 I'm Lisa Joyner, and this is Cannabis Chronicles, a 10,000-year odyssey. And as you know, we have been learning all about cannabis, and that it was the fruit or fruit of the gods for 10,000 years in Asia and all over the world. And so for us here, we're just learning. We're just beginning to discover this plant that was used for medicine, for food, for religious practices, for everything that you can imagine, and then here comes Daryl Uncle Sam and just screws it all up, just unbelievable what they did by making it illegal. So now we are in the process of learning all of the wonderful things that cannabis can do from this plant that just grows. And so we on this show have been talking about this and learning from the people that really understand the plant and what it does. And today, one of my dear friends who really understands the plant, Theo Alexander, Theo, are you there? I'm here. How you doing, Washington? Thanks for having me. So you're on Maui today. I'm on Maui today. It's very beautiful, nice weather over here. Want to check out some properties. So what are you looking for? We're actually looking for some properties where some people are interested in actually growing the USDA certified hemp to get to the hemp market. So trying to help some guys with their licensed process and also giving them a good price out just as far as what they can do on their property. But yeah, this happens to be fun over here, you know, getting out to the upcountry, you know, and enjoying the beautiful weather. So that's a lovely... They're dealing with the problem though, talking about something really important. That is really wonderful to look for. But of course, you know, the climate is different on every island. And so what would grow very well on one island would probably grow something different. I think given the climate and the soil, the hemp that would grow on the big island, or some parts of the big island, and upcountry Maui and Moloka would be totally different because of the climate and the soil. And the soil, yeah. That much I know about growing any kind of plant and hemp doesn't need much water. So you don't have to worry about that. Right. But there's a lot of uses of the crops here. So how long from the time you put the seed in the ground until it's ready for harvest, how long is that? It depends on if you're growing indoors or outdoors or on the tops. On your... As hemp, outside in Maui, how long would that take? Would you get a... How many crops a year would you... It depends on your growing season here and why of course it's year-round. You could probably get maybe four hundredths out if you're really pushing every three months you can harvest. But of course, if you're indoors, you can do it every two weeks, having one section. Well... Yeah. No, no. Let's talk... I can't imagine growing hemp indoors but outside. Yes. Now, so you get the license from the Department of Agriculture who says you have to have 10 acres. Yes. The limit is 10 acres. Yes. And so, now that you plant the seed, then it grows, then you harvest, and what happens after the harvest? After the end, I believe they give you a certain timeframe of the license that you have to buy, buy. You have to have a buyer for your biomass or whatever you're going to do with your product after harvest. So, you have to identify the buyer before you... When you get the license, is that what you're talking about? Yes. You have to do so because, of course, hemp, it grows very fast three months ago, you know what I'm saying? Pretty quick. So, if you don't have someone set up already before you put seed in, it's going to be kind of hard to find someone to buy it if you're doing the acreage. I mean, sometimes it can run from several thousand to maybe a couple of million depending on what type of hemp you're growing. So, you do want to be in line with the buyer prior to even putting in a license because it's kind of a A to Z process. You want to be able to plant the seed after you get the license, but also have everything intact in the business process. It is a business process. It is. Your end goal is to sell the biomass. So, you're going to... Or process it. So, you're going to get the seed. Get the license. Do they give you the seed or where does the seed come from? You have two opportunities for the seed. You can go with what the UH pilot program has. I think they have maybe four veriles or cultivars of seed, including Yuma. I think some of it's coming from China. Some of it coming from here in Hawaii, but you can also apply or request seed from outside of Hawaii, outside of the state. The people who are bringing the genetic in, once the request is fulfilled, they can bring the genetic in through certain processes through the USDA, and it has to be a certified seed. Oh, yeah. So, okay. Now, we've got the seed in the ground and it's harvest time. Yes. So, you already identified your buyer, then the buyer takes it to a factory and it turns it into whatever product you want. Is that... Yes. That's correct. So, that you would identify the product you want at the time of the license. Yes. So, what we do with our console is when people are interested in getting the license, we're walking through the process first, get them familiar with the rules and regulations and the penalties as well, and then after that, we'll ask them what type of program do you want to run. Some people want to grow the hemp and process it all the way through to a finished product or a CBD product. Some people just want to grow just for the biomass. Some people want to grow for seed to supply other growers with the seed from Hawaii. So, it depends on what program you want to run, what you want to do with the end product. So, we just consult from that aspect, and once we discover those things, we walk into a business plan and we fulfill what the needs are and whatever the profitable situation where the profit is that the person is shooting towards, what the target market is, we'll try to manage from that point. So, if you wanted, you were talking about biofuel, so then I read that the military is interested in hemp as a biofuel. Sure. Would you have them as part of the, I guess what we're saying, some kind of secure statement from them, yes, we're going to buy your product at the end? Yes. I don't know. As far as DOD or the military or anything like that, I don't know exactly what their intention is, given it's a USDA commodity. I'm sure they're looking at some of the things, of course they have large amounts of acreage. They've closed down across the United States, can be utilized for this aspect, retools, so to say. I can't speak for them, but just as far as the biomass opportunity to have biofuel, I mean, if you refer to Henry Ford in the 1920s, he built this car with him, all the composites, and they ran on hemp fuel. So, yes, it is a very interesting opportunity to be able to grow biomass for biofuel at this point in time. I think a lot of energy companies are looking at that. Hawaii, I believe, is one of the ones that's looking at biofuel. Now, let's go back to the seeds. So, if you're using the plant for seed, then tell me, would it make sense to say Hawaiian, whatever? Would that sell around the world just because it is Hawaiian seed? I mean, the name is precious. The name is gold. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Most people do want a variety or cultivar from Hawaii, assuming that it comes with all the tropical goodness that other things come from, like our fruit. It's very sweet compared to other parts of the world, possibly. Yeah, just like with the cousin, you know what I'm saying, to cannabis. Right. When you think about Maui, Hawaii, and other strains that are grown here, and I made it pretty much famous across the United States and across the world. People come in here looking for those cultivars. So hemp is going to be much the same. If we're able to grow a seed crop here and able to export it to people who are interested in growing hemp, I'm sure there'll be a commodity that we can trade, you know, at a high value. So that's what we're intending to know. I'm really looking at operations where we can do seed crop. Seed crop, yeah. That makes sense to me. Yes. Yeah. And if you know how to do it. Now, I understand that Kentucky and North Carolina, once tobacco, which was for hundreds of years their big crop. Now that there's all of this anti-tobacco, that they are growing hemp that is just taken off. Yes, their programs are amazing. I mean, all the colleges and the USDA, you know, the state departments of ag are all involved. They're working in unison to make this opportunity for the next generation to build generational wealth. You know what I'm saying? Sustainability with farming again. And so in their high value that you're getting off the land per acre. It's attracting a lot of different people who are shutting down their past farming operations to renew their interest in hemp or the profitability that comes with it. I think it's a great thing. Carolina, they have a huge, I think they have one of the nation's largest processing plants right now. They also have a university in North Carolina. We had him on the show once. And when we first started talking about hemp, and year-round, of course they don't have a year-round crop like we would. But they are crowded. He said housewives, everybody is enrolled in the university. Yes. I mean, if you think about agricultural programs throughout the United States, with my generation, of course your generation grew up farming, doing it for self, being sustainable. We have the property. At one point in time colleges, you know, sending the better education to get a better job. You know, the parents, one of the kids who grew out and have a better life than they have, working the farm is very hard labor. Can be. And so with that said, you know, they want a better way of life for their children. That's why it works so hard for that. Now, if the children have degrees, and the job market is not as what it should be, what they thought it would be, a lot of times they're looking at different ways to utilize a property if they still have it in the family name, if they haven't sold it yet. So hemp is renewing people's opportunity to return to their farmland or to their ag land and plant and be profitable and sustainable for the next generation. So it's giving people a very, very valuable opportunity to do this. You know, and that's why that's what brought my interest because I was one of the people who was sent to go to college, you know, and got my degree, got my master's degree, worked in healthcare for a long time. But, you know, jobs are not plentiful at the level of healthcare, at the corporate level. So one thing I wanted to do is find a way that I can be a better steward to the land. Because I grew up, you know, with farming and agriculture and horses and cattle and things like that there in Oklahoma. So it was only, you know, key for me to just do a whole 360 and bring that back to bear, which Oklahoma has done. We were leading industry and applications for hemp and cannabis as well. And so that just kind of piqued my interest. So I often go back and forth to Oklahoma to get better ideas of what we can do here in Hawaii, you know, and far as the legislation there, we have very good legislators in Congress as it's working together to make it profitable and make it sustainable. For instance, if you did want to get the canvas card there in Oklahoma, the 788 law, and it was you to do that. But what we did was pass legislation for people to retain their farm arms rights. That's one thing that Oklahoma's been very progressive on, because we have some gun owners and some gun lovers in Oklahoma, because there's a lot of hunters there. So, you know, having to give up your license or your gun, you know, it's just not culture that's set well with people. So we acted, you know, as a community to fix that, you know, and to make it available for people to retain their guns. Because look, if you start growing hemp or cannabis, you need to protect your property, you know. Oh, of course you do. So I mean, that's one thing that we did there in Oklahoma. But to the point, I believe that the hemp program is going to bring United States agriculture, the value of agriculture back to better. Well, I think, and we've talked about this before, that it can be an industry, a full-on industry, not just so that kids in school now can learn about A, growing, about being a scientist, about all of the products that can be made from hemp. 50,000 products that can be made. It seems to me that if the health department would get out of the way, and they are in the way, if the health department would get out of the way, it could be a game-changer where kids could grow into this industry and stay here instead of, like my sons all live and work someplace else. They went away to school and got married and that's it. And that's the same in so many families. So if the hemp industry, I mean, could be a real industry that kids could learn from the very beginning, science, engineering, product design, all of the things that would take it to be a real industry, then people could stay there. They could stay there. Let me bring up the health department. I mean, I don't want them to be involved. A lot of people want them to be involved. I think they put resources towards educating them. I'm just answering the questions that society or Hawaii people are asking, whether it be patient or a farmer, if we can get the USDA and DOH to kind of work together on their definitions and what the distinction is between CED medicines for health, agricultural health, you know what I'm saying, for profitability and use of ag land. I need to take a break. But when we come back, when 60 seconds and let's talk about the health department, and the problems with the health department, okay, we'll be right back. Don't go away. Aloha. I'm Wendy Lowe, and I'm coming to you every other Tuesday at 2 o'clock, live from Think Tech, Hawaii, and on our show, we talk about taking your health back. And what does that mean? It means mind, body, and soul. Anything you can do that makes your body healthier and happier is what we're going to be talking about, whether it's spiritual health, mental health, fascia health, beautiful smile health, whatever it means. Let's take healthy back. Aloha. Hi, I'm Rusty Komori, host of Beyond the Lines on Think Tech, Hawaii. My show is based on my book, also titled Beyond the Lines, and it's about creating a superior culture of excellence, leadership, and finding greatness. I interview guests who are successful in business, sports, and life, which is sure to inspire you in finding your greatness. Join me every Monday as we go Beyond the Lines at 11 a.m. Aloha. Aloha. I'm Marcia Joyner, and this is Cannabis Chronicles, and we're back. We're talking to Theo Alexander, who is today on Maui with some people looking at properties that are available to grow hemp. So Theo, are you still there? I am here. Okay. Now, last month, the Department of Health said that the legality in manufacturing and distribution of cannabis products in the state had resulted in a measure of public confusion, and I was thoroughly confused when they said that CBD wasn't legal. CBD products were not legal. Yes. In Hawaii. Yes. But they were legal in every other state, and now, all of a sudden, they put out this press release without any real thing to back it up, nothing to base it on. 50 states says it's legal. Now, and Janice Okubo, Department of Health Communications Director, said the Farm Bill, and I quote, the Farm Bill made hemp cultivation legal, but it retains the authority of the FDA over cannabis-derived products. Hemp is cannabis. That's what she said. Hemp is cannabis. Yes. I mean, I think everybody's doing their best to get their hands around this. When they have the opportunity to get out in front of it with education, PSAs, public service announcements, and other things they could have did when there was an expert in the state coming to the hemp conference and to the cannabis conferences to offer their expertise. I think they try to take advantage of it, but not speaking for them, but I think they could do a little better, put a little bit more resources towards their educational materials and also towards getting people with their right information. Patients are still asking what the difference between hemp to CBD and cannabis is. There's a lot of questions out there. Now, what I learned from you, hemp does not have the level of THC that medical cannabis has. Yes. The distinction, regardless of the USDA or FDA, cannabis is anything above 0.3% THC by dry weight. Anything below 0.3% THC by dry weight is considered USDA commodity or hemp. So there is a distinction because of the level of THC. There is a distinction, okay? So a lot of people don't understand that. They see the below 3% THC. They say that THC is cannabis anyway because it has a little bit of THC in it, which is not true. Look at the definition of what the USDA has put out. That's what we have to go on. The FDA, in my opinion, I think the FDA, what they want to regulate more is the synthetic market for CBD. What is this? Now, synthetic market as opposed to a real market? Synthetic meaning that the the candidates or the cannabinoid or the CBD is derived from a laboratory process. So it's a chemical process, that's why FDA designs your drugs. It's a chemical process as opposed to hemp-derived extractions, which is a botanical process, which is a natural plant medicine. It's a natural plant. So I think the trouble is oftentimes authorities that are legislating that are making a distinction between what I consider fake CBD or synthetic CBD in the market right now. It's kind of out of hand as far as how many people are manufacturing it, whether it be in their garage, whether it be in their kitchen. Some people are doing their writing above par when it comes to formulating the FDA standards and doing it inside a laboratory, things like that, but the danger with synthetics is yet to be known. We're going to see that with the induction of epidiolix, which is a primary drug that the FDA approved about a year ago. So we're going to see what kind of side effects it's going to impose on the public. We've already seen in some cases where people are getting sick and causing pudding control. They're having some adverse side effects with the medications they're already on by prescription. So we're going to see how that plays out, but my role that I would like to play with distinction between CBD hemp-derived and CBD synthetic-derived is to help the Department of Health and the USDA understand that you need to make the distinction for the public. You have an understanding, saying in the back office and talking to the FDA on a relationship basis or talking to the USDA on a relationship base, but the patients and the consumers don't have an opportunity. There's only literature put out. Sometimes that literature is questionable. As I said, when people talk about CBD, some of the headlines just say CBD. It doesn't distinguish whether that's very CBD, whether that's synthetic or whether that's hemp-derived or botanically-derived. And so that's what TAMO and many of us that are advocates for this potentially great market is to distinguish between what's harmful and what's safe. You know what I mean? Because National Institutes of Health and World Health Organization several different, well-accredited organizations that have been with us decades have said this is the safest medicine known to man, but they're talking about botanically-derived, not synthetic. Synthetic we don't know about. We're finding out that's the one that they need the regulation or the extended testing on. Of course, she still needs extended testing on the botanically-derived CBD, but I think it's less harmful. We've shown that through processing and through the use, utilization of it. This is why last year President Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill and excluded CBD botanically-derived from the Schedule 1 list. You know, the cannabis is still on as far as CAC. Oh, I see. So, I mean, we just need a better understanding of what the difference is, and I think if they focused on that, they would cut down some of the confusion and some of the propaganda that's being put out. Yeah, and so if you have people making things in their kitchen, how would you know anything or not? There are tests that you can do. Steep Hill, you know, Dan is a really good friend, and he tested some of my product to make sure that it's below 3% to your seeing it was. And so the way they can distinguish, I would have to refer or defer to Steep Hill to ask what is the test that you can apply that would tell you if it's synthetic or botanical. I know there is a test that you can take it through. So, now, I'm not a baker. I'm the worst. But it seems what little I do know about baking is that once you create a product and you bake it, the temperature changes the molecule in the product. So if you're putting in CBD or THC in a product and you bake it, how do you know what you've got now because the chemicals and molecules have been changed? Well, when you heat it, it's going to decorb. So it's going to change from THCA or CBD to basic THC or CBD. I'm not a scientist when it comes to that, but I know that it will change the molecular structure to where it makes it more potent or it makes it more intoxicating or more cycle. Oh, okay. And so I know the health department has some contention with putting CBD in foods. Recently, there are some people who was issuing assist orders and a few locations that were using CBD and put it into food to help people at least sample or try it. It's kind of hard to get people to try things out of a bottle or a peel when they're already used to the opioid crisis or things that are coming from a description basis. Some people are fearful now. So it's best to try it from a nutrient point because that's what cannabis is. So that's what hemp-derived CBD. It's a nutrient. It's a high source of plant protein. Omega-3, 6, 9 fatty acids also. Other essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, they have all those wrapped up in this plant. And this is why it's such a good aid for chronic disease alleviation or any symptom alleviation. But when it comes to putting it in food, adult-generated products, things like that FDA has a ruling on. They will not allow that. They should make the distinction between CBD and botanically-derived CBD. Botanically-derived CBD is just like adding, it's the same thing as in any kind of fruit or vegetable that you want to put into a degree. We are really running out of time and there's so much to talk about. Now, Dr. Cliff Otto, who, you know, when he's been a guest on the show for as long as we've been on the air, and he is really working hard at having us commemorate the day is June 14th. June 14th when it will be 19 years since Governor Cayetano signed and made legal and we're still fighting. We're still fighting over the you know, as far as how we can better understand the plant and how we can make it. Yes. Especially patients who are suffering from chronic conditions, you know. Now, I'll probably talk to Dr. Otto here in the next day or so to discuss what he's doing for us. Yes. June 14th. June 14th. And so let us all remember that's just next week. It will be 19 years. Yes, and we're still the health department still didn't get it right. That's all right. We're going to give them more help. If they'll allow us to collaborate or give them some type of aid, even give us some funding. It makes the funding available for people to help out. There's a lot of intel from people here in Hawaii that help out. A lot of people are interested in better health choices when it comes to medications. I think they kind of reach out to the community and show up to some of the meetings that we're asking to do. Some of these meetings that are working groups are serious groups. This is how we got our cannabis legislation available for the people to be able to use. So I would hope that they have an open mind to what's happening with CBD instead of having a restrictive mind. I mean, it is a safe medicine for people to use. Well, Phil, as always, it's a pleasure talking with you and enjoy your time on Maui. And when you get back, let me know all about it. I want to hear every detail about your trip to Maui and the farms over there. Thank you again. Aloha. We'll see you next time.