Higher Exchanges

Higher Exchanges celebrates its 100th episode with special guest Nick Gastevich to tackle one of the biggest questions facing the cannabis industry: Can cannabis grow again? After several challenging years for operators and investors, we examine what could drive the industry’s next chapter. From new state markets and same-store sales to hemp regulation, M&A, capital markets, and interstate com...

The cannabis industry may be entering a very different chapter. In this episode of Higher Exchanges , Jesse Redmond and Morgan Paxhia break down their biggest takeaways from the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago and discuss why the industry’s long-term outlook may be improving—even as public cannabis stocks continue to struggle. They cover: Why this year’s conference felt different W...

Cannabis rescheduling is officially here. Now what? This week, Jesse Redmond and Morgan Paxhia welcome back Hirsh Jain to discuss what Schedule III means for the industry, how states are responding, and what comes next. We cover the upcoming adult-use hearings, interstate commerce, export opportunities, Virginia's latest legalization setback, Pennsylvania's outlook, and which operators s...

On this episode of Higher Exchanges, Jesse Redmond and Morgan Paxhia sit down with Steven Ernest, Head of Originations at Chicago Atlantic, to discuss how cannabis lending and private credit markets are evolving heading into a potential Schedule III world. Steven gives an update on Chicago Atlantic’s platform today, how cannabis credit has changed over the last 12–18 months, and why periods of ind...

In this Higher Exchanges deep dive, we break down the cannabis sector at a critical moment following 4/20 and renewed momentum around federal rescheduling. Jesse Redmond is joined by Morgan Paxhia and Sammy J to focus on what’s actually changing — and what investors should be paying attention to. Topics Covered: Federal cannabis rescheduling: what just happened and what comes next 4/20 recap and w...

Where can investors actually find value in cannabis today — and how should they be thinking about the space going forward? In this episode of Higher Exchanges, Jesse Redmond and Morgan Paxhia are joined by Jerry Derevyanny, Partner at Bengal Capital, for a wide-ranging conversation on capital allocation, alternative investment strategies, and what separates real operators from the rest. We cover:...

On this episode of Higher Exchanges , we’re joined by Micah Anderson, CEO of LEEF Brands, to break down the company’s fourth quarter and full year 2025 results and what they signal about the next phase of growth. We cover LEEF’s evolution, including the addition of Salisbury Canyon Ranch, and how vertical integration is driving margin expansion, improved consistency, and stronger cash flow. Q4 mar...

On today’s episode of Higher Exchanges, Jesse Redmond and Morgan Paxhia sit down with Boris Jordan, Chairman and CEO of Curaleaf, the largest cannabis company in the world. We discuss what may be the most important policy and capital markets moment the industry has seen in years. Boris shares Curaleaf’s perspective on federal rescheduling, what it could change for operators, when it may become fin...

On this episode of Higher Exchanges , Jesse Redmond and Morgan Paxhia are joined by Bill Morachnick, CEO of Charlotte’s Web, to explore whether the CBD category is entering a true restart or simply experiencing another policy-driven moment. The conversation covers the evolution of CBD since the 2018–2019 boom, the emerging Medicare/CMMI reimbursement channel, and how regulatory momentum could resh...

In today’s episode of Higher Exchanges, Jesse Redmond and Morgan Paxhia tackle five of the toughest questions shaping the next phase of the cannabis industry. Will Schedule III trigger a lasting cannabis bull market? Will federal hemp restrictions remain in place through November 2026? Will two of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Florida legalize adult use and restart growth? Will three of today’s Tier...

On this episode of Higher Exchanges , hosts Jesse Redmond and Morgan Paxhia are joined by Jason Wild and Ziad Ghanem of TerrAscend for a timely conversation on where cannabis investing goes next. As federal reform approaches and capital markets begin to reawaken, the group explores how operators and investors are positioning for the industry’s next phase. We discuss: Whether this catalyst cycle is...

Higher Exchanges is presented by Flowhub.  Following the federal Executive Order to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, the cannabis industry may be entering the early stages of a new M&A cycle. In this episode of Higher Exchanges , Jesse Redmond and Morgan Paxhia are joined by Dai Trong, Managing Director at Arlington Capital Partners, to discuss how rescheduling could accelerate c...

This is a line-in-the-sand moment for legal cannabis. In this episode of Higher Exchanges, Jesse Redmond and Morgan Paxhia break down the Schedule III announcement alongside policy expert Hirsh Jain and capital markets veteran Scott Grossman. We unpack what just happened, why it matters, and what could come next for cannabis policy and markets. We cover:  • A clear overview of the Schedule III new...

We’re fresh back from MJBiz and breaking down everything: the people we saw, the energy on the floor, standout moments, and yes—Jesse’s run-in with the “Angry” hot chicken. Each of us shares the surprises that caught our attention this year, along with our biggest learnings from the conference. From there, we shift into a forward-looking conversation about 2026: what to expect, how the hemp ban re...

Today on Higher Exchanges , Jesse and Morgan sit down with Whitt Steineker , Partner at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP , to break down the major regulatory shifts impacting hemp, cannabis, and the broader U.S. market. We cover: What just happened to the U.S. hemp market — why it happened, what it means, and when enforcement may hit. How new hemp rules affect state-licensed cannabis — potential o...

In this episode, we sit down with Micah Anderson, CEO of LEEF Brands (CSE: LEEF | OTCQB: LEEEF), to break down the company’s Q3 2025 financial results and what’s driving its turnaround story. LEEF delivered a standout quarter with revenue up 24% year-over-year to $8.4M, gross margins doubling to 45%, and the company generating positive adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow for the first time. We disc...

In this episode of Higher Exchanges , we sit down with Ron Gershoni, CEO and co-founder of Jetty Extracts — one of California’s longest-standing cannabis brands — to explore what it takes to build, protect, and scale a cannabis brand in today’s challenging market. We cover: 🚀 Jetty’s founding story and lessons from a decade of brand building 💨 From the first vape to solventless, pre-rolls, and p...

Minnesota just launched adult-use cannabis sales — and the market could quickly become one of the most lucrative in the U.S. Jesse Redmond and Morgan Paxhia sit down with Aaron Edelheit, CEO of Mindset Capital, to unpack why Minnesota’s cannabis rollout is so unique and what it means for operators, investors, and policy watchers. In this episode: Minnesota’s cannabis history and the adult-use roll...

What’s really driving the rise of intoxicating hemp—and where is it headed next? In this episode, we sit down with Tucker Johnson , whose career spans CFO roles at Lil Wayne’s cannabis company and the Emerald Cup, Head of Finance & Cannabis Lead at British American Tobacco, and consulting for top hemp operators. Tucker brings a rare perspective from both mainstream finance and the front lines...

Join us on Higher Exchanges for an insightful conversation with Aaron Miles, Chief Investment Officer of Verano Holdings Corp., as we dive into the evolving landscape of the cannabis industry. With over 20 years of financial expertise, he shares how Verano continues to navigate challenges and seize opportunities.  Q2 2025 Financial Highlights We break down Verano’s latest performance: a 9% year-ov...

We are excited to have Jamie Mendola on the show for the first time.  You know Jamie from his leadership roles at AYR, he was a board member at Glass House Brands, and before cannabis, he was an accomplished investor in the hedge-fund world.  Here's what we’ll cover: 🚀 First cannabis SPAC (CSAC) in 2017 🏗️ Lessons from Ayr Wellness on M&A & scaling 🌱 Board insights at Glass...

In this episode, we kick things off with a quick market update, highlighting the recent surge in MSOS ETF momentum , institutional inflows, and what’s been driving cannabis stocks higher since late June. We then dive into AYR Wellness’s restructuring agreement —what it means, how the credit bid process works, and why it could set the tone for distressed M&A in the sector. From there, we break...

This week on Higher Exchanges , we dive into the chaos and clarity surrounding cannabis reform, capital markets, and hemp regulation. Joining us is Scott Grossman of Turning Point Brands for a timely roundtable on what’s real, what’s noise, and what could actually move the needle. 🔍 Topics include : Schedule 3 speculation : Who’s driving the renewed chatter, and what do Appropriations moves, VA a...

In this episode, we sit down with leading cannabis attorney Jeff Schultz, Partner at Foley Hoag, to unpack the real story on New York's adult-use market—what’s working, what’s broken, and where the industry goes from here. We cover:  🔹 The Good: - New York’s adult-use cannabis market is scaling fast—projected to hit $1.5–- $2B+ in 2026, up from just $300M in 2023. - National brands like Kiva...

In this episode of Higher Exchanges , we sit down with Ted Lidie , founder of Alien Labs , to talk about building one of California’s most iconic flower brands—and what it takes to scale that success across markets. We cover: 🌱 The Alien Labs origin story and legacy in the 215 era 🤝 Partnering with Connected and navigating Prop 64 🔥 What makes truly great flower—and why it’s harder to grow now...