the lobsterpot< podcast

Professor Graça Castanho is an academic, activist, and advocate for democratic access to cannabis. Proudly hailing from the Azores, as well as educating and researching cannabis and hemp, she’s also the founder of the CannaPortugal and CannAzores industry events. She’s also part of an initiative to bring back production to the islands – with initial harvests expected in August. We speak to her abo...

Britain’s currently undergoing a great deal of change – especially when it comes to medical cannabis. While there’s a long way to go before the social stigma dissipates, many clinics, pharmacies, patients, and producers are coming together to push the industry forward Mike Morgan-Giles, Chief Executive, Cannabis Industry Council tells us more.

Marketing in the cannabis space ain’t for the faint-hearted. Having the best ideas, boundless energy, and fanatical enthusiasm ain’t enough – even in fully-rec markets like Canada. Paul K Lawton, award-winning strategist, former academic, and co-founder of cannabis ad agency, Sister Merci; joins us for a cultured chinwag about the current state of play.

We can’t deny that from an agricultural perspective, cannabis is a plant like any other. That means it’s subject to threats from viruses, fungi, and other potential crop contaminants. Early intervention is critical. We speak to Angel Fernandez and Ajith Anand, from MyFloraDNA to better understand how to mitigate these – and other – risks.

The latest news out of the US is that cannabis could be downgraded from a ‘harmful’ Schedule I substance to a ‘medically-beneficial’ Schedule III one. But what does this actually mean? Does it bring America closer to federal legalization? Will it make the cannabis industry an easier place to do business? Chris Day from the GCNC gives us his take on what it all means.

The latest news out of the US is that cannabis could be downgraded from a ‘harmful’ Schedule I substance to a ‘medically-beneficial’ Schedule III one.  But what does this actually mean? Does it bring America closer to federal legalization? Will it make the cannabis industry an easier place to do business? Chris Day from the GCNC gives us his take on what it all means.

Living with a condition like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a battle for 1 in 500 people in the UK. However, like cannabis, there’s a lack of education, understanding, and awareness of the illness and how to treat it. Coupled with the fact that many sufferers can have an adverse reaction to different medications, many are turning to medical cannabis – often as a last resort. We speak to Sarah Ham...

Big Tobacco is clearly making a play for cannabis. British American Tobacco’s recent £75M investment into cannabis firm Organigram is a strong indication of that. However, while the subject may be uncomfortable for many, we can’t deny that tobacco’s involvement in cannabis could benefit the cannabis industry in a number of ways – not least economically. We speak to Nick Kenny, a strategic advisor...

While its neighbour to the south gets a lot of attention for its shifting stance on cannabis, Zimbabwe is a nation to keep a close eye on – given its climate, huge farmland areas, and huge economic potential. However, while export potential is lauded as the primary path to financial growth, getting the domestic market right first is essential – says TJ Chifokoyo, managing director of Charlie Bravo...

Ahead of Drug Science’s UK Patient Conference on 3rd November we catch up with Sarah Sinclair, editor of Cannabis Health, and medical cannabis patient, Berta Kaguako. Both will be speaking at the conference, focusing on the topics of improving access to medical cannabis more broadly and increasing the number of NHS prescriptions. Let’s get a flavour of what’s to come.

While Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium continue to make all of the right noises around legalising recreational cannabis, they may yet be beaten to the punch by the Central European neighbour – the Czech Republic. We speak to Sean Carney, founder and executive director at Herbology Ventures, based in Prague about the moves being made.

Though her career kickstarted in Canadian cannabis labs and grow ops, Atiyyah Ferouz – founder and CEO of AgCann – has now turned her attention to Thailand; perhaps the cannabis world’s most exciting emerging market, but one that’s ultimately misunderstood from a compliance and regulatory perspective. We compare notes and find out more about the opportunity she sees here. 

Hirsh Jain, CEO and Founder of Ananda Strategy, is used to delving deep into the regulatory maelstrom. Formerly Global Policy Lead at Airbnb, over the last few years he’s switched the short term rental market for the curious world of cannabis. We chat with him about what’s coming next.

In a world where data is seemingly at the crux of everything from online marketing success to operational efficiency; businesses of all kinds are doubling down on their stats and facts. But how can cannabis companies get on board? We speak to Eric Boone, CEO at Meristematix about the future he’s working towards.

If you’ve worked in cannabis for more than a few minutes, you’ll have realised it’s really tough (often illegal) to state what effects your product has. That’s a pain for brains, but it sucks for consumers too, particularly the canna-cautious who want more certainty around mind-altering experiences. To help us understand what’s really going on and get a look at where the industry is headed, we spo...

Ben Arn is the founder of CB Expo – a cannabis event that’s moving beyond its Swiss roots and embracing the changing outlook of medical and recreational weed across Europe. With the next event taking place in Dortmund this September, he gives us a sneak peek behind the canna-curtain.

We catch up with Matthew Clifton, CEO of Product Earth. He tells us more about the challenges of running the UK’s biggest wellness, plant medicine, and nootropics event, and gives us a flavour of what to expect at this year’s show. If you want to grab a 10% discount on Product Earth tickets, check out this link http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/450502443937/?discount=thermidor

Hilary Black’s reputation precedes her. Over the last 25 years she has tirelessly advocated for access to cannabis on behalf of those who need it in Canada – first via Hemp BC, then through her groundbreaking work BC Compassion Club, and more recently at Canopy Growth, where she served as Chief Advocacy Officer. Now, an independent consultant, she explains what the Canadian cannabis industry can t...

Dr Gary Yates is a leading UK-based plant scientist with significant experience in the international cannabis sector.  As the global industry opens up, he’s tasked with helping companies determine the best way forward when it comes to selecting genetics, developing cultivation techniques, and getting the best possible crop yield. He tells us more about what ‘good’ looks, smells, and tastes like wh...

With show season in full swing, head thermidorks&lt;, Dave and Jamie, ‘deep dive’ into some of the cannabis marketing trends they’ve seen in recent months – and share their thoughts on how things could/should shake out.

With so much of the hype for Latin American cannabis centring on Colombia, how will the other players in the region get noticed? To help us figure that out, and to take a closer look at Peru, we speak to Jose Escalante, CEO of Futura Farms, to find out what we’re missing out on.

Brit Smith is a journalist and podcast host for Different Leaf magazine – a cannabis–focused lifestyle publication. Originally from the UK, she’s been in the US for the last 17 years and has witnessed firsthand how the cannabis sector has grown from med use in California to the rec market that’s gaining momentum across the States today. She gives us her view on what’s coming next in America, and g...

Katherine Golden, founder and CEO, at Leaf 411 is a firm believer in the medical and therapeutic benefits of cannabis. And as a registered nurse, she’s seen first hand what a difference the plant can make. However, the challenges surrounding consumption, dosing, and even product affordability mean that many looking to try cannabis-as-a-medicine struggle. Advice and education are critical steps tow...

Despite all the hype around different tech innovations, you don’t often hear the words ‘automation’ and ‘cannabis’ in the same sentence. But Shawn Deggans of Green Nanny Solutions is adamant that growers, MSOs, and others across the industry are missing a trick by not leaning into the best of what tech has to offer. He tells us what’s possible now, and what’s coming next.

Despite its unique challenges and achievements, the cannabis industry is like any other – powered by frontline workers. Without people to take on the critical day-to-day roles within a cannabis business, all the great strategy and inspired creativity we’re accustomed to seeing would be for nothing. We catch up with Sloane Barbour, Founder and CEO of engin, the recruitment marketing platform purpos...