Entering the cannabis business took some careful consideration, but Albert Gutierrez was motivated to do it because he wanted to help people and he viewed the industry’s regulations as challenges that he wanted to figure out.
“The biggest risk I’ve taken was stepping into the cannabis industry,” Gutierrez said. “It’s a risky business and has a plethora of rules and regulations that make it extremely difficult to navigate. I jumped in because I saw the opportunity to help people, and I think of the challenges we face in the industry as a puzzle, and I like to find ways to solve the problem(s) that exists in the cannabis industry. I enjoy the challenge of operating a business in a very competitive market while finding new innovative ways to serve that market and the patients that need cannabis to relieve their ailments or conditions.”
Gutierrez is president of Bud & Mary’s, a cannabis manufacturing company in Denver, founded in 2016. “Bud & Mary’s is dedicated to delivering the best cannabis experience,” the company said. “With direct control through cultivation, formulation, packaging and dispensaries, we can maintain the highest standards of quality.”
Gutierrez is eager to see more research on cannabis to learn why it helps a multitude of conditions in humans. He noted that in November 2022 the federal government approved the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act to allow more funding and collaboration in regard to cannabis.
“Our team of scientists have already begun the groundwork to better understand the impacts of cannabis on neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, dementia and so on,” Gutierrez said. “We compound unique formulations with precision to give the same effect each time to the consumer and/ or patient, depending on their need(s). This past year contained a lot of back and forth with various governing bodies to ensure alignment with several studies that we are working on, and now we are at the point where we can continue the groundbreaking work that we have strategically been creating a framework for all of these years.”
Bud & Mary’s has focused much of its efforts on research to help legitimize the use of cannabis. The company created a brand called AWARE-N-US to create awareness around the socioeconomic issues tied to what Gutierrez called the failed war on drugs. Gutierrez said he hopes the research will validate “the anecdotal evidence that we have heard about over the years with regard to the healing properties of cannabis, while also putting [the company’s] money where [its] mouth is and creating a brand that donates financial resources to those that need support to move the cannabis movement forward.”
