{"id":50206,"date":"2025-11-15T00:51:30","date_gmt":"2025-11-15T00:51:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/50206\/"},"modified":"2025-11-15T00:51:30","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T00:51:30","slug":"emerald-empire-how-a-fort-worth-female-visionary-built-thriving-businesses-while-navigating-thc-in-texas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/50206\/","title":{"rendered":"Emerald empire: How a Fort Worth female visionary built thriving businesses while navigating THC in Texas"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCannabis in Texas has always been controversial, but Candice Stinnett, founder of Emerald Organics<\/a> and Emerald City Lounge<\/a>, has navigated complex laws and stigma to build a Fort Worth empire focused on education and community.<\/p>\n

Now, that landscape is shifting with the passing of a federal government\u2011funding bill that includes a provision tightening regulations on consumable hemp-derived products.<\/p>\n

Amid this shifting landscape, Stinnett\u2019s story illustrates the impact one entrepreneur can have on her community and the industry at large. Here\u2019s how the Emerald Empire came to be.<\/p>\n

A personal journey with cannabis<\/p>\n

Stinnett\u2019s experience with cannabis began after discovering the plant\u2019s therapeutic benefits during her major health crisis, having been raised to distrust the product outside of a retail perspective.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty years ago, I would have probably called this plant destructive,\u201d Stinnett said. \u201cBut during my cancer treatments in my early 20s, I learned about its therapeutic and medicinal benefits. Then, when my aunt had cancer I witnessed her quality of life improve after consuming the plant by being able to eat and eventually get out of bed. That\u2019s when Emerald was born.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In 2019<\/a>, Stinnett founded Emerald Organics, inspired to bring cannabis knowledge and history to her hometown. Her goal was simple but ambitious: positively educate Fort Worth with hemp-derived products<\/a> for wellness.<\/p>\n

As the community responded enthusiastically, six years later she expanded the concept to include Emerald City Lounge, a safe, educational space to normalize cannabis use, encouraging conversation and fostering connection.<\/p>\n

Built on safety and quality<\/p>\n

Historically, one of the main concerns of the cannabis industry in Texas has been the safety and quality of hemp-derived THC & CBD products. Emerald Organics, however, was founded on a commitment to these pillars from the beginning.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuality is sometimes sacrificed for profit. Our customers rely on these products for socializing and\/or managing their health symptoms, so consistency is our key driver,\u201d Stinnett said. \u201cEmerald offers clear messaging, third-party certificate of analysis<\/a>, and educational content which has shown to gain loyalty in a crowded market.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teaching, not just selling<\/p>\n

At Emerald, education isn\u2019t just a buzzword; it\u2019s what the brand stands for.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe empower our customers through meaningful, informed consultations,\u201d Stinnett said. \u201cWhen we educate them, we create lifelong advocates who trust the Emerald brand.\u201d<\/p>\n

That education-forward approach is visible everywhere. It can be seen in science-backed posters on the walls and in conversations about how cannabis interacts with the body\u2019s endocannabinoid system. For many visitors, it\u2019s the first time they have encountered factual, stigma-free information about the plant.<\/p>\n

Cannabis trained and certified budtenders at Emerald help customers find tailored products through personalized conversations.<\/p>\n

Candice emphasizes that while Emerald makes no medical claims, some top reasons customers visit Emerald Organics are:<\/p>\n

To find products that may improve sleepTo possibly alleviate PTSD, anxiety and\/or stressTo try and unwind after long workdays\"\"<\/p>\n

A voice for change<\/p>\n

Beyond running her business, Stinnett has long been a champion for responsible cannabis legislation. Earlier this year, her grassroots efforts helped prevent a state-level THC ban, with Governor Abbott vetoing the proposed legislation after receiving more than 120,000 letters and petitions.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople still approach me in the store to say, \u2018Thank you for fighting for us,\u2019\u201d Stinnett said. \u201cTheir trust in Emerald, leaning on us to guide them on how to make their voice heard, helped secure an entire industry\u2019s future in Fort Worth and Texas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, with the federal ban on most hemp-derived products, the stakes are higher. Stinnett said she will continue mobilizing and collaborating with her community as the industry navigates uncertainty under the new regulations.<\/p>\n

Under the new rules, hemp products cannot exceed 0.4\u202fmg of THC per container and must meet certain safety and production standards. Retailers and producers have one year to sell existing inventory before the restrictions take effect. While hemp products have long been valued for wellness, culinary and recreational uses, this change introduces a period of uncertainty for small businesses navigating the transition.<\/p>\n

With the federal ban on most hemp-derived products passed, the future of Emerald Organics and Emerald City Lounge is uncertain. What is clear is they have one year to continue serving their community\u2014making now the time to visit, learn and support their mission.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are disappointed but not defeated. Our new mission: 365 days to regulate, not ban.\u201d Stinnett says. \u201cWe can stop this language from going into effect so we can protect the hemp industry that millions rely on for improved quality of life. Together, we can ensure a victorious future for hemp.\u201d<\/p>\n

How to support<\/p>\n

The above story was produced by Multi Platform Journalist Chloe Chapel <\/a>with Community Impact’s Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their “sponsored content” purchase through our advertising team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Cannabis in Texas has always been controversial, but Candice Stinnett, founder of Emerald Organics and Emerald City Lounge,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50207,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[28550,28548,28547,28551,116,28549,118,117,28554,28553,28555,28552],"class_list":["post-50206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fort-worth","tag-dfw-thc","tag-emerald-city-lounge","tag-emerald-organics","tag-female-cannabis-entrepreneurs-in-texas","tag-fort-worth","tag-fort-worth-cannabis","tag-fort-worth-headlines","tag-fort-worth-news","tag-hemp-products","tag-texas-cannabis","tag-thc-texas-laws","tag-wellness-benefits-of-thc-and-cbd"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50206"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50206\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50207"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}