the lobsterpot< podcast

Lara Fordis’ job as a market researcher for cannabis brands means she regularly deep dives into consumer trends and retail data. But at a time when many brands are struggling to remain profitable – given market challenges – are they going about things the right way? What are they missing? We find out more.

Melanie Wentzel has quickly made a name for herself on the international cannabis scene since publishing her first book – Cannabis Queens – earlier this year. We hear more about her journey, her work in the Australian medical cannabis sector, her mission to empower women in cannabis, and what she’s planning next.

Britain’s medical cannabis community continues to face all kinds of stigma: from all sections of society. But a new organisation’s been set up to support patients when authorities challenge their consumption. We meet Callum Jones, the founder of CannCare.

Barry ‘Flash’ Foy’s reputation precedes him. With his team Gentlemen Smugglers, throughout the 80s this hardy crew were behind some of the most daring and outlandish covert cannabis runs. Some 40 years later, after time served, they’re now operating in America’s adult use market. But is that any easier than trying to evade six different federal agencies? We speak to Barry Foy and Thomas Cutler to find out more.

Actor Steinunn Olina is a familiar face in her native Iceland – as was her late husband, Stefán Karl Stefánsson, who entertained a generation of kids around the world as Robbie Rotten in popular children’s TV show, LazyTown. Although initially skeptical about using cannabis as medicine, as she nursed her husband, Steinunn developed a strong affinity for the plant as she witnessed firsthand the difference it made to his quality of life. We hear her story.

As Founder and CEO of Somai Pharmaceuticals, Michael Sassano heads up one of the world’s leading vertically integrated Multi-Country cannabis companies. We hear more about the opportunities he sees as Europe’s cannabis markets open up.

The Scandinavian island nation of Iceland is known for smoke… just not the cannabis kind. But that’s changing, thanks to the efforts of organisations like the Icelandic Hemp Association, the body behind the recent Hemp 4 Future event, held in Reykjavik in October 2024. We chat with the event’s co-founder, Thorunn “Tóta” Jonsdottir, to find out what progress is being made.

Many tech people know about blockchain technology. Some have even heard of ‘DAOs’ (Decentralised Autonomous Organisations) but these things are still relatively new to the cannabis sector. But UK-based DAO, Plantz, sees the value in building a network this way. We catch up with co-founders Neil Cartwright and Sophie East to understand how this all works.

Reducing the stigma around cannabis means educating people about the plant and its effects. While many regulators are focused on harm reduction, with cannabis, there isn’t much ‘harm’ to ‘reduce’– compared to alcohol, opioids, and other substances. 

Over in Canada, Prof Daniel Bear from Humber College, is behind an PSA initiative to promote knowledge and normalize safe consumption: Mindful Consumption and Benefit Maximization (MCBM). We find out more.

The UK’s best known wellness and plant medicine expo, Product Earth, is back for 2024 – this time with a new London venue. We catch up with the show’s co-founder, Gavin Sathianathan, to find out what’s new for this year’s event.