The Gentleman Toker Podcast

The Gentleman brings you up to speed on the US Pharmacopeia's plan to issue medical cannabis guidelines, why a major alcohol industry association has thrown its support behind federal legalization, and the first license granted to grow psilocybin in the US. Plus! This episode our guest Reba "The Diva" Thomas, owner & founder of Sexpert Consultants, will offer you advice for spicing up your bedroom with sinsemilla, psychedelics, and cannabinoid-infused lubes.

In this episode, the Gentleman brings you up to speed on weed news from around the globe! We'll look at legalization moving forward in Germany, Curaleaf's connections to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, and Czech courts shutting down the leading publication advocating for cannabis reform there. Our guest this week is Sister Kate, one of the founders of Sister of the Valley. SoTV is a New Age order of nuns that draws its roots not from the Catholic Church, but the Beguin movement of Western Europe between the 13th - 16th centuries. The Sisters live together in California’s Central Valley, growing hemp and creating CBD products by hand in harmony with the moon cycles.

In this episode, the Gentleman brings you up to speed on Oregon's experiment decriminalizing all drugs, the release of the last Californian in prison for violating federal law by running a licensed medical dispensary, and new research that indicates CBD could aid tobacco smoking cessation. Plus we'll talk with Eric Schneider of AlphaRoot to learn more about how insurance works given the disconnect between state & federal laws on cannabis & entheogenic medicines, its influence on cannabis lounge laws & psilocybin treatment centers, whether you can get insured against robbery (since dispensaries are still prohibited from working with banks), and much more.

The Gentleman Toker Podcast returns on 4/17! In this episode, we seeking the counsel of criminal defense attorney turned cannabis market mogul Lonny "The Street Lawyer" Bramzon for practical advice on how cannabis patients, consumers, employees, & business owners should interact with law enforcement on those occasions it becomes necessary. We'll discuss the validity of common advice we've seen on social media, how you should handle yourself during interrogation, how LE exploits probable cause, raids against unlicensed weed shops, and much more. Plus! The Gentleman lays out likely hemp industry changes coming up in this year's Farm Bill, backsliding on legalization in Virginia, & a Columbia University study into whether sungrown weed is better than indoor. 

This week we're speaking with a graduate of Cornell's lauded Horticulture program about the results of her home-growing experiments with cannabis. Erica Hernandez helps us better understand how to use & measure lighting in our own gardens, how lessons gleaned from growing lettuce & tomatoes can be applied to weed, and the importance of scientific literacy as research into our favorite plant ramps up. Plus! The Gentleman looks at Colorado's CROP plan to reduce energy use by cultivators, the DEA's decision on THC-O products, & Twitter's new policy to allow advertising from licensed brands.  

This week we're talking with Watered Roots, a New York City weed delivery service in the traditional market, to discuss how legalization has changed the culture of cannabis, the mysterious rites of the legacy market operators that sustained it during prohibition, and the opposition some feel about making the leap to become licensed, government-regulated businesses. We'll also consider whether we've forgotten the spiritual nature of how this plant has been historically used by society in the legalization era, the invention of the word "marijuana," and the lack of demand for classic hashish from younger generations. Plus! The Gentleman brings you up to speed on the RAW Papers fake charity scandal, New York City's first round of lawsuits against unlicensed weed stores, and the progress of legalization efforts in Argentina. 

This week we're talking with organic  growing pioneer Blu the Botanist, co-owner of the Meristem dispensary on Maine's Mt. Desert Island, to learn more about how Maine-grown has become synonymous with exceptional craft cannabis. After exploring the history, culture, and program structure that gave rise to this region's reputation, we'll learn the inspiration behind Blu's avocado technique, aka Fruit Drop Theory, replicating the outdoor environment when growing indoors using biomimicry techniques, and how new growers can incorporate organic gardening methods. Plus! The Gentleman expounds on the recent ruling that prohibiting MMJ patients from firearms is unconstitutional, dives deep into the Americans for Safe Access report card for every state's MMJ program, and explains the fall of a key domino in the pursuit of interstate commerce efforts– and why that's a battle for the very soul of the cannabis industry. 

Lucille Verde, the owner of 420-friendly bed & breakfast Canna Cape Cod DC, joins the Gentleman to share her experience as an entrepreneur navigating the exciting new space of cannabis tourism & hospitality. What should you expect when you stay at a bud & breakfast? How can hosts foster a lively, interactive atmosphere that turn guests into regulars? What is the average cannabis tourist looking for? Also this week: the American Medical Association finds no statistically significant increase in psychosis between legal & prohibitionist states; the American weed industry prepares for more layoffs this year (heralded by Curaleaf's announced exit from mature West Coast markets); and a new program to help those in need access free/low-cost cannabis & hemp-derived medicine.   

This week we're sitting down with cannabis enthusiast & cancer researcher Strawberry Dutchess to learn more about how cannabis has been used to aid people going through chemotherapy and the ongoing research into whether this plant has the potential to do more for these patients, like recent studies that show it can shrink tumors. We'll learn about the biomechanics behind the munchies, consider approaching research from a whole-plant perspective, and look towards exciting studies on the horizon thanks to the Medical Cannabis Research bill that passed in 2022. Plus! The FDA issued final guidance for cannabis-based drug researchers while kicking the task of regulating hemp-based food & supplements back to Congress, a recent study that concluded cannabinoids can kill a specific type of cancer cell, and another that suggests it could help bridge the orgasm gap. Which is like the wage gap, but for orgasms. Excelsior!

This week the Gentleman invites you to look at weed from the perspective of intellectual property! First we'll provide some background info on the Phylos Galaxy controversy, an initiative marketed as a way to protect the work of legacy breeders from Big Agriculture via genetic testing...until Phylos announced their own plans to breed the cultivars of the future. Then we'll look at US patents granted for cannabis strains- how they work, which strains are patented, and who owns them. Next we're talking with Jeff Hamilton and Lelehnia DuBois from CanopyRight, a blockchain-based startup out of California that aims to help breeders protect their IP and get paid for it while maintaining user privacy, without their prized genetics ever leaving their possession. Finally, we'll weigh the chances of a new bill to restore Second Amendment rights to medical marijuana patients.  

New York's rapidly evolving cannabis space has constantly been in the news post-legalization, so this week we've put together the most important stories to bring you up to speed on legal weed's progress in the Empire State! From the proliferation of unlicensed shops, Mayor Adams' joint task force to crack down on them, the report sponsored by the Medical Cannabis Industry Association that accuses their traditional market competition of tainted products and inaccurate test scores to the state's robust social equity initiatives, potential conflicts of interest in the Social Equity Fund's management, and a look at Housing Works, the non-profit that opened the first retail dispensary in NY state in Dec '22, the Gentleman has you covered. Want more? You got it, boss! Community interest in the inaugural New York Grower's Cup was intense, with over 90 samples submitted by local cultivators. Roger Boofington joins the show to share an inside view of the competition and a local perspective on navigating New York's flourishing cannabis scene. 

The founder of DC Seed Exchange, one of our favorite seed banks, talks about coming up in guerrilla indoor grows back in California's Prop 215 market, the rise of autoflowers,  exciting breeding projects on the horizon, and what to consider when shopping for the next strain to grow in your garden. Plus! This week the Gentleman ponders cases of cannabis use as a criminal defense, the welcome news of a bill to amend tax code 280E, and researchers in Israel increasing cannabinoid & terpene production by modifying the plant on the genetic level. 

This week we're joined by Chris Becker of The Honeybee Collective, an employee-owned, eco-friendly packaging company that aligns itself with sustainable farms, to explore his bold vision of how cannabis could be used to transform communities while reducing the industry's impact on the environment. We'll discuss the frustration among advocates at limited licensing opportunities in legal states and how The Honeybee Collective's creative workaround also allowed them access to crowdfunding. Plus! The Gentleman takes a look at THC potency lawsuits, a bipartisan bill to protect Kratom, and a roadmap for psychedelic legalization by 2037. Future stuff!

In this week's episode we sit down with integrated pest management expert Matthew Gates to learn about how the cannabis plant communicates with its environment though the microbiome, the potential of microbe engineering, discuss the role of science in policy-making, and riff on whether plants could possess some degree of sentience. And how are the bees? Has anyone checked on the bees lately? Plus! We examine the SAFE Act's failure, the Parabola Center's new partnerships, and a Georgia megachurch pastor's plans to grow cannabis on church-owned lands. 

In this week's episode, we're talking to Dr. Amber Wise from Medicine Creek Analytics! We'll discuss the results of her fascinating research into potential safety concerns surrounding current vape cartridge hardware and shed some light on distressingly frequent cannabis testing issues like THC inflation and shopping for lab results. Plus! The Gentleman covers the potential of the dormant commerce clause to pave the way for interstate sales, the CDC finding rat poison in synthetic cannabis in Florida, and police claims from India that rats are responsible for eating the hundreds of pounds of cannabis they were holding for evidence. All in one episode? No way, you say? YES WAY. TOTALLY.

In this episode we're interviewing Adam Eidinger, the relentless activist for cannabis reform that founded DC Marijuana Justice, the organization that led the way to cannabis becoming legalized in Washington DC. We're seeking his advice for advocates to effect change in places where weed remains illegal, protesting to end prohibition on the federal level,  looking back at how Congressional meddling accidentally created the most socially equitable market in the country in the nation's capital and what it's fate will be as the local government seeks to regulate it. Plus! We get into the weeds of the Cowboy Cup controversy where Ganjiers disqualified a ton of entries for mold. What really went down? The Gentleman tries to piece it all together for you.   

This week our guest is Davis Clayton Kiyo, designer of the revolutionary Octave vape cartridge! How do you turn an idea into something you can toke? Kiyo explains his design process & philosophy from original inspiration to industrial scaling, points out how federal prohibition is holding back innovation, and weighs in on what the next generation of cannabis device tech could look like. Plus! The latest study to confirm teen use remains unchanged by legalization, important updates to the case of the Virginia toddler that overdosed on Delta 8 gummies, and the Gentleman celebrates an exciting new bill that would offer licenses to DC's gifting services instead of shutting them down. 

In this episode we're speaking with psilocybin industry pioneer Derek Chase, President of Psilouette and Flora + Bast, about the new wave of psychedelic therapy. How will the legal psilocybin treatment centers operate? What is the modern approach to working with these potent compounds? And with two early adopters of cannabis legalization having already passed adult-use psilocybin legalization, which states could be next?  Plus! How the latest medical marijuana research bill makes it easier to talk to your doctor about cannabis and the Gentleman takes the re-launched Social Club app from Berner/Weedmaps for a spin! 

Thinking of serving your family & friends some home-made edibles? This episode the Gentleman pesters Oui'd Chef Mathew Ramsey for tips on incorporating cannabis into your kitchen. We'll cover common mistakes home chefs make when starting out, whether choice of cultivar matters, how to approach potency and onset time when planning your dinner party, and much more. Plus we poke fun of Big Weed's newest Buy Legal campaign (nerds!) and learn a lot more about licking toads than we bargained for. It's a veritable cornucopia of human words recorded at audible frequencies! 

How safe is medical cannabis patient data? What happens after a dispensary scans your ID? Did you wipe the metadata from your grow room photo before you texted it? In this episode, the Gentleman speaks with cybersecurity consultants Leo & Mary Fox about potential data & privacy risks for cannabis consumers, the traditional market, and the licensed industry. Plus we've got 2022 cannabis elections results and the announcement of Sean "Diddy" Combs' purchase of several licensed, operating facilities from Cresco/Columbia Care across 3 states, subsequently creating the largest black-owned cannabis enterprise in the nation to discuss this week, so tune...in...from when you had to tune it. Now it's just a button which makes it even easier. So button in to this week's episode of The Gentleman Toker Podcast!   

To say that today’s CBD market is saturated is a generous understatement. With literally thousands of products available to consumers and little to no regulatory oversight over their manufacture, how do you even begin to choose which are worth your money? That’s exactly why Daniel Simmonds started Georgetown Hemp and why we’ve asked him to explain the right questions to ask to make sure the CBD shop you work with is knowledgeable and the products you purchase are safe & effective. The Gentleman also celebrates the news that cannabis use has eclipsed tobacco in the US, then warily eyes both federal law enforcement plans for new weed breathalyzers and smartphones wanting to know if you smoke. Reap the whirlwind of knowledge herein, forthwith!

Dr. Jeffrey Raber, founder of the renowned WERC Shop, one of the first cannabis testing labs in the country, graces our studio to explain what consumers need to know about the numbers they see on dispensary labels, the future of federal testing regulations, our current understanding of the entourage effect, and a whole lot more in this episode! Are ye not yet satisfied? The Gentleman also breaks down cannabis and psychedelics measures on the ballot this year across the country. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Curious about all the nanotech cannabis edibles & topicals sprouting up, we invite Sothi Thillairajah, co-founder of NanoBella, to explain nano-emulsification process, how it increases bioavailability, what other possible applications this tech could have for the cannabis industry, and the exciting potential of lesser known cannabinoid CBG. The Gentleman also has the skinny on the Air Force’s new cannabis policy, the FDA’s new cannabis regulator hire, and the latest research debunking stoner stereotypes. Get your takes while they’re hot, Scott!

Hydrocarbon extracts may have reinvigorated America’s interest in concentrates, but the high-end market these days has decidedly moved towards full-spectrum options like hash, rosin, and hash rosin. Ras Kaya Paul, founder of Pacific NW Roots and one of the premier hash artisans in the US, provides an introductory lesson on how his multiple award-winning small-batch hash is made, discusses the challenges & benefits of moving from the traditional market to licensed operator, and much more in this episode. Also: OSHA reports a cannabis industry worker death at Trulieve’s facility from inhalation of particulates while making pre-rolls, California looking into protecting legacy cultivars and preventing monopolies, and the Oneida Indian Nation’s entrance into the New York cannabis market. So many facts, your brain will certainly wrinkle!

Challenging the lazy stoner stereotype, cannabis & hemp products have found their way into the self-care essentials we use everyday and are increasingly favored by competitive athletes over traditional pharmaceuticals. MacKenzie McClain-Hill, mother, elite athlete, and founder of CBD-infused health & beauty brand LumiBloom, shatters it all by herself and inspires the Gentleman to glow up in this episode! Plus: Biden announces pardons and begins the process of reviewing cannabis’ placement on the Controlled Substances Act, the World Anti-Doping Agency keeps weed on its ban list, and MedMen’s recent legal shenanigans present a threat to the entire industry. All in one episode!

Will Padilla-Brown, host of the Apex Grower YouTube Channel & founder of Mycosymbiotics, takes us on a journey from the natural world to Babylon to the inner workings of consciousness as we discuss the expanding world of psychedelic mushroom medicines - what the future therapeutic industry look like, the benefits of different cultivars, tips for having a safe trip, and more! Plus Gentleman Toker brings you up to speed on the latest study of the impact cannabis legalization has on Big Pharma sales, the opening of the first legal psilocybin treatment centers in the US, and the Wall Street Journal's complaints about equity licenses for the justice-impacted in New York. Wow, all in one episode? You're darn skippy! Suit up, flyboy, this rocket's ready to go!

Social equity is the hottest buzzword in cannabis policy these days, but what does it mean exactly? What should social equity look like? How does limited licensing effect the prices and quality of legal weed in your state? Join us for a candid conversation about these policies and how to effectively advocate for them with Anna Rose Ii-Epstein & Vitoria Herring from the organization True Social Equity in Cannabis. The Gentleman also gushes over the SHIP Act, possible amendments to the SAFE Act, and looks into how chemical endangerment laws are being used against pregnant cannabis users. A perfect podcast for listening to, should your ears be bored and in search of sustenance today!

What are the 10 families of cannabis? In this episode, we sit down with the author of Cannabis Pharmacy, Michael Backes, to expand our understanding of the current state of cannabis genetics, the benefits of blending vs breeding for specific effects, and the Emerald Cup's new terpene superclass system he helped develop. Plus we take a look at legalization progress in Switzerland, new cannabinoid research announced by the NIH here in the US, and lounge licenses coming to Las Vegas! Strap this episode into your ear-sockets and hang on tight, it's gonna be an absurdly reasonable ride!

In this episode, the Gentleman weighs in on the Britney Griner controversy, pros/cons of the DANK Act for research and expungements, and sits down with the hosts of the podcast Cannabis School to discuss the changing perceptions around cannabis use, the people who enjoy it, & the patients that rely on it, plus things people new to modern cannabis medicine need and want to know about the plant itself, the industry around it, and much more. Go ahead and press play, you don't want to be behind on the watercooler talk when everyone else has heard the episode but you haven't so you just have to smile and nod like you did! Awk-ward! 

In this episode, the Gentleman gushes over the FDA's announcement to approve MDMA and Psilocybin for medical use in the near future, the DANK Act, and sits down with Maxwell Cranford of Crannabis Consulting about his tenure as Director of Cultivation for Beyond/Hello in Virginia. What does it take to become the head grower of a licensed grow operation in the limited license structure of a new medical program? What are modern indoor facilities doing to make themselves more sustainable? What strains grow well outdoors in Virginia? More listenable questions! NOW WITH ANSWERS! Are you listening yet? Why not? Huh, why not? pokes why not? pokes why not? pokes why not? Insert meme /i can do this all day

In this episode we discuss the burgeoning cannabis scene in Thailand post-legalization, the launch of a new brand by an NFL Hall of Famer, and interview one of our own writers, Blick, about his research into vape cartridges. Looking beyond Vitamin E acetate, we’re learning about the potential problems posed by common vape designs, the safest way to use them, and how the next generation of cartridges aims to solve these issues.

Meet one of the first glass artists to accept Bitcoin! Joe Tierney and Liz Whiting got to talk to Jason Harris of Jerome Baker Designs about the early days of his glass career to creating bong NFTs and a metaverse palace. You won't want to miss learning about this legendary artist. Learn about his craziest custom glass order, biggest inspirations and what's next for JBD. 

Connect with Jerome Baker Designs below!  

https://jeromebaker.com/

https://twitter.com/JBD420

https://www.instagram.com/jerome_baker/

Welcome back to the Gentleman Toker Podcast! Joe got to sit down with the infamous Koala Puffs to talk about her cannabis entrepreneurship journey, how she got her start and take a look at the LA cannabis market to know what shops and products are best. As we take a look at the Los Angeles market, it's clear that there is a wealth of opportunities as various markets mature. 

Koala Puffs is a content creator, CEO and founder of popular cannabis events and her brand Koality. You can follow her social media to see what she's up to and projects she's working on. Connect with Koala below! 

https://www.instagram.com/koala.puffss

https://www.koalapuffs.com/products/monthly-koality-box

https://www.youtube.com/c/AnjelaKoala?app=desktop

Meet the extraordinary Barbara Biddle of District Hemp Botanicals! Barbara is a prominent voice in the DC cannabis and hemp community. Learn about how she started her shop, where the industry is going, being a National Cannabis Championship judge and more. 

Connect with Barbara Biddle below! 

https://www.instagram.com/barbarabiddle_/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/districthemp/

https://www.districthempstore.com/

Welcome back to the Gentleman Toker Podcast! Joe had the opportunity to sit down with fellow National Cannabis Cup judge Alan Amsterdam ahead of April's competition. Alan Amsterdam is DC's first certified Ganjier, a prolific figure in the world of cannabis advocacy and a partner at Capitol Hemp.

Learn about the birth of I-71, DC's cannabis culture, what it takes to change policy and more. Get to know Alan Amsterdam and Capitol Hemp below!

https://capitolhemp.com/

https://nationalcannabisfestival.com/news/2021/12/17/alan-amsterdam-is-dcs-first-ganjier

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen to our third episode of How to Find Weed with your host, Gentleman Toker. Join yours truly and special guest Liz Whiting. We are taking a deep dive into how to find weed in DC! There are tons of different options from I-71 storefronts to deliveries and more. Tune in to learn how to get quality products from trusted sources in the District. 

Connect with Liz! 

Send Us Flowers: https://www.instagram.com/sendusflowers/?hl=en

Liz's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsbizzy/?hl=en

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen to our second episode of How to Find Weed with your host, Gentleman Toker. Join yours truly and special guest Caroline Phillips of National Cannabis Festival as we continue to dive into the current state of Initiative 71 in the District and where we think policy is heading in DC. Learn about I-71 and what it means to local cannabis businesses in the District.

Connect with Caroline! 

National Cannabis Festival https://www.instagram.com/natlcannabisfest/?hl=en

Caroline's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cannabis_caroline/?hl=en

Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the first episode of How to Find Weed with your host, Gentleman Toker. Join yours truly and special guest Caroline Phillips of National Cannabis Festival as we dive into the current state of Initiative 71 in the District. Learn about I-71 and what it means to local cannabis businesses in the District.