The Cannabis Connection

Tom Jenkins author of "The Next Run A UC Berkeley Student's Rise To Major 60s Pot Smuggler". Tom starts by smuggling pot hidden in cars, graduates to planes, resorts to waking sacks through the Rio Grande, and ultimately finds himself heading the Colombian end of an operation with a twin-engine cargo plane dropping bales to waiting speedboats off the coast of Florida. At the same time, his Mexican contacts are sending him tons at a time transported in semis past a bribed customs official. Tom's next move stuns the smuggling world.

Dr. Riley Kirk is a cannabis research scientist and a cannabis educator. She obtained her Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences, specializing in natural product chemistry where she studied the traditional and contemporary uses of hundreds of medicinal plants. She has worked as an immunology scientist in the biotech industry, currently is an assistant associate professor at the University of Rhode Island and works in the cannabis industry on the medicinal value of the chemical synergies within the plant. 

Riley is the co-founder of the cannabis research and education non-profit called the Network of Applied Pharmacognosy (NAP). NAP is using science as advocacy to research and communicate findings that highlight the unique power of natural products. The goal of Riley’s work is to unite people in the Cannabis industry, academia, and consumers to further the reach of Cannabis education and reduce harm.

Earth Rhythm
Santa Cruz-based cultivators. Established in 2018, we are focused on quality, small-batch, Soil-Grown loved-up Cannabis, working with the best genetics and community to provide the best cannabis to the people.

Fuego Family Farms
Santa Cruz cannabis cultivators in living soils with the finest genetics. A small collaborative of Santa Cruz cannabis farmers who have grown, bred, loved, and consumed cannabis plants for most of their adult lives. We have meticulously developed a system of cultivation and care that brings each plant to its full potential—featuring exotic cultivars that will blow you away.

Today on the show we welcome Seba Beca of @greenmagicyoga to discuss all things psychedelic, technology and AI, ethics and safety, music + more. 
Seba (he, him) is a licensed psychotherapist based in Santa Cruz, specializing in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. Seba has trained with CIIS, Polaris and other medicine communities as well as in Gestalt Therapy and incorporates mindfulness, ecotherapy and somatic awareness practices as a means to support clients and groups heal from trauma, depression and anxiety. Seba is co-founder of Green Magic Yoga, a local yoga studio and psychedelic community focused on the healing power of Cannabis. He is also the executive director of the Santa Cruz Psychedelic Society, a non-profit organization and community of psychonauts interested in exploring and expanding the safe use of psychedelics for mental health and the betterment of well people. They organize Psychedelic First Fridays, Microdosing Hikes and Peer Integration Circles.

Javiera “Javi” Kostner (she/her) is an Advanced Therapeutic Yoga teacher, Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapist & Guide, Breathwork Facilitator and Coach. Specializing in Trauma Recovery Yoga and Mindfulness-Based Somatic practices, and cannabis specialist, Javi is a Ganja Yoga training lead and steward. Her sessions are infused with cannabis, community, relaxing vibes, grounded spirituality, and a touch of Latino spice. Originally from Chile, Javiera is a bilingual cannabis guide, and group facilitator.

In 2019, Javi, along with her husband Seba, founded Green Magic Yoga. Their mission is to bring together mindfulness, psychedelic healing, and yoga to foster holistic wellness. Both trained by the Center for Medicinal Mindfulness, noe training leads for Psychedelic Guide Training, they lead monthly Conscious Cannabis circles in the Bay Area and online.

Additionally, Javi serves as the Community & Event Coordinator for the Santa Cruz Psychedelic Society, offering Psychedelic Integration, Microdosing Hikes and Psychedelic First Fridays.

Jesse Daniel has been a well respected name within traditional country music fans for years. Known for his relentless work ethic, roaring live shows and true to life songwriting, he has earned his place among the heavy hitters of today’s industry. The California native is blazing the trail for a new wave of traditional artists, bringing his kind of country music to stages all over the world. With three full length studio records and a newly released live album, he continues to rival the greats of the genre with his level of creative output. There are many making traditional country music in modern times, but there is no one making it like Daniel; his sound is uniquely his own, while rooted in the tradition of his Bakersfield heroes like Merle Haggard and Buck Owens.His new single titled “Workin’ Hard (Day and Night)” is a tip of the hat to Merle and is prominently featured on Netflix as the theme music for comic Dusty Slay’s new comedy special “Workin’ Man”. Jesse and his band have an extensive US and European tour booked for 2024 and there is no telling where this new year may take him.

This week on The Cannabis Connection show we debut our first local showcase of Santa Cruz restaurants to enjoy starting with Watsonville's traditional Japanese Restaurant Miyuki. We welcome Paul Tashiro on the show to shed light on Japanese culture, traditional dishes and history of Miyuki.

Paul Tashiro is the new owner and executive chef of Miyuki Japanese Restaurant, in Watsonville, California. Miyuki has been in business since 1982! Miyuki has generations of families that have been dining at Miyuki since 1982. Miyuki’s traditions, its legacy menu, and its entire staff will all remain the same!

In 2018, Paul retired from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office after 31 years of service. He is a local kid raised in Watsonville and currently resides in Las Vegas, NV. His retired journey started out learning how to be a sushi chef at Imura Japanese Restaurant in Watsonville.

Today on the show we welcome ⁠@safaamodir⁠ of ⁠@thebaytals⁠ another installment in our ⁠#santacruz⁠⁠#music⁠⁠#community⁠⁠#showcase⁠. Safaa Modir is a San Jose based musician and leader of the Bay Area Reggae & Ska band The Baytals. As a cannabis enthusiast, he is passionate about the healing potential of the plant for psychological & mental afflictions that he believes are at the roots of humanity’s struggles.⁠#roots⁠⁠#music⁠⁠#831⁠⁠#thecannabisconnectionshow⁠⁠#smileygreen⁠⁠#talkradio⁠⁠#theaterofthemind⁠⁠#connection⁠⁠#reason⁠⁠#culture⁠

We explore these themes: 

-Music in the home

-Sublime & Santa Cruz 

- The Baytals 

-Inception of Ancestree

-Know your history

-Karma & Dharma

-Faith & Love

-One Drop Wednesdays

-Jams to support Santa Cruz Music Community

-Come Together