High Spirits: The Cannabis Business Podcast

While most multi-state operators are racing to build massive houses of brands, one independent Ohio operator made the exact opposite bet—and won. About This Episode: In this episode of High Spirits , hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein sit down with Zach Weprin, President of Certified Cultivators, to unpack how his family-owned, vertically integrated company captured an impressive 7% market s...

What happens when a 115-year-old family farm bets its entire legacy on the future of cannabis? You get New York’s top-selling beverage and vape brand, bringing in over $75M in retail sales. In this episode of High Spirits , host AnnaRae Grabstein holds down the fort while Ben Larson is away on paternity leave. She sits down with Eddie Brennan , CEO of ayrloom , to dissect their meteoric rise in th...

The cannabis industry is sprinting toward major U.S. stock exchanges, but a high-stakes showdown in Washington could completely rewrite the rules of the game.  On this episode of This Week in Cannabis Live , host Jay Rosenthal and the Cultivated Media team (Jeremy Berke) are joined by regular panel experts AnnaRae Grabstein ( High Spirits ) and Marc Hauser ( Cannabis Musings ) to break down a mass...

Live from the media stage at IgniteIt Chicago , High Spirits co-host AnnaRae Grabstein conducts five lightning-round interviews with the industry’s sharpest minds. From the realities of major M&A integration and enterprise AI deployment to a wild on-stage metaphor involving a literal caterpillar, this special bonus episode captures the exact energy, momentum, and anxiety of the current market....

The federal government has officially rewritten the history books by shifting medicinal cannabis to Schedule III—and Glass House Brands is making a massive, unprecedented chess move to capitalize on it. About This Episode In this episode of High Spirits , hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein sit down with Graham Farrar , Co-Founder, President, and Chief Cannabis Officer of Glass House Brands....

Cannabis Business News Roundup w/ Ben & AnnaRae The landscape of cannabis and hemp policy is shifting beneath our feet faster than ever, forcing operators to constantly adapt to changing regulatory enforcement and market expansions. In this rapid-fire roundup, hosts Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein dial in from across the country to break down the massive institutional shifts happening this we...

As the cannabis industry matures, the conversation is shifting from basic intoxication to precise, effect-based wellness. But how do we bridge the gap between consumer anecdotes and true scientific validation for minor cannabinoids? About This Episode In this episode of High Spirits , Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein sit down with Alleh Lindquist , CEO of FloraWorks , to explore the rapidly evolvi...

This week on This Week in Cannabis Live, Jay Rosenthal, Jeremy Berke (Cultivated), plus Ben Larson of High Spirits and Marc Hauser of Cannabis Musings, break down the biggest stories in cannabis business and policy. New York's fiscal 2027 state budget locks in roughly $10 million for the seed-to-sale track and trace system — a win Cultivated first reported after an interview with Assemblymemb...

Nothing in the cannabis and hemp markets moves in a straight line, and lately, the operational whiplash has been more intense than ever. In this unpolished and deeply personal episode, hosts Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein step away from the usual guest format to unpack what it actually takes to lead when the industry forces you to slam on the brakes. About This Episode In Episode 139, Ben and An...

Join the teams from Cultivated, High Spirits, and Cannabis Musings for your weekly roundup of the biggest stories in cannabis. The DEA just announced it's opening a new registration window for cannabis manufacturers, growers, labs, and distributors — and with nearly 400 dispensary applications already in the pipeline, the race is on. We break down what operators need to know before applying,...

In an industry squeezed tight by relentless global price compression, cannabis operators can no longer afford to pay a premium for operational inefficiency. Yet, an invisible enemy is quietly draining up to 40% of cultivation yields across the country. About This Episode In this episode of High Spirits , hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein go back to the roots of the industry to explore the c...

Is the "Christmas of BevAl" about to change forever? While federal policy looms like a shadow, the world’s largest retailers and data giants are leaning into a category that is proving to be 100% incremental to the bottom line. About This Episode: In this episode, Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein dive deep into the numbers with Jason Zelinski, VP of North American Retail at NielsenIQ. As...

The DEA has finally spoken, but the path forward for cannabis operators is far from simple. As we move into a post-rescheduling world, the industry is bracing for a complex, bifurcated future that could redefine winners and losers overnight. About This Episode:  On this episode of High Spirits , hosts Ben & AnnaRae go deep into the technical and human sides of the rescheduling order with two o...

It's been one week since cannabis rescheduling to Schedule III was announced — and the questions keep multiplying. Jay Rosenthal, Marc Hauser, and Ben Larson unpack the real-world implications for operators, lawyers, accountants, and states navigating this seismic shift. In this episode: The DEA registration question: does it matter for 280E relief? The "Schrödinger's Cannabis"...

Is it time to get giddy or stay skeptical? The federal rescheduling of cannabis is the biggest regulatory shift in decades, but it comes with a complex web of DEA registrations and international treaty considerations. Join Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein as they sit down with top legal minds Alyssa Samuel (Husch Blackwell), Eric Berlin (Dentons), and Michael Cooper (Madison J Solutions) to unpack...

What does rescheduling really change — in the next 90 days, the next year, and the next decade? Jay Rosenthal and Jeremy Berke  from Cultivated are joined by AnnaRae Grabstein and Ben Larson from the High Spirits podcast and Marc Hauser from Cannabis Musings for a live breakdown of the  stories that defined this week in cannabis. Rescheduling: We're bringing in a special guest to help cut thr...

Is the "growth at all costs" era of the MSO officially over? According to Richie Proud, success in today's cannabis market isn't about having the most square footage—it’s about operational efficiency, consumer engagement, and a "flower-first" mentality. About This Episode: On this episode of High Spirits , hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein sit down with Richie...

On This Week in Cannabis Live , High Spirits hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein join the team at Cultivated for a high-stakes news roundup. From the logistical nightmare of surging oil prices to the "race to the bottom" for cannabis pricing on the East Coast, the crew breaks down the macro-trends hitting operators' bottom lines right now. Plus, a look at the latest hemp-derive...

The hemp beverage industry is thriving, but a federal "cliff" in November could bring it all to a screeching halt. With a looming ban on products over 0.4mg of THC, the stakes have never been higher for operators and consumers alike. About This Episode: In this episode of High Spirits, hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein sit down with Dawson Hobbs, EVP of Government Affairs at the W...

Is the "show me" state actually showing the rest of the country how to build a sustainable, high-growth cannabis market? In an era where many MSOs are struggling to stay afloat, one family-owned operator is proving that technical expertise and operational discipline are the ultimate competitive advantages. On this episode of High Spirits, hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein are join...

"Stop shaming my sex and drugs." On this episode of High Spirits , hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein sit down with the incomparable Tanya Griffin , a multihyphenate entrepreneur who is rewriting the rulebook on what it means to be a "professional" in the cannabis industry. From building the first vertically integrated national franchise to navigating the "crash land...

On this episode of High Spirits , hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein are joined by Elliot Lane , Co-Founder and President of IgniteIt . After years of building the cannabis vertical at Benzinga, Elliot and his team are striking out on their own to create a more intentional, high-impact space for cannabis leaders. From navigating the "pure terror" of entrepreneurship to the tactical...

On This Week in Cannabis Live , host Jay Rosenthal and Jeremy Berke (Cultivated.news) lead a high-stakes roundtable featuring Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein ( High Spirits ) and Marc Hauser ( Cannabis Musings ). Special guest appearance by Bryan Fields of The Dime Podcast. The panel dives into the messy reality of cannabis earnings season, where "creative writing" often masks the bot...

On this episode of High Spirits , hosts Ben & AnnaRae forgo the guest chair for a candid, deep-dive conversation into the shifting tides of the industry. From the sobering reality of Tilray’s latest $44M acquisition to the "perfect enforcement" threat of AI, this episode explores the evolution of cannabis leadership and the grit required to stay in the game. 💡 What You’ll Learn: The...

From New York’s bold $4.6 billion market forecast to the unlikely intersection of the Second Amendment and cannabis at the Supreme Court, the team explores the shifting tectonic plates of the U.S. industry. Are we witnessing the "locus of the cannabis world" moving East, or does California still hold the crown? 💡 What You’ll Learn: The New York Surge: Why the OCM’s new leadership is pro...