When a regulator asks what the downside is of adding one more testing requirement, what is the downside? Just a little more safe. Just in case. Especially when adding one more item to an already exhaustive testing panel.

That logic is how licensed cannabis markets end up buried under compliance layers copied from other states, calibrated to someone else's problems.

It is also exactly how two adjacent markets with nearly identical consumer bases, Ohio and Michigan, ended up with completely different market structures.

 What they do not share is regulatory philosophy. When one state watches another add a rule and asks itself whether it should do the same, the answer it lands on shapes the entire cost structure of every licensed operator inside its borders. Ohio learned to ask the follow-up question. Most states never do.

Ohio closed the intoxicating hemp loophole on March 20th, ahead of the federal government, and those shops are starting to close. The next unlock may already be here: THC beverages reaching the customers who will never walk into a dispensary, sold at the restaurant down the street.

This week we sit down with Caroline Henry, VP of Government and Regulatory Affairs at Buckeye Relief.

Chapters

00:00 The Disconnect in Cannabis Perception

03:12 Navigating Stigma and Misconceptions

05:48 Regulatory Challenges and Industry Standards

08:55 Building Relationships with Regulators

11:54 Small Wins in Regulatory Negotiations

15:02 The Impact of Over-Regulation

17:48 Child-Resistant Packaging and Its Irony

25:38 Navigating Regulatory Challenges in the Cannabis Industry

26:00 The Role of Beverages in Reducing Stigma

30:37 Learning from Michigan: Ohio's Cannabis Strategy

39:31 Focusing on Ohio: The Case for Local Expertise

44:00 The Realities of Working in the Cannabis Industry

Guest Links

Our Links:

Bryan Fields on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast 

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube:  The Dime

📸 Instagram:  The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The cannabis industry convinced the world it had a medicine before the science caught up. Now the science is here, and almost no one is paying attention.

CBD is not a panacea. When Charlotte's Web opened hearts and minds, the messaging of what it could do ran years ahead of what the data could actually support. That gap created a backlash the legitimate medical thesis didn't deserve. What's left on the other side of the green rush is a near-complete forgetting of the reason this industry started in the first place. The medicine. Now the infrastructure to prove it is finally in place. Standardized genetics. Reproducible extraction. Full compound characterization. An FDA botanical drug pathway that has existed since 2016 that most investors have never heard of. Organic medicine versus synthetic single-molecule will be a real choice at the pharmacy counter sooner than most people expect. The foundational work is already here.

This week we sit down with Joel Stanley and Dr. Marcel Bonn-Miller:

Chapters

00:00 Why Medical Validation Remains a Challenge for Cannabis

00:12 The FDA Approval Process for Plant-Based Medicines

01:03 Historical Market Dynamics and Their Impact on Cannabis Perception

02:48 Removing the Veil: How Science Can Validate Cannabinoid Therapies

03:15 The Complexity of Plant Molecules and Real-World Evidence

06:20 Focus in Drug Development: The Case of Autism Spectrum Disorder

07:10 The Impact of Charlotte's Web and Media Hype

08:52 Balancing Hype and Reality in Cannabinoid Medicine

10:01 Legitimization of Cannabis Research in Academia

12:10 The Evolution of Cannabis Research and Acceptance

13:54 The Future of Botanical Medicine and Academic Research

16:15 The Long Road of Drug Development for Cannabis-Based Medicines

20:50 Introducing AJA-001: A Botanical Drug for Autism

22:44 Standardization and Characterization of Botanical Drugs

24:01 Partnerships and Funding in Botanical Drug Development

24:40 Challenges of Multi-Compound Botanical Drugs

27:28 Reproducibility and Quality Control in Botanical Manufacturing

29:06 FDA Pathways for Botanical Drugs and New Chemical Entities

34:29 Identifying and Characterizing Thousands of Plant Compounds

39:48 The Role of AI and Supercomputing in Drug Discovery

41:11 Balancing Exploration and Focus in Botanical Research

44:38 What the World Will Understand About Cannabinoids in 10 Years

47:24 The Promise of Botanical Medicine Over Single Molecule Drugs

Guest Links:

AJNA Biosciences Website
https://ajnabiosciences.com/

AJNA Biosciences LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ajna-biosciences/posts/?feedView=all

AJNA Biosciences Instagram

Charlotte’s Web Website
https://www.charlottesweb.com/

Charlotte’s Web LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/charlottesweb/posts/?feedView=all

Charlotte’s Web Instagram

Joel Stanley LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-stanley-2885116b/

Joel Stanley Instagram

Dr. Marcel Bonn-Miller LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-bonn-miller-897a581/

Our Links:

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast 

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube:  The Dime

📸 Instagram:  The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The number in your head and the number you actually need are not the same number. That gap is where most cannabis businesses break.

Joe Lustberg has financed operators across the country for years and watched that gap swallow businesses that looked fine on paper. He has also spent over two years paying rent on a Hamptons dispensary he cannot open because a municipality tried to rezone his property out from under him. The person telling you to build in 1.5X as your burn capital cushion has been living inside exactly the scenario he warns everyone about.

When the lender financing your industry has lived the same nightmare, the advice changes.

This week we sit down with Joe Lustberg,  to discuss the following 

Chapters

00:00 Navigating the Cannabis Landscape: A Personal Journey

02:51 Understanding the Financial Risks in Cannabis Operations

06:01 The Importance of Burn Capital for Cannabis Startups

09:02 Lending Dynamics in the Cannabis Industry

11:55 Market Trends and the Future of Cannabis Financing

14:51 The Impact of Rescheduling on Cannabis Operators

18:01 Identifying Strong Operators in a Competitive Market

21:05 Evaluating Financial Health: Key Indicators for Success

26:01 Evaluating Limited Markets: The Ohio Perspective

28:24 Navigating Unique Financing Requests

29:12 Surprising Success Stories in Cannabis Financing

32:04 The Importance of Experience in New Ventures

35:46 Identifying Undervalued Markets in Cannabis

38:00 The Future of Cannabis Markets and Interstate Commerce

Guest Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-lustberg-23076722

Our Links:

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast 

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube:  The Dime

📸 Instagram:  The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cannabis operators aren't short on data. They're drowning in it. The real problem is what happens when that data gets handed to the wrong person, read at the wrong time, or used to justify the wrong decision. Overproduction cycles, steep discounting, margin pressure building back into manufacturing: most of that traces back to data being used reactively instead of as a decision guidance tool.

Layer on the reality of multi-state operations where every market runs a different system, tracks different items, and reports differently. Making sense of what the numbers are actually saying across that footprint isn't just a technology problem. It's an interpretation problem with real financial consequences.

Think of it like a compass that's slightly off calibrated. Over a short distance, no one notices. Across 15 facilities and hundreds of SKUs, you end up miles from where you intended.

This week we sit down with Braunz Muller, to discuss the following 

Chapter

00:00 Data Problems in Cannabis Manufacturing

12:50 The Complexity of Decision-Making

20:31 Dynamic SOPs in Extraction

30:14 Balancing Flexibility and Control in Operations

32:08 Empowering Operators Within Structured Systems

35:03 The Importance of Data in Extraction

39:27 Understanding Yield and Efficiency

43:00 Closing the Loop in Extraction Processes

48:40 Optimizing Cultivation for Better Efficiency

54:04 Auditing for Efficiency in Manufacturing

56:51 The Future of Hydrocarbon Extraction Knowledge

Guest Links:

linkedin.com/in/braunz-muller-98382018b

Our Links:

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast 

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube:  The Dime

📸 Instagram:  The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A customer walks into the dispensary and asks the budtender for a flower recommendation.

They end up with a degraded version of the once high-end flower that graced your cultivation floor. They do not know it. Your brand took the blame.

Ed Rosenthal, the most referenced name in cannabis cultivation history, says the cannabis supply chain has a freshness problem that starts in the dry room and compounds at every handoff. The smell of your drying room that everyone loves walking into? Those are your terpenes leaving the building.

This week we sit down with Ed Rosenthal and Greg Baughman to discuss:

How Canada already solved this

Chapters

00:00 The Freshness Debate: Cannabis vs. Produce

03:01 Consumer Awareness and Dispensary Practices

05:55 Post-Harvest Processing: Ensuring Quality and Consistency

08:59 Innovations in Freeze-Drying Cannabis

11:48 The Science Behind Freeze-Drying: A Deeper Dive

14:52 Testing and Refining the Freeze-Drying Process

17:54 The Future of Cannabis Processing: Quality and Efficiency

28:28 Post-Harvest Efficiency and Cost Reduction

30:26 Cultivation Methods and Labor Costs

35:09 Crisis Management and Industry Change

39:22 Market Maturity and Operational Efficiencies

43:00 Future of Cannabis Cultivation

47:04 Innovations in Drying and Curing Processes

52:46 Consumer Perception and Quality Assurance

Guest Links:

Our Links:

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast 

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube:  The Dime

📸 Instagram:  The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The largest payment processor in the world handles cannabis in Canada. In the U.S., they will not touch it. That’s the gap.

Aubrey Amatelli left JP Morgan believing that if you followed the rules, aligned with card brand requirements, and structured things correctly, you could build a compliant, stable payment product. Then came Mastercard shutdowns, a failed tech partner that cost six figures, and a stretch where 5,000 dispensaries lost payment access in a matter of weeks. What came out of that was a different approach to building in cannabis. Redundancy is not a feature. It is the product.

This week we sit down with Aubrey Amatelli to discuss the following:

Chapters

00:00 Navigating the Cannabis Payment Landscape

02:55 Understanding Payment Processing Challenges

05:57 Building Redundancies in Payment Solutions

09:02 The Impact of Federal Legislation on Payments

12:08 Consumer Education and Payment Solutions

15:03 Product Development and Market Needs

18:02 The Evolving Nature of Cannabis Payments

21:28 Navigating Cannabis Payment Solutions

22:12 The Rise of Cryptocurrency in Alternative Medicine

26:36 The Future of Cannabis Banking and Federal Legalization

30:22 AI's Role in Payment Processing

33:57 Understanding Payment Processing Challenges in Cannabis

37:10 The Importance of Average Ticket Growth

Guest Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aubreyamatelli/

https://payrio.co/

Our Links

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast 

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube:  The Dime

📸 Instagram:  The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Politics is a dirty business. Sometimes being feared is the influence you need because access is not the problem.

Politicians say "we'll take care of this." Gretchen Gailey has a different approach: stab them in the back, push them down the stairs, and take credit for the fall. It's time to put fear behind cannabis.

She spent 20 years on Capitol Hill. She's watched cannabis show up once a year for fly-ins, throw money at the wrong politicians, and wonder why nothing changes. This episode breaks down why incrementalism is the only path, why banking matters more than you think, and why the industry needs to stop picking out curtains when it hasn't built a basement.

This week we sit down with Gretchen Gailey:

Timestamps:

00:00 - The industry's fundamental misunderstanding about Washington politics

02:35 - Challenges with incrementalism versus desire for rapid change

04:47 - Supporting pro-cannabis politicians like Cynthia Loomis

06:45 - The role of education and public awareness campaigns

10:06 - Building a basic regulatory foundation: banking, safe products, and rescheduling

13:23 - The limitations of state-led models and the need for federal coordination

15:50 - The importance of transparency and federal standards for consumer safety

18:43 - The influence of political operatives and the importance of direct advocacy

22:51 - Using industry tools and data to inform policy and educate policymakers

26:15 - The significance of Congressional engagement and how to make cannabis an urgent issue

30:10 - The importance of political will and executive orders in advancing reform

34:40 - The disconnects within Washington and how industry can better influence policy

37:19 - Opportunities in leveraging symbolism like Veterans issues and Congressional events

41:14 - The disconnect between access and influence, and how to effectively make the case

44:40 - The necessity of creative strategies, public pressure, and celebrity involvement

50:21 - Successful stories: case of Cory Booker and the impact of direct constituent advocacy

52:16 - Final thoughts: how to stay engaged and educate the industry and policymakers

Summary: 

In this episode, Gretchen Gailey shares over 20 years of experience navigating Washington's complex cannabis legislation. We explore how industry players can effectively engage with policymakers, the importance of foundational regulations, and strategies to accelerate federal progress on cannabis reform.

Guest Links:

Our Links

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast 

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube:  The Dime

📸 Instagram:  The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Investing in cannabis requires a split personality.

Everyone thinks they're early. Dan McDermitt has been trading the sector for 15 years — through the Canadian boom, the Biden promise, and the slow bleed that followed. His take: if you've been through multiple pump-and-dump cycles, you're not early anymore. You're just still here.

This is a masterclass in separating trader psychology from fundamental conviction. Dan explains why he keeps a small position just to stay seated, why he already knows he'll sell early on the next catalyst, and why the moment everybody's talking about cannabis on Wall Street Bets is the moment you size up — not before.

This week we sit down with Dan McDermitt:

Chapters

00:00 The Catalyst Dilemma in Cannabis

03:03 Trading Strategies and Market Positioning

05:48 Understanding Trader vs. Fundamentalist Perspectives

08:46 The Unique Nature of MSOS Trading

11:51 Market Dynamics and Trading Psychology

15:03 The Role of Uplisting and Rescheduling

18:08 Long-Term Perspectives in a Volatile Market

21:04 Risk Management and Trading Mindset

23:51 The Impact of AI on Trading Strategies

 Summary

In this conversation, Bryan Fields and Dan McDermitt discuss the current state of the cannabis market, focusing on the challenges and opportunities within the sector. They explore the impact of potential rescheduling and uplisting on cannabis stocks, the differences between trading and fundamental analysis, and the unique trading dynamics of MSOS. Dan shares insights on risk management, trading psychology, and the influence of AI on trading strategies, emphasizing the importance of adapting to market conditions while maintaining a disciplined approach.

Guest Links:

Our Links

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast 

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube:  The Dime

📸 Instagram:  The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most cannabis companies chased scale. Rubicon chased quality.

What does it actually take to build a premium cannabis brand? Trust sits behind what “premium” really means, why consumers only give brands one chance, how Rubicon evaluates resource capacity and audits operations, and why Europe could become the next meaningful opportunity for their trusted brands.

This week we sit down with Margaret Brodie, CEO of Rubicon Organics:

• Why premium cannabis starts with flower

Chapters

00:00 Quality Over Quantity in Cannabis

02:58 Building a Premium Cannabis Brand

05:47 Operational Excellence and Team Culture

09:04 The Pursuit of Continuous Improvement

11:45 Understanding Consumer Trust and Brand Loyalty

14:45 Strategic Decision-Making in Cannabis

18:06 Navigating Industry Challenges and Opportunities

27:55 Navigating the Fast-Paced Cannabis Industry

29:13 Investment Priorities for Growth

31:43 Strategic Market Expansion and Brand Development

35:08 Building a Lasting Brand in Cannabis

37:20 Learning from International Markets

40:56 Balancing Speed and Quality in Growth

42:51 Understanding Consumer Dynamics

46:06 Honoring the Legacy Market

49:30 Reflecting on the Journey and Future of Cannabis

Guest Links

https://www.instagram.com/rubiconorganics/

https://www.rubiconorganics.com/

https://x.com/RubiconOrganics

Our Links 

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast 

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube:  The Dime

📸 Instagram:  The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When California legalized cannabis, did anyone see 70% of the state opting out. Retail access never recovered. The illicit market stayed durable. And taxes kept compounding pressure on operators. Micah Anderson, CEO of LEEF Brands, explains how local bans strengthened the illicit market, why pesticide drift can wipe out millions in product, and why he is rebuilding a recovery and wellness push with NBA player Jimmy Butler.

This week we sit down with Micah Anderson:

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: California Cannabis Market Challenges

00:31 Prop 64: A Poorly Executed Initiative

01:38 Local Politics and Industry Complexity

02:28 Fixing California Cannabis Policy

03:23 Industry Engagement and Advocacy

04:02 Reevaluating Prop 64 and Market Structure

05:02 Offense vs Defense in Industry Strategy

06:28 Changing Public Perception and Policy Reform

07:36 Industry Regulation and Taxation Issues

08:07 The Role of Advocacy and Industry Voice

09:19 Hindsight and Lessons Learned

10:41 Industry Participation in Policy Making

11:26 CBD and Medical Cannabis Opportunities

12:17 Brand Revival and Market Expansion

13:16 Supply Chain and Cultivation Strategies

14:09 Innovations in Wellness and Recovery Products

15:40 Educational Campaigns and Consumer Awareness

16:39 Research and Clinical Studies in Cannabis

17:08 Regulatory Barriers and Opportunities in Cultivation

18:12 Operational Challenges and Solutions

19:36 Medical Cannabis and Future Legislation

20:29 Supply Chain Management and Quality Control

21:31 Entry of New Participants and Industry Diversification

22:29 Market Expansion and Interstate Commerce

23:24 Pesticide Scrutiny as Industry Moat

24:22 Industry's Role in Consumer Safety and Transparency

25:29 Understanding Pesticide Regulations and Organic Standards

26:55 Supply Chain Variability and Farm Management

28:25 Cost and Efficiency in Cultivation

29:55 Sampling and Testing Challenges

31:33 Expanding Beyond California

33:50 Complexities of Concentrate Production

36:33 Yield Variability and Cultivation Nuances

38:20 Product Development and Customer Collaboration

40:54 Demand Planning and Market Forecasting

42:08 Data-Driven Decision Making in Extraction

44:24 Margins, Product Mix, and Client Relationships

45:47 Market Entry Strategies and Expansion

47:43 Future of Cannabis and International Markets

48:39 Bitcoin and Cannabis: An Evolving Relationship

51:30 Cryptocurrency as a Business Strategy

53:53 Future of Automation and Robotics in Cannabis Production

55:41 Contact and Follow-up

Guest links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/micah-anderson-leef/

https://leefbrands.com/about/

  Resources

Our Links

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast 

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube:  The Dime

📸 Instagram:  The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.