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Cannabis Economy

Cannabis Economy provides information from elected officials, regulators, scientists, business leaders, advocates and activists on cannabis as medicine, wellness and economic opportunity. Who you are informs what you do. Business is personal. Follow us @CannEconomy
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Now displaying: 2017
Ep.239: Maya Elizabeth, Whoopi & Maya 0
Apr 10, 2017

Maya Elisabeth from Om Edibles and Whoopi & Maya joins us and explains that if cannabis discovered today it would be the most miraculous medical discovery…if it wasn’t for the stigma brought on by prohibition. Originally from the bay area, Maya wound up working for one of the first dispensaries in the late 90's and realized that there wasn’t a whole lot of non-flower product on the shelves. She met the challenge by producing product and couldn’t believe that she very quickly found clients…which led to the creation of Om Edibles. Following years of success, when Whoopi Goldberg was interested in getting involved in the space, Maya was an obvious partner choice. Maya also shares a very personal story where she learned the mantra- the only way out is through.

Ep.238: Congressman Blumenauer 0
Apr 6, 2017

Congressman Earl Blumenauer joins us, discussing bowties, bicycles and of course- cannabis. He represents Portland, Oregon home to both medical and adult-use cannabis. The congressman says diving into the issue of cannabis in the 1970’s was fascinating. He didn’t and doesn’t understand the notion of criminalizing something not harmful. He describes it as lunacy. He was there when Oregon was the very first state to decriminalize cannabis and he continues to fight for complete legalization through the newly formed Cannabis Caucus. The congressman discusses banking for cannabis, cannabis taxation through 280E and the fact that we ought to stop the roadblocks to cannabis research. The cannabis caucus is working on all of these issues and more. 

Ep.237: Patricia Rossi, Wellness Connection 0
Apr 3, 2017

Patricia Rossi joins us and shares that a two year trip from Paris to Portland turned into a 17 year stay. She thought she was on her way to Portland Oregon- she had interviews lined up with agencies there- but in fact landed in Maine.  As a truly high-level agency executive, Patricia was literally over qualified for every position she pursued, which led her to cannabis in 2011.  She knew how to create an experience around a brand- so she brought that mindset to Wellness Connection. Patricia is responsible for four of the eight licenses in Maine and takes us the history of cannabis in the great state.

Ep.236: John Salley: MCBA Spotlight 0
Mar 30, 2017
NBA Iconoclast John Salley joins us to talk about talent and tenacity as well as some cannabis. With folks around us at ICBC, John talks about growing up in New York City but why he didn’t play ball at New York’s storied West 4th court. John discusses the 50 available jobs in the NBA and how he learned to not talk sugar honey iced tea during the game…and just do his job. John shares how a devastating loss turned into championships in the ensuing years. In regards to cannabis, John shares how he came to the plant, how he looks at the space, and that he's looking to create a Coca Cola brand with a Pepsi mentality.
Ep.235: Jim Patterson, Eaze 0
Mar 27, 2017

Jim Patterson joins us and adds himself to the astonishingly long list of cannabis industry executives who have previously served in the military. He kindly takes us through his experience and how it informed his leadership skills and how he realized that he was an entrepreneur. Going from Kuwait to Los Angeles he joined the Yammer team with Keith McCarty. Jim takes us through the fact that the team certainly had a sense of constant momentum before being sold to Microsoft and the ultimate exit. He had to put in some time under Redmond leadership which allowed him to experience "Steve Ballmer doing his thing” in his words. After launching his own company called CoTap (now ZiNC), Keith eventually called Jim and asked him to lead Eaze…Jim then takes us through how in fact he’s doing just that.

Ep.234: Andrew Freedman 0
Mar 23, 2017
Andrew Freedman joins us and shares how his global travels with a bit of excellence in debate all added up to his becoming the marijuana czar in Colorado. He explains how not understanding one test at Harvard Law led to a readjustment of his life’s priorities for his personal betterment. Andrew discusses how decision making along your life has the possible repercussions of closing doors not necessarily with intent.
He takes us through how a low level position with the lieutenant governor, who didn’t have much staff led to greater things and eventually a Chief of Staff position. And how his success in that position put him in place to be Director of Mariujana Coordination in the first state to have an operating legal adult use cannabis regulatory framework.
Ep.233: Lynn Honderd, Mary's Medicinals 0
Mar 20, 2017
he latest with Mary’s Medicinals, Nutritionals and otherwise. We discuss the states in which Mary’s Medicinal's is doing business and that Mary’s Nutritionals is available in all 50 states due to the fact that those products are based on industrial hemp. 
Lynn discusses Mary’s footprint expansion and the fact that they are part of the only 10% of the infused product manufacture market which is in more than one state. She discusses the, arduous at best, process of actually expanding into a new state. Each state of course has it’s own rules and regulations to which Mary’s…and all others... must adhere- so Lynn takes us through the myriad ways that Mary’s has expanded. She's also kind enough to share her forecasting philosophy as it relates to said expansion. 
Ep.232: Political Discourse 0
Mar 16, 2017
We find ourselves in a cold civil war - it’s difficult if not impossible to have productive political discourse with folks outside of ones own personal point of view. It’s increasingly obvious that we the people are being played against each other. When anything happens one side applauds it and one side abhors it. It’s in fact incumbent on We The People to find common ground with each other to ensure that remain the United States of America. And so Charlie Rutherford returns from Ep.13 as a guy in the cannabis industry, but also my friend who comes from the right. We engage in political discourse without raising our voices, calling each other names or terminating our friendship. This conversation was recorded just before the inauguration.
Ep.231: Sabrina Fendrick & Andy Bachman 0
Mar 13, 2017
Sabrina Fendrick, Berkeley Patients Group & Andy Bachman, Leafline
Sabrina Fendrick returns and shares what’s happening as California establishes it’s regulatory framework. It’s all happening at once with local municipalities outlining what they’re doing along with the state legislature getting to work. Sabrina also provides a bit of background on her history sharing that her parents were both diplomats meaning that her childhood was nomadic to say the least.
Andy Bachman then joins us to give us a history lesson on Minnesota cannabis. He shares that the limited qualifying condition list has grown and will soon include PTSD. Andy shares how a guy from a farming family found his way into emergency room medicine and how that provided a perfect background for a career in cannabis.
Ep.230: Henry Rollins & Alex Rogers 0
Mar 9, 2017
Alex Rogers joins us and takes us through his history. He found himself in a prison in Germany which helped put him on the straight but not so narrow. Alex shares his philosophy’s on business and life. While he does wear beige pants, he's interested in finding a way to ensure that the cannabis industry adds more people of color.
Henry Rollins then joins us and shares immediately and directly that he’s currently not a cannabis consumer but he’s an advocate for cannabis due to the fact that those against cannabis are coming from bigotry and prejudice…and when the day comes that he needs it- he wants it to be available. Henry debunks the myth that cannabis is a gateway drug but promotes his theory that illiteracy is a gateway drug to future stupidity.
Ep.229: Nancy Whiteman & Amy Andrle 0
Mar 6, 2017
Nancy Whiteman, Wana Brands & Amy Andrle, L’Eagle
Amy Anderley joins us and takes us through how growing up with an activist mother has led to her being an activist herself…and bringing along her daughter for the ride. Amy and her husband operate one and only one dispensary in Colorado and she shares exactly  how and why that’s the case. Amy draws a distinction between organic cannabis and clean cannabis and takes us through how and why that’s the case. Nancy Whiteman then joins us who happens to be a voracious reader. She explains that when she jumped in she didn’t realize the power of the plant but quickly learned how much cannabis revolutionizes peoples relationship with medicine. Go back to Episode 185 to get more of the backstory.
Ep.228: Alec Rochford & Bob Hoban 0
Mar 2, 2017
Bob Hoban joins us to discuss his take on what the DEA thinks about the definition of CBD. He takes us through the fact that the word marijuana is found in federal law but cannabis isn’t. He shares the fact that cannabis, legally isn’t a controlled substance, but marijuana is.  And hemp definitively is not. Long story short if your CBD is derived from industrial hemp you’re fine. Alec from Duby then joins us and discusses his true pivot from what was to be a trending app to what became a gamified social app. Alec literally speaks for his generation as we get into a dialogue about what it means to be a millennial. We discuss, among other things, the concept of institutions from a millennial’s perspective and what it means to meet someone.
Ep.227: Chris Walsh & Tripp Keber Part III 0
Feb 27, 2017
Chris Walsh, MJ Business Daily & Tripp Keber, Dixie Brands
Chris Walsh joins us and shares that he wasn’t always a cannabis guy…his friends poking fun of him when he first joined MJ Business Daily but in describing the changes to Denver, Colorado and society in general Chris has now hired some of those very same friends. A native Coloradan, he now works blocks from where he grew up…he’s surprised but proud that cannabis has it’s home in Denver. And finally Chris goes on to share his philosophy on reporting in this day and age. Tripp Keber then returns and gives us an update on how things have changed for Dixie Brands and cannabis in Colorado. He takes us through internal and external expansion.
Instant Ep: Raid Preparedness w/Debby Goldsberry 0
Feb 25, 2017
Debby Goldsberry joins us to discuss raid preparedness in the wake of the press secretary saying the administration sees adult-use cannabis as different than medical. In his comments, he referenced adult-use cannabis in relation to the opioid crisis- which it has absolutely nothing to do with…and if anything is a potential solution. The ignorance is stunning. 
The 10th amendment reads: The Powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution nor prohibited by it to the States are reserved to the States respectively or to the people. 
The 10th amendment has been referenced for the past 50 years in relation to personal and corporate liberty. Where’s the consistency in the philosophy as it relates to state cannabis laws?The hypocrisy is mind blowing.
Ep.226: Will Head/Stanton Barrett & Jamie Perino Part II 0
Feb 23, 2017
Will Head and Stanton Barrett, Ojai & Jamie Perino, Euflora Part II
Will and Stanton from Ojai join us to take us through the journey from a basic understanding of hemp to delivering a CBD product. Will studied permaculture design in Australia as well as sustainable community development and holistic health. His parter Stanton has a distinctly different background which included growing up with old hollywood and olympic athletics as well as racing cars himself.
Jamie Perino then returns and describes cannabis as a marathon at a sprinters pace. She discusses the lower prices of cannabis in Colorado and the myriad changes in the state going into the fourth year of adult-use cannabis. Finally Jamie shares if getting in, cut estimates of what you’ll make in half...and triple what it’s going to cost you.
Ep.225: Art Way & Mason Tvert: MCBA Spotlight 0
Feb 20, 2017
Art Way, DPA & Mason Tvert, MPP
Mason Tvert returns to give us an update from MPP. He shares that if you look at cannabis in a vacuum, things are as good as they’ve ever been.  Mason notes that Arizona losing with 49.7 percent in the most hostile media environment that he’s seen in his 12 years of fighting for cannabis reform with a tremendous amount of opposition money is actually promising. 
Art Way then joins us and takes us through his personal history which turned out to be a perfect background for a career in advocacy. He shares his philosophy of harm reduction and meeting people where they are to get them to where they need to be. Finally Art shares that you can’t communicate with someone unless you fully understand from where they’re coming.
Ep.224: Becky DeKeuster & Kris Krane 0
Feb 16, 2017
Kris Krane is back  to give us an update on Massachusetts. He shares that the current six month delay is not  a return to what happened  to the medical program- which is still in a state of recovery- from a few years back. This delay is for the state to get their ducks in a row and Kris’ point of view is that it’s essentially above board. Kris is also kind enough to get in the way back machine and share what happened with the medical program in the first place.
Becky DeKeuster then joins us and shares her experience of going from being a midwest catholic high school teacher to joining the Berkeley Patient’s Group and helping    build it into a cannabis industry institution. She then went across the country to help build a cannabis economy in ME. Without Becky we wouldn’t be where we are in general.
Ep.223 Mike Ray & Dr. Michele Ross 0
Feb 13, 2017

Mike Ray, Bloom Farms & Dr. Michele Ross, IMPACT Network

Dr. Michele Ross returns to share where she is with the Impact Network. As she gets funding squared away, her first study is on how cannabis can help anxiety. Based on the federal regulatory research minefield, Dr. Ross is focused on the state of Colorado for the time being where she can utilize state legal, consistently tested product with a group of willing subjects and publish results in accredited scientific journals.
Mike Ray then joins us to discuss the decades old cannabis economy of Northern California. Mike twice spent time in NYC in finance first around 9/11 and then around the economic downturn of 2008. He then returned to his roots and became a cultivator. He shares lessons learned from the cultivators in the Emerald Triangle from the 70’s, 80’s through to today.
Ep.222: North Dakota Cannabis 0
Feb 9, 2017

Anita Morgan, Representative Pamela Anderson & Ray Morgan

Anita Morgan first joins us to share her thoughts on the North Dakota win. She explains that North Dakotans quickly caught on to the Compassionate Care initiative based on sharing personal stories on Facebook leading up to election day. The initiative was launched based on her husband Ray’s medical issues and supported by State Representative Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson then joins us and explains that she shared with the legislature that if they didn’t act the voters would and saw Anita and Ray run with the initiative.
Ray Morgan who really started this whole thing then joins us and takes through how cannabis as medicine is his issue and where we are with North Dakota cannabis as we make our way into 2017.
Ep.221: Kristi Knbolich & Dennis Depaolo 0
Feb 6, 2017

Kristi Knoblich, Kiva Confections & Dennis Depaolo, Curio Wellness

Cultivator turned multiple license holder Dennis Depaolo joins us and takes us through the fact that there is high quality cannabis being produced on the east coast. He shares that he went to school to study plant science to prepare himself for a career in cannabis. He discusses his early days as a cultivator in ME and his path to licenses in Maryland, Massachusetts…and hopefully Pennsylvania. Kristi Knoblich then joins us from Kiva to share her journey which began way back, when there really wasn’t edible product on the shelves in northern California. Testing from day one, Kristi takes us through the changes made regarding information shared on packaging, product assortment and the true connection she feels that must be made between consumer or patient and plant.
Ep.220: John Morgan & Ben Pollara 0
Feb 2, 2017

Florida Cannabis: John Morgan, Yes On 2 & Ben Pollara, United For Care

John Morgan joins us and discusses Florida cannabis. He takes us through how 58%, a loss in Florida two years ago, was turned into 71% this year. He shares philosophies that most winning ballot measures share but firmly adds that the American public may just be getting real tired of what opioids are doing to the populace…and that cannabis is a welcome alternative. John also shares that he came to cannabis as medicine through the experiences of his father and brother.
Ben Pollara then joins us as he’s the guy that drafted John. The interview takes place at a coffee shop on the shoulder of US1 where Ben shares how in fact he drafted John, what’s in the measure that passed as well as what to expect next from Florida cannabis.
Ep.219 Dasheeda Dawson & Jesce Horton: MCBA Spotlight 0
Jan 30, 2017
MCBA Spotlight: Dasheeda Dawson, The Weedhead & Jesce Horton, MCBA
Jesce Horton joins us again to discuss the MCBA outlook for 2017. Jesce shares that he’s looking forward to the release of a study with UC Berkeley which will showcase the level of involvement of communities of color in the cannabis industry. The ultimate goal as Jesce tells us is to utilize the prosperity of the industry to have a strong and lasting impact on communities of color as a whole. Dasheeda Dawson then joins us and takes us through her dynamic personal and professional journey. Dasheeda has a life philosophy that she coined in sport- crossover and keep it moving. She’s brought that to the Fortune 500 and she’s bringing it to cannabis.
Ep.218: State Senator Elizabeth Krueger & Aaron Smith 0
Jan 26, 2017
New York State Senator Liz Krueger & Aaron Smith, NCIA
New York State Senator Liz Krueger joins us to share her thoughts on the fact that we the people have a civic duty that extends beyond simply voting. Senator Krueger shares how very seriously she takes constituents that make their voices heard to her. She plainly states that if you are in her district and can vote for her…or worse, against her- she will listen to your point of view. Senator Krueger then shares exactly what’s in her adult-use bill for New York State and where we stand on the timeline of getting it passed. But first Aaron Smith returns to share the fact that priorities did indeed need to change based on the incoming administration. Whereas initially there was hope to move the ball forward, the plan now is to not cede any ground in the effort to legalize cannabis. 
Ep.217: Ari Hoffnung Part II & Pamela Hadfield 0
Jan 23, 2017

Ari Hoffnung, Vireo & Pamela Hadfield, HelloMD

Ari returns (Episode 187) to provide an update on Vireo and New York Cannabis in general. He shares a few ideas which might help the patient count increase and improve the program in general. New York is in an interesting place right now as the cannabis opportunity remains huge, but the shackles on the program remain very heavy. Politics aside, Ari is bullish on cannabis under the new administration and sites business and taxation as reasons for feeling that way. But first Pamela Hatfield first joins us and takes us through her journey as a patient which led her to what she feels is an unlikely career in the cannabis industry. 
Ep.216 Arkansas Cannabis 0
Jan 19, 2017

Melissa Fults, Issue 7 & David Couch, Issue 6

We dive into how medical came to pass in the state. Melissa Fults first joins us to discuss her focus on protecting medical marijuana patients in Arkansas. She explains that in 2012, the initiative narrowly missed passing. For 2016, Arkansans for Compassionate Care   got 117K signatures and Issue 7 onto the ballot. Melissa takes us through her introduction to David Couch. As his Issue 6 passed this year, she’s interested in helping it be as strong as it can be. David Couch then joins us to take us through Issue 6. He begins by sharing that Melissa helped educate him on medical cannabis and goes on to explain the reasoning behind his difference in thinking in launching Issue 6 as a constitutional amendment and his desire to work with Issue 7 folks moving forward
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