming practices. This is good for cleaning up the soil but this cannabis should not be consumed. This speaks to a much larger problem about how we farm everything. 4. The failure on many levels of state regulators to keep consumers safe, which is supposed to be the main point of regulation. Possibly this is corruption, but more likely it is a result of folks who do not farm or consume cannabis making the rules. There is a simple solution for consumers and brands who want to be 100% sure that the products they consume or purchase to put into their packaging is safe and clean. Make sure to purchase Sun+Earth Certified flower. Problem solved. If you care about what you or your customers consume, only buy from farms who have done the hard work of having their practices vetted against a rigorous three tiered framework that ensures the most beneficial environmental practices, care for workers, and community service. If you are having difficulty finding these products in your local dispensary, please help everyone out by asking for them specifically, making sure that dispensary knows you care about the cleanliness of your cannabis products, and that you will buy them if they stock them. You can find Sol Spirit Farm flower all throughout the state by checking my store finder on my website www.solspiritfarm.com Thanks to Sam Corl and WeedStores.US for making it easy for folks to find our Sun+Earth Certified and Dragonfly Earth Medicine certified flower. Alex Halperin Paige St. John Heather Dunbar David Bronner

From an application form for a rules advisory committee. Notice the question and the choices. Not seeing much about cannabis licensee health, testing fraud, illicit diversion, etc. I suspect this was the priorities given to the state regulator from the last legislative session. There are 1,115 acres of hemp in Oregon, from 127 growers There are 1,381 growers of mj in Oregon and over 3 million pounds of excess inventory.

I've been deep in the world of hemp foods and beverages. I continue to be fascinated by the interplay between developments in the market- driven by consumers and entrepreneurs- and regulators' reactions to market changes. What a dynamic and ever-evolving dance! I'm in favor of sensible regulations that still allow for adult consumers to have choices (especially when it comes to alcohol alternatives). Some states are doing this well and others are taking a reactionary and overly paternalistic approach. Hemp businesses now have a wide variety of state laws to take into account when launching a new hemp product. This isn't unlike the marijuana industry, but in marijuana businesses largely operate within a single state's framework because of the restrictions on interstate commerce. With hemp, interstate commerce is possible, but complicated by the lack of uniformity in regulation. I've taken some of what we've been learning and distilled it into this blog post for those considering entering this market: https://lnkd.in/eCJ2CjJJ

#cannabis Recently, California saw the enactment of laws to protect consumers from who-knows-what in unregulated cannabis products. Many in the industry are up in arms about "hemp" and "thca" products being banned. CBD was not banned, so don't get confused. That voices seemingly argue for free-for-alls. Free for all's aren't without costs for those who are treated like guinea pigs or lab rats: instead of focusing on the ground rules that would benefit more people, all around, some are off dreaming up some scheme to "get around" principles and rules that protect people's health, and some are going to say "It's my freedom!" So it's someone's freedom to poison their customers? It's freedom to get people hooked on fentanyl? It's freedom to cause environmental damage and to grow on national parks? With "free-for-alls," we all pay. Those who should taking responsibility and being accountable are getting rich making people sick. It's not about synthetic or not. Market sizes can be grown, but killing, poisoning, or hooking customers on unknown ingredients isn't the way to grow markets or an industry.

Get ready for my once-a-decade political post: Florida Amendment 3 and why it’s a big no from me. (1) Legalizing commercial marijuana doesn’t belong in our state Constitution. This isn’t a constitutional issue; it’s a legislative one. End of story. (2) This amendment only legalizes commercial marijuana. You and your small farm won’t suddenly have the right to grow or sell it. Instead, it hands the reins over to big corporations, creating a monopoly in Florida. Think about it like this: it’s Bud Light taking over the entire weed industry, leaving no room for local craft growers. I’m all for legalizing marijuana in a way that lets Floridians grow and use it freely. Back to the beer analogy—right now, you can brew small batches at home, so why shouldn’t small farmers have that same chance with cannabis? This amendment doesn’t allow it. If grandma wants to make pot brownies for her knitting circle, I’d say go for it. But this amendment? It doesn’t go there. (3) Let’s talk about the limits. The amendment allows up to 3 ounces at a time, which would make Florida’s limit the highest in the country. That’s three times more than most states! And since personal growing won’t be allowed, you’re only allowed to buy from commercial sellers. Who do you know that needs to carry around 84 joints worth of marijuana at once? (4) Marijuana-infused products in commercial packaging. Do you know how challenging it is to teach kids to check for allergens in gummies or snacks? I really don’t want to add “watch out for marijuana in packaged foods” to that list. If Florida put forth a bill that let grandma plant a little in her garden, allowed small farmers to grow and sell it, and decriminalized a reasonable amount for possession, I’d be on board. I fully support a smart approach to marijuana legislation—but this amendment isn’t it. This is poorly written language creating a commercial monopoly. We can do better than this.

California is moving ahead with a ban that would unfairly impact hemp business owners and consumers. All because of a few bad actors in the hemp industry, conveniently overlooking the bad actors in the marijuana sector at the same time. While profit is a factor, it’s not the driving force, it's about the people. There are consumers that rely on regulated hemp products for their well-being, and small business owners support families and communities through these operations. The recent ruling upholding the restrictions shows how disconnected some leaders are from the reality of what these businesses represent. California hemp deserves better. https://lnkd.in/gxJTutwK

Weed may be legal in California, but that doesn’t mean all cannabis products are safe to consume. A new #LATimes investigation, in partnership with the cannabis industry newsletter “Weed Week,” found alarming levels of pesticides in legal marijuana products sold across the state, including some of the most popular brands of vapes and pre-rolls lining the shelves of dispensaries. The state claims these products are safer than illegal cannabis. But investigative reporter Paige St. John joined us on #LATimesToday to explain how many people are inhaling & ingesting chemicals & pesticides tied to cancer, liver failure, thyroid disease and genetic and neurologic harm to users and unborn children, amongst other health concerns. Meanwhile, California regulators are  failing to protect consumers and get these contaminated cannabis products off the shelves. Watch my latest segment here. https://lnkd.in/grTQw8E2 #news #spectrumnews1 #producer #marijuana #consumersafety #california #dispensary #pesticides #chemicals