B.PHL's First Cannabis, Hemp & CBD Innovation Panel
In case you missed it, as part of B.PHL’s Day 1 programming, I had the pleasure of putting together and moderating a panel on Cannabis, Hemp and CBD Innovation. Shout-out to Brandon Bahr of Soothe for presenting the opportunity to participate in the first-ever, 3-day innovation festival, and for seeing and supporting my vision with the panelists and topics of discussion.
The panel took place on Tuesday, October 15 at 2:30pm in the Canopy Room at Independence Blue Cross. The brand-new, two-floor office space in the company’s Headquarters reads more like a startup office: pods; swinging chairs; rolls of brown paper; small spaces for one-on-one meetings or head-down creativity. It’s definitely an inspirational space, and perfect backdrop for these discussions that were over the course of the three-day festival.
Panelists Desiree Ivey, Brandon Bahr, Senator Sharif Street, Roger J. Braunfeld, and Riley Cote joined me to discuss everything from where to begin when navigating CBD and Marijuana as a health and wellness tool, to what the future holds in regards to Pennsylvania law. Some key highlights and takeaways from the panel are below:
When asked about where to begin when navigating through the world of CBD, the panelists all had similar points to make. My favorite, short-and-sweet tip came from Desiree Ivey, Founder of Medicinally Jointed Wellness Center: “Don’t buy your CBD at Sunoco.”
Riley Cote of BodyChek Wellness, the Hemp Heals Foundation and Athletes for Care and Brandon Bahr echoed this sentiment, and elaborated from their own standpoints. Riley compared it to the farm-to-table food movement in that, ideally, you’d know exactly what region, farmer, and process your CBD was coming from. Brandon emphasized the importance of selecting a brand that is not afraid to show you lab test results, and one where you have a point of contact to speak to during the process.
In speaking about barriers to entry, Roger J. Braunfeld, founding partner of Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC and Senator Sharif Street of Philadelphia’s 3rd District, discussed banking and finance as an obstacle, emphasizing the lengths that legitimate cannabis operators currently have to reach to protect their revenue and pay their taxes. They also discussed the recent SAFE Banking Act, and the impact it could have on their businesses.
Senator Street also discussed the PA Farm Bill, Adult Use Cannabis Bill, and his role in Governor Wolf’s recent initiatives. When asked why he felt this public ‘pivot’ occurred, he pointed out that 77% of the population in Pennsylvania is in favor of the initiative, and that ultimately, legislators’ goals are to introduce bills that their constituents are in favor of and see how to effectively put them into practice.
Desiree Ivey went into detail about her practice, Medicinally Jointed, and how she and her colleagues work with patients to ensure that they find the right type of medicine for the various ailments that cannabis has been shown to treat. They also follow the patient’s journey, and keep records of what works, what doesn’t, and possible alternatives as they create a customized plan for each person.
Senator Street and Desiree Ivey also highlighted their DACO Conference, now in its second year at Temple University. The conference was developed with a mission is to promote awareness of educational, wellness and economic opportunities throughout the diaspora, to create a healthy and equalized cannabis community. It’s free to attend, and several thousand people attended this year’s event.
When it came time for audience questions, a participant asked about Senator Street’s recent initiatives, and if there were any clauses that allowed for the release of those currently incarcerated for cannabis-related crimes, as well as a clear path toward a legitimate cannabis business for these individuals. Street highlighted the fact that the bill does include a sealing and immediate release of those individuals, as well as opportunities for growing for personal use, and micro-grows, which would allow those that were not awarded a major cultivation license to start producing their own products, creating custom strains, and a first step toward a legal cannabis business.
With cannabis innovation, and the industry in general, the high-level, large-group discussions have only just begun. Though the panelists could have stayed and talked about each of these topics at length all day, the important thing is that the seeds have been planted for those who are looking to become the next great cannabis innovator in the City of Philadelphia and beyond.
Did you attend B.PHL? What was your favorite panel or workshop you attended?