TRICHOMES The High Ground

The High Ground - S1E2 - Founder's Interview: Scientific Innovation & Effects-Based Cannabis with Chris Emerson of Level   Welcome Back to the High Ground, a Bi-Weekly Video Series in which I'm going to be interviewing Founders that Span All Categories in the California Cannabis Market. Today we speak with Chris Emerson, the Founder & CEO of Level, a Cannabis Products Brand in the Cannabis Capsules Space. We learn about his extensive Scientific Background, the Tech Boom in San Francisco that allured him to the city, and discover how he ended up on a cannabis farm in Mendocino.  He also shares how all these events have led to a deeper call in understanding the scientific innovations within the cannabis sector, which he believes has a vast landscape of opportunity with Effects-Based Cannabis Products. Today, he spearheads the Capsules and Effects-Based Cannabis Brand, Level & Shares his Thoughts on the Future of the Market in California, and Beyond. --- For More Information on Level Visit, TRICHOMES.com Headset Analytics: https://www.headset.io/  Chris Emerson's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-emerson-ph-d-464b245a Level's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/level.experience --- The High Ground podcast is produced in partnership with TRICHOMES dot com. Special thanks to the TRICHOMES production team. Our executive producer Claudio Miranda, and to all our incredible guests who make this show possible.

Welcome to the Returning Season of The High Ground! We Bring You A New Bi-weekly Conversation That Looks At the Trends, Brands, & Data that Drive the Growing Cannabis Industry. More Than Just Market Data, the Mission of High Ground is to get an Unfiltered and Authentic Look at How the People Behind the Brands are Navigating the Ups and Downs of the Tumultuous California Market.  In Our New Series, We Speak with The People Who Are Pushing the Cannabis Industry into New Territories And Today, We Are Joined with Alexi Chialtas of Wunder.  Wunder is a Cannabis Brand that delivers both a Low-Dose Cannabis Infused Beverage and A Mission to Change the Way We Bridge Socializing & Alcohol. Alexi Shares The Important Factors that Have Influenced His Journey Into the Cannabis Industry, and Why He Believes Normalizing the Alternative to Alcohol is A Path to Growth for the Industry. For More Info on Wunder, Visit Us @ TRICHOMES.com www.findwunder.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/findwunder/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexichialtas/ https://www.instagram.com/findwunder https://www.twitter.com/achialtas The High Ground is A Collaborative Series Produced by TRICHOMES, in Association with Headset Analytics, & Executive Producer Claudio Miranda

It’s no secret that a lot of people are starting to discover and use cannabis products for the first time. It is because of this that dosing is now more important than ever. On this episode recorded on 02/16/2021, Jesse Betend talked to Missy Bradley, Brand Director and co-founder at Stillwater Brands. Stillwater Brands’ deep background in food manufacturing and water soluble cannabinoid technology has led to the production of some of the best selling and most trusted edibles in Colorado, including Ripple Dissolvables, Ripple Gummies, and Ripple QuickSticks. Products are available in Colorado and Canada. Missy talked about why it's important to create a product that does what it says it's going to do, every time. They also talk about why Ripple can provide doses and flower options for anybody interested in consuming cannabis and why the media is not taking the time to understand the plant.   Stillwater's Website             LinkedIn             Facebook             Instagram   On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

Have you ever thought about the negative impact of misinformation that has been spread across the cannabis industry? Our guest on this episode of The High Ground is Dan Grace, founder and CEO at Dark Heart Nursery. Since 2007, Dark Heart Nursery has specialized in cultivating high quality clones for growers across California and they also offer lab services. Jesse Betend and Dan talk about receiving misinformation when it comes to cultivation and how a big part of his organization’s mission is supporting farmers through science. Dan also talks about Dark Heart’s new ideas and approaches to growing cannabis and solving cultivation challenges as they occur.   Dark Heart Nursery Website   LinkedIn Profile Facebook Page   Twitter Instagram On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

In this episode recorded on 02/02/2021, Jesse Betend talks to Rick Batenburg III, Founding Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Cliintel Capital. Cliintel Capital Management Group was created to provide funding to emerging market companies. Rick talks about why he is feeling optimistic about the cannabis industry in 2021, the unique challenges the space has, and why brands need to make an emotional connection to their customers.   Founding Partner and Chief Investment Officer Rick Batenburg III, a former college athlete who started his career as a broker at Merrill Lynch, specializing in high net-worth clients. Rick made the jump from Merrill Lynch to cannabis in 2015, the early days of the legal industry in Colorado, when he and his father found a way they could fund brands in the new industry   Cliintel Capital Website Rick's LinkedIn Page Cliintel Facebook Page The Clear Concentrates Instagram   On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

On this episode of The High Ground recorded on 01/29/2021, Jesse Betend talked to Casey Ly, Chief Revenue Officer of BLOOM, a cannabis company based out of California. Jesse and Casey talk about the inconsistency in cannabis vape products, and why BLOOM’s products are more consistent than others. They also talk about why BLOOM’s “secret sauce” is in their terpene profiles, Casey's path into the industry, and why cannabis is being put in a good position in 2021.   The BLOOM Brands Website Casey Ly's LinkedIn Twitter: @thebloombrand IG: @thebloombrands   On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

On this episode of The High Ground recorded on 01/25/2021, Jesse Betend  talked to Matthew Ingram, CEO of Proof, a family owned and operated cannabis company. Matthew talked about the journey his team has been on, and what sets them apart from other cannabis companies. He also discusses how Proof is mission driven and value based, which translates into having a loyal team, and how that benefits the consumer. Jesse and Mathew also talk about how important it is to work with the local community and how to stand out in the cannabis industry.    Proof Website   Matthew’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-ingram-862894190/   Proof Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/proofwellness   IG: @proof.wellness   On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com  

On this episode of the High Ground recorded on 01/21/2021, Jesse Betend talked to Hunter Neubauer, the co-founder and chairman of Oregrown, a cannabis company out of Oregon. Hunter has spoken in front of the state legislature and he's also built a personal relationship with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which is in charge of regulating cannabis in the state. During the conversation, Hunter talked about the relationships that he's built with regulators, and how they have suddenly changed. Cannabis companies across Oregon, Oregrown included, started facing a rash of violations that in some cases cost businesses their licenses. Jesse and Hunter talk about the situation, and what he's been able to do to restore his relationship with legislators in Oregon.

On this episode of The High Ground recorded on 1/7/2021, Jesse Betend talked to Chiara Juster, advocate and strategic counsel. Chiara was one of the attorneys who represented America’s longest serving nonviolent cannabis prisoner, Richard DeLisi. Richard was serving a 90 year prison sentence and was finally released in the state of Florida at the Age of 72. Jesse and Chiara talk about how she came to representing Richard, cannabis reform, and the future of criminal justice. On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

Earlier last year, Brook Eagle of Pacific Reserve came on the TRICHOMES Hash It Out podcast. This was back in March and he was asked a lot about coronavirus and how it was impacting the industry at the time. Everyone was expecting this to maybe last one two months at most so we figured we checked back in with Brook almost one year later.   Jesse Betend and Brook talked about how taxes in California are shaping the industry in unexpected ways, and how while sales have stayed consistent, coronavirus might be changing the way that people consume cannabis, perhaps even beyond the pandemic.   Pacific Reserve Website   On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

The California cannabis market was projected to have 6,000 stores. In reality, there are only about 700. As you can imagine that makes shelf space in the stores that are operating both extremely limited and extremely valuable. It might not seem like it, but an empty shelf, is an expensive problem. On this episode of the High Ground recorded on 12/15/2020, Jesse Betend talked to Camille Roistacher, the co-founder of Voyage Distribution and WYLLOW. Jesse and Camille talk about voyages both with the company and her own bootstrapping as a black female leader in a semi legal industry. Voyage Distribution is a data-driven cannabis supply chain company that helps keep dispensary shelves stocked. Camille is leader in an industry where founders are constantly forced to look for funding outside of traditional streams. To this day, Voyage hasn't accepted a cent from investors and not for lack of trying. In an industry where you often have to find your own funding, people of color and women are currently severely underrepresented.   Voyage Distribution Website WYLLOW Website   On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

Most state guidelines require that in order to remain legal, industrial hemp must contain less than 0.3 percent THC. Anything above that, and your legal hemp is now illegal cannabis. The problem with that is that 0.3%, that number is completely arbitrary. While there are some things that farmers can do to influence THC content in their crops, the truth is it's a toss-up, a scientific coin flip ultimately leaving farmers constantly at risk of losing an entire crop. To nail down the details, Jesse Betend talked to Justin Allen, CEO of Lumin Extracts. This episode was recorded on 12/17/2020.   Lumin Extracts Website   On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

Dr. Robb Flannery is the CEO and founder of Dr. Robb's Farms. The basic version of Dr. Robb's story is one that you might have heard before. Robb, like a lot of other people, got into the business that he's in because he wanted to help a family member. In this case, Robb's mom who was diagnosed with cancer and was absolutely not a cannabis user. Unlike a lot of the people who get into the cannabis business because they want to help a family member, Robb's background isn't in medicine, he's actually plant biologist.   In this episode recorded on 12/9/2020, Jesse Betend talked to Robb to find out more about what we can learn about the cannabis plant itself, what we still need to know, and a recent opportunity where he got to talk to one of Jesse's own early sources of information about cannabis, for better and worse.   Dr. Robb Farms Website   On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

When Arby broke his hip he knew was going to lay him out for a little while. What he didn't know is that it was gonna nearly tear his life apart. After his injury, Arby was prescribed not one, but at one point, four different pain killers. They helped him through the pain, but they also left Arby with an addiction that eventually led to his arrest in 2010. Today Arby is the co-founder of GreenRoads, a company that specializes in CBD products that he started with his pharmacist. Before founding GreenRoads, Arby had his pharmacist create a specialized CBD edible which he credits with helping him finally get clean.   Green Roads is a pharmacist-founded CBD company that has set the gold standard for quality since the earliest days of the industry, and continues to do so today.   Green Roads Website On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

Providing safe cannabis requires testing, and is becoming a lucrative part of the industry. But in an industry that requires a hefty amount of trust, safety testing requires just that little bit more. Aaron Riley is the CEO of CannaSafe, one of California's leading cannabis testing labs. Jesse talked to Aaron to find out more about transparency and safety in the semi-legal industry where one slip-up could mean completely losing credibility. This conversation centers on trust, how to convince regulators you're following proper procedures, how to handle a cannabis company that doesn't want to accept that they've failed a test, even how to handle a covid outbreak among staff.   CannaSafe Website   On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

It seems like every other episode that we're talking about licensing issues and it makes sense why, it's one of the fundamental issues of this new industry, and every single state has a different take at being fundamentally that gatekeeper. It makes sense that it gets as much attention as it does.   Chris Dell’Olio is the CEO and Co-Founder of WebJoint, a company that's making it possible to get into the cannabis industry even if you don't have a license. WebJoint is a cannabis software platform for cannabis retailers and distributors. The software includes POS, inventory management and online ordering with a powerful website building platform. WebJoint currently powers more than 200 cannabis retail operations in the US & Canada. Before founding WebJoint, Chris worked in the music industry and then made video games. WebJoint Website On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

It's been 53 years since the passage of the Controlled Substances Act, and the damage that little bit of legislation has caused is truly hard to quantify. It's destroyed countless lives, pushed past the individual to decimate families and entire communities, and it's helped to create the out-of-control prison population that we have today. It's accurate to say ruined lives because mandatory minimum sentencing laws in many cases mean that people are serving life in prison for selling cannabis.   A few weeks ago, the Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Legislation (NORML) celebrated their 50th Anniversary. Only three years after the passage of the Controlled Substances Act, NORML was fighting to repeal it and they've been fighting for the past 50 years. Ian Rassman is the Executive Director of the Los Angeles chapter of NORML. Jesse Betend talks to Ian to find out what the last 50 years have meant for the original group fighting for cannabis legalization in America. Los Angeles NORML Website   On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com **Keep up with us on social media!** www.facebook.com/trichomesdotcom twitter.com/trichomesdotcom instagram.com/trichomesdotcom www.linkedin.com/company/trichomes

Honestly, how much do you actually think about where your cannabis comes from? Have you ever considered growing yourself? Brian Malin is the CEO and founder of Vital Garden Supply, Vital Grown, and Vital Distribution. Today, he grows cannabis on a commercial scale, and he's also a sought-after expert on organic gardening methods for cannabis farms. But like most people, Brian got his start growing plants at home with a buddy.   In this episode, Jesse Betend meets one of the people behind the plants and talks to him about how he went from the closet, to hauling crop yields. They also talk about which cultivars to pick when you're growing commercially, and once you've crossed them, how to come up with a name. Vital Garden Supply Website   On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com **Keep up with us on social media!** www.facebook.com/trichomesdotcom twitter.com/trichomesdotcom instagram.com/trichomesdotcom www.linkedin.com/company/trichomes

Election day brought five new states with cannabis legislation, and in the week since, Democrats have promised to vote on the MORE act, which would quote remove cannabis as a scheduled substance, as well as offer banking protections for the industry. And while some of that is worth getting excited about, the devil of course is in the details. In this case, the details are pretty slim language about systems for expunging cannabis convictions, but no details about how that expensive process will actually be handled financially. A vague mention of a process by which people currently serving time for cannabis convictions could appeal their convictions, even though in California, a state that legalized years ago, there are still people sitting in jail for something that is no longer a crime.   Marie Montmarquet is a co-founder and managing partner of the MD Numbers Family of Brands, a vertically integrated cannabis business in California. She's watched a small businesses have been overtaken by large corporate style players to the point that she fears it's no longer possible potentially for someone like her to even get into the industry. Jesse Betend talked to her shortly after election day about all of this, as well as two recent controversies with both Illinois and California’s social equity programs that both mirror each other, and might mean quite a lot for the future of cannabis regulation from the MORE act onward.   MD Numbers, Inc. Website On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

When Len May tried cannabis for the very first time, he remembers instantly feeling like he could just suddenly focus. And from that point on Len developed an interest in the scientific study of cannabis, and the potential medical benefits. Now today, Len’s company, Endocanna Health, is asking a very interesting question, which is, what can our DNA tell us about our relationship with cannabis? Len’s company has created a product called Endo DNA which uses DNA analysis similar to companies like 23 and Me to look at their customers DNA and create a report detailing their bodies personal relationship with cannabis, and how to maximize the positive benefits that they're looking for. On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com **Keep up with us on social media!** www.facebook.com/trichomesdotcom twitter.com/trichomesdotcom instagram.com/trichomesdotcom www.linkedin.com/company/trichomes

While the cannabis industry is still dealing with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, one particular niche area of that industry got hit a lot harder than others, and that's THC and CBD infused beer manufacturers. And while it's niche now, it very likely won't be for long. In fact, before the pandemic, store shelves were on the verge of being lined with CBD beer offerings from well-known distributors. Lyden Henderson is the co-founder of High Style Brewing and Outbound Brewing. Jesse talked to Lyden up to find out what exactly CBD infused beer is, why it's such an exciting alternative to traditional non-alcoholic beers, and how the covid pandemic has impacted this currently small, but potentially massive market. Outbound Brewing Website On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

2020 has been an extreme year, and now it's extreme weather's turn to wreak havoc for cannabis farmers. Last week, we talked about the impact of wildfires on California's cannabis farmers, and how microbial decontamination may be the path to salvaging smoke damaged crops. In the opposite extreme in Colorado, a sudden cold snap last October caused its own brand of chaos.   Harvey Craig is one of the leading experts on producing high-quality premium hemp, a producer of farm-to-table full spectrum CBD and co-founder of Boot Ranch Farms, an off-the-grid farm that's completely solar-powered, uses organic practices, and gets its water from an artisanal well. Jesse Betend talked Harvey to find out more about the farm, the recent weather, and the state of the hemp industry.   Harvey's All Naturals Website On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com

For the cannabis industry, managing contamination is a fact of life. Wildfires in California, for instance, have brought a host of negative impacts to cannabis cultivators in the region. Even those outside the path of the blaze, billowing smoke, and darkened skies, cannabis plants began flowering too soon. That forced farmers to harvest their crops early, and the smoke itself brought other damage besides.    Jill Ellsworth is the CEO of Willow Industries which offers ozone based microbial decontamination for cannabis. There are companies offering to help cannabis businesses salvage some of those damaged crops. Jesse talked with Jill to get the details on how this works. Willow Industries Website On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com To comment or and see more about this episode, visit www.trichomes.com **Keep up with us on social media!** www.facebook.com/trichomesdotcom twitter.com/trichomesdotcom instagram.com/trichomesdotcom www.linkedin.com/company/trichomes

There's no doubt that cannabis businesses in many states being deemed essential services helped mitigate some of the worst potential impacts of coronavirus pandemic. But that doesn't mean that businesses, especially retail locations and dispensaries, aren't facing some serious challenges. While all companies have had to come up with new ways to safely get products to their customers, some are doing it in particularly fun and creative ways.  Shawn Credle is the CEO of Pineapple Inc., which is definitely one of those companies that got creative during the pandemic in order to remain afloat. From setting up cool events, like drive-in movie theaters, to converting an old ice cream truck into a mobile dispensary. Shawn and his team have come up with some really fun ways to keep doing business safely. Jesse Betend talked to Shawn to find out what they've done so far, and how to plan for an uncertain future. On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com To comment or and see more about this episode, visit www.trichomes.com **Keep up with us on social media!** www.facebook.com/trichomesdotcom twitter.com/trichomesdotcom instagram.com/trichomesdotcom www.linkedin.com/company/trichomes

One of the largest consequences of the ‘94 crime bill was something called mandatory minimums. Basically, it gave courts the right to give life sentences to repeat offenders. In many cases, for crimes that never would have received such a long sentence otherwise. The devastation that rule caused and in some states continues to cause, is hard to comprehend. And while certain politicians say that they've learned from the "mistakes" of the crime bill, many of those politicians are still in office. In some cases, even running for president. At the same time, it's also true that many of those people that they jailed are still in prison. Currently no state has retroactive release programs for prisoners serving time for cannabis related offenses. Let's be absolutely clear here, that means that in states that have legalized cannabis sales, the people locked up by that crime Bill "by mistake", will continue serving their time. In some cases, life sentences for something that's no longer illegal. It's true that states like Illinois have issued thousands of pardons, but they've chosen not to make it an automatic process.   Andrew DeAngelo is the co-founder and treasurer for the board of directors of the Last Prisoner Project. The organization has made it its mission to fight for the release of inmates still serving time for cannabis related crimes. When Andrew was nine years old, his older brother, who was a cannabis activists himself, was arrested. I reached out to Andrew to find out how that experience informs the work that he does today, how we got to this moment as a country, and where we go next. Last Prisoner Project Website: https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/ Andrew DeAngelo's Website: https://andrewdeangelo.com/index.html The Harborside Group Website: https://shopharborside.com/ On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com To comment or and see more about this episode, visit www.trichomes.com **Keep up with us on social media!** www.facebook.com/trichomesdotcom twitter.com/trichomesdotcom instagram.com/trichomesdotcom www.linkedin.com/company/trichomes

We are officially less than a week away from the presidential election, and the truth is that anybody who tells you that they know exactly what's going to happen and how that's going to affect any particular industry, is probably stretching the truth. Predictions can sometimes be unhelpful, but preparing for the future, of course, is a necessity.    Jesse Betend talked to Matt Nordgren, CEO of Arcadian Capital, he's also the managing partner of The Arcadian fund which has a portfolio of ancillary cannabis companies. Matt thinks that no matter what happens next week after the 2020 election, both outcomes for cannabis investors aren't bad. I decided to call Matt up and ask him how you prepare for a moment like this, where futures diverge, and more importantly, what the election will mean for cannabis. On The High Ground, we feature leaders of the cannabis industry. We talk to everyone from farmers to CEOs, and public officials - anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com To Comment or and see more about this episode, visit www.trichomes.com **Keep up with us on social media!** www.facebook.com/trichomesdotcom twitter.com/trichomesdotcom instagram.com/trichomesdotcom www.linkedin.com/company/trichomes  

Jesse Betend had a conversation with Wanda James, co-founder of Simply Pure, one of the very first legal dispensaries in the country, and as it happens, the first black person to receive a cannabis license. Lately, Wanda has been part of an effort to create a social equity program in Colorado. That's right, despite being the first state in the country to pass cannabis legalization, Colorado still does not have a social equity program. Jesse talked with Wanda in order to find out more about what she hopes to do differently, in order to achieve outcomes that reflect these programs’ stated goals.   To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com   To Comment or and see more about this episode, visit www.trichomes.com   **Keep up with us on social media!** www.facebook.com/trichomesdotcom twitter.com/trichomesdotcom instagram.com/trichomesdotcom www.linkedin.com/company/trichomes

Two of the biggest contributors to climate change are industrial farming and construction. Hemp, on the other hand, is eco-friendly and can be used to build cheap non-toxic fireproof buildings all while literally sucking more carbon out of the air than it's slower growing relative, the tree. Of course hemp only became fully legal to cultivate two years ago with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. And between concerns caused by the stigma of cannabis, and costly but necessary regulatory hurdles, like safety testing, it means that we still have some ways to go before industrial hemp becomes fully mainstream, so to speak.    Jesse Betend joins Morris Beegle, founder of WAFBA or We Are For Better Alternatives, which is a group of companies and organizations dedicated to advocating for, well, it's right there in the name. Morris's interest personally in hemp was sparked back when he was working in the music industry when he noticed just how much waste was being generated. From there, Morris began a journey that started with him exploring the possibility of creating hemp-based band merch and ended with him becoming a full-blown advocate. 

In this episode Jesse Betend talks to Adrian Sedlin, CEO of Canndescent. Cannadescent is usually referred to as a luxury cannabis brand. Shortly after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers their CEO Adrian Sedlin wrote a letter to his board describing the responsibility that he felt the industry and his company shared to do something. Now, the company has announced a new brand, Justice Joints where 100% of the profit are donated to social justice initiatives. To reach the show: highground@trichomes.com **Keep up with us on social media!** www.facebook.com/trichomesdotcom www.twitter.com/trichomesdotcom www.instagram.com/trichomesdotcom www.linkedin.com/company/trichomes

It’s regularly reported that there are over 600 Banks working with the Cannabis industry, but the real number is likely under 50. Lack of banking is a source of real problems for the Cannabis industry and there are reasons to doubt that a true remedy is even possible without Federal legalization. Take this in fact, we recently talked to financial experts who said that even if it does pass, it'll still likely fall short of its goal of bringing in the major players. But in the meantime, many cannabis businesses do have options besides paying in cash.   Tyler Beuerlein is the Chief Revenue Officer of Hypur, which specializes in high risk markets that banks can't or won't touch. Hypur works with banks to process electronic cannabis payments as well as council financial institutions interested in entering the space.   **Keep up with us on social media!** www.facebook.com/trichomesdotcom twitter.com/trichomesdotcom instagram.com/trichomesdotcom www.linkedin.com/company/trichomes Check in with the cannabis community at TRICHOMES.com

You may have heard that one of the biggest challenges for the cannabis industry is that credit card companies and the overwhelming majority of banks refuse to work with cannabis companies. That's how we ended up with the SAFE Act or the Secure and Fair Enforcement Act of 2019, which seeks to give banks coverage to process cannabis-related payments as well as offer them traditional banking options. Jesse talked to Kirsten Trusko, CEO of Emerging Markets Coalition, and Zane Gilmer, partner at Stinson LLC. According to them, even if it passes, which at this point is honestly a toss-up, the SAFE Act is very likely going to fall short of achieving those goals. Kirsten and Zane discuss with Jesse why that may be the case.  

In this episode, Jesse Betend talked with Tom Sterlacci, the very first licensed cannabis business owner, about his experiences in the early days of the cannabis industry. In 2011 Tom Sterlacci made history when he was awarded the first cannabis license issued in the United States.    “As all of the first that I've had in my 40 years of working in Corporate America, I never achieved something that was so nationally and internationally recognized as that first license after 80 years of Prohibition.” said Tom.   On January 1st 2014 at 8:03 a.m.Tom sold the very first legally purchased cannabis edible in the United States. Tom says that being chosen was humbling and exciting, but it was also pretty frightening.   He added, “They went back to my grave school report cards and everything in between, every financial thing, every school I went to, I could have been wearing a pair of handcuffs just as easily as I've been could have been wearing a pair of underwear. I mean, it was scary.”   Check in with the cannabis community at TRICHOMES.com

We talk a lot on this show about how hard it is to get into the cannabis industry. There are the upfront costs, but then there's the permit process itself, which often has serious problems. Just for an example, take a look at our article last week on the alleged corruption in Illinois' recent permit lottery, not to mention there's issues with access to capital and working with banks. It makes sense that we do though because those licenses represent millions of dollars and perhaps more importantly, a huge head start. But once you have that permit, that's only the first step in the process. Jesse Betend talked to Mariah Dodson, a veteran and co-founder of CBD retailer United Herbalism as well as Dust to Diamonds. Back in 18, Mariah and her partner Vanessa Macias made history by becoming the youngest license holders in California. But because of a confluence of factors two years later, they still haven't been able to start the company. They dreamed of building and speaking of dreams, this is actually Mariah's second attempt at achieving hers. In addition to the difficulties mentioned before, for Mariah, getting into cannabis came with an additional cost. In this case her career in the military.

Jesse Betend talked to Chef Matthew Stockard, better known as Chef Matt, whose career has taken an improbable path. His culinary experience began at fourteen cooking with his grandmother, but he says his passion for cooking was actually born from an interest in crime. Growing up, Chef Matt says the two things that he wanted to do was either be a chef or go into forensic science. Those experiences with his grandmother eventually led Chef Matt to connect his interest in science with his passion for food and away from a life of solving crime. His career got its start back in college when he opened a barbecue stand where he fed mostly fellow students whether they could pay or not, and even then Chef Matt was aware that food was much more than just a meal. Today, he offers digital cooking classes on his website ChefMattCooks.com where he teaches people to cook with cannabis. He also offers a line of CBD infused products including cooking oils, honey, and his signature infused barbecue sauce. 

Jesse Betend talked to Dr. Kyle Kingsley, CEO and chairman of Vireo Health. Dr. Kingsley spent a decade as an emergency medicine specialist before he walked away to start a cannabis company. Dr. Kingsley freely admits that modern medicine is not very good at managing chronic pain. But as a doctor who sworn an ethical oath to protect, an oath which, fun fact, old versions of which actually include a promise not to prescribe deadly drugs. For someone like that to get into cannabis, what goes into that decision?  And what would you need to know to feel comfortable? Dr. Kingsley answers those questions and more.  

When Dr. Janice Knox’s first read about the endocannabinoid system, she says that it gave her the shivers. As a curious minded person, the potential that it represented for better understanding of some of the biggest mysteries about human physiology. It was that powerful to her.  Today, Dr. Knox is CEO of The Doctors Knox Inc. That's right, Doctors Knox. Both Janice's husband and her two daughters are all doctors specializing in cannabinoid medicine. In addition to being the CEO of The Doctors Knox, she's also the co-founder of the American Cannabinoid Clinics, and the co-founder of the Advent Academy. But back when she discovered the endocannabinoid system for herself, Dr. Knox was like a lot of her peers, incredibly skeptical about the merits of cannabis as medicine, that is, until she actually met the people that were asking for it.

We're heading into fire season in California. Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency and also admitted during a press conference “Let me just make this crystal clear here, we failed to predict and plan for these shortages, and that is unacceptable.” But that doesn't mean that there weren't options. Last week, TRICHOMES editor Rachel Heimann wrote an article tracing the history of hempcrete, a building material made of hemp that's both fireproof and already regularly used in Europe. That being said, hempcrete is rarely used here in the United States.  On this episode of The High Ground, Jesse Betend talked to Dion Markgraaff. Dion is a board member of the U.S.Hemp Building Association, an organization that is trying to make hempcrete a mainstay of building and construction here in the United States.  

Cannabis has been increasingly popping up in our political conversation heading into the 2020 election. There's been a lot of discussion about the potential role cannabis can play in economic recovery following the spread of COVID -19. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi defended, including cannabis related provisions in the house's coronavirus relief package, calling cannabis a “therapy that has proven successful.” Then Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden picked California Senator Kamala Harris as his VP pick and Republicans exploded with attacks against her including, for her time as a prosecutor, and specifically her handling of cannabis cases. There's also been speculation about how her recent support for federal legalization may impact her running mates position leading into November. The point is that cannabis has entered the political discussion, and it's likely not going anywhere anytime soon.  But the guest on this episode of The High Ground, Bob Hoban, says that those in favor of federal legalization might just be talking about it all wrong. Bob Hoban is the president and founder of Hoban Law Group. Back in 2009, he was part of a team that represented a dispensary in a landmark case that successfully argued that it was unconstitutional for the Colorado city of Centennial to prevent them from operating. But Bob says, legally speaking, calling cannabis medicine even though that was part of his legal strategy back then is potentially not the best path forward today. We're talking about the language around cannabis legalization.

Massachusetts was the very first state to create a social equity program. Since then, a lot of other states that have legal programs have looked to Massachusetts’ program as a blueprint when it comes to finding a way to make restitution to the communities most impacted by the prohibition of cannabis. However, four years later Massachusetts only has one social equity business up and running and open. Jesse Betend talked to Michelle Morris, the Regional Director of Ken Wolf Security Consulting. Michelle helps companies work through the license application and she's watched a lot of what's happened in Massachusetts firsthand. It's a really interesting story with huge stakes. It also might just involve some local government corruption. Jesse and Michelle break down what's happened over the past four years, and talk about how social equity applicants are still largely kept on the sidelines. 

The High Ground features talks with the leaders of the Cannabis industry. Farmers, CEOs, public officials, anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. Curbside pickup of cannabis may be exposing both customers and patients to unnecessary risk of robbery. 28 of 32 states with legal cannabis have implemented some form of curbside pickup options for cannabis dispensaries, but our guest today says there's a lack of guidance when it comes to what's required of businesses in terms of security. Jesse Betend talked with Ken Wolf of Ken Wolf Security Consulting. Ken's company helps dispensaries get licensed by working them through the process and helping them craft the security plan, which in most cases is required in order to get licensed in the first place. We'll get into why Ken is concerned, what he thinks can be done about it, and why he's calling on both dispensary owners and police officers to do more.

The High Ground features talks with the leaders of the Cannabis industry. Farmers, CEOs, public officials, anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. The Cannabis industry has a diversity problem. In many states, the owners of cannabis businesses are disproportionately white, affluent, and male. Take Illinois, despite specific policies that were intended to bring equity to communities that were disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs. Six months later, the city of Chicago still doesn’t have a single black-owned dispensary. Ariel Clark is an attorney in California who focuses on the Cannabis industry. She got her start back in 2008 when she co-founded her Law Firm, Clark and Howell, and since then she served as the chair of the Los Angeles cannabis task force. She's represented many people seeking cannabis licenses both inside and outside of the social equity label in California. Jesse and Ariel talk about some of the recent changes to California’s social equity program, some of the stuff that's been going on in Illinois, and how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted efforts across the country.

The High Ground features talks with the leaders of the Cannabis industry. Farmers, CEOs, public officials, anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. In March, police arrested a German man named Ruben Weigand, he was later charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Prosecutors alleged Weigand ran a scheme to disguise credit card transactions from a California based cannabis delivery company Eaze. In the end, they say over a hundred million in cannabis sales were processed unwittingly by banks through 2019. Credit card companies and banks that operate federally, tend to refuse money from legal cannabis businesses, but clearly some businesses have found less than legal workarounds.  In this episode of The High Ground, Jesse Betend interviewed Kirsten Trusko, the co-founder and CEO of Emerging Markets Coalition. Along with her experience in payments, part of her organization's mission is to actually normalize and electronify cannabis payments, as well as facilitate collaboration between cannabis and banking. Kirsten talks about the history between cannabis and banking, as well as take a little look at the Eaze case. Jesse and Kirsten also dig into the options that exist currently for cannabis businesses, and talk about the multiple risks involved with handling that much cash.

The High Ground features talks with the leaders of the Cannabis industry. Farmers, CEOs, public officials, anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. The cannabis industry generates an awful lot of waste for a product that just grows out of the ground. Packaging, cultivating, processing, not to mention specialty safety lock packaging, that often comes from overseas.  Erica Halverson is the CEO and founder of TINY e PAPER Company, which is hoping to convince the entire cannabis industry to ditch paper products, in exchange for hemp. While Erica’s company is still in the prototyping phase with most of their products, she's designing a hemp-based replacement for every single paper product that a dispensary, or cannabis company might need. Including some things that you might not think about at it first like business cards, and even hemp-based toilet paper. This is all part of what she describes as a mission to save the world with hemp.

The High Ground features talks with the leaders of the Cannabis industry. Farmers, CEOs, public officials, anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. America's queen of legal cannabis, according to Inked magazine, is going International. Jesse Betend talked to Nancy Whiteman, CEO of Wana Brands. Nancy has earned a number of nicknames over the years, but her company Wanna Brands is best known for edibles. Even their failures have been interesting, namely cannabis infused chewing gum and beef jerky, which Whiteman told NBC, “was actually pretty popular back in 2018.”  Nancy talked about the coming Canadian expansion, and how the effects of covid-19 have forced the company to adjust.

The High Ground features talks with the leaders of the Cannabis industry. Farmers, CEOs, public officials, anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. Jesse talked to Elisabeth Mack, CEO and founder of Holistic Caring. Elisabeth has 33 years of experience in medicine, and her new company aims to train alternative medicine specialists, like acupuncturists, massage therapists, and yes, even budtenders, to become cannabis health coaches. For "business in a box" as she describes it, outfits potential coaches with the skills and resources they need to provide quality medical cannabis recommendations to patients.

The High Ground features talks with the leaders of the Cannabis industry. Farmers, CEOs, public officials, anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond. What CEO doesn't want a crystal ball, right? It's hard to imagine a leader of any kind passing up a chance to look into the future and predict the next industry shaking event. Jesse Betend talked to Arnaud Dumas de Rauly, the founder and the CEO of The Blinc Group. He's also the chairman of the international ISO standards on vaping products, and the chairman of the European CEN, standards on vaping products. He explains what the US cannabis industry can learn from Europe's vaping standards, and how it just might save not only your business, but lives in the process.

The High Ground features talks with the leaders of the Cannabis industry. Farmers, CEOs, public officials, anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond.  On this episode, Jesse Betend talked to Bryan Buckley from HVGC. Bryan is part of a newly designated institutional review board, which will allow him to publish findings in medical journals. And his company, The Helmand Valley Growers Club, is using profits from recreational cannabis sales to fund the research.  

The High Ground features talks with the leaders of the Cannabis industry. Farmers, CEOs, public officials, anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond.  Cannabis edible manufacturers are failing pesticide tests -- and it's not because of the cannabis  Earlier this month CBS reported that 80% of Vapes tested at a San Diego lab were determined to be “unfit” for consumption. Results showed that the majority of the black market vapes tested contained contaminants including on occasion vitamin E acetate, the chemical responsible for last year's vape crisis. There's clearly a need for testing, but that doesn't mean that every single rule and regulation works as it’s intended today. We're talking to the lab behind the results. Josh Swider is the CEO of Infinite Chemical Analysis Lab, which has locations in both San Diego, and Michigan.  Besides this study, Josh and his team were regularly called on for testing and analysis during last year's vape crisis.

The High Ground features talks with the leaders of the Cannabis industry. Farmers, CEOs, public officials, anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond.  The current moment that we're living through, while undeniably difficult, presents an opportunity for the cannabis industry. Millions are out of work, but cannabis is hiring. States need tax dollars and cannabis is open for business. It doesn't take an expert to see the chance that presents the industry, but we got one. Jesse Betend is joined by Codie Sanchez, Managing Director of Entourage Effect Capital. Entourage was one of the first private equity firms to get behind cannabis, and Codie’s equally sought out for her insight into the cannabis industry, but also the wealth of personal and professional career advice that she puts out on her personal blog and social media. She also produces The Contrarians Guide to Getting into Cannabis, and not so long ago or very far away, she was an award-winning journalist covering human trafficking along the Mexico border. They discuss what this moment means for the relationship between cannabis and the private sector, advice for everything from taking your first steps in the industry, to what you can do to convince someone like Codie that your business is the real deal, and why Federal legalization may be closer than some previously thought.

The High Ground features talks with the leaders of the Cannabis industry. Farmers, CEOs, public officials, anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond.  Growers are already experiencing the expected yearly dry spell for cannabis production. But with COVID-19 forcing everyone to stay at home, they're also seeing an additional increase in demand. The result is huge price increases in some cases as much as 60%. Jesse Betend is joined by Jonathan Lyons, Owner and CEO of Seabright Farms. They discuss what all of this means for consumers and what distributors like Jonathan are doing to make sure that the products are getting to the people who need them.

The High Ground features talks with the leaders of the Cannabis industry. Farmers, CEOs, public officials, anyone making an impact on the cannabis community and beyond.  As an essential service, cannabis retail stores have an undisputed advantage over other businesses who spent the last few months in lockdown. They don't have to reopen because they never shut down. But that does not mean that they should assume that they have everything figured out. Jesse Betend is joined by James Schmachtenberger. James is the founder of Mankind Cooperative, a dispensary in San Diego, Ca. He's also the CEO of biohacking group, Neurohacker Collective and a guy who's got experience both in the medical field as well as working to change policy relating to cannabis. They discuss the specific challenges cannabis retailers face in opening back up, goodbye smell jars. And what cannabis can teach other businesses that are starting from scratch, how to educate consumers about safety procedures, how to respond when consumers don't like the new way of doing things or they refuse to follow the rules and how to prepare your employees for the uncharted interactions that are sure to come.