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Displaying episodes by topic: cannabis culture

Tuesday, 19 November 2024 08:20

E135 – Shiva Dances within Buddha’s Garden

Regular users of cannabis will -- often self-consciously -- admit to having a spiritual relationship with the plant.  Will Johnson, a teacher of Buddhist dharma since 1972, explains how he is ‘something of an anomaly and outlier when it comes to the use of cannabis.’ In his book “Cannabis in Spiritual Practice: The Ecstasy of Shiva, The Calm of Buddha,” Will applies his understandings with living by The Buddhist’s precepts, as an adult.  He believes his positive pathways toward full Embodiment is better achieved when he weaves his dance with Shiva, while enjoying the fruits of Buddha’s Garden.  In this episode, Kirk and Trevor conclude Will may be onto something. What if everyone in the world simply took a few deep breathes, passes the chillum, and spontaneously started to dance?  What if…

Tuesday, 01 October 2024 13:49

E132 - Road Stories #5 - 2024

VanHoot is now traveling the roads of northern British Columbia. While Michelle is off filling their cupboards and cooler, Kirk and River explore the resale cannabis market in those small communities they visit. Kirk records some of the discussions collecting cannabis stories to better understand cannabis from the budtenders’ perspective.  In this episode, we learn: how cannabis is marketed day-to-day, is a part time job for busy people, and is also positively affecting smaller community.  At one point Kirk sniffs resale cannabis from Mason Jars envisioning the future farmgate access.  When you listen to a Road Story episode, you are transported into the continuing adventures of VanHoot and its occupants.

Monday, 23 September 2024 14:35

E131 - Road Stories #4 - 2024

Once again, Kirk is on the road collecting stories, and never knowing where a story will take him. This road trip is in British Columbia where infused pre-rolls are the hottest summer blitz. Join Kirk and his dog River as they collect stories from cannabis stores, a vape shop, and while standing in a parking lot. We learn how bud tenders gain knowledge of cannabis: being an exit drug, assisting pregnant women, curing cancer, or just chilling at a town council meeting. You just never know what a Road Story will teach you about cannabis use.

Kirk catches up with Ted Smith from the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club and his organization’s ill-defined existence within a country of legalized cannabis. We hear how Ted’s dreams, for this timeworn cannabis compassion club, are close to fruition yet there lingers potential for a new set of fines and a visit from the Public Health Authority impeding the full potential of this caring organization. In this episode we learn how the clouds preventing Ted from flying high are not simply from his new smoking lounge but rather the various levels of bureaucracy he must manage when putting compassion into action

Wednesday, 28 February 2024 15:00

E119 - Marijuana Growing with Jorge Cervantes

Imagine being so good at your job that everyone knows you, but not by your face nor by your name. Jorge Cervantes (an alias) put on a disguise in 1983 and started sharing his plant knowledge with all people. In these forty years he has published more than 50 gardening books; many of which focus on growing that Schedule One drug we call cannabis. This is why he lived in the closest. During the DEA’s “War on Drug” years, many of Cervante’s friends were arrested while he kept on teaching. In 2010, George F. Van Patten dropped the pseudonym and disguise to travel the world openly exploring the cannabis plant. In this episode, we learn his back story and Jorge shares his preference with growing cannabis outside; in soil. He has also recently published a free online resource called the Cannabis Encyclopedia.

Wednesday, 07 February 2024 09:12

E118 - Cannabis: The Textile with 8000 Kicks

Bernardo the owner, and founder of 8000 Kicks believes hemp is the past and future of textile manufacturing. His business goal is to leave a legacy. In this legacy, hemp becomes mainstream and the most ubiquitous fiber available in the textile industry. This small European company creates shoes using the strongest canvas fiber available, with soles made of algal blooms. While continuously monitoring international sustainable manufacturing processes, 8000 Kicks produces shoes that are both waterproof and breathable guaranteeing no toxic substances are used. His business, started with his 77-year-old grandmother, builds running shoes, casual shoes, Chelsea Boots, back packs, belts, socks, and accessaries. In this episode, Kirk and Trevor learn how a small business created a durable Chelsea Boot Kirk now wears as his casual winter shoe.

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Wednesday, 11 October 2023 11:57

E113 – Road Stories 3

Kirk brings Trevor another batch of Summer Road Stories. Kirk spent time traveling through Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba learning from Bud Tenders. We hear how CBG, the Cannabinoid of the summer, is “a bubble bath for the brain”. Kirk and guests discuss the strategies Bud Tenders use to help people buy their medical cannabis. While sitting in one small town, a long boarder stopped to talk about the cool van Kirk is travelling in and leaves a cannabis story behind that teases the Manitoba Government. Summers are short in Canada but the stories about cannabis are never ending. Tune in to this episode for some grass roots My Cannabis Stories from Prairie people

We've got another amazing group of attendees from CannMed 23!

One evening they said dinner was on Lanai Beach. In Manitoba, if you are at a conference and someone says dinner is on Lanai Beach, then Lanai Beach is the name of a room. But in Florida, they actually meant dinner was on a beach. That sounds like a lovely idea, unless it is over 30 C and there is no shade. Thankfully, I brought a ball cap for my bald head and I met Dr. Joe Thompson also looking for some shade beside a pole. Dr. Thompson trained as a pediatrician, but now is the President & CEO of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement. They have a program where they are going to analyze the data of people who got medical cannabis in Arkansas and see what happened to Health Outcomes. You want to hear about how that study will be done.

Dr. Leah Johnson Pharm D is a pharmacist and we met her in the Poster Hallway. Her Poster was about palliative care patients in California. Her group believes that if patients have access to cannabinoid medicine during palliative care, that will promote a better quality of life for the patients. Dr. Leah helps patients with their cannabis therapy and is a Cannabis Speaker and Educator across the US. She is on the Executive of the Pharmacist Cannabis Coalition of California (PCCC).

I met Akeem during the opening reception of CannMed 23. I didn't know anyone at the conference yet, so thankfully, he came up to me, read my name tag and introduced himself. Soon we discovered we were both from Canada, and we laughed over the fact the sliders were taken away too quickly. He told me he was nervous about a main stage talk he was giving. Now I understand why. He was giving a very technical, science heavy talk to a room full of cannabis doctors and researchers. But he killed it during his talk. He even handled challenges from the audience. I got to collect some audio from Akeem right after his talk. He’s from Mississauga. He’s a huge basketball fan. He has a nephew who Uncle Akeem really wants to become the next Lebron James. But for our story, Akeem is a Canadian lawyer turned hemp farmer turned CEO of the BioTech company Canurta Inc. His talk was about cannaflavins and their potential to treat glioblastoma, a common and aggressive form of brain cancer.

Bruce Mackler was involved with Prairie Plant Systems in Flin Flon when all “legal” Canadian Government Cannabis was grown in a mine in 2000. That became Cannimed in Saskatoon. And that got bought out by Aurora. Former lawyer that fought cases against the FDA. Former immunologist. His company, Ethicann, is developing a sublingual tablet for Multiple Sclerosis as a competitor to Stativex.

Ahmed Labied – Morocco - At the opening reception of CannMed 23, there were all these people with green t-shirts that said Morocco. Trevor introduced himself and was told he had to talk to Ahmed Labied. Ahmed explained that in August 2023 there should be the first legal crop of cannabis coming off the field in Morocco and that they’re organizing a cannabis conference in Morocco in November 2023.

Texas A&M - Everything is bigger in Texas. These tall gentlemen from Texas A&M are all about hemp. Russell Jessup is an Associate Professor Texas A&M. Clayton Moore is a Student Researcher at Texas A&M in AgriLife Soil & Crop Sciences. David Baltensperger is a Professor and the Head of Soil & Crop Sciences at Texas A&M. Listen to hear what Texas A&M has been doing with hemp.

Cathie Hiegel - Hear Cathie’s winding road from cytotechnologist to writing the textbook, “A Microscopic View of Medicinal Cannabis”. It really is a very well referenced, easy to read text on Cannabis.

Markus Roggen - Our Germany, American, Canadian chemist. Markus runs Delic labs at UBC in Vancouver, BC. Although it really has nothing to do with the high-powered chemistry his company does every day, Markus is a little obsessed with cannabis names. He found that every year when he gets new students, he has to re-explain cannabis nomenclature. He wondered if he could develop a new classification system for cannabis. Long time cannabis aficionados may hate this, but the rest of us might really like it.

Canadians are changing their perspective of cannabis. People are using it as medicine and access has never been easier. Why is this bad? Why should anyone care how we access our medicinal cannabis? Canada is one of the few countries with federally legal cannabis. However, Canadians are not all benefiting from the creation of the Cannabis Act. There are barriers doing cannabis clinical research. Many prescribers and provincial health systems still refuse to help patients safely access medicinal cannabis despite legalization. This is just not good health care according to Dr. Lynda Balneaves. Her team set out to quantify patients’ hurdles with the Medical Cannabis Access and Experiences in Canada Study. In this episode, Kirk and Trevor explore how medical cannabis is different from recreational cannabis and how the status quo of lumping them together is just not good for patient care.

The team gathers in the studio for the first time since pandemic restrictions were lifted. Rene interviews Kirk and Trevor, and gains insights into the creation and growth of this Passion Project. With 100 episodes in the library, the team has lots to review. From suppositories to driving, seizures to criminal records, Parkinson’s to David Crosby, current fans will enjoy reminiscing with the team. If you are new to our podcast looking for new cannabis knowledge, then "It's Okay to be Medicated While Getting Educated" is a great introduction to Reefer Medness – The Podcast. You’ve just found your new binge worthy ear candy.

Tuesday, 18 October 2022 11:58

E93 - Cannabis Amnesty with Aisha Abawajy

Pre-legalization, policing of Cannabis was disproportionally excessive and punitive to BIPOC and poor folk of Canada. While Cannabis is now legal, thousands are still saddled with cannabis convictions preventing them from employment opportunities, international travel, and or joining volunteer groups. Although federal legislation “Bill-93 - No-fee, Expedited Pardons for Simple Possession of Cannabis” has received royal assent, the complicated process of applying to have a criminal record removed remains prohibitive. In this episode, Aisha Abawajy explains how her organization, Cannabis Amnesty, is fighting for this community. When many people with a cannabis record hope to obtain a Pardon, Ms. Abawajy explains why Expungement should be the ultimate goal. During discussions with Trevor, Kirk reflects on how “white privilege” may have influenced his own past recreational cannabis use. 

The Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club (VCBC) is no stranger to defending the services that a compassion club can deliver. For decades, the VCBC has supported individuals with chronic and or life-threatening diseases by providing aid not available from government health systems. Kirk once again visits this west coast healing community. He examines how this celebrated organization is now fighting a $6.4 million fine levied against them as an unlicensed dispensary. Founder Ted Smith, a tenacious defender of human rights, explains this current challenge, the club’s relationships with growers, and the help his staff provides the medical cannabis community.

Monday, 07 February 2022 09:05

E82 - Manitoba's Loud Advocate - Steven Stairs

In this episode, Kirk and Trevor bring forward the importance of Cannabis advocacy. With the legalization of recreational cannabis, some may see the need for Cannabis Advocacy as being dispensable. Stephen Stairs, a medical cannabis consumer is a leader within the Winnipeg green culture. He explains how the many interpretations of regulations, from all level of governments, requires his continuous attention. Self described as Manitoba’s Loud Advocate, Stairs shares his back story, passion for the cannabis industry, and confronts the controversy he faced as the leader of Winnipeg 420 movement. The My Cannabis Story for this episode is from Neil Linton at the Calgary Cannabis Club adding further insights to the need for Cannabis advocacy. 

Tuesday, 12 October 2021 12:53

E77 - Happy Healthy Hemp Homes by Goodvin Designs

Imagine an affordable home that will not burn or grow mould, while it also cleans the air within. Christina Goodvin, a self-described “Envelop and Building Science Engineer”, gathers locally sourced materials to build fire resistant homes that interact with the environments we live in. She uses hempcrete. Her hydrothermal designs will manage the indoor humidity, inhibit the transmission of bacteria, viruses, and fungi all at comparable prices to the construction costs of a conventional home. Kirk and Trevor marvel at how one small business uses cannabis to make our world a better place.

Tuesday, 05 October 2021 09:50

E75 - Road Stories

Sharing stories is how we learn and connect. Kirk travels westward from Dauphin along North American’s most northern provincially connected highway system. Listen to the quirky, cool Bud Tenders stories he brought back from the road.

Saturday, 06 March 2021 10:33

E65 - Growing at Home with Sue and Chase

Friend of the show Sue Letwin uses cannabis to treat her Lyme Disease.  She cooks with cannabis.  She teaches people to cook with cannabis.  She is really getting into cannabis education, in general.  But she had never grown her own.  She was really curious about the plant and wanted to know everything about it.  So she tried.  And along the way she found help, encouragement and mentors.  One of those mentors is Chase.  Have you ever thought about growing your own?  Come listen to Sue's journey and Chase's advice and we can all learn together.

Tuesday, 26 January 2021 12:22

E63 - Craft Cannabis Panel

Is it the future? Kirk and Trevor delve into the craft cannabis market, again. In this episode, they gather a unique panel of Cannabis enthusiasts, willing to share their views on growing small batches of their best. A British Columbia computer geek turned owner, an Alberta legacy grower gone legit, and a Manitoba seed archivist waiting on a license for his genetics, each speak to what makes their cannabis strains and techniques important to creating a craft cannabis market place. The panel agrees the best fertilizer is the shadow of the gardener and any licenced producer can grow good weed. But, what is their collective agreement, what is the definitive determination of craft cannabis? It may depend on how they treat their flowers at harvest, or possibly the hang-to-dry or lay-to-dry technique. How long do they leave their flower to cure? What if the flower is traveling in plastic to market? Defining craft cannabis may actually mean buying straight from the farmer but, this is not possible yet. Have a listen to how these growers define craft while creating niche markets for their small businesses.

Friday, 25 December 2020 12:00

E60 - High on Home Grown Cross Over

This is our Christmas Day episode.  Although it has nothing to do with trees, reindeer, Kris Kringle, elves or baby Jesus, it is as much fun to open as a present on Christmas morning!  The guys from the High On Home Grown podcast were a delight to talk you.  We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed making it.

Tuesday, 09 June 2020 20:39

E51 - Songs In The Key Of Weed

The fact marijuana heightens the musical experience is no secret. We know both listeners and players have enhanced their musical experiences through the use of this plant for over 100 years. This episode links cannabis to music through the stories told by acclaimed musicologist John Einarson. We follow a path of early jazz players influencing Canadian singer-song-writer Ian Tyson, who in turn influenced Bob Dylan, who in turn influenced The Beatles, to produce their iconic cannabis inspired album Rubber Soul. Einarson, author of 14 biographies of various musicians, tells stories with weed-inspired songs weaving through his deep narrative, as we learn how musicians created some of our most iconic songs under the influence of cannabis. Some very important pot smoking entertainers are discussed, such as Barbara Streisand sharing reefer with Peter Sellers and Neil Young testifying for his brother during a marijuana trial. Although cannabis is a very popular mind-altering substance used by musicians, Einarson believes it may actually pale compared to other psychedelic substances used in the industry. But that is another story for another episode. For now, this is a highly-entertaining episode produced, unlike any other from the ReeferMEDness team.

 
 

 

Bald, gloved, masked up and looking for drug dealer in New York.  This is not a recent COVID-19 story.  This is a story of former pro soccer player Ethan Zohn.  Ethan didn't do drugs in his youth because he was an elite athlete.  Now in his thirties, Ethan had cancer, and cannabis helped his symptoms.  As a chemotherapy patient, he had to go to the illegal market to get his cannabis.  Ethan Zohn is a world traveller, sports commentator, public speaker and, oh yeah, he won Survivor Africa in 2001.  Ethan is back in the 40th Season of Survivor: Winners at War.
 
Join Kirk and Trevor to find out how older brothers kicking balls at your head can be a career path.  Listen about how Ethan's Grassroots Soccer helps with HIV in Africa, a quick dip into his run ins with Donald Trump and his new venture with Montkush Farms.           
 
Aldofo Gonzalez may be the most interesting man in Canadian Cannabis.  His story ranges from Zaptista's in Mexico to Berkley City Council to UBC.  He's run a clinical trial to reduce methadone use with cannabis substitution.  He helped write the regulations for Vancouver's dispensaries pre-national legalization.  He helped medicinal patients feel better and helped recreational users appreciate cannabis like vinophiles appreciate wine.  Aldofo's latest venture, CannaReps, aims to up the game in cannabis education.  CannaReps courses focus on the human experience and take a hands on approach to Cannabis education for the CEO of an LP and the canna-curious consumer alike.  And you won't want to miss the next Collector's Cup.  Join Trevor and Kirk to listen to an entrancing life story, a history lesson in Canadian Cannabis and learn a little bit too.
 
 
Friday, 20 March 2020 18:42

E47 - David Crosby: Mighty Croz

“David Crosby, I read your chart man” is how Kirk starts his long-awaited chat with one of pop-culture’s most notorious Cannabis influencers. In 50-years, David Crosby has had a very public relationship with cannabis, addictions, incarceration, and relationships, which he willingly discusses. With thoughtful understanding that these past behaviours are well reported elsewhere, Kirk digs into current events asking his guest to speak to his new relationship with legal and medicinal cannabis. They discuss his involvement with NORML, his “Mighty Croz” branding, focusing mostly on his medical uses of cannabis; they even exchange their wives’ cookie recipe and how cannabis has become a very calculated element of David Crosby’s day-to-day creative life-style.

 
 
Thursday, 07 November 2019 21:19

E39 - Outside the tent; inside the lab

Join Kirk and Trevor as they reach from the shelf to bring three stories to you. the first two stories come from Nanaimo when Kirk was visiting a pop-up safe injection site; a tent actually set up in the mayor ‘s Parking lot. We meet Danielle Jackson known as Miz D or Dopprah (https://twitter.com/mycannatherapy) as she speaks to her form of cannabis infotainment. Our second story, outside the same tent, is with Anne-Marie Fischer from cannawrite (https://www.instagram.com/cannawrite/?hl=en) who speaks to cannabis headlines. Trevor brings the third story from the laboratory as Kanata Earth (https://www.kanataearth.com/) explains how they collaborate with the Saskatchewan Research Council to help the industry analyze their cannabis .

Monday, 14 October 2019 19:41

E37 - And the winner goes to...

Canada is a country that celebrates Cannabis; we can actually win awards. In this episode Kirk and Trevor talk to Lift & Co about the 2019 Canadian Cannabis awards. Lift & Co serves as the trusted authority on cannabis and empowers the cannabis industry to make better-informed decisions through superior information and data. We discuss how giving out award helps build a better cannabis market place. And, it is not too late for listeners to participate by voting for your favorite Cannabis product.  You have until Oct 25/19.  https://canadiancannabisawards.com/ Or there is always next year.  Maybe tell Lift & Co who your favorite cannabis podcast is.......Can you believe there is no category for that yet?  And a quick shout out to our friends at the Manitoba Podcast Festival.

 

 

 Kirk and Trevor were live on stage at HempFest Canada in Saskatoon June 2019 with Jacqui Childs (@JacquiChilds).  Jacqui talks about her journey with Cannabis helping her with Crohn's, anxiety and depression.  Now that Cannabis has helped her, Jacqui wants to help others.  This savy social media marketer and author tells Kirk how she gets her message about cannabis out to the world.

 
Thursday, 11 April 2019 11:36

S3E4 - Healing Communities - Part 1

Travel with Kirk and Trevor beyond simple harm reduction strategies. Kirk brings us stories from Vancouver Island to Gimli, showing us how the Cannabis Culture helps people be well. In Part 1, we meet Kevin Donnelly from Newleaf Outreach.  This new autonomous peer driven harm reduction group in Nanaimo, British Columbia promotes that drug peoples’ rights are human rights.  They also believe cannabis plays a role for people with substance use disorders. Then Kirk goes south to see Julia Veintrop from the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club.  The VCBC is an important historic advocacy agency.  They've taken cannabis cases to the Supreme Court, but more importantly they have 23 years of experience assisting people with accessing affordable cannabis as their medicine. From new to established, Vancouver Island shows us the strength of peers helping peers. We have a My Cannabis Story from Char about a not so positive experience at a Guns N Roses concert. Come back for Part 2!  Gimli has more to offer than Crown Royal and the Icelandic Festival.

 

Thursday, 06 December 2018 15:39

S2E7 - Expo Exposed

Trevor and Kirk went to the Cannabis and Hemp Expo in Winnipeg Sept 30, 2018.  They talked to lots of fascinating people!  They brought you 4 stories.  Savethedrive.com's CEO Chanel Graham was a home care nurse when she saw a need for getting cannabis to people who couldn't leave their homes.  Brad Pattison of Brad Pattison Pet Wellness stops cats from launching aerial attacks on their owners.  Dr. Brent Guppy of Synthase Genetics can help producers identify the genes to make better cannabis strains.  Nathan the VP of Community Outreach with the Winnipeg 420 group talked about 420 in 2019.  Recreational Cannabis is legal, but will everyone at the event at the Leg now be fined? 

Tuesday, 23 October 2018 07:34

S2E4 - Carefully Cooking with Cannabis

What did you do to celebrate Oct 17/18? Kirk and Trevor were busy. Kirk interviewed people at the first legal cannabis shop in Manitoba outside of Winnipeg. They also had a party to celebrate a year of podcasting. They called up some chefs, read some cookbooks and cooked with cannabis for their friends! They talked to Joel Carleton-Cannabis Sommelier & Interpener, Chef Matt of Delta-9 Chefs, Chef Alan of Flatlands Infused Pop-up dinner, and relied heavily on "Healing Cannabis Edibles" by Ellen Novak and Pat Crocker.

 

Thursday, 24 May 2018 06:28

S1E6 - The Advocates

 You've decided to try medicinal cannabis.  Now what?  If only there was some support out there.  We talk to Ashleigh Brown, the founder of SheCann, a Facebook Community of medical cannabis advocates.  Then, you track your steps and sleep with a FitBit.  You track you calories with a diet app.  What if you could track your medicinal cannabis use?  We talk to Stephanie Karasick the founder of Strainprint.  Yup.  There is an app for that.  And we think it is pretty cool.