Different Leaf: the Podcast

In this episode of the Different Leaf the Podcast, photographers Sam Lee and Hunter Abrams discuss their long-running creative partnership and their approach to shooting one of the book’s most striking visual stories. Having worked with leading outlets including Vogue , Interview Magazine , The New York Times , and GQ , Lee and Abrams reflect on how they first met, how their collaborative process...

In this episode of the Different Leaf: the Podcast, host Brit Smith talks with curator Denise Markonish as she unpacks the vision behind the inaugural book hitting shelves in Summer 2026. Drawing on her extensive background in contemporary art — including her current work as the Martin Friedman Chief Curator at the Madison Square Park Conservancy and previously at the Massachusetts Museum of Conte...

In this episode, host Brit Smith sits down with Chicago-based artists Bob Faust and Nick Cave to talk about their roles as guest editors of the upcoming book. Drawing from decades-long careers across visual art, performance, and community-centered practice, Faust and Cave share how their distinct backgrounds shaped an initial vision rooted in storytelling, collaboration, and movement. They unpack...

Different Leaf: The Podcast is back with a new season and a fresh direction. In this first episode, host Brit Smith talks with Different Leaf Publisher Michael Kusek about how Different Leaf is evolving—from a redesigned magazine with guest editors to a renewed focus on cannabis through the lens of art, music, and fashion. Start listening to hear what's next.

It's here! Our final podcast episode before we go on hiatus! In case you missed the big announcement in the fall 2023 issue of Different Leaf Magazine; "We're saying goodbye -- for now." This week, host Brit Smith sits down with Different Leaf CEO/Publisher Michael Kusek to talk about what his Editor's Note on page 11 announcing the hiatus means for the future of Different Leaf. They talk about th...

If you've ever walked into a cannabis dispensary and felt overwhelmed with options, you are not alone. Around 2/3 of cannabis consumers consider THC potency the leading factor when purchasing pot. While that doesn't tell us much about the experience we might have, there are plenty of things beyond THC and price that we can consider when picking products at our local pot shop. This week, host Brit...

Between socializing, cooking, traveling, and spending, the holiday season can be a tough time to chill out. And then, of course, some of us have kids to watch, and those kids are also watching us. Thankfully, cannabis is a great tool to help adults enjoy the holiday season, even if we’re in charge of children. And this generation of parents is becoming much more open about discussing cannabis with...

It's the end of the year, the perfect time to indulge in some much-deserved rest and relaxation. And with so many spas now offering CBD-infused facials and massages, we can truly relax to the max this holiday season. So does topical CBD actually help our bodies more fully relax? Can a cannabis-infused facial benefit skin more than a regular facial does? And how else are spas incorporating cannabis...

Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that covers a diverse group of conditions. Since it's a spectrum, what it means to be diagnosed with autism varies widely. So do the experiences of autistic people and those who try cannabis and CBD for their health issues. In this episode, host Brit Smith talks to two autistic people about their experiences trying cannabis and CBD...

CBN, CBG, THCV, THCA... beyond the famed cannabinoids THC and CBD, we're seeing a surge of offerings known as minor cannabinoids. More and more people are swearing by these plant's so-called minor molecules to help with issues like sleep, appetite, and energy. So what’s the science behind all of it? Why does the plant make these chemicals? How do we extract and use them? And what does the research...

One of the staple fall activities of the northeast is to head to an orchard, pick your own apples, and enjoy some apple cider on the farm. Since cannabis has become more popular in drinks, one of the northeast’s best-known apple cider makers, Beak and Skiff, has started incorporating hemp and cannabis into their drink offerings, and it's already helping to change the way people see the plant. In t...

We’re getting into the spirit of Halloween by discussing how cannabis can guide us through spiritual journeys with our guest Shelley Johnson, better known as social media icon @AGoodWitchOfficial A retired occupational therapist in California, Shelley started doing Instagram Live sessions in her purple witches hat during the pandemic to help others feel grounded. She'd spark up, read tarot cards f...

Ready for an Exclusive?! Soon, you'll be able to wear vintage Tommy Hilfiger tennis apparel with our favorite leaf on the lapel, while smoking a matching branded red and white vape. American fashion icon Tommy Hilfiger has partnered with Coachella-based cannabis company Green Horizons to revitalize his classic 1970s tennis fashion brand BOAST. In 2024, they're launching a BOAST clothing line, incl...

Just a decade into legalization, the science behind cannabis-infused edibles has already come a long way. We’ve now got fast-acting edibles, cutting effect times from hours to minutes, made possible by nano-emulsification technology. We've got heightened experiences and flavors, thanks to Live resin and rosin-infused foods, which contain extracts from flash-frozen freshly-cut cannabis flower. And...

Since the pandemic, more than 70,000 restaurants, diners, and cafes in the US have closed. And many places that did manage to reopen didn’t make it long. Another thing that happened during the COVID lockdown; CBD and THC skyrocketed in popularity. Now, cannabis appears to be giving a new lease on life to some formerly-shuttered eateries. In this episode, host Brit Smith talks to Chef Andrew LeStur...

Yoga and cannabis have a lot in common. Both originated in India thousands of years ago, and both help us focus on our spiritual, philosophical, and physical selves. Whether you're a newbie or a longtime yogi, mixing meditation, stretching and marijuana is not for the faint of heart. Especially since both the cannabis plant and popular yoga practices have developed in intensity over the past few t...

This week, hear the inspiring story of how cannabis played a role in the life of the ultimate survivor, Ethan Zohn. Ethan grew up in Massachusetts and played pro-soccer in Hawaii, Cape Cod and Zimbabwe. In 2003, he won the third season of the reality TV show "Survivor." Ethan took his million-dollar prize and launched a nonprofit to raise money and awareness in the fight against the AIDS epidemic...

In honor of National Women's Equality Day on August 26th, we're exploring what it takes to make it as one of the very few female CEOs in the legal cannabis and CBD industry. Across all US industries, women hold around 30 percent of CEO and C-suite positions. But in the cannabis industry, women only hold 22 percent of C-suite roles and just 8 percent of CEO titles. So how can more women successfull...

TW: Suicide -- For Veterans in crisis, call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 The staff at Veterans Affairs Hospital do the hard work of treating our war veterans. But staff shortages and long wait times mean many vets still don’t get the care they need for the physical and mental issues associated with military life. As medical marijuana laws expand, more veterans are seeing MMJ doctors patch the gap in...

Cannabis, comic books, and loud music are all a means of escape. Plus, certain strains really amplify how we experience art, stories, and songs. So it's no surprise that if you’re into comics, fantasy novels, or rock music, research suggests you’re also probably into smoking pot. Of course, getting lost in comics and jumping in a mosh pit each requires a different kind of buzz. To help their fans...

Chicago, IL; San Francisco, CA; and Portland, OR: Three tourist hotspots known for their cannabis culture. With so many themed dispensaries, cool experiences, and fantastic food in each state, where should canna-curious travelers start when picking what to smoke, see and do in these big cities? In this episode, host Brit Smith talks to Different Leaf magazine's cannabis travel writers about the co...

Before states started legalizing weed shops, most of the legacy growers, transporters, and dealers who got arrested for running the underground cannabis economy were Black and brown entrepreneurial-minded men trying to make a better life for themselves. In states that have adopted cannabis social equity laws, people formerly incarcerated for selling weed before it was cool are now able to get assi...

Indigenous American tribes have used cannabis and hemp for rope, fabric, medicine, and spiritual use since the mid-1500s. But by the 1800s, they were forcibly separated from the plant by the US federal government, which illegally raided reservation grows, burned crops, and imprisoned growers. It wasn't until 2013 when Washington and Colorado legalized medical marijuana that Native American leaders...

Each summer, indulgent new cannabis, and dining-centric travel experience pop up all over the world. So what's a good place to start if you love to travel, appreciate really good food, and want cannabis to be at the center of your vacation experience? In this episode, host Brit Smith delves into the so-called 'Bougiest 4/20 Experience in the US' with Different Leaf magazine's food and cannabis wri...

As a teen in Cincinnati, singer/pianist Carolyn Alexander realized what many other musicians know; that cannabis can help with creativity, focus, and performance anxiety. In 2016, Carolyn started selling her homemade infused baked goods at local gigs while studying at the world-class Berklee College of Music in Boston, and she learned just how many other musicians agreed that weed enhances music b...