Dan Watkins; Solcell CBD (Solar Energy), Greencell – Getting us Healthy, not High!

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

My interview with Dan Watkins turned out to be highly educational. As I sat there listening to him explain the difference between CBD and THC, I thought about how many misunderstandings are rooted in a basic confusion or lack of knowledge when it comes to the marijuana plant. Many of us have decided that cannabis is bad, and we are not willing to have an open mind to learn about CBD. What Dan wants to do is help set the record straight on a few things.

With the most recent discovery of an “Endo-Cannabinoid System,” the cannabis industry has put their focus on educating people on the benefits of CBD. Cannabinoids such as Cannabidiol (CBD) found highly prevalent in hemp, have shown to assist those that depend on synthetic, addictive and sometimes unnatural or toxic medicine.

Global research continues to show that very serious ailments ranging from: cancer to diabetes, arthritis, weight management, addiction and severe stress can all be treated to some degree with hemp derived CBD.

SOLCELL

“To bring light to the cell.”

Dan Watkins is a 25-year International Bank, Farm and International Capital Markets retired Senior Executive. He is a 4^th generation combat veteran (Naval Special Warfare), who studied biology at Coastal Carolina University, before entering the financial advisory space.

After a pedigree career with global organizations such as Nasdaq, Reuters and Moody’s, he saw a new industry opening up to him. Dan entered the New Jersey Cannabis program as the first Hemp Farm Company “SOLCELL CBD.”

In 2020 Dan started GreenCELL. General Counsel and Chairman, Edward N.Tobias, Esq. was successful in securing one of, if not the very first federal cannabis permits in US History in the USDA NJ Hemp program #34_001. With his company, he is able to: support a future of smart healthy locally sourced agriculture for and by families, provide jobs and education, deliver seed to sell, and help people feed themselves and care for the environment through indoor urban farming.

The scheduled 30-minute interview turned into an hour and a half dialogue, where Dan and I got personal on the topic of CBD.

“I grew up in New York and New Jersey,” Dan began. “My dad’s side of the family is from Barbados, and my mom’s side of the family is from Puerto Rico and Spain.

My dad taught me a lot of things; he grew up in the Bronx and it was all about the hustle. Mom was a social worker; it was just in her nature to help others. We spent a lot of time helping people in the community. She wanted to work with the homeless and drug addicts.

When I was in high school I was interested in studying diseases. Not sure why, but it interested me. In 1993 I joined the Navy Seals, and did that for a couple years. I decided to go back to school and study biology.”

Towards the latter part of his career, he started to do international banking. In 2014, the farm bill in the U.S. changed. It was when Dan made a remarkable discovery. “Oh my God I can’t believe it. Farming is every country’s most important and economic industry.”

This sent Dan on an unexpected journey; he now wanted to learn everything that he could about farming. “I learned that the weather could make a country or break a country,” Dan shares. “I also learned that farmers are the lowest paid people in the world. Some of the lowest paid people in the world lived on a farm until cannabis came on the scene.

A group of us began talking about the different types of weed that we smoke. The topic of CBD came up, and what had to be reiterated was the fact that CBD doesn’t get you high, it gets you healthy!”

Hemp, I found out, is the biggest business in human history. Dan sees the ability to save lives. It is all there in science.

“The National Institute of Health has a collection of research studies all showing the benefits of CBD. Since 1993, CBD has had a myriad of health breakthroughs. It has been found to kill cancer in animal cells, and a study was done in May 2021 that reports the benefits of CBD use with COVID-19 patients. It is activated on the mitochondrial membrane; CBD is absorbed there and stops COVID.-19 from replicating; it also promotes the body’s ability to fight disease.

One of the biggest issues, Simone, is that most people don’t eat well, and they don’t live well. I had the pleasure to discuss the world of CBD from both a medical and an agricultural perspective with Charlie Piermarini, PA-C, MSPAS MS, MPH CEO of Restorative Care in Phoenix, AZ.  The main focus of our discussion was genetics. Genetics in plants are all about the results of our diets that affect our bodies, animals and the earth!

We explored the confusion around the word cannabis, and how it is used synonymously with marijuana. Cannabis primarily stands for hemp, the form of the plant that has over 50,000 industrial uses and most popularly for Cannabidiol aka CBD, the Cannabinoid that gets you healthy not high.

For Dan, it is not about being a farmer, but knowing how to own a farm business. As a local farmer (serving a population as big as Toronto, 40% Black and Hispanic), the opportunity to be an urban farmer in the city requires sophistication, and opens up many opportunities for our community.

When you get a chance, visit https://www.solcellco.com/shop. He has a collection of excellent CBD products ranging from Mango Muscle Pain Gel, to Hemp Lotion with Lavender. All GreenCELL™ Hemp products come from registered farms and processing labs in and around the New England area. Full Certificate of Analysis (COA) and FDA disclaimers are available to all customers.