The Green Peak

Psychedelics Legalization and Investment as Richard Zwicky welcomes Dustin Robinson, Managing Principal of Iter Investments, Founding Partner of Mr. Cannabis Law and Co-Founder of Mr. Psychedelic Law.

Dustin Robinson, Esq., CPA, is managing principal of psychedelics venture capital firm Iter Investments; founding partner of psychedelics and cannabis law firm Mr. Cannabis Law; and co-founder of psychedelics non-profit Mr. Psychedelic Law; for your consideration on any stories that you may working on.

Robinson’s venture capital firm is an investor in MAPS and has worked closely with the organization, and his law firm represents many clinics and therapists that are planning to use MDMA once approved.

As a starting point, Robinson said, “MAPS PBC New Drug Application submission to the FDA is a tremendous milestone for the psychedelic industry. It is the first NDA submission for psychedelic therapy and brings us one step closer to a paradigm shift in mental health. My expected timeline is FDA approval around August 2024; DEA approval by end of 2024; first patient dosed by mid-2025; private insurance coverage by the end of 2025; and MDMA-Assisted Therapy at scale in 2026. With MAPS PBC Phase 3 trial results demonstrating a significant improvement over current medicines for PTSD, I expect MDMA-Assisted Therapy to be a game-changer for veterans and others suffering from PTSD

In a historic move, Australia has become the first country to prescribe MDMA and psilocybin for PTSD and depression. Join your host, Richard Zwicky, as he sits down with the inspirational Tania de Jong AM, a multifaceted personality—singer, businesswoman, and social entrepreneur. Together with Peter Hunt, Tania co-founded Mind Medicine Australia, a registered charity pioneering the use of regulatory-approved psychedelic medicines for mental health.

Discover the mission of Mind Medicine Australia, acting as the central hub connecting academia, government, medical practitioners, technology, philanthropy, and culture. Dive into the innovative approaches to treating mental health and promoting psychological well-being through the development of these groundbreaking medicines.

Richard Zwicky speaks with David Miller, the CEO of FlowGardens. David shares his background, transitioning from the financial and accounting space to the cannabis industry. He discusses how being in a state like Tennessee, which currently doesn't legally allow marijuana or cannabis production, has led FlowGardens to focus on alternative cannabinoids and unique genetics development. David emphasizes the importance of consumer education regarding these alternative cannabinoids and mentions specific ones like CBC, THCV, and CBDV.

The conversation touches on studies supporting the potential health benefits of alternative cannabinoids, particularly CBG and CBC in combating cancer and having anti-inflammatory characteristics. David highlights the challenge of consumer education in a market that tends to focus on high THC percentages. He also discusses the need for presenting consumers with options that offer a more holistic approach to medicinal use, considering various cannabinoids' potential benefits.

The interview also explores how Tennessee's regulatory landscape differs from other states, creating opportunities for FlowGardens to innovate and potentially sell products in non-legal states. David expresses optimism about the evolving market in Tennessee despite its current restrictions, and the conversation ends with a mention of the state's governor not being very favorable toward the cannabis industry in the past.

Germany's Cabinet has passed a landmark bill legalizing cannabis. Richard Zwicky speaks with Niklas Kouparanis, Co-Founder and CEO of Bloomwell Group, a leading European cannabis company based in Frankfurt and a holding company for medical cannabis businesses and brands in Germany about the pivotal legislation.

The reclassification of cannabis, which in the future will no longer be considered a narcotic even when it’s prescribed for medicinal purposes, also has a great deal of significance. This will be a milestone for doctors, patients and all other industry participants. The course has been set for better medical care and growth within the medical cannabis sector. By removing the bureaucratic hurdles associated with previously classifying cannabis as a narcotic, the legislation forecasts that pharmaceutical wholesalers trading medicinal cannabis can save an average of 2.3 million Euros annually. In the case of medical practices, the legislation estimates that the compliance costs will be reduced by around 719,000 Euros per year. This increase in efficiency will also benefit the patients, who will have access to medicinal cannabis at more affordable price points.

Richard Zwicky speaks with Erin Prosk, President and Co-founder of Sante Cannabis and Sora Care. Sante Cannabis is the only no-fee medical cannabis service covered by Quebec's public health insurance.

She is considered a pioneer in her efforts to help Quebecers access medical cannabis. Now, she is looking to improve accessibility to medical cannabis for patients across Canada with the launch of Sora Care, of which she is also President and Co-founder.

Cannabis Sustainability and Environmental Impact Examined as Richard welcomes Eloisa Lewis, the Founder of New Climate Culture discuss all of the variables that include water issues, energy usage, plastic pollution and more.

A climate scientist and founder of New Climate Culture, Lewis leads a think tank that designs “disaster-proof” human environments using biomimicry and low-cost, high-yield protocols.

Richard Zwicky welcomes Roy Bingham (Co-Founder and CEO) and Michael Arrington (Principal Analyst) of BDSA to share their recent forecast update on Which States Will Drive Cannabis Industry Growth in the U.S.

According to their update, the legal United States cannabis market is expected to grow 12% by the end of 2023, reaching $29.6 billion. By 2027, the U.S. is forecast to deliver $45 billion in total legal sales. The total global legal cannabis industry is predicted to reach $36.7 billion in 2023 (with 80% of sales from U.S. markets), growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13% from 2022 to 2027.

Richard speaks with a brand strategist who made the transition from the Plant Based Protein Space into Cannabis. Dean Harris, the Co-Founder and CMO of TabBrands.

Dean Harris has an extensive background building brands and businesses. He has served as the Head of Marketing/Chief Marketing Officer for HotJobs, Vonage, Kayak, kgb and BlueCava, Three of these brands went public and two were acquired. Before his CMO work, he co-founded and ran a full-service ad agency in New York City and Connecticut with accounts that included: Coca-Cola, J&J, Citi and Sotheby’s.

Richard Zwicky speaks with Dan Mondello, co-founder and CEO at Rank Really High, specializing Full Service Web Marketing and Development for Cannabis Brands.

The company’s customized solutions include Native E-Commerce Websites, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), SEO Strategy, Google My Business Optimization (GMB), Analytics and Reporting, and more. Through conversion focused websites, and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and SEM compliant campaigns, Rank Really High creates high conversion dispensary websites designed to drive organic search traffic and reach cannabis dispensary buyers. Dan's background draws from the automotive industry and he can discuss strategies and marketing tactics cannabis companies can utilize that mimic big box retailers like Walmart and Target.

Richard Zwicky welcomes MariMed's cofounder and new CEO Jon Levine about the MSO which has a strong presence in Massachusetts, Ohio and Illinois, as well as emerging markets like Maryland and Missouri.

While most MSOs are scuttling for brand equity and sales in prominent, oversaturated markets, MariMed has strategically built out its operations in locations that have been traditionally underserved. Through careful market research and planning, the company has excelled in building its presence in promising emerging markets ahead of the curve and building out and aligning its vertical operations effectively.

While other MSOs are constantly shuffling their consumer brands and SKUs, MariMed's brands are time-tested and new products brought to market are intentional and innovative. Also, MariMed has avoided a lot of the price compression that has plagued the industry over the past year-plus. Of note, MariMed’s Nature’s Heritage  flower remains the #1 selling flower in Massachusetts and prices have not decreased.