The Hybrid

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies sit down with Christina Dempsey of the California Department of Cannabis Control for a conversation about the future of cannabis regulation. California is the largest cannabis market in the country, but it is also one of the most complicated: a long medical cannabis history, a deep legacy market, local control, public safety concerns,...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies go guest-free for a looser, host-only episode of The Hybrid about the messy middle of cannabis legalization. The conversation starts in Virginia, where adults can legally possess cannabis but still do not have a regulated adult-use retail market. Shawn and Erik unpack what happens when legalization moves faster than implementation, wh...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies sit down with Adria Berry, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority , to talk about regulating one of the most closely watched cannabis markets in the country. Adria reflects on stepping into Oklahoma’s medical marijuana program during a period of explosive growth, enforcement pressure, and public scrutiny. The c...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies sit down with Willy Vlasic , founder of Vlasic Labs , to talk about building a cannabis brand with a name people already trust. Willy shares how he came up in cannabis from the ground level, why he chose not to chase the intoxicating hemp boom, and what it takes to build something durable in a fragmented, highly regulated market. The...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies sit down with Jacques Santucci , founder of Opus Consulting , to unpack a side of the cannabis industry that rarely makes the headlines but is becoming increasingly common as markets mature: financial distress. Cannabis businesses are operating in a demanding environment. Wholesale prices have compressed in many states, capital has ti...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies sit down with Mackenzie Slade of Cannabis Public Policy Consulting (CPPC) to unpack a phrase that gets thrown around in every cannabis hearing and rulemaking: “evidence-based policy.” They get specific. What does evidence look like when the best data is observational, the politics is loud, and the market evolves faster than regulators...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies sit down with Adam Crabtree, Founder and CEO of NCS Analytics, to talk about a problem every cannabis regulator eventually runs into: the market generates mountains of data, but oversight still comes down to judgment, prioritization, and the ability to spot risk early. They break down what seed-to-sale tracking does well, where it cre...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies dig into an unexpected signal heading toward 2026: active ballot initiatives in Maine and Massachusetts that would roll back adult-use cannabis. They break down what the measures actually do, why they are emerging in mature early-adopter states, and what these campaigns reveal about the second act of legalization. The conversation exp...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies lay out their predictions for the cannabis industry in 2026 using a simple framework: the bets they think will shape the year, and the tripwires that could force policy to move fast and sideways. The conversation breaks down five core dynamics, including evolving federal posture, the shift from building state programs to optimizing th...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies sit down with Deirdra O’Gorman, CEO of Empyreal Logistics, to unpack the cannabis cash problem and why it still shapes the industry’s day-to-day reality. The conversation moves through banking friction, compliance mechanics, and the operational pressure that comes with moving money in a market built on legal contradictions. Deirdra wa...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies sit down for a Thanksgiving Special of The Hybrid , taking a lighter, more personal look at the world they came from - and the world they’re building now. The conversation moves through gratitude, governance, and the strange overlap between public service and holiday chaos. They draft their ideal Thanksgiving plates, revisit the lesso...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies sit down with Pamela Epstein , Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer at Terpene Belt , for an emergency conversation on Congress’s surprise move to restrict intoxicating hemp products nationwide. Tucked inside the federal government’s shutdown deal, the Senate added language that could redefine hemp and ban hemp-derived THC products ac...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies sit down with Eric and Kristin Rogers, the husband-and-wife team behind LEVIA, to explore the rise of cannabis beverages and the rare journey of building a brand, selling it, and taking it back. They trace LEVIA from garage experiments to a statewide favorite, discuss what they learned inside a corporate structure, and share how their...

Shawn Collins of THC Group and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies sit down with Pamela N. Epstein , one of the nation’s leading cannabis and hemp policy experts, for a deep dive into intoxicating hemp , the Farm Bill , and the future of THC regulation . They unpack how we got here—the loopholes, the patchwork of state laws, the science—and where smart policy should go next. 🎧 New episodes drop regu...

Shawn Collins of THC Group (www.homegrown-group.com) and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies (www.ergstrategies.com) chat with Carl Giannone, former Trade Roots leader, about his cannabis journey. With their expertise, they dive into regulatory challenges, social equity, and Massachusetts market shifts, sharing insider stories. They also compete in a trivia showdown. New episodes drop regularly. Foll...

Shawn Collins of THC Group (www.homegrown-group.com) and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies (www.ergstrategies.com) explore cannabis testing with Stephanie McArdle of Orange Photonics (www.orangephotonics.com). With their expertise, they dive into field testing, data transparency, and reflect on consulting challenges. They also compete in a trivia showdown. New episodes drop regularly. Follow @TheHy...

Shawn Collins of THC Group (www.homegrown-group.com) and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies (www.ergstrategies.com) dive into the cannabis regulator's dilemma, exploring the clash of policy, politics, and public expectations. With their expertise, they share insider stories and reflect on regulatory challenges. They also break down recent headlines and compete in a trivia showdown. New episodes drop...

Shawn Collins of THC Group (www.homegrown-group.com) and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies (https://ergstrategies.com/) explore cannabis agency transparency with Steve Kemmerling, CEO of CRB Monitor (www.crbmonitor.com). They discuss its impact on financial institutions, CRB Monitor’s Transparency Scorecard, and share insider stories. They also tackle Texas’ THC ban and compete in a trivia showdown...

Shawn Collins of THC Group (www.homegrown-group.com) and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies (www.ergstrategies.com/) explore the surprising similarities between cannabis and gaming policy with guest Mackenzie Slade of CPPC and GPPC. With their expertise, they uncover regulatory parallels and share insider stories. They also debate the best summer activity to pair with cannabis and compete in a trivi...

Shawn Collins of THC Group ( www.homegrown-group.com ) and Erik Gundersen of ERG Strategies ( https://ergstrategies.com/ ) explore the future of medical cannabis in an adult-use world, sharing insider stories from their days as regulators. With their expertise, they offer fresh perspectives on policy shifts and industry challenges. They also draft notable figures to join the medical cannabis marke...

Welcome to the premiere episode of The Hybrid, where cannabis policy collides with pop culture! Join hosts Shawn Collins (former Executive Director, MA Cannabis Control Commission) and Erik Gundersen (former Director, Maine Office of Cannabis Policy) as they kick things off with a bang. In this episode, we introduce ourselves and the podcast’s mission—to make dense cannabis policy as engaging as y...