Innovating Cannabis Podcast

Much of the complexity of the cannabis plant stems from its aromatic compounds beyond terpenes, such as sesquiterpenes, aldehydes, esters, and ketones, and sulfur compounds, which are difficult to preserve during cultivation and extraction.

In this episode, I sit down with Daniel Cook, CEO of True Terpenes, to discuss the company's Head Stash product line and its ability to preserve volatiles and restore a strain's true expression.

We also discuss the future of sensory science in cannabis, the need for a shared language around aroma and flavor.

Cook shares his perspective on the...

Is Peru the Next Hot Market for US Cannabis Brands?

If you work with hemp, the market is about to open for import/export operations.

Peru's medical cannabis framework dates to 2017, when cannabis was legalized for medicinal use, scientific research, and pharmaceutical production. Patient associations gained cultivation rights in 2021, though the market remained limited — by mid-2025, official records showed just 27 cannabis-related marketing authorizations, most for natural products rather than medicines.

That's changing. A new law passed in December 2024 established the legal basis for industrial hemp below 1% THC. The draft regulation specifically add...

New York retailers have been among the most vocal critics of METRC's required Retail ID tags — another layer in the state's track-and-trace system that adds real labor and cost burdens for operators.

QRLogix, a labeling software company with roots in the medical industry, has adapted its technology to work within the METRC framework and eliminate that burden.

Here to explain how it works is David Carson, CEO of QRLogix.

The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal. 

Get...

District Cannabis was founded in 2015 as a cultivation company and has steadily expanded its footprint over the past decade, adding manufacturing capabilities and building one of the region's most sustainable cannabis brands.

In 2024, the company completed a major expansion, launching a retail location in Washington, D.C., while also growing its cultivation, manufacturing, and retail operations in Maryland.

Today, we're joined by Grace Hyde, Director of Operations at District Cannabis. Grace is deeply involved in the day-to-day realities of the D.C. cannabis market and brings a unique perspective on how the industry is evolving...

Episode 195_ Inside the Bellrock Turnaround with Joe Bayern

Before entering cannabis in 2019, Joe Bayern spent more than 25 years in C-suite leadership across some of the biggest names in beverages, helping drive major turnarounds, global strategy, and brand-building at Snapple, Cadbury Schweppes, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, and Voss Water.

He entered cannabis after recognizing the potential of early CBD beverage trends, initially helping take a California operator public before joining Curaleaf, where he led the company through explosive expansion from roughly $250 million in revenue to more than $1.2 billion in just over two years.. After leaving...

Understanding the true cost of cultivating and manufacturing a cannabis product is incredibly difficult without the right tracking tools.

Labor, yield loss, compliance, packaging, and processing inefficiencies can all quietly erode profitability without operators ever fully realizing it.

That lack of visibility creates major challenges not only for manufacturers trying to scale efficiently, but also for brands entering white-label partnerships without a clear understanding of what their products actually cost to produce.

Today, we’re joined by Clark Charlton, co-founder of BatchNAV, who is working to change that by giving cannabis operators a cl...

Georgia legalized medical cannabis in late 2015, but the market itself didn't officially launch until around 2020. As a highly restricted, limited-license state, Georgia allows only six vertically integrated operators.

What makes Georgia especially unique is its distribution model: patients can access products not only through dispensaries, but also through pharmacies—an approach similar to the European model.
 

Today, we're joined by Gary Long, CEO of Botanical Sciences and one of just six license holders in Georgia. Gary has played a key role in guiding his company through the state's complex legalization and rollout process and in...

India has one of the longest and most deeply rooted relationships with cannabis of any culture, and is home to some of the most prized landrace cultivars in the world.

Vikramm Mitra, the co-founder of Delta Botanicals, is working to preserve that legacy and bring India into the global cannabis market.

In January, Delta Botanicals received the first agricultural grant ever awarded by the Indian government to grow and research cannabis varieties for industrial and medical purposes. They've partnered with three of India's top universities, one of which is focused on identifying, cataloging, and preserving...

Jessie Kater, SVP of Innovation, R&D, and Technical Manufacturing at Curaleaf, brings a deeply technical background to the cannabis industry.

Trained in chemical engineering and toxicology, he began his career in pharmaceuticals, went on to work in R&D for a defense contractor, and spent time in biotech before ultimately making the move into cannabis.

He also founded his own R&D testing lab prior to joining Curaleaf, where he's now spent the past eight years helping shape product innovation at scale.

In this conversation, we dive into Curaleaf's latest product launches...

As the cannabis industry faces tighter margins and harder-to-find profits, many businesses are struggling not just to grow, but to survive.

This year, operators are shifting focus. Instead of chasing expansion, they are being forced to rethink how they grow and, more importantly, how they operate efficiently.

Today, our guest is Matt Morea, co-founder of PrizmGPS, a company focused on what happens after a product hits the shelf.

PrizmGPS helps brands bridge the gap between field sales and in-store execution, bringing a more structured, data-driven approach modeled after industries like alcohol.

...

Today, we're joined by Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ Holdings, a biopharmaceutical company advancing cannabis-derived medicines through the FDA's botanical Drug Development Pathway. MMJ has received Orphan drug designation for Huntington's disease and multiple sclerosis, and its cannabis-derived soft-gel formulations are now preparing to enter phase 2 clinical trials, helping pave the way for a new era of FDA-validated cannabis medicine. 

Duane shares the long road to reaching this milestone, the challenges of bringing cannabis-based therapeutics through the FDA process, and what the future may hold for cannabis as a mainstream medicine. 

https://mmjih.com 

h...

Curio Wellness was founded by father-and-daughter team Michael and Wendy Bronfein. Michael built his career in the supermarket industry before launching his own chain of pharmacies, eventually bringing that experience into Maryland's medical cannabis market in 2015.

Since then, Curio has grown into a vertically integrated company with GMP-certified operations in Maryland and Missouri, franchise partnerships in New Jersey and Mississippi, and a recent entry into New York through a licensing deal with Vireo Health.

The company has distinguished itself through a strong focus on research and development, supported by a team of scientists and a...

Today's guest is Dr. Hemant Kumar Bid, a scientist, educator, and consultant at the forefront of biotechnology, medical cannabis, and artificial intelligence. Dr. Bid serves as Program Director for the Master of Science in Biotechnology with a concentration in Medical Cannabis at Morehouse School of Medicine — one of the only programs of its kind offered entirely online.

His academic foundation spans biochemistry, pharmacology, and medical science, capped by a PhD in Medical Biochemistry and certifications from MIT in AI and machine learning applications in biopharma — a growing passion he's now weaving directly into his curriculum.

Trade show season for 2026 is officially underway. 

I’ll be heading to MJ Unpacked, taking place May 5–7 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 

I recently sat down with co-founder George Jage—someone many of you already know from his long track record in the trade show world, including his role in helping scale MJBizCon in the early days. 

In this conversation, we go beyond the typical event preview and dig into what it actually takes to build a meaningful industry gathering in cannabis. George shares how MJ Unpacked is intentionally designed not to be the bigge...

Allison Kirchhofer is the Director of the Cannabis Division at Sax Accounting, where she leads a team of CPAs serving operators across multiple states. She has also worked closely with businesses in New York.s turbulent adult-use rollout, helping them manage compliance, tax strategy, and financial infrastructure in one of the country's most closely watched markets.

Prior to joining Sax, Allison served as Controller for Travel Agency, one of New York's first licensed dispensaries, giving her first-hand operational insight into the financial realities of launching and running a cannabis retail business.

In...

Kema Ogden was one of the early pioneers of Nevada’s legal cannabis industry. In 2015, she helped open one of the state’s first medical dispensaries, laying the foundation for what would become the Top Notch THC brand.

Since then, she and her partners have expanded to multiple adult-use locations across Nevada, building a loyal customer base in one of the country’s most competitive cannabis markets. Today, Top Notch THC serves both medical patients and recreational consumers and continues to grow alongside the evolving industry.

In this episode, we talk about the Nevada cannabis market...

River Falls, Wisconsin, is home to Tattersall Distilling, a nationally recognized craft spirits producer whose portfolio is distributed across 25 states. Known for sourcing locally and crafting spirits infused with botanicals and functional ingredients, Tattersall has built a reputation on flavor innovation and ingredient integrity. 

Co-founder Jon Kreidler joins the show to discuss the company's strategic expansion into the fast-growing hemp-derived THC beverage market with Tattersall Functional. Drawing on years of experience working with complex flavor profiles and plant-based ingredients, Jon explains how Tattersall is translating its distilling expertise into this new category. 

He also shares in...

Jeff Rawson founded the nonprofit Institute of Cannabis Science while serving as a postdoctoral researcher in chemistry at Harvard University. He conducts scientific research, investigative reporting, and regulatory reviews, and provides subject-matter expertise in cannabis testing. 

Jeff serves on the ASTM D37 Committee on Cannabis and is involved with ACIL, which honored him with the 2024 Preston S. Miller Award for extraordinary service. 

He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Bard College, a master’s in organic chemistry from the University of Vermont, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Duke University. 

Driven...

Today, we examine the Ohio cannabis market with our guests, attorneys John Oberle and Greg May from Ice Miller. We discuss the latest referendum effort led by Ohioans for Cannabis Choice, which seeks to repeal key components of a bill the governor recently signed to scale back the state's voter-approved cannabis law and ban the sale of consumable hemp products outside of licensed cannabis dispensaries.

We also explore opportunities for new businesses entering the Ohio market and what they need to know before getting started.

https://www.icemiller.com/

The Innovating Cannabis...

Clint Kellum brings nearly 20 years of public service experience with the State of California, where he specialized in budget and policy work at the California Department of Finance. He joined the California Dept of Cannabis Control about five years ago as Chief Operating Officer, and was recently appointed Director, where he now leads the agency’s operations and helps shape the future of cannabis regulation in the state.

We discuss his goals and vision for stabilizing California’s cannabis market and what it will take to turn things around for operators struggling to survive ongoing turbu...

Josh Kaplan is the Associate Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience at Western Washington University. His research focuses on optimizing CBD-based medicine for pediatric conditions (e.g., epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, exposure to early life stress). They use mouse models to probe the effects of CBD and terpenes at the behavioral, molecular, and electrophysiological levels.

They can observe the effects of this medicine unfold in real time through an animal's actions, take pictures of its effects on proteins and other chemicals, and listen to how it impacts brain cell communication patterns. They aim to provide a comprehensive pi...

Dr. Julian Wichmann is a board-certified radiologist and the co-founder and CEO of Bloomwell,the first cannabis telemedicine platform to launch in Germany—and a model the U.S. should pay close attention to.
 

We dive into the current state of Germany’s cannabis market, the challenges of building a telemedicine blueprint from the ground up, how medical cannabis is revitalizing German pharmacies, and the role telehealth plays in connecting doctors, pharmacies, and patients.
 

The conversation offers valuable insight into how Germany is structuring medical cannabis at scale.

https://bloomwe...

Ernest Toney joins us today. He is the founder of BIPOCANN, a Colorado-based nonprofit that provides business guidance to social equity entrepreneurs looking to start and scale cannabis businesses.

According to a survey released by economist Beau Whitney, only 27.3 percent of U.S. cannabis businesses are profitable. Another 40.6 percent are breaking even, while 32.2 percent are operating at a loss. Those profitability gaps are even more pronounced along racial lines: 33.7 percent of white-owned cannabis businesses reported being profitable, compared to just 17.5 percent of non-white-owned operators.

Ernest Toney is working to change those numbers by offering mentorship...

Today, we are joined by Chris Emerson, who earned his PhD in small-molecule chemistry and completed his postdoctoral research at Stanford University before bringing his scientific rigor to the cannabis industry. He’s now the CEO and Chief Scientist of Level, and was one of the first to introduce cannabis in a precise, pill-based format.

At Level, the team is laser-focused on developing effect-based formulations—using unique cannabinoid combinations and custom ratios designed to deliver real therapeutic value. Chris is especially interested in working with acidic cannabinoids along with lesser-known minor cannabinoids—pushing beyond the usual THC-CBD playbo...

Joining the show today is Katherine Golden, a Colorado-based cannabis nurse who has been doing some of the industry's most important work behind the scenes.

Katherine has been working with the Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation to help build a cannabis reimbursement framework for workers' comp — a model that other states can use to process claims and ensure patients receive proper guidance and support.

She's also the founder of Leaf411, a nonprofit national cannabis nurse helpline where people can literally "call a nurse" for advice on using cannabis as medicine.

In this episode, we...

Joining the show today is Brad Zerman, founder of 7 Point Dispensary in Illinois.

Brad was awarded one of the state's first 50 medical dispensary licenses back in 2015. Brad ultimately sold his medical store and set his sights on an adult-use license, a process that took five years to bring to life.

7 Points is located in rural Danville, Illinois, about three hours south of Chicago and just minutes from the Indiana border. Roughly 75 percent of Brad's customers cross state lines to visit the dispensary.

The location is off the beaten path, near a casino, a...

Today, our guest is Evan Eneman. Evan was an early team member at Snoop Dogg’s Casa Verde Capital and later worked closely with Snoop to launch Iconic Tonic, the beverage company behind Death Row Records’ drink line and other beverage brands.

In this conversation, Evan shares how he approaches the infused beverage market, the challenges of building and scaling brands in this category, his focus on functional ingredients, and how his team is thinking about the road ahead as they prepare for 2026.

https://drinkiconictonics.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/evaneneman

The American Council of Cannabis Medicine has been quietly working behind the scenes to prepare for a future where cannabis is recognized as legitimate medicine—and reimbursable through health insurance.

The organization currently holds nine seats on a special committee convened by the Health Secretary’s office. They have been tasked with advising President Trump on cannabis efficacy during the research phase tied to the executive order on rescheduling.

Beyond having a front-row seat in shaping federal cannabis policy, the Council is also building the infrastructure to integrate medical cannabis into the U.S. healthcare insu...

What started as growers gathering at the Big Sexy Brewery in Sacramento, California to talk shop and share knowledge grew into a collaboration among cultivation experts who went on to launch PowrHouse, an R&D cultivation facility designed to test the commercial viability of new genetics and nutrient lines.
 

PowrHouse is highly data-driven, tracking every R&D project and sharing insights with cultivators, such as which cultivars perform best in specific conditions and with specific nutrient inputs.
 

Our guest is co-founder Sergio Picazo. He walks us through their operations, partnerships, approach to data co...

It's not uncommon for industries outside of cannabis to adapt their technology to solve challenges unique to our space. American Air Filter International is one of those companies, bringing decades of expertise in air filtration for environments with high levels of gaseous contaminants, including wastewater treatment facilities, data centers, and, now, cannabis cultivation.

Our guest today is Nikki Sasher, a microbiologist and head of the Clean Air Lab at American Air Filter International. She's here to break down why air filtration matters in cannabis, and how growers can reduce airborne pathogen risk.

According to...

The cannabis industry is still operating with a patchwork financial system—full of workarounds and uncertainty.

My guest today is Terry Mendez, CEO of Safe Harbor Financial, the first financial services company built specifically to support and advocate for safe banking in the cannabis industry.

We discuss how Safe Harbor has evolved over the years, where today’s banking and financial infrastructure still falls short, and how they’re working to fill those gaps. Terry also breaks down what cannabis rescheduling could mean for banking and how Safe Harbor supports small and emerging cannabis businesses as the...

Joann and Michael Kudrewicz have been cultivating cannabis in the Catskills of New York for over 20 years. Early participants in the state's hemp program supplied seeds and clones to farmers across the region.

They went on to launch Raven's View Genetics, which focuses on preserving and producing Landrace and heirloom cannabis strains for their proprietary collection.

In this episode, we discuss their journey through New York's evolving cannabis landscape and dive deep into their genetics work, exploring how they pay homage to the regions around the world and the growers who shaped the evolution of...

John Keating leads the genetics program at Advanced Nutrients, a company long recognized for its cutting-edge research in plant nutrients and genetics. Keating is also the founder of Tesaro Genetics, which was acquired by Advanced Nutrients several years ago to expand the company's research efforts beyond nutrients and deeper into plant science.

Keating and his team have been working with triploid genetics and recently launched a triploid seed line at MJBizCon. While triploids are widely used in large-scale agriculture, the approach is still new to the cannabis industry—and far from easy to execute. According to...

Today, our guest is Jason Adelstone, an attorney with Harris Sliwoski. He joins the podcast to break down the legal chaos affecting the cannabis and hemp industries. We dive into a new potential hemp loophole, the latest on 280E, Thailand's reversal of its cannabis laws, the pros and cons of pursuing a DEA license for future international trade, and the rise in product recalls—along with who ultimately bears the liability.

https://harris-sliwoski.com/

The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Can...

How many cannabis companies do you know that have been around for 26 years—and are still thriving?

Today, we meet BigMike, founder and CEO of Advanced Nutrients. His story begins in California, where, in his twenties, he started cultivating cannabis. At the time, the big fertilizer companies were too afraid to develop products specifically for the cannabis industry—but BigMike knew that what worked for tomatoes and cucumbers didn't work for cannabis.

Determined, he assembled a team of top plant scientists to develop the world's most advanced cannabis nutrients—an approach that remains the backbone of the...

As the cannabis industry evolves, so does the technology shaping its future. Innovations from outside sectors are being adapted and refined to meet the unique challenges of cannabis production.

One of the newest breakthroughs is X-ray technology for microbial remediation. Unlike chemical or fog-based methods—which interact with terpene and cannabinoid compounds, potentially degrading flavor and aroma—X-ray penetrates the whole flower while leaving cannabinoids and terpenes untouched.

Today, we’re joined by Jeff Adams, founder of XRPure, and Joseph Bancheri, the company’s head of business development. They’ll walk us through how XRPure’s X-ray reme...

Rama Mayo is the co-founder of Hall of Flowers, one of the most influential B2B trade shows in the cannabis industry, bringing brands and retailers together in California for the past eight years. The show recently made its New York debut, and Rama joins us to share how the East Coast industry received it.

We also dive into the cultural and brand differences between the West and East Coasts — and explore how both markets can collaborate to support each other’s growth.

With more than two decades immersed in California’s cannabis scene — and a backgr...

Jason Ambrosino, the founder of Veterans Holdings, a leading B2B cannabis manufacturer and supply partner, producing bulk distillate, rosin, crude oil, BHO, infused pre-rolls, and finished goods for licensed dispensaries, brands, and distributors across New York. Jason is also a member of the Association of New York Cannabis Processors and mentors and advises numerous operators on business strategy and operations. 

He is very vocal in informing the Office of Cannabis Management and elected officials on the economics of cannabis and his challenges as a business owner. Jason is not shy about sharing his insights and opinions o...

Darren Gleeman is the Managing Partner of MBO Ventures, an investment firm that works exclusively with Employee Stock Ownership Plans, or ESOPS. He believes ESOPS could be the golden ticket for cannabis companies looking to boost profit margins- especially as debt comes due and financial pressures mount. While the process can be complex, the benefits are substantial: the government actively supports ESOPS and even subsidizes them by eliminating state and federal tax obligations for companies that participate. Darren breaks it all down for us in this episode.

The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by...

As the cannabis industry matures, setting standards is the next critical step toward ensuring consumer safety and preparing for scalability and global trade.

In this episode, I speak with Darwin Millard, Technical Director and standards development expert at Cannabis Safety and Quality (CSQ) — an accredited safety and quality management certification program that supports businesses across the entire supply chain, from seed to sale.

Darwin breaks down the standards being developed for each sector. He explains why companies should begin implementing them now to stay ahead of regulations, scale efficiently, and compete in an increasingly global ma...