From community pharmacy to cannabis advocacy, Jessica-Li Verschoor is redefining frontline care in the medicinal cannabis space.

In this episode of Give & Toke, Paul speaks with the 2025 Cannabiz Awards Industry Newcomer of the Year about her journey into plant medicine at Green Street Dispensary and Plant Pharm in Western Australia.

Jessica-Li shares how her pharmacy background shapes her approach to cannabis, the role of social media in education and stigma reduction, and why so many people are asking how to break into the industry. We also explore what sets WA’s cannabis landscape apart — and how her personal view of the plant has evolved.

In this episode:

Plant Playground and Cannabis Events (0:30)

From Community Pharmacy to Cannabis (3:45)

California Living and Global Perspectives (7:30)

Cannabiz Industry Newcomer of the Year (15:00)

Social Media to Build Community (18:15) 

Getting into the Industry (19:30)

Green St Dispensary and Plant Pharm (24:00)

Disneyland Quiz (28:00)

Cannabis in Western Australia (35:00)

Pauls of Wisdom (47:30)

Visit planthpharm.shop

Visit greenstdispensary.com

Follow @greenstdisp on Instagram

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]

We're Ruth and Paul - the husband and wife duo behind Give & Toke. Join us as we sit down for a candid conversation about cannabis, relationships, and the power of shared purpose.

While Paul’s passion for the plant is no surprise to regular listeners, Ruth brings a unique perspective as a non-consumer who’s become an advocate for reform. Her support is rooted in education, empathy, and a deep belief in cannabis’s potential for both mainstream healthcare and responsible adult use.

Together, we explore what it takes to navigate relationships between consumers and non-consumers, the mutual respect required to make it work, and how breaking down stereotypes can lead to greater understanding and more mindful access in adult-use markets.

In this episode:

• First Impressions: Dating a cannabis user for the first time (1:30)

• Breaking the Stereotype: Overcoming stoner stigma and personal bias (5:00)

• From Rehab to Retail: The irony and insights of working in opposing spaces (15:00)

• Shifting Spirits: How our views on alcohol have changed over time (20:00)

• Love & Limits: Navigating relationship challenges and shared responsibility (25:00)

• The “Babe Ruth” Quiz: How well does Ruth know... Ruth? (31:00)

• Life in Canada: How access and attitudes differ in adult-use markets (34:00)

• Would She Ever?: Ruth reflects on the possibility of personal cannabis use (37:00)

• Pauls of Wisdom (…Should have called it’s Ruth’s Truths) (44:00)

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]

In this powerful episode of Give & Toke, we’re joined by healthcare strategist, author, and global cannabis advocate Melanie Wentzel.

From working with governments and peak bodies to rewriting the narrative around women and weed in her groundbreaking book Cannabis Queens, Melanie brings sharp insight and deep heart to the conversation around equitable, person-centred care and the plant that’s changing lives.

We explore the radical role of women in the cannabis industry, the challenges of reforming conservative healthcare systems, and why storytelling may be the most transformative tool of all.

It’s medical. It’s political. It’s revolutionary.

In this episode:

What does it mean to be a Cannabis Queen? (1:30)

The feminine role in dismantling stigma (7:45)

Self-Discovery through storytelling (13:30)

The intersection of culture and medicine (33:45)

Navigating criticism of women forward causes (44:30)

The legacy of Cannabis Queens (53:30)

Quiz: Wentzel or Not? (58:30)

Integrated Healthcare (60:30)

Cannabis in mainstream in healthcare? (72:15)

Cannim’s research initiatives (77:30)

Visit www.melaniewentzel.com

Visit www.cannabisqueens.world

Follow Melanie Wentzel on LinkedIn

Contact Mel: [email protected]

Lumir Mission Primary Dysmenorrhea Study

RECRUITING NOW: www.westernsydney.edu.au/nicm/research/participate-in-research/canndyshelp

Lumir Mission Menopause Study

RECRUITING NOW: https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/nicm/research/participate-in-research/menocann

Lumir Mission Study (For all medicinal cannabis patients in Australia)

LAUNCHING JULY 23: www.lumirmission.com/home-au/

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]

ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS SHOW ARE PERSONAL AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF MY EMPLOYER.

In this episode, we're joined by two industry trailblazers who’ve gone from the frontlines of patient care to the frontlines of cannabis supply. Bashar Al-Humrany (a pharmacist) and Joel Green (a nurse) first crossed paths at Melbourne’s Astrid Dispensary, one of the first dedicated medicinal cannabis dispensaries in the country. 

Together, they saw firsthand where the system was helping... and where it was falling short. Now, they’ve teamed up to launch Exotican, an Australian medicinal cannabis importer built from the ground up by people who understand patients, products, and prescriptions. We’re talking clinical insight, industry gaps, and of course  the Bash Brothers of cannabis.

In this episode:

Clinical experience informing patient care (4:00)

The inception of Exotican (9:30)

Setting standards in medicine (12:30)

Imports vs. Aussie Grown (18:00)

Mighty Ducks Quiz (24:30)

What GPs need to know (31:30)

Managing culture and medicine (33:40)

When  patient is “on the edge” (37:30)

Exotican’s Values (41:00)

Product Innovation (42:50)

The importance of education (48:15)

Pauls of Wisdom (50:00)

Follow @exoticanau on Instagram

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]

ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS SHOW ARE PERSONAL AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF MY EMPLOYER.

In this episode, we sit down with Fiona Patten, former Victorian MP and current Senate candidate for the Legalise Cannabis Party, to discuss her run for the Senate in the lead up to this weekend's federal Australian election, the future of cannabis legalisation in Australia, and why legalising cannabis is not a "single issue".

Sean Maloney is the sole Legal Counsel and Commercial Manager for MediCann Health - an Australian based medicinal cannabis company focussed on improving the quality of life of people in need through the use of affordable, reliable and science backed medicinal cannabis products.

With a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Laws from The University of Western Australia, Sean has worked as a Senior Consultant & Solicitor at a Big 4 firm, along with holding senior advisory and compliance roles at the Australian Securities Exchange.

In this episode:Reflections on UIC (1:30)

Legal Cannabis: Exciting or Daunting? (2:40)

Pathway to Cannabis and MediCann (5:10)

The legal framework in Australia (10:15)

Is there a proclivity to break the law in cannabis work? (19:30)

What changes are coming? (23:00)

Staying in the loop (28:00)

Cannabis around the world (30:00)

Quiz: Lionel Hutz (35:00)

Cannabis and the ASX (40:45)

Crowdfunded Cannabis (47:00)

Pauls of Wisdom (53:30)

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]

Rhys Cohen is a self-confessed “drug nerd” who has held countless cannabis-related roles over the past decade as he has become a trusted voice within the industry. With a Masters in Research and Sociology, Rhys has been a cannabis consultant, editor, advisory board member and today is the Policy Officer at Penington Institute.

Penington Institute is an independent drug policy non-profit that is currently developing a comprehensive model for cannabis regulation which prioritises community health and safety. They champion an open, rational, and compassionate approach to building and sharing knowledge to reduce drug-related harm and are pushing for an effective regulatory framework for cannabis defined by public health goals, prioritising targeted prevention, education, and treatment.

In this episode:

Reflections on UIC (1:45)

Why Rhys pursued cannabis (5:00)

The state of Australian medicinal cannabis (9:20)

Protecting the medicinal market (15:30)

People are overwhelming still using illicit cannabis (17:15)

What is the Penington Institute (19:40)

The Annual Overdose Report (21:00)

Cannabis regulation in Victoria - Regulate it! (23:45)

Rhys’ Pieces Quiz (34:45)

Vape Battery Ban (40:00)

Pauls of Wisdom (42:20)

Visit www.penington.org.au

Take the Quiz at www.penington.org.au/regulate-it-cannabis-campaign/

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]

James Yodgee is the General Manager of Partnerships at Biortica Agrimed, along with Matthew Turner who is the co-founder and Chief Global Officer of the organisation.

Biortica Agrimed operates one of Australia’s largest cultivation operations in Australia with greenhouses in Victoria and New South Wales along with a library of over 1,000 cultivars through Canadian-based Apollo Green.

In this episode:

Matthew’s pathway to cannabis/the start of Green Farmers (2:30)

James’ pathway to cannabis (11:00)

Matthew’s relationship with cannabis (14:00)

James’ relationship with cannabis (16:00)

Apollo Green Australia (21:00)

-pheno hunting

-breeder cuts

-global scaling

-LaValle University

-research and development

How do you decide what cultivars are worth your time? (32:00)

AI assistance (35:15)

Pioneering efforts in Canada (39:00)

Green Footy Quiz (45:00)

The state of Australia (51:30)

Cannabis around the world (58:00)

Pauls of Wisdom (61:45)

Visitwww.greenfarmers.com.au

Visitwww.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke onInstagram

Email[email protected]

Kate Avruch is the founder of Operator Academy and is a seasoned expert in the cannabis industry having dedicated her career to scaling business operations in Massachusetts and beyond. With a unique blend of technical expertise in facility design, cannabis chemistry, and extraction methodologies, Kate brings a holistic understanding of the industry’s complexities.

In this episode:

Is The Town the best Boston movie? (1:00)

Pathway to cannabis (3:45)

Growing up with conservative views (19:00)

Relationship with cannabis (23:15)

Cannabis in Massachusetts (26:30)

Quick wins in Massachusetts (35:00)

Could Federal legalisation improve things in Massachusetts? (41:45)

Hotbox Quiz (46:30)

Operator Academy (48:30)

Pauls of Wisdom (70:00)

Visitwww.operatoracademy.org

Follow Kate Avruch onLinkedIn

Visitwww.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke onInstagram

Email[email protected]

Sara Payan is a cannabis educator, public speaker, policy advocate, and the award-winning host of the Planted with Sara Payan podcast. She’s an expert in consumer trends, product development, and building relationships in the cannabis industry.

Sara has trained cannabis professionals, consulted for brands on product development and marketing, and worked with various committees, including the California Cannabis Advisory Committee and the San Francisco Cannabis Oversight Committee. She also co-chaired the San Francisco State Cannabis Legalization Task Force.

In this episode:

Personal Relationship with Cannabis (6:00)

Colon Cancer Treatment (9:00)

Does legalisation impact medical patients? (19:45)

Finding effective treatments (29:30)

Busting Myths: Terpenes (36:45)

Podcasting (38:00)

The politics in the cause (48:30)

Cat Talk (54:00)

Podcast Highlights (56:30)

Hot Box Quiz (65:15)

The State of the Nation: USA (67:00)

Connecting with others through consumption (71:30)

Budtender Problems (77:15)

Pauls of Wisdom (83:00)

Listen to Planted with Sara Payan

Follow @plantedwithsara on Instagram

Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au

Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram

Email [email protected]