The AusCannaPodcast

🌱 One plant. Two worlds. And a whole lot of opinions about who gets to shape the future of cannabis.

The medicinal cannabis industry has grown rapidly, but has it brought the wider cannabis community along with it? And what happens when generations of lived experience meet a regulated industry that doesn’t always know what to do with it?

🎙️ This week, I’m joined by Howard Li, cannabis reviewer, patient advocate and psychology student, for an honest conversation about the growing divide between legacy cannabis culture and the medicinal market, and why bringing these worlds closer together matters.

We explore Howard’s own journey with cannabis, from recreational use and competitive gaming to his interest in psychology and patient advocacy. We talk about why genuine patient reviews matter, why patients deserve greater access to industry education and events, and what meaningful advocacy looks like beyond simply having an opinion.

🇨🇦 Howard also shares his experiences within Canada’s cannabis community, what he’s hoping to build through his advocacy, and why he believes there’s room for more collaboration across the industry.

Along the way, we get into concentrates, the difference between personal experience and scientific evidence, his longer-term interest in cannabis assisted therapy, and a rather pointed question for growers and brands: does your cannabis really need to be the best?

💬 Because perhaps the biggest challenge facing cannabis isn’t that we all see the plant differently. It’s that we’ve become so focused on our own perspectives that we’re forgetting to listen to everyone else’s.

One plant, plenty of perspectives. Let’s talk about it.

Chapters:

* Rapid Fire (2:51)

* Howard’s Journey with Cannabis (10:54)

* Bridging Legacy and Medicinal Cannabis (16:04)

* The Patient Experience and Meaningful Advocacy (21:07)

* Finding His Place in the Cannabis Industry (26:35)

* Inside Canada’s Rosebud Ball (27:52)

* Dabs, Medicinal Use and Lived Experience (29:47)

* What Comes Next? Patient Events and Cannabis Assisted Therapy (36:21)

* The Cannabis Community’s Biggest Blind Spot (39:08)

* Where to Find Howard and What’s Next (40:35)

* Wrap Up (43:03)

Show Notes:

* The Rosebud Bowl

* Let’s Budvocate Website

Where to Find Howard:

* @Imbudsman on Instagram

* Howard on LinkedIn

Where to Find Christina:

* @AusCannaReviews on SubStack

* @AusCannaReviews on Instagram

* @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X

* 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question? Email [email protected]

* 💚 Want to support the podcast? Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast

What if a cannabis business could do more than grow a plant? What if it could help bring a family back onto their land, create jobs and change the opportunities available to future generations?

In this episode of AusCannaPodcast, I’m joined by Longo Reo Te Kooro, founder of Aho Farms, a Māori-owned medicinal cannabis company based on Māori land in Hawke’s Bay, Aotearoa New Zealand.

Longo’s journey took him from studying law in New Zealand to playing American football in California. After a serious shoulder injury introduced him to cannabis as a way to manage pain, he found himself drawn into the commercial cannabis industry, learning cultivation and building the experience he would eventually bring home.

But coming home was about much more than starting a cannabis company.

We talk about reconnecting with whenua, the meaning behind the name Aho Farms, and the vision of creating a commercially viable business that can benefit Māori whānau. Longo shares how the business has created employment opportunities for his own family, and why he sees Aho as a vehicle for something much bigger than profit.

We also get personal about cannabis stigma, including the family experience that changed how his relatives viewed the plant and its potential role in supporting quality of life.

For the industry watchers, we get into the practical realities of New Zealand’s medicinal cannabis market, from patient affordability and access to the regulatory costs facing cultivators. We discuss why Longo believes the current system has room to change, and how better pathways could benefit both producers and patients.

This is a conversation about cannabis, culture, business and the responsibility that comes with building something on the land your ancestors walked. Because sometimes success isn’t just about what you build. It’s about who gets to come home, who gets an opportunity, and what the next generation inherits.

In this episode:• Longo’s journey from American football to commercial cannabis• Discovering cannabis after a serious shoulder injury• Bringing California experience back to Hawke’s Bay• Māori land, whenua and the meaning behind Aho Farms• Cannabis stigma and changing family perspectives• Creating jobs and opportunities for whānau• Patient affordability and access in New Zealand• Regulatory barriers facing medicinal cannabis cultivators• Building a business without sacrificing your values• Longo’s vision for the next ten years

🎧 Listen, subscribe and join the AusCannaFamily.

💚 Support the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/auscannapodcast

📩 Have a question for a future guest? Email [email protected]

Chapters:

* Not So Rapid Fire (2:24)

* From Law School to American Football (17:23)

* The Injury That Changed His Relationship with Cannabis (21:56)

* Learning the Cannabis Business from the Ground Up (23:16)

* Bringing California Knowledge Back to Aotearoa (25:45)

* Coming Home and Building with Family (26:54)

* Breaking Down Cannabis Stigma (29:41)

* Cannabis, Pain and Quality of Life (34:32)

* The Meaning Behind the Name Aho Farms (35:44)

* Commercial Growth Without Compromising Values (36:42)

* Medicinal Cannabis, Māori Opportunity and Patient Access (39:35)

* The Cost of Accessing Medicinal Cannabis in New Zealand (40:41)

* The Regulatory Barriers Facing Cultivators (43:35)

* Different Countries, Different Standards (45:27)

* Changing the Family Tree: Longo’s Ten-Year Vision (48:35)

* Wrap Up (50:40)

Show Notes:

* San Francisco 49ers

Where to Find Longo Reo Te Kooro:

* Aho Farms on Instagram

* Longo on LinkedIn

* Aho Farms Website

Where to Find Christina:

* @AusCannaReviews on SubStack

* @AusCannaReviews on Instagram

* @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X

🌿 What happens to cannabis between harvest and the moment a patient opens the tub?

Christina visits Matthew Dent, Operations Manager at Wangara Cultivation Co.'s Queensland facility, to talk about the part of the process patients rarely see: what happens after harvest, and how much can change before a tub reaches your hands.

Matt challenges the idea that big buds and high THC numbers equal quality, and asks what “craft” means if the flower isn’t fresh by the time it reaches a patient.

💸 They break down a hypothetical $150 tub, discuss whether Australian-grown cannabis can compete with imports, and make the case for shorter, more local supply chains.

🚗 The conversation also turns to Queensland’s medicinal cannabis driving laws and whether the industry is doing enough to stand up for patients.

Recorded on the road, on the farm, and eventually on the move… thanks to an impeccably timed molasses delivery!

Chapters:

* Rapid Fire (2:25)

* What Does “Craft” Actually Mean? (12:55)

* Can Cannabis Actually Be Too Old? (15:44)

* Can You Scale Craft and Stay Fresh? (22:25)

* Australian Grown vs Imported Cannabis (27:09)

* Should Australian Cannabis Cost More? (33:23)

* Where Does the Money From Your $150 Jar Actually Go? (38:01)

* What Does Quality Look Like From a Patient’s Side? (48:00)

* What Are Patients Actually Getting From Medicinal Cannabis? (56:08)

* Is the Australian Cannabis Market Too Crowded? (1:03:00)

* What Does Australian Cannabis Look Like in Five Years? (1:07:18)

* Is THC Actually a Quality Marker? (1:13:24)

* Freshness, Price and the Cannabis Supply Chain (1:15:44)

* What Is Wangara Trying to Prove? (1:18:00)

* Final Thoughts (1:20:00)

Show Notes:

* Queensland parliament passes harsher drug and drink driving penalties

Where to Find Matthew:

* Wangara on Instagram

* Matthew on LinkedIn

* Wangara Website

Where to Find Christina:

* @AusCannaReviews on SubStack

* @AusCannaReviews on Instagram

* @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X

* 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question? Email [email protected]

* 💚 Want to support the podcast? Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast

🌱 Lenny and Kevin Jack from Wildwood Weed have been growing cannabis since the 1980s.

Back then, there was no legal industry, no rulebook and certainly no one handing them a cultivation manual. They learned by doing, made plenty of mistakes, lost genetics, and kept going.

Decades later, they’ve made the jump into the legal market, but they’ve deliberately stayed small and hands-on. Because for them, growing better cannabis means paying attention to the plant, not just chasing bigger numbers.

🌿 We talk legacy growing, legalisation, genetics, pheno hunting, terpenes and why THC isn’t the whole story and yes, we find out how Skuncle got its name.

Chapters:

* Rapid Fire (2:25)

* From Outlaws to Pioneers (10:01)

* Making the Jump to Legal Cannabis (13:21)

* Why Stay Small? (17:52)

* Genetics, Pheno Hunting & Finding the One (21:36)

* Beyond THC (27:11)

* Has Cannabis Become Too Complicated? (32:10)

* Staying Hands On (34:41)

* What Would You Tell Your Younger Self? (34:41)

* The Future of Cannabis (38:59)

* Wrap up (45:10)

Show Notes:

* Oasis - Champagne Supernova

* Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way

Where to Find Lenny & Kevin:

* Wildwood Weed on Instagram

* Wildwood Weed Website

Where to Find Christina:

* @AusCannaReviews on SubStack

* @AusCannaReviews on Instagram

* @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X

* 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question? Email [email protected]

* 💚 Want to support the podcast? Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast

Bill grew up with the message that cannabis was bad news. For years, he accepted it without really questioning it. Then curiosity got the better of him.

What followed became the story behind his book, Drenched in Wonder.

In this episode of the AusCannaPodcast, Bill joins Christina for a wide-ranging conversation about cannabis, creativity, stigma, vulnerability and what happens when you finally start questioning what you’ve been told.

He shares how cannabis became intertwined with his creative process, why he believes it can help him connect seemingly unrelated ideas, and how holding onto a sense of childlike wonder has shaped the way he experiences the world.

But this isn’t a story without difficult chapters.

Bill opens up about one of his most challenging experiences with cannabis, what he learned from getting too high, and how a lack of meaningful education contributed to what happened. That experience ultimately became part of the reason he decided to share his story publicly.

From there, the conversation expands into the wider cannabis community, stigma, advocacy and Bill’s first real deep dive into the Australian cannabis industry.

And yes, somewhere along the way, we compared the cannabis industry to high school.

At its heart, this is a conversation about curiosity, education and the power of honest stories. About being willing to question what we’ve been taught, stay open to new ideas and, perhaps most importantly, hold onto a little bit of wonder along the way.

Chapters:

* Rapid Fire (2:45)

* Creativity, Curiosity and the Inner Child (16:36)

* Stop and Smell the Flowers (20:28)

* Why We Need to Talk About Cannabis Honestly (22:09)

* From “Bad News” to Curiosity (27:42)

* When “Too High” Becomes a Reality (32:00)

* What We Weren't Taught About Cannabis (35:35)

* The Problem With “Just Say No” (39:11)

* Where Is the Cannabis Industry When Change Is Happening? (41:25)

* Is There Stigma Inside the Cannabis Industry? (50:49)

* What Comes Next for Bill? (54:09)

* Be the Change You Want to See (56:38)

* You're Not Alone (58:03)

* Respect the Plant (59:04)

* Wrap Up (1:03:30)

Show Notes:

* Bill’s Drenched In Wonder Spotify Playlist

* Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

* World Domination Summit

* The Midnight Gospel

* This is your brain on drugs commercial

Where to Find Bill Simpson:

* @tapdancingbill on Instagram

* Bill on Facebook

* Drench In Wonder Website

Where to Find Christina:

* @AusCannaReviews on SubStack

* @AusCannaReviews on Instagram

* @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X

* 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question? Email [email protected]

* 💚 Want to support the podcast? Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast

In this episode of the AusCannaPodcast, I sit down with Jenny Hillam, one of the people who was willing to stand up and fight for cannabis patients long before doing so was easy, accepted, or particularly safe.

Jenny shares the story of how cannabis became part of her own life, how that led her into advocacy, and what happened when helping other people turned into something much bigger than she ever expected.

We talk about the early days of cannabis advocacy in Australia, making medicine when there was very little information available, the patients who came looking for help, and the moment the police came knocking.

Jenny also opens up about the legal battle that followed, facing the possibility of 18 years in prison, the decision to plead guilty, and the part of that experience she still struggles with today.

But this conversation goes well beyond Jenny’s story.

We talk about where Australian cannabis advocacy has come from, where it has fallen short, the importance of evidence, the role of patients, and what Jenny thinks needs to happen if we actually want to see meaningful change.

There are some stories you hear and move on from.

And some that stay with you.

I think Jenny’s is one of them.

Chapters:

* Rapid Fire (2:00)

* If You Don’t Try, You’ll Never Know (15:34)

* From Patient to Advocate (15:51)

* Figuring It Out When Nobody Would Tell Her How (18:16)

* “I Was Playing God” (26:27)

* When Helping People Came at a Cost (27:09)

* “If You Haven’t Got Haters, You’re Not Doing It Right” (31:49)

* The Raid (31:54)

* Eighteen Years, $300,000 and No Way Out (38:51)

* The Hardest Day of Her Life (41:51)

* Criminal, Pariah, Legend (43:34)

* Free the Fucking Plant (48:28)

* Stop Watching. Start Fighting (51:05)

* We Need to Support Each Other (54:20)

* What Jenny Wishes People Understood (55:01)

* Still Fighting (56:52)

* The Next Fight Is the Evidence (58:18)

* Get Mad. Get Involved. (61:25)

* Wrap Up (62:12)

Show Notes:

* Cannabis oil advocate Jenny Hallam spared conviction for supplying medicinal cannabis

* Norman Rockwell

Where to Find Guest:

* Jenny on Instagram

Where to Find Christina:

* @AusCannaReviews on SubStack

* @AusCannaReviews on Instagram

* @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X

* 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question? Email [email protected]

* 💚 Want to support the podcast? Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast

Most conversations about cannabis reform focus on policy.

This one focuses on people.

In this episode of the AusCannaPodcast, Christina McMullan sits down with Xavier Menta to explore the relationship between lived experience, advocacy, and political engagement and what it looks like when someone chooses to step beyond frustration and into participation.

Xavier shares how his journey through injury and recovery led him into the cannabis space, and eventually into grassroots organising, election campaigns, and community-led initiatives like The Grassroots Collective.

Rather than speaking about the system from the outside, this conversation looks at what happens when patients step inside it and the challenges, tensions, and opportunities that come with that.

This episode explores:🌿 The gap between patients and policy🗳️ Why cannabis reform requires more than observation🧠 What happens inside polling booths and election campaigns🤝 The role of community in shaping the future of cannabis in Australia

If you’re interested in where cannabis reform is heading, and the role individuals play in shaping it… This conversation offers a grounded, real-world perspective.

Chapters:

* Rapid Fire: Meet Xavier Menta (01:54)

* The Workplace Injury That Changed Everything (08:08)

* When the Painkillers Weren't Enough (14:32)

* Why Cannabis Changed Everything (20:47)

* From Recovery to Advocacy (27:15)

* What I Learned Working Election Booths (35:02)

* The Biggest Myth About Voting (43:26)

* Building The Grassroots Collective (50:41)

* Why Community Beats Complaining (57:18)

Show Notes:

* Sir Joseph Banks and the Question of Hemp by Dr John Giggins

* Kyla Canna Curious

* Daniel Let’s Budvocate

* Hemp Building Directory

* Anthony Bourdain Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

* The Grassroots Collective on Facebook

* The Grassroots Collective on Instagram

* The Grassroots Collective Email [email protected]

Where to Find Xavier:

* Xavier on Instagram

* Xavier on LinkedIn

* Xavier on Facebook

Where to Find Christina:

* @AusCannaReviews on SubStack

* @AusCannaReviews on Instagram

* @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X

* 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question? Email [email protected]

* 💚 Want to support the podcast? Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast

In this episode of The AusCannaPodcast, Christina sits down with Erick Englehart, founder of Buttheadz Grow Shop, Buttheadz Organic Soil, and the Buttheadz Growers Club, for a conversation that starts with living soil and grows into something much bigger.

From his early days growing in the era of brick weed to building a purpose-driven community, Erick shares how cannabis can be a tool for connection, education, and real impact. We talk soil health, cultivation misconceptions, and why what’s happening beneath the plant matters just as much as what’s above it.

But this isn’t just about growing cannabis. It’s about breaking stigma, supporting patients, building community gardens, and creating spaces where people can learn, connect, and give back. Erick’s work shows what cannabis culture can look like when it’s rooted in purpose, not just product.

This episode covers:🌱 Living soil and why it matters🧪 The biggest misconceptions in cannabis cultivation🤝 Building community through education and access💬 Challenging stigma and advocating for patients🎯 Growing with intention, not just yield

If you care about cannabis, community, or doing things differently, this one’s for you.

Chapters:

* Rapid Fire (2:44)

* From Brick Weed to Building a Movement (7:42)

* The Soil Secrets Most Growers Get Wrong (13:36)

* How a Grow Shop Became a Community (23:24)

* Cannabis Is Just the Vehicle (29:11)

* Why We Keep Fighting the Stigma (35:54)

* Teaching the Next Generation to Grow (41:35)

* The Best Crops for Beginner Gardeners (43:48)

* What’s Next for Buttheadz? (48:23)

* Wrap Up (51:30)

Show Notes:

* Crisco

* Southern Illinois University (SIU) cannabis science and horticulture courses

* SIU Hemp Cannabis Symposium

Where to Find Erick:

* Buttheadz Soil on TikTok

* Buttheadz Grow Shop on Instagram

* Buttheadz Organic Soil Company on LinkedIn

* Buttheadz on Facebook

* Buttheadz YouTube Channel

* Buttheadz Website

Where to Find Christina:

* @AusCannaReviews on SubStack

* @AusCannaReviews on Instagram

* @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X

* 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question? Email [email protected]

* 💚 Want to support the podcast? Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast

How often do you actually stop and think about why you’re using cannabis?

In this episode, Christina sits down with Daniel Robinson Croft, founder at Let’s Budvocate to explore something that doesn’t get talked about enough: the difference between intentional use and just doing what we’ve always done.

Because whether it’s chasing higher THC, sticking to the same habits, or not questioning our patterns… It’s easy to fall into autopilot without even realising it.

We get into:

* What intentional cannabis use actually looks like 🤔

* Why tolerance breaks don’t have to mean quitting cold turkey 🔄

* The role of harm reduction in everyday consumption 🛠️

* How stigma still shows up — even for people who use cannabis themselves 🧠

* And why learning to advocate for yourself as a patient really matters 🗣️

This isn’t about telling you what to do; it’s about giving you the tools to understand your own patterns and make decisions that actually work for you.

If you’ve ever found yourself going through the motions with your cannabis use… this one’s worth a listen. 🎧

Chapters:

* Rapid Fire (2:00)

* From Mental Health to Cannabis Advocacy (13:03)

* Why Cannabis Education Is Broken (17:43)

* Where Cannabis Stigma Comes From (19:20)

* Harm Reduction (What It Actually Means) (22:15)

* Tolerance Breaks Are Done Wrong (25:32)

* Can You Use Cannabis Daily Intentionally? (32:59)

* Are You Using on Autopilot? (34:02)

* Is Cannabis Helping You… or Not? (36:08)

* Why You Should Care About CBG, CBD & More (37:02)

* What’s Changing in Cannabis Right Now (39:32)

* The One Thing to Change After This Episode (41:23)

Show Notes:

* Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs by Johann Hari

* Does holding cannabis smoke in longer make a difference?

Where to Find Daniel Robinson Croft:

* Let’s Budvocate on Instagram

* Daniel on LinkedIn

* Let’s Budvocate Website

Where to Find Christina:

* @AusCannaReviews on SubStack

* @AusCannaReviews on Instagram

* @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X

* 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question? Email [email protected]

* 💚 Want to support the podcast? Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast

In this episode of the AusCannaPodcast, Christina sits down with Columbia University chemist and professor Colin P. Nuckolls and systems strategist Alec Koudijs to unpack a hard truth about medicinal cannabis.

👉 It is far less predictable than most people think.

Patients are often making decisions with limited information. Strain names, basic COAs, and a whole lot of trust. But even when the label is accurate, it still does not tell you how a product will actually affect you.

So why can two people take the same product and have completely different experiences?

🧠 This conversation explores metabolism, delivery methods, and the biology behind why cannabis behaves so differently from one person to the next.

🌿 Flower, oils, and edibles are not interchangeable. This episode breaks down what is happening in the body, including first-pass metabolism, and why oral products can feel delayed, inconsistent, or sometimes ineffective for certain patients.

⚡ The discussion then shifts into emerging approaches like nanotechnology, and what a faster onset and improved absorption could mean for predictability, control, and overall patient experience.

No scripts. No polished answers. Just an honest, science-informed conversation about what is actually happening beneath the surface, and what patients really need from modern cannabis medicine.

Chapters:

* Rapid Fire (3:00)

* Patient Reality: Limited Info & Blind Trust (7:00

* Cultivar Names vs Real Genetics (10:30)

* Trust vs COAs: What Matters (13:30

* Why Cannabis Affects Everyone Differently (17:00)

* Flower & Vaporisation Explained (20:00)

* You’re Not Just Consuming the Plant (25:30)

* Why Oils Are Inconsistent (30:00)

* When Oils Don’t Work (34:00)

* Edibles: Same Dose, Different Outcomes (37:30)

* First-Pass Metabolism Explained (42:30)

* What Is Nanotechnology? (46:30)

* Why Nano Works (50:30)

* Not All Nano Is Equal (55:00)

* Predictability & Dosing Control (58:30)

* The “Clean” Nano Experience (1:02:30)

* Future of Delivery Systems (1:06:30)

* Wrap Up (1:10:30)

Show Notes:

* Dr Adder Book

* Pink Boost Goddess

Where to Find Colin & Alec:

* Colin on LinkedIn

* Alec on LinkedIn

Where to Find Christina:

* @AusCannaReviews on SubStack

* @AusCannaReviews on Instagram

* @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X

* 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question? Email [email protected]

* 💚 Want to support the podcast? Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast