THC Law Response & Fieldwell CBD-Only Strategy — 2025-11-17
Overview
American Extractions abruptly paused all marketing following passage of a new THC law. The pause appears to be a reactive cost-cutting measure driven by pre-existing cash flow problems rather than a strategic response — the law includes a one-year grace period before taking effect. In response, the team proposed launching the nearly-complete Fieldwell site in a "sanitized" CBD-only configuration to generate immediate revenue while the client develops new wellness-oriented stick pack products for a January launch.
Meeting: [1]
Client: [2]
Related site: [3]
Situation
Why American Extractions Paused
- A new THC law passed and the client reacted by cutting marketing spend immediately.
- The law actually carries a one-year grace period from the date signed — there is no immediate legal obligation to stop selling or advertising THC products.
- The pause is understood internally as a cash flow reaction, not a strategic one. The client had already been struggling to pay invoices on time.
- Assessment from the call: cutting marketing during a downturn is rarely the right move — it accelerates the revenue decline rather than protecting against it.
Client's Own Forward Plan
- American Extractions was already anticipating this regulatory shift and had begun developing new product lines:
- Sleep aid stick pack
- Pre-workout stick pack
- Post-workout stick pack
- Target availability: January launch
- Current sellable stick pack: hydration only (their existing THC/CBD stick packs cannot be marketed under the new environment)
Proposed Response: Sanitized Fieldwell Site
What Was Proposed
Launch the Fieldwell website — already near completion — as a CBD-only version by removing all Delta 9 / THC products (primarily the stick packs and gummies). The core wellness positioning of the site would remain intact.
Why This Makes Sense
| Reason | Detail |
|---|---|
| Site is nearly done | Only remaining work was payment setup (Square) and shipping configuration |
| Minimal changes needed | Remove Delta 9 stick packs and gummies; CBD topicals, tinctures, and pain foams remain |
| Immediate cash flow | Gives the client a live sales channel while THC products are sidelined |
| Platform for new products | When January stick packs are ready, they can be added directly to the existing site |
| Better ad environment | CBD products can be listed on Amazon and advertised without the restrictions that blocked THC-adjacent content |
What Needs to Be Removed
- Delta 9 gummies
- THC/CBD combo stick packs
What Stays
- CBD topicals (pain foams, etc.)
- CBD tinctures
- Any other Fieldwell CBD-only SKUs
Key Decisions
- Propose the sanitized Fieldwell launch to American Extractions as the immediate path forward — do not wait for the client to figure this out on their own.
- Do not advise the client to halt all activity during the grace period; the law does not require it and the business cost is high.
- Schedule a call with American Extractions (including Caitlin, per client request) as soon as possible to present this proposal.
Action Items
- [ ] Schedule call with American Extractions (Mark + Caitlin) to present Fieldwell CBD-only proposal — Karly
- [ ] Prepare talking points: grace period timeline, Fieldwell site status, January stick pack roadmap — Karly
- [ ] Confirm which specific products need to be removed from Fieldwell to make it THC-free — Karly
- [ ] Increase client touchpoints to 2–3x/week across all accounts during economic uncertainty — Karly
Context & Notes
- The American Extractions website (their main brand site) is already live with recent image/content updates.
- Fieldwell was days to weeks away from launch pending Square payment integration and shipping setup.
- The strategic shift toward wellness products (non-THC) actually opens up significantly more marketing channels: Amazon listings, paid ads, broader retail opportunities.
- The client's contact Caitlin had not yet responded to scheduling requests as of this meeting.
Related
- [2]
- [3]
- [1]