RE Botanicals Is Your Modern-Day Hemp Apothecary

For the past 20 years, John W. Roulac has been an advocate for better health—both as it relates to physical health and to the optimal functioning of the essential ecosystems we rely on. He has written best-selling books on topics like hemp and composting, launched non-profit groups including GMOInside.org, and founded Nutiva in 1999, one of our members’ most-loved brands.

After two decades, he stepped down as Nutiva’s CEO to forge a new path with RE Botanicals, a modern-day hemp apothecary that honors medicinal hemp traditions dating back to 1850. “Right now it’s the Wild West in the hemp CBD industry, with many brands using synthetic fertilizers and GMOs for their growing and processing,” Roulac says. With his new company, he’s focused on creating a mission-driven brand that emphasizes soil health, regenerative agriculture and features USDA certified-organic hemp CBD and botanicals.

There are key differences at the processing stage, too. Many brands process hemp plants with solvents like GMO corn ethanol or C02, and then tamper with the final product by adding natural flavors and high-heat processed, non-organic MCT oil. RE Botanicals uses a certified organic alcohol extraction process, which is how plant-based medicines have been made for hundreds of years. “We’re honoring the hemp apothecary tradition but adding a modern take by using organic cane in our alcohol extraction. We blend our organic hemp extracts with organic MCT oil—the gold standard in carrier oil. The medium-chain triglycerides provide superior absorption and a longer shelf life than other carrier oils,” Roulac says.

Regenerate With Hemp

RE Botanicals isn’t only in the business of making high-quality hemp extract oil. The brand believes regenerative agriculture can play an important role in helping reduce the effects of climate change, and donates 1 percent of sales to nonprofits to help farmers create healthier soils. “Organic hemp farmers can be climate change heroes by creating healthy soil with cover crops and by increasing biodiversity. Conventional hemp farmers look to chemistry, while organic, regenerative hemp farmers focus on biology,” Roulac says.

“Organic hemp farmers can be climate change heroes by creating healthy soil with cover crops and by increasing biodiversity.”

Here are a few of the ways regenerative agriculture practices can make a difference:

• Increases soil health, crop resilience, and nutrient density
• Reduce greenhouse gases by pulling carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in soil
• Helps soil become drought-resistant and less prone to flooding
• Using renewable cover crops like clover or alfalfa gives plants nitrogen, which they need (along with sunlight) to jumpstart photosynthesis

“An increasing number of farmers and ranchers are joining the healthy soil movement. We need to move quickly, though, as climate change is impacting farmers’ ability to grow their crops,” Roulac says. On the home front, Roulac recommends reducing waste and composting as good first steps, along with supporting organic farmers and USDA Certified Organic brands.

Top Products From RE Botanicals

No matter your lifestyle, RE Botanicals has a tincture, capsule, or topical that’s right for you.

Hemp 25 Peppermint Tincture

This 1-ounce Peppermint tincture is Roulac’s favorite, and he recommends holding half to one dropper under the tongue for one to two minutes, right before bed. “We use organic essential peppermint oil, which has a beautiful, light taste.”

Hemp Relief Body Oil, Lavender

This body oil comes with a metal roller ball applicator, so it’s easy to apply wherever you need it and easy to carry on the go. “People just apply it where they want relief or relaxation,” Roulac says.