Radicle ACES investigates CBD efficacy

Green Rock Hemp Holdings, a vertically integrated grower, processor and marketer of hemp derivatives, recently announced that PURAURA Naturals, an Enhanced Botanicals brand, will be participating in the groundbreaking Radicle ACES (Advancing CBD Education and Science) study. Using a virtual, direct to consumer approach, Radicle ACES is the largest and most comprehensive randomized controlled trial of its kind, collecting data on 13 commercial brands and nearly 3,000 participants.

During the four-week study, participants will use the Radicle Science platform to track consumption and effectiveness of orally ingested CBD products on well-being, quality of life, pain, sleep disturbance, and anxiety. Radicle ACES will use validated, standardized health indices to gather health outcome data from a diverse population across a variety of geographies, ethnicities, age groups, behavioral habits, and pre-existing health conditions.

“A rigorous scientific study of this magnitude has never before been conducted in the CBD market,” said Pelin Thorogood, Co-founder and Executive Chair of Radicle Science. “Radicle ACES is driven by our deep commitment to contribute to the body of evidence to support growing demand from consumers and healthcare providers. Given the scale, the diversity of the participant population and the wide range of high-quality commercial brands included, Radicle ACES promises to deliver rich, objective health outcome data for a variety of common health conditions, with the potential to offer unprecedented guidance on CBD effectiveness based on demographic or behavioral differences.”

“The Radicle ACES study is groundbreaking, as it will move the CBD industry from anecdotal evidence regarding product efficacy to concrete scientific data,” stated Joseph Cachey, Chief Executive Officer, Green Rock Hemp Holdings. “Radicle has unparalleled experience leading research on Cannabinoids, so the study will be based on integrity and transparency,” he added. “These are the same principles shared by Enhanced Botanicals — integrity of raw materials, transparency in ingredients and testing, and consistency in developing high quality products our customers can count on.”

The Real-World Evidence collected will inform scientific understanding on dosing, usage patterns, user characteristics, effectiveness across conditions, and predictors and modifiers of treatment response. “We’re applying science to understand the effectiveness of CBD products used by tens of millions of Americans every day,” said Jeff Chen, MD/MBA, Co-founder and CEO of Radicle Science. “We’re partnering with 13 leading CBD brands and collaborators across five top tier research universities to drive accurate, transparent, and actionable insights for all stakeholders.”

Radicle ACES findings will address the top two barriers to CBD usage identified in a 2019 Nielsen study: 1) difficulty gauging effectiveness of specific products, and 2) lack of research data on health benefits. Anonymized aggregate results will be released in October 2021.

For more background on Radicle ACES methodology and additional insights from collaborators and experts involved in the study, see this Radicle Resources article.

Green Rock Hemp Holdings Introduces High-Value C₂B

Green Rock Hemp Holdings recently announced that its genetics company, GeneticsCubed, has received a patent on a unique, high-CBC hemp cultivar, C₂B. Cannabichromene (CBC) is a trace, high-value cannabinoid with great therapeutic potential, one of the most prominent in medical research.

“We developed the C₂B strain using selective breeding and high throughput screening to create a distinct hemp genotype that consistently produces elevated levels of CBC,” stated GeneticsCubed scientist, Thomas Azwell, PhD. “Medical research has shown CBC’s role in healing different physiological processes, such as an anti-inflammatory agent, treatment for neurological disorders, and even hypothermia.”   

“This is a huge achievement and speaks to the power of our vertical and the value it creates for the hemp consumer,” stated Joseph Cachey, Chief Executive Officer, Green Rock Hemp Holdings. “Each company under the Green Rock umbrella will play an important role in bringing this strain to fruition, beginning with our genetic innovation, continuing with meticulous propagation and cultivation, and concluding with extraction at our state-of-the-art facility and distribution through our quality consumer brands.”

Following its development at GeneticsCubed, the C₂B cultivar was sent to Red Dune Seed for propagation and seed production. The resulting seeds are now growing at Mesa Rising Hemp Farm in Green River, Utah, where flower will be harvested in September. Extraction and refinement will take place at Green Rock’s ISO 9001:2015-certified extraction facility, Red Mesa Science & Refining, before being sold as a raw material and distributed to end consumers by Enhanced Botanicals.

In collaboration with the University of California-Berkeley, GeneticsCubed has also completed the development of other novel medicinal strains and has additional pending patent applications. “Our family of companies are focused on being good partners dedicated to providing vertical solutions to the industrial hemp community, and these innovations ultimately benefit the end user who needs quality solutions,” concluded Cachey.

For more information, please contact: (435) 673-4125 

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON CARBON COAL ROAD

The New Mexico Department of Transportation and McKinley County have begun a complete reconstruction of Carbon Coal Road located north of the City of Gallup, utilizing $23M in state capital outlay appropriations. To be constructed by Fisher Sand & Gravel, the four-lane road will connect the rail-served Gallup Energy Logistics Park with US Hwy 491. The intersection of US Hwy 491 and 9^th Street/Chino Loop will be completely updated as part of this project, creating a highly desirable area with full utilities for future development. The High Desert Trail parking area will be moved and upgraded. Road construction is expected to be completed by December 2021, with US 491 road improvements targeted for Spring 2022.

To date, Gallup Land Partners, LLC (GLP) has donated 159 acres of real estate to McKinley County to spur economic growth in the region. The donation included the 250-foot wide right of way to pave Carbon Coal Road between US Hwy 491 and Gallup Energy Logistics Park that will save 20 miles off the round trip to the Four Corners / San Juan Basin. Gallup Energy Logistics Park is a 21,000 linear foot, BNSF-certified rail facility. The Carbon Coal Road bypass will also reduce traffic at US 491 and I-40, but also pull truck traffic away from the Mentmore residential area.

Our belief in Gallup is reflected in our investments in the area, and we are thrilled to help develop and grow the northwest region of New Mexico. Our partnerships with the City of Gallup, McKinley County, the New Mexico Department of Transportation, and the Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation (GGEDC), have been invaluable as we work together to bring greater opportunity to McKinley County.

Since its founding, Roche Enterprises, the parent company of Gallup Land Partners, has made investments of more than $50 million (USD) in Gallup, New Mexico, with the goal of driving economic growth and development. The company also gives back to the community through civic participation and involvement in local charities that benefit local residents.

“We are thrilled that the state recognizes the importance of this infrastructure project and it is moving forward post covid,” stated Patty Lundstrom, Executive Director of the Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation. “Gallup Land Partners has been a valued member of the business community since 2013, and this donation is another indication of their commitment to and partnership with the county.”

If you’re from my hometown of Chicago, or visiting the Windy City soon, I want to share news about the opening of my nephew, Joe Flamm’s, new restaurant, Rose Mary, in the Fulton Market neighborhood. Joe appeared on Top Chef in 2018 and was the season 15 winner. My mom even made a guest appearance on the show…it was an exciting time for all of us!

Formerly the chef at Spiaggia, Joe has been working on his new restaurant for the past few years, but of course, Covid disrupted his plans a bit. The restaurant features a Croatian-Italian menu, inspired by my family’s Italian background and Joe’s trips along Croatia’s Adriatic coast with his wife, Hillary, who is Croatian.  The name, Rose Mary, pays homage to Joe’s paternal grandmother, the late Mary Rose, and my mom, Mary, who instilled Joe’s love for cooking and Italian food. And, of course, the herb Rosemary is a big part of the cuisine, not to mention a sign of good luck!

Anyway, check out the website at Rosemarychicago.com. I understand reservations are hard to come by right now, but I hope you’ll visit Rose Mary at some point. I can’t wait to check it out the next time I’m in town!

Experience the benefits of CBD free of charge!

PURAURA Naturals, an Enhanced Botanicals brand, has launched an innovative business model, offering a product (equal to a one-month supply) free to customers who complete a CBD lifestyle questionnaire. The company, part of the Green Rock Hemp Holdings family of businesses, is fulfilling its commitment to revolutionize the CBD industry through transparency, integrity, and community.

PURAURA believes in building long-term relationships with its customers, and that the best way for consumers to determine if CBD works for them is to try it first, so we allow our customers to try our products absolutely free – no strings attached.

After completing the questionnaire that helps identify the product most suited to their unique needs, customers receive their initial product free, with the option to continue receiving future supplies via a monthly subscription. The company is confident that once people experience their products, PURAURA will become their brand of choice.

PURAURA products, including tinctures, gummies, topicals, and capsules, are crafted with the highest quality, care, and transparency by combining a simple respect for nature with the most updated technology available. The products are currently being introduced in China. “CBD has tremendous potential in the China market, and we are excited to give consumers an opportunity to try it at no cost ,” stated Jake Fisch, CEO of Acorn International, a sister company to Green Rock Hemp Holdings. As a direct marketing leader in China, Acorn will support the product launch. 

“We are passionate about raising awareness about CBD and how it can genuinely enhance lives,” explained Joseph Cachey, CEO Green Rock Hemp Holdings, the parent company of Enhanced Botanicals. “Many consumers are genuinely curious about CBD, but don’t know where to turn, so this approach allows them to experience the benefits of CBD at no initial cost and join our community of CBD enthusiasts.”

For more information, or to complete the lifestyle questionnaire and receive your free product, visit https://shop.puraura-naturals.com/free-a.

Congratulations to my friend and partner, Dr. Kurt Campbell on his appointment as the Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs on the National Security Council. He has recently served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Asia Group.

At this challenging time in our nation’s history, Kurt’s decision to support President Biden and Vice President Harris in crafting U.S. strategy and advancing U.S. interests in Asia is commendable. This appointment is a clear signal that the U.S. foreign policy with China will return to a less emotional and more rational state. I have worked alongside Kurt for many years and am confident he will help advance U.S. interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

New CBD products bring integrity to the consumer goods segment 

Enhanced Botanicals, which is the consumer brand division of Green Rock Hemp Holdings, is proud to announce the launch of its first in-house brand, PURAURA Naturals. PURAURA Naturals offers all-natural products made from CBD that is cultivated with care on our family-owned farm in Green River, Utah. PURAURA products will be offered in the United States and China.  

PURAURA Naturals products, which are offered in tinctures, gummies, topicals, and capsule forms, are crafted by combining a simple respect for nature and the most updated technology available. My son, and company co-founder Edward Roche, worked tirelessly with his team to develop a brand of consistently pure hemp products for those seeking natural health and wellness solutions for an active lifestyle. This launch is the culmination of our dream to offer authentic and trustworthy products to CBD users.

Studies have shown that almost half the CBD products on the shelf today don’t contain the amount of CBD they claim. Enhanced Botanicals brings integrity and professionalism to this consumer goods segment. 

The launch of PURAURA Naturals is the capstone to the Green Rock family of companies and completes our vertical offering. Our companies provide farmers, consumer goods producers, and now, end customers with the highest quality, most dependable products and solutions in the industry. We are excited about introducing additional, high-quality brands in the coming year.

Enhanced Botanicals is the consumer brand division of Green Rock Hemp Holdings, a vertically integrated solutions provider to the industrial hemp community. Enhanced Botanicals provides the highest quality cannabinoid products for consumer health and beauty applications and creates branded products integrating top-tier production and distribution methods.

For more information on Enhanced Botanicals, Green Rock Hemp Holdings, or PURAURA Naturals, please visit: greenrockhempholdings.com and puraura-naturals.com.

Red Mesa Science & Refining, LLC has announced the appointment of Jeff Applegate as President. Applegate is an international business executive who formerly served as Chief Operating Officer of a medical rehabilitation product manufacturer. He has extensive experience in sales management, manufacturing, and product development in an FDA-regulated industry.

We are thrilled to welcome Jeff to the Green Rock Hemp Holdings family and are confident his leadership will take Red Mesa to the next level. His strong product development, manufacturing and distribution acumen, along with his depth of strategic management experience, will be invaluable as Red Mesa transitions from its startup phase.

Green Rock Hemp Holdings and Red Mesa Science & Refining, an ISO 9001:2015 certified facility, are committed to elevating industry standards. Jeff’s commitment to professionalism and manufacturing excellence are well-aligned with these goals. His expertise will help us solidify Red Mesa as an extraction leader.

GeneticsCubed, a Green Rock Hemp Holdings company and part of Roche Enterprises, has achieved a huge milestone in its mission to be a scientific innovator and produce the highest performance seeds and clones in the hemp industry. The company recently submitted the first patent for a unique Cannabichromene (CBC) hemp cultivar, C2B. C2B is a high CBC hemp strain developed by selective breeding and high throughput screening of more than one million hemp plants.

Cannabichromene (CBC) is a rare, high-value cannabinoid, one of the most prominent in medical research. It is considered to have great potential for its antimicrobial, anti‐inflammatory, and analgesic characteristics. GeneticsCubed Research Scientist Thomas Azwell, Ph.D., believes CBC has great therapeutic potential. It is a minor cannabinoid, meaning it occurs in very small amounts. the C2B exceptional cultivar tests as high as 4 percent CBC, which is ten times the amount of commercially available ‘high’ CBC strains. Early research indicates CBC’s potential for treating acne, pain, and cancer by inhibiting inflammation. The market value of CBC is significantly higher than CBD, and it currently sells for more than 20 times the price.

This was a huge accomplishment for the GeneticsCubed team. The submission of this patent demonstrates its commitment to innovation and bringing scientific rigor to hemp cultivation. The Green Rock Hemp Holdings family of companies is dedicated to providing vertical solutions to the industrial hemp community.

In collaboration with the University of California-Berkeley, GeneticsCubed improves hemp with elevated levels of key cannabinoids. GeneticsCubed has also completed development of two other novel strains and will be submitting additional patent applications this year.

Hemp cultivation and processing could be a boon for the struggling farmers and small businesses. Economists estimate consumer demand for the (non-psychoactive) hemp-derived CBD market could reach $22 billion by 2022. While COVID-19 has triggered record high unemployment, driving job growth in the industry would prove particularly timely. 

In 2018, the passage of the Agricultural Improvement Act (the “Farm Bill”) expanded the nascent hemp industry and created significant opportunities for farmers struggling to survive by growing other crops. However, the legislation falls short, and legislators must take the next critical steps, setting a sound foundation for the industry by mandating the safe production and transparent description of products, providing increased banking access, and leveling THC limits to appropriate thresholds. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has refused to issue any guidance or regulations on the use of CBD, other than taking enforcement actions against medical claims. The lack of regulation has slowed CBD’s rate of adoption with larger retailers, online platforms, and consumer-goods producers.

The FDA should move quickly to improve regulations for the use of CBD and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids in products for human use and consumption. Fair, transparent, and standardized rules for hemp cultivation, processing, and sale would encourage investment, open new markets, and reward growers, processors, and small businesses that play by the rules. By dictating the quality of product ingredients, establishing package-labeling requirements, and evaluating claims made about the benefits of cannabinoids, regulation would legitimize the hemp industry and catalyze enormous growth.

Confusion continues to exist over the relationship between hemp, CBD, and cannabis. Botanically, hemp and hemp-derived products originate from the same plant species, but hemp and CBD products must contain no more than 0.3% of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound in cannabis that creates the psychoactive effect.

By discontinuing hemp as a controlled substance, hemp farmers and businesses should be able to take advantage of the financial, governmental and tax benefits afforded any other legal business. However, in practicality, hemp businesses face restricted access to banking, loan, and financing services, which severely hinders their ability to raise capital necessary to increase production and hire workers. At the Federal level, clarification, both legislatively and regulatorily, would allow this legitimate industry to participate fully in the U.S. banking and capital systems.  

As the interim final rule notes, the 2018 Farm Bill includes procedures to identify and attempt to correct certain negligent acts, such as failure to obtain proper licensing. However, the interim final rule establishes a negligence threshold for hemp at0.5% THC. We have heard concerns from growers and researchers that the threshold is arbitrary and impracticably low because a reasonably prudent hemp producer could take the necessary precautions to produce hemp, such as using certified seed, yet still produce hemp plants that exceed this concentration. 

If the USDA is concerned that a producer would intentionally grow illicit marijuana plants under the guise of the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program, the rule should reflect the actual potency of cannabis samples confiscated by the DEA (typically greater than 10%), rather than this exceptionally low THC level. 

One of my companies, Green Rock Hemp Holdings, LLC, is a vertically integrated hemp grower, processor, and marketer of hemp-derived CBD products. Green Rock Hemp Holdings does not participate in the cannabis side of the industry and favors clear rules for hemp cultivation, processing, and sale. Throughout the U.S., there are thousands of similarly situated, licensed hemp businesses ready to fill the rapidly growing needs of the industry. However, to accomplish this, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) must take the next critical steps and modify the interim final rule for its U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program.