165 The Consolidation of Cannabis with Chris Fontes of Trojan Horse Cannabis and High Spirits Beverages

"We push boundaries far past the status quo. We're not going to accept the status quo, but we choose to do that in a safe and calculated manner." – Chris Fontes  

In this episode, Shayda chats with Chris Fontes about his career journey in hemp, from initiating Hemp Exchange in 2018 to navigating challenges and market shifts. His innovations led him to pioneer hemp-derived Delta 9 edibles and later transition to the growing hemp beverage sector with High Spirits Beverages. Throughout the conversation, they stress clear distinctions in the cannabis industry, particularly the 0.3% Delta 9 THC threshold distinguishing hemp from marijuana. They advocate for consumer access to cannabis products, emphasizing safety and proper regulations over prohibitions. 

Shayda and Chris delve into the gray areas of hemp laws, the balance industry pioneers must strike, and the future potential of cannabinoids, notably Type 2 cannabis. Chris underscores the synergy between CBD and THC and the necessity for informed discussions in the industry, emphasizing consumer safety and product efficacy.   

[00:00 - 10:02] From Stabilizing Hemp Supply Chains to Revolutionizing Edibles 

[10:03 - 28:38] Beyond 0.3% Delta 9 THC: A Dive into Hemp, Marijuana, and Industry Semantics

[28:39 - 40:05] Pushing Legal Boundaries and Insights on the Hemp and Cannabis Industry's Legal Challenges and Ethical Responsibilities

[40:06 - 52:23] What About the Future of Cannabis? Legalization, Consolidation, and Consumer Safety

[52:24 - 1:11:05] From Beverage Packaging to the Rise of Type 2 Cannabis: Chris Shares His Vision for the Industry 

Chris Fontes is the founder and CEO of Trojan Horse Cannabis, a company that creates high-quality products from Delta 9 THC, which everyone can enjoy. He desires to educate people about hemp and deliver an unforgettable experience for customers.

He is passionate about helping the cannabis industry return to what it used to be. He also wants people to be educated, exposed, and have the opportunity to see the difference and know that there are other options for them to choose from.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisfontes/

Website: https://trojanhorsecannabis.com/author/cfontes/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trojan_horse_cannabis

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trojanhorsecbd/ 

🎧 New episodes *every Monday*

📢 Discussing the business of taking cannabis packaged goods to market

⌨️ TOBEBLUNTPOD.com

🌎 To Be Blunt is a top 5% most shared global podcast 

💚 Made and Hosted by @THESHAYDATORABI

💌 Slide into the DM's @TOBEBLUNTPOD

🌱 Sponsored by @RESTARTCBD

Love this episode? 👍🏼

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Leave a 5-star review on Apple podcast or Spotify

And forward to a friend! ⏩

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tobebluntpod.substack.com