Festival Celebrates Versatility of Hemp

Photos courtesy of Jasmine Hall
Honeycomb FL owner Jasmine Hall and customer Shatiya Turner.

On Earth Day, April 22, one celebration in Brevard County will focus on a plant that not only can cure what ails you, but can also feed you, clothe you and even house you. 

Behold hemp, arguably the most versatile of flora.

Brevard Hemp Fest, slated for noon to 7 p.m. at Riverview Park in Melbourne, will showcase hemp-based products, from CBD tinctures to “hemp wear” and hemp-based food items.

“We have been talking for over a year about having a hemp festival,” said Kendra Thompson, owner of Palm Bay’s Honeycomb FL, one of the more than a dozen dedicated CBD shops in the Space Coast.

Honeycomb FL and nonprofit FloridaUp are hosting this exploration of the joys and wonder of hemp. The event also includes yoga sessions, craft workshops, cooking demos, educational seminars and a farmer’s market.

Hemp is a cannabis sativa cultivar. Mention cannabis and marijuana comes to mind. Indeed, chemotype 1 cannabis and hemp are both cannabis sativa and contain CBD, aka cannabidiol. However, hemp, unlike weed, has little to no tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the compound that causes the euphoric high commonly associated with the illegal drug. The compound CBD does not cause a high and has no psychoactive side effects, but offers medicinal potential. 

Local chef Shatiya Turner has been using CBD products for three years to help with pain.

“I experienced a spinal cord injury and my doctor was prescribing me multiple medications which weren’t doing well with my digestive system,” said the Palm Bay resident.

At Honeycomb FL, Turner discovered a variety of CBD products that work for her.

“CBD as a topical ointment has relieved a lot of the pain I experience in my day-to-day life,” she said. “Edible CBD products have improved my issues when it comes to sleeping throughout the night comfortably. Hair oil has aided my hair loss from the stress that I’ve experienced with my injury. I use CBD when needed, more so in times of pain and before bed. It has helped with my inflammation and I no longer rely on prescribed medications and I love that.”

Turner is typical of consumers who turn to CBD for help.

“I see a lot of people who have been prescribed a slew of medications and they’re not working for them,” Thompson said. 

Cannabis specialist Dr. Peter Grinspoon, writing for Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publishing, notes that strong scientific evidence exists for treating childhood epilepsy syndromes with CBD and that research suggests that CBD can help with anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain and addiction. 

CBD can offer significant medical benefits like what Turner has experienced, but consumers need to do their research since these products are not regulated by the FDA. Although that is about to change. 

In 2918, the Agriculture Improvement Act removed hemp from the federal Controlled Substances Act, legalizing CBD. However, at the moment there are no FDA-approved products that contain CBD and it is illegal to market these products as dietary supplements. In January of 2023, the FDA announced plans to develop a strategy to better regulate CDB products. 

While scientific research into the benefits of CBD remains sparse, plenty of anecdotal information exists from individuals who, like Turner, believe in its medicinal qualities. She is not alone. A 2021 FDA report places the CBD market at $4.6 billion and forecasts that number to quadruple by 2026.

The demand is so high that Thompson was encouraged to write “How to Start a Hemp Company,” a manual available through Amazon. 

“The hemp industry offers immense potential for economic growth,” Thompson wrote. “Hemp has the potential to generate jobs, income and economic development throughout the United States.”

In the book, Thompson also notes the need for shop owners to connect with reliable suppliers.

“The safety of your customers depends on it,” she said. 

Thompson emphasizes the importance of the Certificate of Analysis(COA) Report as a gauge for confirming the safety and quality of a product. 

“The purpose of a COA is to provide a detailed examination of the hemp and its derivatives to confirm its potency and purity,” she said.

“A laboratory performs all of the tests that are necessary for a COA. The lab will examine the composition of the hemp extract, its water activity, potency, aroma, and terpene content. The COA is important to ensure that a hemp product or derivative is safe for consumers.”

Turner, who is from Colorado, is familiar with medical marijuana and has considered using it, but for the time being, she is happy with CBD.

“CBD has helped me tremendously,” she said.

Brevard Hemp Fest
When: noon to 7 p.m., Saturday, April 22
Where: Riverview Park, 2301-2499 Irwin St., Melbourne
Tickets: $20 general admission and $40 VIP admission that includes VIP Lounge access, adult beverage ticket and swag bag
For information and tickets: brevardhempfest.com

Social media:
Facebook: /brevardhempfestInstagram: @brevardhempfesttwitter.com/brevardhempfest

Medical Marijuana

Like CBD, medical marijuana has been met with intense interest. At 10 a.m., Friday, April 14, a seminar on medical marijuana will be hosted by One Senior Place, 8085 Spyglass Hill Road, Viera. 

The panel includes Aliza Gammon with Brevard Green MD, one of the handful of medical marijuana medical practices in the county. 

To qualify for medical marijuana, patients must be permanent or seasonal Florida residents who are diagnosed with a qualifying condition, which include everything from cancer, epilepsy and AIDS to insomnia, anxiety and fibromyalgia. Patients are entered into Florida Medical Marijuana User Registry and also apply for a medical marijuana card. 

“The process used to take a lot longer, but now you can get a temporary card so you can visit the dispensary the same day if the doctor approves the application,” Gammon said. 

Medical marijuana is highly regulated, so patients know exactly what they are getting. 

“With medical marijuana, you have the entourage effect,” said Gammon, referring to the theory that THC and CBD optimize beneficial results when taken together. 

Gammon, along with nurse Lisa Conway with Senior Partner Care and lead community educator Cassidy Welch with Trulieve, will discuss the benefits of medical marijuana during the program hosted by One Senior Place. Admission is free, but RSVP is required. Call 321-751-6771.