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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 and incubator-style programs designed to give new entrepreneurs a real leg up in the industry.   Join me to learn more about the good things Ernest is doing with the BiPocann mentorship program. https://bipocann.com/ The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 playbook. Research seems to be increasing in the area of acidic cannabinoids since there is evidence that they provide stronger effects than their converted forms, such as THC and CBD. In this episode, we dig into his approach to formulation science, what truly differentiates Level from other edibles, how he manages manufacturing and distribution partnerships, and the challenge of maintaining quality and consistency across state lines. We also talk about what’s next, including plans to expand Level into the hemp market. https://levelexperience.com The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 talk about what it takes to establish both programs at the national level and the challenges that come with bringing clinical credibility and patient protections into the cannabis space. https://leaf411.org The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 few motels, and not much else. He is building a hospitality-driven destination that includes a consumption lounge with nightly events, a light fare restaurant, and a full-scale record store inside the dispensary featuring his personal collection of vinyl and music memorabilia. Brad also gives insights on how to work with local politicians in the early planning stages and build an honest, legitimate community plan through charitable partnerships. The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 insurance system. Today, my guest is Mathew Rothman, Chief Science and Marketing Officer at Cannalnx—the exclusive technology partner to the American Council of Cannabis Medicine, making this integration possible. This month, they’re rolling out a new program through licensed insurance brokers that allows patients to receive monthly reimbursements—typically between $100 and $175—for medical cannabis and related physician visits. The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 collection, and the importance of having a tissue culture program. https://www.powr.house The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 Nikki, the cannabis industry faces mold problems, among others, and once mold enters a cultivation facility, financial losses can be significant, not to mention the serious biosecurity and worker health risks. AFF addresses these challenges with advanced molecular and carbon-based filtration designed to scrub both incoming and outgoing air. Nikki also explains the hidden dangers of airborne contaminants and how data-driven filtration strategies can help mitigate risk. AFF has partnered with Dr. Alison Justice of the Cannabis Research Center to analyze dirty filters from cultivation facilities to collect industry data. As part of this research initiative, cultivators are invited to send in used filters to help build a clearer picture of air quality challenges across the industry.   REACH OUT TO NIKKI IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DIRTY AIR FILTER PROGRAM: [email protected] America Air Filter International. The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 they navigate a very complex system.   I really enjoyed this conversation with Terry and learning how they are building a more stable financial infrastructure to help cannabis businesses thrive and grow. https://shfinancial.org/ The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 these historic Landrace strains.   https://ravensviewgenetics.com The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 Keating, the team spent several years refining the process before getting it right.   Advanced Nutrients can now convert a seed producer's existing genetics into triploids, creating the next generation of cultivars that deliver higher yields, increased vigor, and larger plants overall.   In our conversation, we explore tissue culture, gene editing, triploids, tetraploids, and the future of cannabis genetics. Keating believes cultivation will look dramatically different in the years ahead, as new discoveries and advanced tools reshape how cannabis is bred, grown, and scaled.   Advanced Nutrients: https://www.advancednutrients.com Tesoro Genetics: https://www.tesorogenetics.com The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 company's success today. Now sold in over 120 countries, Advanced Nutrients continues to expand globally, making major inroads in Europe and beyond as legalization spreads. In this episode, BigMike shares insights into their groundbreaking polyploid genetics, emerging global opportunities, and what's next for the cannabis industry. https://www.advancednutrients.com The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 remediation technology works—and why it could represent the next generation of clean, high-quality cannabis. https://xrpure.com The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 background in music and fashion before that — Rama offers insight into his vision for Hall of Flowers and the future of the cannabis industry. https://www.hallofflowers.com/ The Innovating Cannabis podcast is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a freelance writer and editor for the Cannabis Industry Journal.  Get in touch with [email protected]. LinkedIn   Twitter   Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.