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Jared Lavitt, from Heliosphere Solutions, joined Nick and John from CannaCon Radio for yet another inspirational podcast from the CannaCon organization. The podcast discussed topics ranging from New Mexico’s journey to legalize to the evolution of vaping tools specifically for plant-based extracts to the future of the legal industry in the United States.
After a short, informal discussion about their weekends and a big reveal that it is Jared’s 30th birthday, the men dive right into a discussion focused on New Mexico and the current legislation that was blocked regarding legalization in the state. While the legalization bill did not even get past the finance committee, the state did take a big step in the right direction and decriminalize marijuana. Now, if someone is caught with less than a half-ounce of cannabis on him or her, it only results in a $50 ticket.
New Mexico’s goal is actually rather impressive. The state wants to be the first state to house government-run “pot shops” that are able to keep prices down, so farmers can make more money. The men had mixed views on the topic of government-run pot shops. Nick and John both saw some benefits of them, stating that the number of pot shops would be limited because they would be government-run and would prevent the market from being saturated like other states that have legalized marijuana - like Colorado and Oklahoma. Jared, on the other hand, wasn’t all for government involvement, stating that it would not allow the new markets and his vape market to grow naturally and organically because the government would create the demand and control the supply.
Furthermore, the men discuss more ways that the government can influence the cannabis industry. Right now, there are more regulations in Washington than in Oregon, and, as a result, Washington makes more profit off taxes from its cannabis market. Government-run shops may not provide the laidback “mom and pop” atmosphere of some shops, but that is something that can be actively worked on and improved. The men also bring up the fact that there count be favoritism shown by the government to certain growers, but favoritism is something that every single market has to overcome. Nick states that the biggest current issue in Washington right now with the cannabis industry is that farmers just aren’t making enough money. Anyone with a license can sell to a pot shop, and bigger farming companies are monopolizing the market.
The conversation progresses into a discussion on the current state of the cannabis industry in the United States. Nick brings up the fact that New Mexico is attempting to pass legislation in November to legalize cannabis lounges and Colorado is actually doing studies currently on driving while high, to gauge if there is any danger involved in it. Nick then points out that, since the beginning of 2018, the cannabis industry has been the largest growing job industry in America. He furthers his claim with comments about how the hemp industry could actually “Make America Great Again” by reviving old textile industries from the 60s and 70s, bringing even more jobs to the economy.
The men discuss how the cannabis industry encompasses many fields - pot shops, growing farms, factories to manufacture dabs and edibles, and vape hardware. This directs the conversation to Jared’s company - Heliosphere Solutions - that manufactures vape hardware meant specifically for plant-based extracts. They discuss how cannabis isn’t only enjoyed in plant form anymore and how vaping has many benefits for the average user.
For instance, Jared states how the cartridges he uses in his SOLPOD vape are discreet and small. They allow him to enjoy his oil at his own discretion to accommodate his busy schedule. He loves that vaping lets him consume “on his own terms. Jared also remarks how much better vaping plant-based extracts is now than it was in the past; the technology is better and allows for higher temperatures that give more impressive hits.
Old vapes were designed specifically for the E-cig market, and E-cig oil is a completely different viscosity than CBD oil. Most old vapes were wick based and did not allow for clean-burning of CBD oil, so many people were off-put by the taste. However, new advancements in vaping technology combined with the understanding that CBD oil behaves differently than E-cig juice and the rising cannabis industry in America has led to new ceramic cartridges that are convenient, easy, and very clean.
The men pass around the SOLPOD to get a better look at it. John comments about the convenience of the size which Jared says measures 49mm by 49mm. Jared further explains that it is a vape that uses 510 threaded cartridges. The vape indicates by color when it is changing temperature, and it has a magnetic thread inside of it that firmly holds the cartridge in place. Jared tells a story about how his SOLPOD was mistaken for an MP3 player at airport security once, and the guys laugh about how you can simply pass it off as a music player. He goes on to note that only about 6 in every 1000 of their products fail and how he is upfront about it because open and honest is how he runs his business, and there is always a chance for defects. This is one of the lowest failure rates in the industry.
Next, the men discuss how, pending regulations, CBD will be a healthier and more popular choice than tobacco and nicotine in the next 20 years. CBD doesn’t smell bad or cause health issues. It’s truly a better and safer alternative to both cigarettes and E-cigs. It is mentioned that the cannabis industry is taking extreme caution in its advertisements, so it does not target children. Currently, Juul is under attack by the government for targeting children with its marketing, and Joe Camel, an old mascot for Camel cigarettes, has long since been banned for being appealing to children. The tobacco and liquor industries take measures to not advertise specifically to children as well.
The conversation is brought back to how hemp will soon threaten to replace the tobacco industry. The men discuss how their grandmothers would never sit down and smoke, but CBD oil that has had the THC removed from it is extremely beneficial to even older people because of its natural anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, and anticonvulsant properties. With better hardware and cleaner, local sources for hemp, it is quickly becoming more mainstream, having already hit the pain and anxiety-relieving markets in pill, lotion, and cream forms.
CBD and nicotine vaping are like night and day. Even the vaping utensils for each of them are different because CBD is derived from a plant while e-juice is manufactured. Jared tells how there are trends in China showing that their factories are beginning to produce vape hardware specifically for plant-based extracts in order to appeal to the changing market. He states that China is ahead in the innovation but America is behind on the marketplace.
However, change is imminent, and the men know it. Nick says that there are lots of topics underneath both the cannabis and the vaping umbrellas, and all the men agree that, when the government doesn’t fully understand how to regulate something, they will just put it aside until they do. In the past, CBD regulation laws were made based on the fact that CBD that was being imported from other countries, so the government wasn’t sure what was in it. But with the changing and growing hemp industry here in America, CBD is being locally sourced and can be completely regulated by the government, allowing for more widespread use and an industry that can produce many, many jobs.
