As a music industry professional, Enrique “Mag” Rodriguez is always around people. The former tour manager and road DJ for local hip-hop artist IshDAAR is now program director for Backline, a program through 88Nine Radio Milwaukee and gener8tor that coaches, mentors and supports local musicians.
“I wouldn’t be able to have this public position where I have to talk to so many people if it wasn’t for cannabidiol (CBD),” Rodriguez said. While on the road with IshDAAR, Rodriguez dealt with large crowds and strenuous touring, which increased his anxiety. He found himself slipping into an unhealthy lifestyle, drinking before going on stage to calm his nerves. Then his friend, photographer Weston Rich, recommended CBD. Rodriguez tried CBD gummies and later used CBD oil during a spring tour in 2017.
“I tried CBD and it completely changed my outlook,” Rodriguez said. “I no longer drank on the road.” Later, Rodriguez sought other CBD products, researching taste, potency and other factors, but he hit a roadblock finding what he was looking for. A friend in the cannabis industry referred him to some labs, which led to Rodriguez, along with Rich and a silent business partner, formulating Allay CBD tinctures and vapes. Rodriguez will soon add CBD lotion and muscle gel to the Allay line.
Rodriguez secretly shopped CBD stores and dispensaries to get a feel for how CBD was sold and what people were looking for. “We didn’t want Allay to be just another trendy CBD product,” Rodriguez emphasized. “We want to be a product that people can incorporate into their daily lives. We also want to be sure that people selling our product were selling it appropriately. CBD is a hot product and people are walking into stores wanting it, but not really knowing much about it.” Because of this, Rodriguez was cautious in selecting where to sell Allay. He started with Canni Hemp Co., which he says has a knowledgeable and attentive staff. Rodriguez also knew Canni Hemp Co. owner Colin Plant, who is also a musician.
Allay has vape products available only at Canni Hemp Co. The CBD oil tinctures, in 300 or 500 milligrams, are available on Allay’s website, at Canni Hemp Co. and at Bay View Clubhouse. The oil comes in original, lemon or orange flavors, and Rodriguez said it’s also made with medium chain triglycerides (MCT) cold-pressed coconut oil. To make Allay approachable to the taste buds, the tinctures are lighter in taste and texture than most dark green, earthy CBD tinctures. The bottles also have graduated droppers to measure exact dosages for consistency.
Rodriguez works with a lab in Colorado that is compliant in Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP). “All the lab’s engineers have master’s degrees, or they are M.D.s or Ph.Ds. We want to make a product that’s safe and made in an appropriate setting. There are currently no U.S. regulations on CBD—it’s the Wild West—so we want customers to buy a product made by professionals.” Rodriguez added that Allay’s products are THC-free (some CBD products contain up to 0.3% THC, just below the federally legal limit). Every Allay product comes with a lab report.
Rodriguez noted it’s still a bit of a waiting game to see how the recently signed 2018 United States farm bill will ultimately affect hemp production in Wisconsin. “We’re waiting until the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets regulatory standards, but once we get that information, I think everyone is ready to make investments in Wisconsin,” he said.
For more information, visit liveallay.com.
