Allie: As far as cannabis goes, [Carter has] been a user since, basically, 15 [years old].
Carter: Basically forever.
Allie: We moved to Denver after college, in 2007. We lived there when [recreational cannabis] went legal. That’s when I became a big user. At that point in our life, we were only using it, like, super-duper recreationally. We were smoking weed to get high or to party. But then we moved back here in 2016 or 2017 because we started our family and we have two boys now. Obviously it wasn’t legal here yet. So we were buying it the old-fashioned way and we started hearing about Delta-8 [THC, a cannabinoid that for many produces a milder buzz than Delta-9 THC, the active ingredient in marijuana that gets you high] and seeing the pot flower on smoke shops. We, of course, started trying it, experimenting with Delta-8 vapes, Delta-9 gummies, things like that. We really liked that the effects were milder and that’s when we discovered that cannabis could be used in a more functional way.
It came at a time when we really needed it, because our child, who is now 6, at the time was 3, was diagnosed with autism. It was super hard, for me personally as a mother – the stress, the depression. His symptoms back then were extremely hard to deal with. He was hard to live with because of his aggression and his tantrums, and we didn’t know a lot about it yet. So I was stressed all the time. It was at the same time that we discovered Delta-8. I [was] like, “Oh, I can use this and actually function as a parent.” It makes me a better parent, actually, and Carter, too. We both found it was a way to relieve the stress. Honestly, I was like, “Women need to know about this.”
We wanted to do it better, with more clarity, because at the time we would go into these smoke shops and it’s like, “What’s ‘Pineapple Purple Kush’ going to do to me?” What’s it going to make me feel? What’s the strength? We wanted to make it a more clear, functional experience for everyone. Specifically, we were really into the vapes before they became illegal. At the time, when Delta-8 vapes weren’t regulated or made illegal yet, most of the ones we tried were kind of harsh. I just wanted something a little more user friendly. So that’s how we got into it, we just wanted a different experience with formulations that were super specific with desired effects for both fun and functional uses. We were working on the formulations and the R&D for two years, and we officially launched in April 2023.
What is Moonlight Cannabis?
Allie: Moonlight Cannabis is functional cannabis designed to provide relief of what ails you, on a large spectrum – whether you’re bored, you’re tired, or you’re stressed.
Carter: Or you’re not tired.
Allie: Right. We call them full-spectrum gummies for your full-spectrum needs. Depending on what you’re looking for, we’re going to have the type of solution for it, and it’s going to be mild. We really wanted a strong brand. We always knew we were going to call it Moonlight. We love the moon. I’m really big into astrology and horoscopes and the movements of the moon. I noticed that our kids get crazy when there’s a full moon. We always found moonlight – the word and the natural experience – to be very calming and a vibe that we liked. That’s what we wanted to get across with the brand. I also didn’t want it to be super stoner feeling. Our hope is that cannabis becomes super mainstream and a part of your wellness routine.
The other part of our mission is truly about education and destigmatizing. I’m from a tiny town in western Minnesota and they’re still calling it the devil’s lettuce. Eventually, when we’re profitable enough to have a charitable arm, [we’d like] to really support the study of autism and finding different treatments, potentially that use cannabis as a treatment.
Carter: And for other neurodivergent elements in general. For me personally, I have ADD, ADHD, and I’ve found that cannabis helps level me out and has really helped me with that. WE think it can help a lot of different people.
What kinds of products are you making and selling?
Allie: We have a line of gummies right now. Our signature is called Half Moon, and it has 5 milligrams of THC and 10 milligrams of CBD. That was another thing that was important to us, we’re never going to have a plain old THC gummy. For these low-dose gummies, we always wanted to include other cannabinoids or elements to make it more functional.
We also have Full Moon, which is the double dose with 10 milligrams of THC and CBD. [These gummies will be scored so each gummy represents two doses.] We’ll be launching one called Crescent Moon, which will be a milder dose, 2 milligrams of THC and 4 [milligrams] of CBD.
Our bestseller is called Space Cadet, which is THC and live resin. The effects are happy, floaty, fun. If you’re going to go out or you want to laugh or hang with people. Then we have Goodnight, which is our sleep gummy. It has 5 milligrams of THC, 10 of CBD and 15 of CBN [or cannabinol, a cannabinoid frequently marketed as a sleep aid]. For a while it was the highest CBN on the market.
I have used CBN for sleep and I’ve never seen one with 15 milligrams.
Allie: We definitely formulated and designed that for people who struggle to fall and stay asleep.
Carter: We tell everyone that dosage is key for everything, but start with half. It gives an opportunity for someone that really has sleep troubles to fall asleep.
What has your experience been like as parents working in the cannabis industry?
Allie: Part of my mission is to break that stigma, so I am super loud and proud about what we do. I wear this [Moonlight Cannabis] sweatshirt to pick up my sons from their elementary school. Honestly, a lot of the moms have become some of our best customers. It has been a conflict with our neighbors, with family. People being like, “Oh, I heard you’ve got a devil’s lettuce company” or whatever. We are just steadfast in our education and spitting facts.
Carter: That’s what it comes back to, it’s just education. I’ve talked to a lot of the different store owners and 40, 50% of people coming into these shops are newbies. They want to learn about it. They have no idea about any of these minor cannabinoids or what they do. It’s kind of mumbo jumbo to them. So the education has been really big.
Many of the parents I know seem to feel like they’re always on the clock. Even when the kids are asleep they may be hesitant to indulge in cannabis, in case there’s an emergency. What advice would you have for parents who are interested in it but may have these concerns?
Allie: For a concern like that, obviously I understand that. We feel that way, too, but it’s no different than if you’re relaxing at night with a glass of wine. It’s actually probably better. It’s all about dosage. If this is something these parents are thinking about exploring, that’s why we got into this — to have a product that won’t get you so ripped and messed up that you can’t be a parent. Instead, it’s going to kind of take the edge off so you’re a better, more patient, more happy, more playful parent. If you’re first getting into it, start with a quarter gummy, or a half gummy and you’ll quickly find out what level you could be at where you’re still functional. I would say it’s the same as having wine after work at night, which obviously people are OK doing in front of their kids. But I understand it for sure.
Where would you like to see your business in, say, five years?
Allie: My goal has always been for us to be a nationwide e-commerce company, specifically on the low-dose side, because obviously you can’t ship [recreational] products. Just as someone refills their probiotic jar every month, the same thing with their gummies. But again, with products that go with the mission, as regulations change we’re able to evolve with them, maybe adding more milligrams, new cannabinoids. In five years we want to be a nationwide brand doing well in all the stores in Minnesota and in all the low-dose stores that we can be in other states where cannabis isn’t legal yet.
Carter: Honestly, right now I’m just trying to go full time with Moonlight.
Allie: This is the end game for us, for what we want to do as a career.
