What if most cannabis extracts are missing the point? In our last episode from Spain, Kirk visits with hemp innovator Peter Vermeul to explore stabilized, full-spectrum extracts that preserve cannabinoids like CBDA, THCA, terpenes, cannflavins and flavonoids—without heat or harsh solvents. Peter's road from developing hemp strains and his proprietary extraction technique for cannabis medicine was inspired by a family member with cancer, conversations with the legendary Professor Raphael Mechoulam and his extensive plant knowledge from his less than legal days. Now his extracts help people with Tourette's Syndrome, Parkinson’s, epilepsy and many other conditions. Peter explains why cannabinoid acids matter, how legality shapes innovation, and why inconsistency with Spanish regulations is driving him to relocate to Suriname to build his dream cannabis-based medical clinic. Listen now to discover why the real power of cannabis may lie in what extraction usually destroys.

In the past century, a gardener named Peter Vermuel became known for growing top shelf cannabis in Holland. He grew organic black market weed from clones supplying Britain for premium prices. In the early 2000s, Peter's perspective on cannabis changed due to family illness.  About this time, he acquired seeds for the Charlotte's Web strain from the Stanley Brothers and started his journey of creating CBD rich cultivars.  Today, his proprietary strains are used throughout the world as medicine by more than just family.  In this episode we start to tell the story of how this marijuana gardener becomes a cannabis chemist and how he learned to put the essence of a plant into the bottle.

Kirk continues his road stories from Spain. In the previous series, we learned how Cannabis cultivation is legal, public consumption is illegal, and personal use is decriminalized. In this series, Kirk and Trevor discuss the hemp products sold in resale Cannabis Shops found throughout Spain. The nuanced laws of Spain has allowed a proliferation of stores, found in many tourist areas, to sell various cannabis-derived products that contain less than 0.3% THC Delta9. These products are sold in bright packages labeled by the cannabinoids found within. Some of which, like THCX or THCP, produce psychoactive effects. Is buying cannabis in Spain as a tourist a good idea? Have a listen

As part of a series of episodes, Kirk and Trevor continue to explore the legal status of Cannabis in Spain. As a decriminalized substance, Cannabis is pretty much accepted by the Spanish public and authorities with some caveats about how and where Cannabis is consumed and purchased. However, the laws regarding hemp cultivation, hemp processing, homegrown marijuana, consuming and processing marijuana are complex and nuanced. In Part Two of this series, Kirk visits another Cannabis Social Club in Barcelona and then moves on to Madrid. He continues to meet multinationals enjoying the good vibes of Cannabis in Spain while marveling at the unique approach this ancient country has with this ancient substance.

Imagine you are a 75 years old male and you have a few medical conditions like well controlled prostate cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol and your knees hurt from arthritis. Your friend says you should try cannabis for your sore knees. You also live in a small rural Manitoba town that leans religious and conservative. Where do you go to find out if cannabis for your knees is a good idea? In Ste Anne's, Manitoba, retail cannabis store owner of Supercraft, Sean Stewart and pharmacist and co-founder of Apothecare, Ajay Chahal have you covered. Sean and his knowledgeable budtenders can help you with general and non-medical cannabis questions. If your questions start swinging medical, like asking about if cannabis interactions with the prescription drugs your on, they can virtually hand you off to the pharmacists at Apothecare, based out of Ontario. The medical cannabis system in Canada isn't perfect. Physicians and other prescribers have been known to tell patients to just go to their local retail cannabis outlet and buy cannabis there. Budtenders in retail outlets are legally prohibited from giving out medical advice to their customers, and they really don't have the medical background to do so. Supercraft and Apothecare are filling that gap by providing access to a medical professional at the place where people are already going with cannabis questions.