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Recorded live on December 5th from Las Vegas, this recording of "This Morning in Cannabis Live" brings together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and experts for candid conversations about the current state and future of cannabis and hemp. The hosts—Jay Rosenthal, AnnaRae Grabstein, Marc Hauser, and Jeremy Berke—guide discussions on rapid business growth, regulatory challenges, market innovation, and the importance of advocacy and data-driven decision-making.

The episode features in-depth interviews with executives, attorneys, journalists, and scientists, offering insights into scaling cannabis businesses, navigating shifting policies, and driving product innovation. From the realities of launching new markets to the science of cannabinoids and the power of industry collaboration, this episode provides a comprehensive look at the evolving cannabis landscape.

Guests and Timestamps:

Kim Sanchez Rael (Azuca)
Starts at ~2:06
Discusses Azuca’s growth, quality partnerships, ingredient branding, and the challenges of scaling in cannabis.

Jason Tarasek (Vicente LLP)
Starts at ~30:16
Covers Minnesota’s cannabis rollout, federal and state policy impacts, and the prospects for medical cannabis in Wisconsin.

Jeremy Berke Arrives (Cultivated)
Starts at ~52:00
Shares perspectives on industry trends, the capital crunch, and the role of journalism in cannabis.

Rick Bashkoff (Lit Alerts)
Starts at ~1:09:00
Explains how data is transforming cannabis business decisions and the need for industry-wide advocacy.

Chris Emerson (LEVEL)
Starts at ~1:22:00
Explores cannabinoid innovation, consumer education, and the challenges of multi-state expansion.

Hosts:
Jay Rosenthal, AnnaRae Grabstein, Jeremy Berke, Marc Hauser

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High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

Send us a text

Recorded Live on December 3rd from Las Vegas, this special episode of "This Week in Cannabis" brings together industry leaders and insiders to discuss the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the cannabis and hemp sectors. 

We dive into federal policy, market expansion, retail innovation, and the evolving landscape of cannabis journalism. Featuring in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs, executives, and retailers, the episode offers a candid look at the state of the industry, from regulatory hurdles to product innovation and community building.

Guests and Timestamps:

• Thomas Winstanley (Edibles.com)
  Starts at ~2:08
  Discussion on hemp-derived THC, federal policy, and the future of edibles and consumer access.
• Vahan Ajamian (High Tide)
  Starts at ~23:23
  Insights on High Tide’s expansion into Germany, the dynamics of the German cannabis market, and international retail strategy.
• John Prentice (JointCraft, "Pre-Roll King of Canada")
  Starts at ~39:39
  Covers the evolution of pre-roll manufacturing, scaling production, quality control, and the importance of specialization in cannabis business.
• Chris Casacchia (Journalist, Cultivated/MJBiz)
  Starts at ~1:14:03
  Explores the state of cannabis journalism, the impact of media coverage on the industry, and regulatory issues in New York and beyond.
• Elisa Keay (K's Pot Shop, Toronto)
  Starts at ~2:01:51
  Shares lessons from running a community-focused cannabis retail store, navigating licensing, competition, and building customer loyalty.

Hosts:
Jay Rosenthal, Marc Hauser, AnnaRae Grabstein, Ben Larson, Jeremy Berke

--
High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

Send us a text

The mics take a breather, but the cannabis market doesn’t. We’re wheels up for MJBizCon and our High Spirits Morning Mixer on Thursday, and then straight to BevNET, while state and federal moves reshape the map from Texas to Virginia to Minnesota to California.

We start with Texas, where regulators approved nine new medical licenses in a historically tight program. It’s a modest step with big implications: recognition that demand is outpacing capacity, but who will be the winners? For operators eyeing long-term positioning, Texas remains a massive, underdeveloped prize where patience, compliance, and local partnerships can compound.

Minnesota faces a different pressure: the looming federal hemp THC ban embedded in a congressional minibus. The state’s hemp-derived THC market—thousands of retailers and strong consumer buy-in—could be gutted overnight. The governor is exploring rapid rulemaking, carve-outs, and potential court challenges to protect businesses until adult use retail is fully stood up. How Minnesota responds may become the national playbook for preserving economic activity amid federal whiplash.

Virginia looks ready to convert legalization on paper into real stores. A bill targeting adult use sales in 2026 would finally establish a regulated retail framework, address social equity, and balance political priorities after years of stalls and illicit market growth. If it moves, Virginia could become the first Southern state with full adult use, forcing regional recalculations and opening a high-potential market.

And California turns the screws on packaging. With a new top regulator and CalRecycle implementing SB54, brands must enroll in a PRO, report packaging at the SKU level, plan for recyclability and compostability by 2032, and meet aggressive plastic recycling targets. Expect cost shifts, supplier consolidation, and innovation in materials, especially for vapes and multi-layer plastics. The winners will treat compliance as strategy, integrating sustainability into brand and supply chain decisions.

Headed to Vegas? Come say hi at the High Spirits Morning Mixer on Thursday. If this breakdown helped you navigate the noise, follow, share, and leave a quick review—what state move should we unpack next?

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High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

Send us a text

We unpack the 365-day clock facing hemp-derived THC beverages, why the category exploded, and how a policy rider vaulted prohibition-style limits into law. Martín Caballero of BevNet joins us to map realistic paths forward, where coalition power lives, and what compromises might actually work.

• why hemp-derived THC drinks resonated with mainstream shoppers
• how a funding bill rider created the new 0.4 mg per package limit
• why fragmented advocacy loses to unified, well-funded lobbies
• lessons from retailers and distributors who want the shelf to stay
• a pragmatic path: low-dose through three tiers, higher dose in cannabis channels
• why beverages won’t simply shift to illicit markets or dispensaries
• what data, packaging, and age-gating standards could secure legitimacy
• the role of investors, timelines, and state-level regulators
• scenarios for compromise without collapsing innovation

If you've enjoyed this episode, please stop, like, subscribe, share, do all the things

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High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

Send us a text

We unpack the federal push to restrict hemp products, then turn to a grounded model for the future: regenerative organic cannabis. Darren Story from Coastal Sun shares how soil health lowers costs, why OCAL matters, and how compassion and affordability can scale.

• hemp policy shock and what it means for access
• lessons for advocacy and industry unity
• Darren’s path from blueberries to cannabis
• WAM partnership and medical-first roots
• OCAL certification and consumer education
• regenerative farming practices and cost
• navigating DCC rules and animal integration
• brand positioning and diverse consumers
• greenhouse tech for organic at scale
• expansion via teaching and partnerships
• wellness ethos, leadership, and discipline
• affordability, SP34 donations, and unit economics
• measured growth and a five-year vision

Sign up to apply for an invite: highspiritspod.com/morning-mixer

If you've enjoyed this episode, please stop, like, subscribe, share, do all the things

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High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

Send us a text

We explore how local elections shape cannabis policy on the ground, then dive into the real map of cannabis patents with Dr. Ruth Fisher. She explains who holds the IP, why enforcement is scarce for now, and how one big verdict could change the industry overnight.

• grounding in stoicism and local civic action
• breaking news on recalls and lawsuits in New York and Florida
• Dr. Ruth Fisher on 10,000+ cannabis patents and prior art
• global patent holders across pharma, tobacco, academia, and government
• patent thickets versus single filings and why enforcement is rare
• plant patents, phenotype variation, and proof of similarity
• synthetics, biomanufacturing with yeast, and conversion patents
• damages explained: royalties versus lost profits and documentation
• delivery tech surge, including emulsions and beverages
• optimism for innovation, concern over fragmented regulation
• case for descheduling and one coherent framework

Get The Medical Cannabis Primer at medicalcannabisprimer.com or on Amazon. Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn.

“If you've enjoyed this episode, please drop a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.”

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High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

Send us a text

We explore how hemp-derived THC beverages are redefining adult drinking, why big brands hesitate while startups build, and how “vice wellness” turns ritual into wellness-driven status. Jeff Cantalupo of Listen Ventures shares what gets a VC to yes, how portfolios form, and where retail wins.

• consumer demand driving THC beverage mainstream adoption
• integration of life lessons into leadership and team communication
• news on lawsuits and AG letters shaping risk perception
• why incumbents buy innovation and how that opens a window for startups
• the vice wellness thesis and behavior shifts in adult beverages
• merchandising for outcomes and occasions, not alcohol types
• channels that matter now: DTC labs, C stores, grocery, delivery
• what VCs look for: team, brand acumen, omnichannel activation
• margin structure, capital efficiency, and unit economics at scale
• vertical versus asset light supply strategies and tradeoffs
• brands to watch and how true brands differ from products
• practical risk framing: stroke of the pen versus consumer pull

If you've enjoyed this episode, please drop us a like, a subscribe, a follow, a share. Drop a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you listen to your shows

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High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

Send us a text

We unpack why cannabis retail still can’t run on normal card rails, how debit and alternative payments increase average tickets, and what federal legality would actually change. Aubrey Amatelli of PayRio shares data, pitfalls, and a playbook for safer, smoother checkout.

• why Visa and Mastercard rules block standard cannabis card payments
• cashless ATM and debit as the current stable rails
• 34% average ticket lift moving from cash to debit
• 22–27% additional lift when adding credit options
• safety risks of cash-heavy operations and theft exposure
• stigma reinforced by nonstandard checkout experiences
• differences between hemp and cannabis processing
• COAs, 0.3% THC threshold, and bank compliance for hemp e‑com
• MATCH list risks and website monitoring
• state of banking access for cannabis vs hemp
• why SAFE or Schedule III won’t fully normalize payments
• founder journey, brand choices, and community support
• call to support women entrepreneurs across the cannabis space

If you've enjoyed this episode, please drop us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your show

--
High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

Send us a text

We dig into the rise of THC beverages from dispensary side racks to big-box end caps, then peel back how Uncle Arnie’s raised $7.5M, built distribution state by state, and scaled a team while staying scrappy. Theo shares lessons on dosage, education, and why focused markets beat scattershot launches.

• Target’s Minnesota pilot and retail data signals
• Ohio’s 90-day hemp ban and policy risks
• Uncle Arnie’s Series A and investor sentiment shift
• Dispensary versus hemp channels by dosage
• Distribution selection and portfolio discipline
• Merchandising strategy for cans and shots
• Education programs for staff, retailers, and consumers
• Scaling leadership, hiring, and culture
• Predictions on national distributors and retailer pilots

If you've enjoyed this episode, please drop us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to this show

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High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

Send us a text

We unpack how a federal shutdown freezes cannabis policy progress, why Michigan’s new 24% tax risks shrinking the legal market, and how a Vireo–Schwazze restructuring signals financial maturity. We close with a live “Ode to California” challenging protectionism and calling for true access and scale.

• federal shutdown halting rescheduling, farm bill momentum and appropriations
• behind the scenes lobbying dynamics during a pause
• Michigan’s 24% wholesale tax and illicit market advantage
• punitive taxes vs consumer safety and access
• regulator influence, misaligned incentives and CAMRA limits
• Vireo acquiring Schwazze debt as a restructuring blueprint
• debt service vs operational profitability and MSO viability
• Mana Beverages exit, AB 8 and blocked hemp beverage scale
• interstate scale, GMP quality and real QA vs state silos
• LeafLink pricing backlash, rollback and customer-first lessons
• conference season, planning cadence and community support
• live reading: “Ode to California” and a vision for legalization with access

If you've enjoyed this podcast, please drop a review in Apple Podcast, in Spotify, wherever you listen. Subscribe, share, do all the things like I asked

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High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.