In this episode of Give & Toke, we sit down with Victorian MP Rachel Payne, for an insightful conversation that marks two years since entering parliament along with 50 episodes of this show.

We discuss the transition from Dan Andrews to Jacinta Allan and what it means for cannabis reform (3:00). We talk about the recent win for Victorian patients who drive (5:45), before looking back at two years of navigating hemp reform, pill testing, relationships, compromise, and the importance of evolving and letting go (15:00).

We dive into the critical topic of housing affordability and the other challenges facing her electorate of over 600,000 South-East Melburnians (28:00). Rachel highlights the importance of giving a voice to underrepresented groups and how this informs her work in office (33:30).

The conversation also turns to the impact of social media and shadow bans on modern politics (37:55), before turning to Fiona Patten’s return to the scene (41:50). We play a quick quiz entitled Rachel Profiling (45:00) before diving into the big issues on the horizon for 2025, including personal use and workplace drug testing (50:00).

Rachel also touches on the role of medicinal cannabis companies and their social responsibilities (60:00), as well as how she maintains motivation in the face of political disappointment (66:00). Finally, we wrap up with some listener questions where we learn what type of cannabis product David Ettershank would be (71:00).

Visit www.rachelpayne.com.au

Follow Rachel on Instagram @rachelpayne_mp

Follow Rachel on Twitter @rachelpaynemp

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Matthew Dent is the Director of Cultivation at Wangara Cultivation Co. With a boutique indoor grow operation in Queensland, their mission is to produce craft quality cannabis for Australia’s local market with a focus on terpenes and the wider entourage effect.

In this episode:

Connect with Matthew Dent on Linkedin

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The Catch-Up is a collaboration between Give and Toke and AusCannaReviews. Paul and Christina come together monthly to explore what’s happening in Cannabis in Australia and around the world. 

In this episode:

@AusCannaReviews on SubStack, Instagram and Twitter/X

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Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

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Sacha La Forgia is the co-founder of Golden Days Cultivators, a South-Australian based indoor cultivator and supplier of medicinal cannabis born out of prior experience in South Australia’s world-renowned alcohol industry.

With a Bachelor in Viticulture from the University of Adelaide, Sacha founded and managed 78o Distillery in Adelaide Hills prior to Golden Days before inertia kicked in in 2022, and a change was needed. As global trends in alcohol consumption continue to decline and the health benefits of choosing cannabis over alcohol become more apparent, Sacha founded Golden Days with business partner Ewan Brewerton with the aim to make the world a better place.

In this episode:

Ditching booze for buds (1:40)

Our cultural relationship with alcohol (7:30)

Making smarter health choices (12:35)

Transferring skills to cannabis (17:20)

South Australia’s cannabis culture (21:00)

Booze History Quiz (24:00)

The state of Australian cannabis (28:00)

Personal relationship with cannabis (30:15)

Golden Days (32:30)

Growing indoors with renewable energy (38:00)

What’s next for Golden Days (41:00)

Pauls of Wisdom (48:45)

Connect with Sacha La Forgia on Linkedin

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]

Talmage Herbert began working for RUA Bioscience in 2021. With strong familial ties to RUA’s growing region, he first started as a cultivator and is now managing supply chains and partnerships. 

RUA Bioscience supplies GMP-certified medicines to expanding markets including Europe and Australia backed by its centre of excellence where they incubate superior genetics including exclusive legacy genetics, sharing New Zealand’s rich culture with the world. The company's mission is based on their founding principes of integrity, innovation, health and collaboration. RUA is unique in prioritising community well-being with tertiary scholarships, community tours and compassionate access.

In this episode:

Pathway to cannabis (3:45)

New Zealand’s cannabis culture (11:40)

The failed referendum (18:45)

How do Kiwi’s access cannabis? (28:50)

Cannabis and politics (33:00)

The importance of people (35:00)

UFC Quiz (42:45)

What is RUA? (48:45)

Preserving legacy genetics (51:00)

Community enhancement (63:30)

What’s next for RUA? (67:00)

Pauls of Wisdom (68:30)

Visit www.ruabio.com

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]

Get $10 off accessories with the code ‘CATCHUP’ at giveandtoke.com.au

The Catch-Up is a collaboration between Give and Toke and AusCannaReviews. Paul and Christina come together monthly to explore what’s happening in Cannabis in Australia and around the world. 

In this episode:

Kamala Harris and federal legalisation (1:55)

Cannabis users skipping work (5:00)

The Dispensed Dilemma (7:30)

Releaf in trouble? (19:30)

New compounding rules (23:00)

Roadside testing in South Australia (27:00)

Hot Tokes (33:00)

What’s Up (40:00)

@AusCannaReviews on SubStack, Instagram and Twitter/X

Email [email protected]

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]

Michael Sassano is the CEO and Chairman of SOMAÍ Pharmaceuticals, a leading European vertically integrated company with a global footprint of distribution. SOMAÍ is building a leading global brand with a robust pipeline of innovative cannabis-based therapeutics. They envision a world where people live a healthy lifestyle empowered by natural cannabis medicine.

SOMAÍ owns a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and indoor cultivation in Lisbon, Portugal, and has global sales teams in the largest medical cannabis markets.

In this episode:

Pathway to cannabis (2:00)

Relationship with cannabis (9:00)

Sharing the secret sauce (13:30)

What is SOMAÍ? (19:00)

Excitement in global markets (29:15)

Monaco Quiz (41:30)

Australians are the winners (45:45)

Pauls of Wisdom (54:45)

Visit www.somaipharma.com.au

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]

Tom Forrest is a certified horticulturist, agronomist, and expert in soil and crop production. In 2019, Tom traveled the world as a recipient of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship. Visiting 10 different countries, and spending time at more than 50 cannabis cultivation facilities allowed him to publish a white paper and release a short documentary sharing his findings from his worldwide exploration of cannabis.

Today he splits his time between Puro which is New Zealand’s leading cultivator of cannabis, Indicated Technology and Stealth Garden. He has helped countless groups and organisations to design and supply cannabis cultivation facilities since the start of medicinal legalisation.

In this episode:

Connecting with cannabis (6:00)

A love for family and farming (9:30)

Exciting developments in cannabis (13:30)

Thoughts on Thailand (19:30)

Preserving Landraces, moving on from Indica and Sativa (29:45)

Puro New Zealand (35:00)

Stealth Garden and Grow Zone Magazine (57:30)

Rugby Union Quiz (65:00)

Churchill Fellowship and lessons from around the world (70:15)

Pauls of Wisdom (85:00)

Churchill Fellowship Documentary on YouTube

Visit www.indicated-technology.com

Follow @tomforrestcf on Instagram

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email Us [email protected]

Dr Brian Walker is a member of the legislative council for the Legalise Cannabis Western Australia Party. Having practiced medicine for many years in various different countries, he has front-line experience treating patients in hospitals, emergency departments, and general practice.

As a Member of Parliament, Dr Walker believes that far too many of our current laws are archaic, while others are unfit for purpose. Dr Walker’s passion is to improve medical, mental, financial, social, and physical wellness across the community. His key goal is to make the world a better place for his grandchildren and yours.

In this episode:

Tapping into anger (1:20)

Drawn to healing (3:00)

Drawn to cannabis (7:00)

The power of plants (10:30)

On to politics (14:50)

The next WA election (29:00)

Fiona Patten’s return (31:30)

Quiz: MP’s Behaving Badly Pt 4 (33:30)

The state of the nation: prescribing, advocacy, activism (36:30)

Visit www.brianwalkermlc.com.au

Email: [email protected]

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]

Get $10 off accessories with the code ‘CATCHUP’ at giveandtoke.com.au

The Catch-Up is a collaboration between Give and Toke and AusCannaReviews. Paul and Christina come together monthly to explore what’s happening in Cannabis in Australia and around the world. 

In this episode:

Ukraine legalises medicinal cannabis (2:40)

Offensive odours (4:30)

Dispensed founder banned (7:00)

Is weed causing a booze sales slump? (13:00)

Fiona Patten Returns (15:30)

Singapore man frames wife with cannabis (17:45)

Child and teen use drops in the US (19:40)

Cannabis aromas: more than terpenes (22:15)

RIP nano-emulsions (24:20)

What's Up? (31:50)

@AusCannaReviews on SubStack, Instagram and Twitter/X

Email [email protected]

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]