KalikoVision

In this urgent return to KalikoVision, host Kaliko Castille breaks down the political plot twist shaking the cannabis world: Donald Trump has signed an executive order to reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. But is this really progress—or just another move in the Empire’s playbook?

Joining Kaliko is longtime friend and fellow movement strategist Jason Ortiz (Last Prisoner Project) for a wide-ranging convo on what this means for the industry, the grassroots, and the communities most harmed by prohibition. They dissect the fine print—tax relief, CBD and Medicare, pharmaceutical influence—and ask the big question: did the Democrats just get outflanked on their own issue?

With Star Wars analogies, policy clarity, and some hard-hitting truth about political power and missed chances, this episode is for anyone who cares about justice, not just headlines. The cannabis reform movement may be entering its Empire Strikes Back moment—but the Jedi are regrouping.

Show Notes:

0:00 - Intro 

1:31 - Welcome to Jason Ortiz

2:19 - How are drugs classified? 

4:20 - What does Schedule III mean for cannabis? 

9:32 - Medicare x CBD 

15:25 - How is the E.O. different then what Biden did? 

18:28 - Did the Democrats gaslight cannabis advocates? 

24:57 - Farm Bill was Republican legalization 

25:45 - Will corruption and crony capitalism kill legalization?

33:56 - What will the 2026 midterms mean for cannabis reform? 

39:20 - Can the cannabis movement still coalesce? 

44:05 - MSO’s need to fund continued momentum 

46:25 - Justice by geography 

50:30 - Wrap up 

Everything you learned about Hawai‘i’s “annexation” was wrong. In this fascinating interview, Dr. Keanu Sai — political scientist, historian, and international law expert — lays out the irrefutable legal proof that the United States never lawfully annexed Hawai‘i.

Under international law, the Hawaiian Kingdom still exists, making this the longest ongoing illegal occupation in modern history. From the University of Hawai‘i classrooms to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Dr. Sai has spent decades documenting the truth and putting the world on notice.

In this episode, we explore:

• How U.S. history books erased Hawai‘i’s true legal status

• The difference between U.S. domestic law and international law

• The landmark Permanent Court of Arbitration case on Hawai‘i

In this relaunch of KalikoVision, host Kaliko Castille returns with a powerful solo segment on why he won’t be running for Congress in 2026—and why that doesn’t mean stepping back from the fight.

Kaliko shares updates on his political journey, life as a father and organizer, and his vision for the podcast as a space for truth-telling, strategic resistance, and movement-building.

Then, in our first guest interview of the season, Kaliko sits down with longtime friend and newly appointed Executive Director of the Marijuana Policy Project, Adam Smith.

They dive deep into the current state of the cannabis movement under a second Trump administration, the lack of coordination slowing federal reform, and what it will take to build a cannabis future rooted in justice—not just profit.

Topics include:

• Why every Democrat should be primaried

• MPP’s evolving role in a fractured cannabis landscape

• What is my KalikoVision?

Plus: a must-watch Hawaiian language series Chief of War premieres on Apple TV, Kaliko’s take on Rep. Janelle Bynum, and a preview of next week’s guest, Dr. Keanu Sai, on Hawaiian sovereignty.

Links:

KalikoVision Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/KalikoVision

Instagram: @KalikoVisionPod

Learn more about Marijuana Policy Project and their work ending marijuana prohibition: http://mpp.org/

On the first official episode of KalikoVision, we are joined by Jason Ortiz, President of Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA).

We learn about his story of getting arrested in high school for simple marijuana possession and how he channeled that experience into a life of activism after getting involved with Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) in college. He also talks about the lessons he has learned from his experience organizing for progressive issues and candidates from Occupy Wall Street to the Trump era.