The Hash: Recent Episodes
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Now fueled by Leafly.com, The Hash is a weekly podcast delivering a concentrated mix of cannabis news and culture.
Look out for our new season, launching January 8th, 2019, on Leafly.com!
This is a recording of the Montana DoR hearing on proposed cannabis advertising rules. The recording has not been edited. The original file was in a format inaccessible to most users.
Read more: https://mtcannabisreview.substack.com/
In our season finale, David meets up with the enigmatic founder and CEO of Puffco, Roger Volodarsky, for an intimate conversation about the role psychedelics have played in shaping his iconic vaporizers, as well as his outlook on life.
No matter where you live in America, the marginalization of people - based on their appearance, age, beliefs - persists, and distorts the way we treat one another. Virgie Tovar, the author of “You Have the Right to Remain Fat,” is seeking to change that. Virgie travels all over the country speaking about body image and the effects of weight based discrimination, as well as providing online and in-person mentoring.
Virgie also happens to be a fan of what she calls “Ye Oldie cannabis.”
In this episode we’re going to learn about how the history of fat activism curiously parallels the cannabis industry, hear some of Virgie’s wild experiences with cannabis and discover how it influences both her work and her identity.
“What weed does is it allows me to kind of like settle into my body and as a fat person who has been taught to feel disembodied, it's a powerful experience," she says.
For more information about Virgie’s work, including her online course Lose Hate Not Weight Babecamp, her Camp Thunder Thighs retreat and her upcoming book Flawless: Radical Body Positivity for Girls of Color, check out https://www.virgietovar.com/
Last week, Leafly's David Downs and Bruce Barcott released a groundbreaking research paper that looks at the data around three huge myths about cannabis legalization: that it contributes to more crime and more teen use, and that it kills property values.
But is that what the data actually says?
Listen in as David and Max chat about the process behind their research paper, the details of the team's findings and what we can all do to enact change in counties that have banned legalization.
Few people realize that the war on marijuana involves more than just arrests and jail time. Often, it breaks up families.
Coming on the heels of Mothers Day, this episode of the Hash looks at situations in which moms aren’t free to use cannabis. Both in New York City and throughout the US, pregnant moms often get tested for cannabis without their permission; young mothers can lose their newborns to agencies like NYC’s Administration for Children’s Services, or in divorce courts over safe use of marijuana.
We caught up with WNYC public radio reporter Yasmeen Khan, who has been investigating the staggering rates at which children are separated from their parents in NYC because of cannabis use and other circumstances, to hear more about the women affected by this draconian policy.
We’re 18 months into legal weed sales in California and sales are popping! More than 600 licensed stores, 150 delivery services, and 1,500 farms are in operation; the state made $600M in tax revenue last year, and is on the way to raking in a cool billion dollars a year in taxes. And we’ve just got started.
But things are also turbulent. The market is shuddering. Heavy, heavy regulations and taxes bear down on cannabis for the first time. It’s causing anguish among suppliers. Nowadays, the farm license paperwork alone runs 44 pages, with fees that top out at $44,000 per year.
So we sat down with California’s number one regulator, Lori Ajax, chief of the Bureau of Cannabis Control to chat about what consumers and industry can expect this year.
Ajax, and BCC spokesperson, Alex Traverso, dished to me on-stage at the International Cannabis Business Conference in San Francisco this January. Listen along for the latest on Golden State cannabis testing, child-proofing, legal delivery, and new stores.
- David Downs
Although cannabis legislation is now being proposed across the country at a steady clip, it can be easy to forget that the first calls for legalization from elected officials came nearly half a century ago, from Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts.
Frank proposed the country’s first legalization bill in 1972, and is among the true godfathers of cannabis reform. Frank left office in 2013; earlier this year, he entered the cannabis industry himself, through a partnership with a Massachusetts wholesale company called Greentown Beantown.
Recently I had the pleasure of chatting with Frank in New York City to learn more about his long history with cannabis reform, the parallels he sees between marriage equality and cannabis, the current state of national political affairs and much more.
As cannabis becomes legal across the country, the vast majority of Americans - over 80% - still haven’t been inside a licensed cannabis store. Maybe that even includes you! That’s OK - cannabis stores are still a pretty new thing in these United States.
But that doesn’t mean your first dispensary visit to be an intimidating or stressful experience. Just ask Dennis Norris II, co-host of the delightful - and delightfully raunchy - podcast Food 4 Thot.
We first met Dennis this February in Portland, while we were in town for the Listen Up podcast Festival. Dennis, who prefers gender-neutral pronouns “they and their," told me that they haven’t had many positive experiences with cannabis, and have hardly ever set foot in a dispensary. We ended up taking Dennis to Serra, a beautiful dispensary in the heart of downtown Portland, to follow them through their first real dispensary experience.
Listen in as Dennis learns about a handful of various cannabis products, including Serra’s new line of gumdrops, before eventually settling on the perfect product for them.
Since forming nearly two decades ago, the musical group Animal Collective has managed the remarkable feat of keeping the psychedelic pop of the 1960s fresh and relevant to a new generation of music lovers. Over the course of ten studio albums, the group, originally from Baltimore, Maryland, has explored both trippy disorienting soundscapes and gorgeous pop songwriting in equal measure.
Last week we met up with the group’s co-frontman Dave Portner — who performs as Avey Tare — to hear about the role of cannabis in his songwriting; beyond being great music to listen to high, we discovered that cannabis is truly baked into his songs’ DNA.
Portner is currently on the road behind a new solo album, Cows on Hourglass Pond. Featuring sweet melodies alongside dreamy spaced out arrangements, the record highlights everything that fans have come to love from his work.
Listen in as Portner walks us through his history with cannabis, including the music that he first heard high, as well his favorite strains and the specific roles that cannabis plays in his songwriting.
Although the iconic and irreverent director Harmony Korine - the creative force behind "Spring Breakers," "Kids," "Gummo" and more - has long included pot in his films, it’s taken him over two decades to make a straight-up toner comedy.
Last week saw the release of "The Beach Bum," starring Matthew McConaughey, Snoop Dogg, Isla Fisher, Zac Efron and Jonah Hill. The film follows the wild shenanigans of Moon Dog, a crass and hedonistic stoner poet who, because of some unforeseen circumstances, is forced to either write and publish a book of his work, or go broke (or worse).
Yet there’s more to Moon Dog than meets the eye, and his love of cannabis provides a key to understanding his deeper character.
We caught up with Korine ahead of the film’s premiere to chat about his own relationship with cannabis, what Moon Dog has to teach America in 2019, the logistical challenges of filming with Snoop Dogg and more.
Ask any musician — touring sucks. You don’t get enough sleep, you eat terribly, and injuries can afflict body and mind.
Musicians often self-medicate with herb gifted from fans. But thanks to legalization — precise topicals and tinctures augment the mystery grass.
Over the course of a decade and ten full-length albums, the Bay Area trio Beats Antique have honed their blend of pop, electro funk and wide-ranging global influences into a singular stew of party-starting exuberance. Traveling the world over and over again—David Satori and “Sidecar Tommy” Cappel have learned a few things.
Backstage before their tour-closing show at Portland’s Crystal Ballroom, the band detailed the cannabis products that healed them, including Fairwinds’ Deep Sleep Tincture and Green Earth Medicinals’ Muscle Spray.
Max sits down with Ev'Yan Whitney, sexuality doula and host of the "Sexually Liberated Woman" podcast, to chat about the role cannabis can play in sexual empowerment and liberation.
This episode of the Hash was recorded live at the Commune in Portland, Oregon, as part of the Listen Up Festival.
The Hash's David Downs sits down with Broccoli Magazine founder Anja Charbonneau - live at the 2019 Listen Up Festival in Portland, Oregon - to chat cannabis and women's reproductive health, how to cover problematic weed brands, Broccoli's epic 2019 and more.
Famed cannabis journalist - and current head of the Grasslands creative agency - Ricardo Baca sits down with the Hash's David Downs to chat about the music that has influenced his love of cannabis in this new episode of The Hash, now on Leafly.com!
The iconic underground hip-hop star Open Mike Eagle sits down with The Hash's Max Savage Levenson to talk about his favorite edible for writing rhymes, his early days of pot paranoia, why he thinks Top 40 rappers are underrated and more.
Portland musician Adam Trachsel, of the indie rock trio Mimicking Birds, survived a battle with brain cancer in his early thirties. His road to recovery has been long and arduous, but CBD played a big role in helping him find stability and health. Listen in as Trachsel shares his story with the Hash's Max Savage Levenson.
Co-host David Downs catches up with the cannabis mogul and hip-hop star Berner at Oakland's New West Summit to chat intellectual property drama, his top 5 strains of all time and more!
Co-host Max Savage Levenson takes a trip to Baltimore, Maryland, to check out Curio Wellness, the only dispensary that doubles as a spa. Listen in as co-founder Wendy Bronfein and pharmacist Brian Sanderoff explain why there's a spa in their dispensary, their favorite aphrodisiac strain and more.
The Hash's David Downs catches up with Laganja Estranja, the outspoken pro-cannabis star of RuPaul's Drag Race, to discuss homophobia in the cannabis industry, toking up with Miley Cyrus, her top five strains and more.
New York State Senator Diane Savino sits down with the Hash's Max Savage Levenson to discuss the state's imminent adult-use market, and what that means for racial equity, the state's huge black market, unregulated CBD, and more.
Kicking off our new season, the Hash's David Downs sits down with B-Real, of the legendary hip-hop group Cypress Hill, to chat about his favorite strains of all time.
David and Max return for an all-new season of the Hash, launching January 8th on Leafly.com! Stay tuned for interviews with Cypress Hill, RuPaul Drag Race star Laganja Estranja, State Senator Diane Savino and more. In the meantime, subscribe to the Hash on iTunes and Stitcher!
Cannabis Now Magazine Senior Editor Ellen Holland sits down with Hash producer Max Savage Levenson to pull back the curtain on her gig, chat about some of her favorite experiences in the industry and reveals her dream interview.
Alex Cameron - accompanied by his trusty right-hand man Roy Molloy - take a delightfully weird dive into the world of Australian bong culture, including a special rite of passage known as the "bong quest."
"Cannabis Now Magazine" senior editor Ellen Holland drops a huge bud-shell: she used to hate CBD! But now one of her favorite strains is Swami Select's CBD-rich Queen of Hope. Listen in as she explains how she came around to CBD, and what she loves about the strain's mellow notes.
GreenState editor David Downs gives Bill Nye a ring to chat about the new season of his Netflix show, buying pot for the first time, why he's apprehensive of legalization and more.
The delightful (and delightfully-snarky) Australian musician Alex Cameron - in the midst of a whirlwind world tour behind his 2017 album Forced Witness - sits down with Hash producer Max Savage Levenson (and, of course, his right-hand man Roy Molloy)to dig up some of their favorite cannabis-fueled musical anecdotes.
Nash Edgerton, the Australian director behind Amazon Studios' new film "Gringo" - out this Friday - calls up Hash producer Max Savage Levenson to chat about fictional weed pills, cannabis legalization, situational humor and more.
Clement Kwan, whose company Beboe was dubbed the "Hermès of Marijuana" by the New York Times, chats with Hash producer Max Savage Levenson about his love of Défoncé Chocolates for this installment of the Hash's recurring segment "What's in your Canna-Kit?"
San Francisco sexologist and sex therapist Diana Urman chats with the Hash's Carolyne Zinko about how cannabis can unlock our ability to orgasm, her personal history with pot and more.
Iconic Oakland MC Zumbi (of Zion-I) sits down with Hash producer Max Savage Levenson to share memories of his favorite songs to pair with cannabis.
Chelsey McKrill, the "Business Development Sorceress" at Kikoko Cannabis Teas, explains why she loves Humboldt Apothecary's Brain Tonic Tincture on this episode of the Hash's recurring segment "What's in your Canna-Kit?"
The director and actor Jay Chandrasekhar, whose Broken Lizard collective wrote 'Super Troopers', the upcoming 'Super Troopers 2,' 'Beerfest' and more chats about the role that cannabis has played in his creative process with Hash producer Max Savage Levenson.
More and more people are ready to try cannabis-infused food, but they’re worried about getting the dosing right. They’re not alone. Even veteran Bay Area rapper MC Zumbi (born Steve Gaines) — who has spent 17 years in the entertainment field — needs to keep focused. As a dad and businessperson, Zumbi wants to stay functional and present, even if he’s using cannabis. And the best way he’s found to do that is low-dose “Petra” Mints, created by Kiva Confections of Oakland. Listen in as Zumbi details why he loves Petra mints so much in The Hash’s recurring segment “What’s In Your Canna-Kit?”
The San Francisco Chronicle's cannabis editor David Downs takes you inside one of the world's biggest marijuana seed markets at The Emerald Cup 2017. Part of the Hash podcast which now lives at GreenState.com.
Wondering which type of cannabis won't slow you down? Marijuana farm CEO Christina DiPaci from Paradiso Gardens in Monterey County, Calif. recommends varieties of the top-selling strain, "Jack Herer". Various "crosses" of Jack Herer can be found worldwide in seed and flower form. Jack Herer is a classic type of cannabis from the "sativa" family. It came from the Netherlands and honors cannabis law reformer Jack Herer. Listen in as DiPaci details why she loves Jack so much in The Hash's recurring segment "What's In Your Canna-Kit?"
Tommy Cappel, the co-founder of the prolific electro-pop group Beats Antique, sits down with Hash producer Max Savage Levenson to explain how personal trauma led him to become an outspoken advocate for medical cannabis, how a huge seizure almost cost him a huge hometown show and more.
New York soul/funk aficionados Pimps of Joytime sit down with Hash producer Max Savage Levenson to share their top tunes to pair with cannabis, as well as stories of a solo road trip gone awry, an obsession with Dr. John and more.
For the brand-new segment "What's in Your Canna-Kit??" producer Max Savage Levenson chats with cannabis intellectual property attorney Amanda Conley about Kin Slips, the sublingual breath strips that are currently her favorite product on the market.
Oakland hashmaker the Dank Duchess joins producer Max Savage Levenson to chat about the challenges of being a woman in the cannabis industry, why she left Miami Beach for Oakland and how she plans to become "the Anthony Bourdain of hash."
Girls' front man Christopher Owens sits down with the Hash's Max Savage Levenson to share his top tunes for toking, as well as some strange stories from life on the road.
Ben Larson, the co-founder of Oakland's Gateway Incubator, talks to the Hash's Max Savage Levenson about why he started a cannabis incubator, where Gateway is investing and what they're cooking up next.
In our second conversation with Swerve - the founder of the Cali Connection seed company - we hear about the state of the seed game, circa 2017, and what strains to be on the look out for throughout the year.
In the first of two conversations with the Hash, Swerve, the founder of Cali Connection seed Company, dives into the origins of his global seed empire, how he deals with haters and some inside knowledge on the Italian pot scene.
At this year's Emerald Cup, the Hash caught up with two of the event's judges - Karen Green and Trixie Garcia, daughter of Grateful Dead front man Jerry Garcia - to learn about how they keep all these strains straight, how to tell which weed is making you feel a certain way, and what to do when judges disagree.
Mendo Dope, the rap group comprised of two brothers, Old E and Bleezy, is committed to making music for cannabis culture. As long time growers in Mendocino, Mendo Dope incorporates the tricks of the trade into their rhymes. Cannabis Now Senior Editor Ellen Holland caught up with the brothers at this year's Emerald Cup for a chat about their music and their entries into the competition, as well as an off-the-cuff performance of a new, unreleased track.
Cannabis Now Senior Editor Ellen Holland caught up with the hip-hop duo Mendo Dope at this year's Emerald Cup. Here the duo, comprised of brothers Old E and Bleezy, perform an off-the-cuff version of a new, unreleased track.
Ngaio Bealum is a comedian, writer and cannabis activist. During this year's Emerald Cup, a record-breaking gathering of 30,000 celebrating the best of cannabis, Bealum acted as both a judge and MC of the flowers competition. Cannabis Now Senior Editor Ellen Holland joined Ngaio to talk about the state of California cannabis.
The Dank Duchess is a hash maker and writer focused on showcasing the best of California's Emerald Triangle through her pressed hash creations. As a protegé of master hasheeshian Frenchy Cannoli, the Dank Duchess is committed to sharing her love of ice-water hash, and entered some of her work in this year's Emerald Cup competition. Cannabis Now Senior Editor Ellen Holland caught up with Duchess to share some of her highlights of this year's event.
In this episode of the High Five, the Bay Area's own swingin', soulful party-starting pros the California Honeydrops explain their top tunes for toking! Plus, front man Lech Wierzynski explains why he named a mysterious rash on his feet after the President-elect.
In the waning hours of the Emerald Cup 2016, The Hash's David Downs and producer Max Savage Levenson convene to recap their favorite moments from the weekend, including an opportunity to talk politics with Lori Ajax (Chief of the Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation, Damian Marley's rowdy late-night set and David's plans to film an episode of "Planet Earth" about the Emerald Cup. Then they made a beeline for In-n-Out.
Be sure to stay tuned for more of our coverage from the Emerald Cup in the next few days, including an exclusive interview with the California Honeydrops!
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Seibo Shen, founder and CEO of the high-end vaporizer company VapeXHale, walks us through his bizarre journey from anti-drug kid to cannabis entrepreneur, and explains what you're getting when you drop $600 on one of his products.
Cannabis advocate and educator Sue Simon Taylor sits down with the Hash's David Downs to share her insights on the ever-growing senior cannabis market, and how to work against the whitewashing of the cannabis industry.
On this episode of the High Five, the San Francisco surf-rock quartet share five of their favorite songs for smoking, including the original anthem from their competitive high school weed-smoking gang...but we'll let them explain that one.
Reporter Ellen Holland dives into the history of social smoking clubs, and explains why it's taking so damn long to legalize them!
Welcome back to the second half of our interview with Pamela Hadfield, co-founder of Hello MD. The fresh-faced Bay Area start-up has set a new precedent in cannabis history by offering Californians the opportunity to receive a medical marijuana consultation...over the phone. Listen in as Hadfield shares the stunning statistics she has gathered about the effectiveness of medical marijuana, and why as a result she poses a substantial threat to the pharmaceutical lobby.
Welcome to the first half of our conversation with Pamela Hadfield, co-founder of Hello MD - the company that helps you get a medical marijuana card...via a video chat with a doctor. Listen in as Hadfield explains why she started the company, shares the easy steps for signing up and answers the question on everyone's mind: how the hell is this legit?
On this episode of the High Five, rising Baltimore soul singer Joy Postell breaks down her top tunes for toking, from classic Bob Marley to a rarely heard early Kendrick Lamar track.
A former Lyft executive elevates cannabis corporate philanthropy with Weed4Good - which provides marijuana edibles, topics and more to the terminally ill in California (and soon Colorado, too). Meet Weed4Good's Jennifer Lujan.
Producer Max Savage Levenson brings us the story of Pennsylvania State Senator Mike Folmer, a conservative Republican, and his peculiar journey from staunch opponent of cannabis to co-sponsoring Pennsylvania's medical marijuana legalization.
Harlem cannabis rapper Smoke DZA torches the presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump with a new mixtape featuring Pete Rock, A$AP Rocky, Action Bronson and more.
Vice producer and High Times’ West Coast editor David Bienenstock says there’s a war coming for the soul of pot. Arm yourself with knowledge from his huge new book release “How To Smoke Pot (Properly)”, which he discusses with The Hash podcast.
Marijuana’s aphrodisiac qualities have gone mainstream in the weed sex lube Foria. Listen in as the The Hash gets Foria founder and director Matthew Gerson to open up about his past as a college dropout who followed the Grateful Dead; part of a regular segment The Hash calls "High Five."
The makers of Foria Pleasure are back with a remedy for menstrual cramps and swelling as a marijuana suppositories trend takes off.
Brendan Hill (also the drummer of the legendary Blues Traveler) and Steven Kessler, co-owners of Seattle's high-end pot shop Paper and Leaf, share their favorite songs to listen to stoned. Along the way they entertain us with some hilarious college memories, stories from Blues Traveler tours and even some impassioned singing.
Three tips for surviving California’s new medical marijuana regulations, from tax authority Fiona Ma, — a CPA and Board Member at the California State Board of Equalization
The Hash's Max Savage Levenson hops a ferry from downtown Seattle out to Bainbridge Island to pay a visit to Paper and Leaf, the recreational pot store owned by Blues Traveler drummer Brendan Hill and Steven Kessler. Listen in as Hill and Kessler give us a behind-the scenes look at surviving in the legal, boutique pot game, from coping with their insane tax burden to getting seniors excited about cannabis.
Funk's elder statesman George Clinton discusses Kendrick Lamar, why he goes for cannabis and his inner demons in this special exclusive on the Hash.
California official Fiona Ma calls for a highly unconventional state depository to boost tax compliance, and public safety.
Learn what independent growers and breeders should be doing now — at the dawn of cannabis gene sequencing — in order to stymie a takeover by the likes of Monsanto when weed becomes fully legal.
The Hash’s Max Savage Levenson catches up with Dr. Reggie Gaudino, Ph.D, Director of Genetics from Steep Hill Labs, at the cannabis industry’s first technology conference, the New West Summit in San Francisco.
Longtime marijuana reform activist Debby Goldsberry sits down with the Hash's Max Savage Levenson to chat 30-foot bongs, the wrath of Reagan, her inspiration to join the fight for legalization and where she's headed next.
Will Bronson, founder of Active Management and manager for Run the Jewels, Killer Mike, Berner and countless other hip-hops stars, breaks down the top five songs that he associates with the herb.
David Bienenstock discusses the glorious green growth industry of marijuana-infused creams, balms and ointments in this episode of the Hash.
Troy Dayton from the angel investor network, The Arc View Group, explains why legal cannabis isn't quite ready for public investment, and how to avoid weed’s new Wolves of Wall Street.
Pot legalizers tend to have a lot of trouble connecting with aging seniors. Enter Sue Taylor, the Bay Area's greatest advocate for connecting seniors to cannabis. David Downs has her story.
Join the Hash's David Downs on September 17 at Rock Steady in uptown Oakland (1741 San Pablo)for a night of conversation with some of the Bay Area's most prominent names in cannabis lit: Stephen DeAngelo, Ellen Komp, Cheri Sicard and Michael Backes.
David Bienenstock provides a brief overview of the art of vaping, including pointers on how to find the best vape for your needs.
David Bienenstock shines some light on some of the many cannabinoids and their effects -- which ones are YOU smoking?
Gucci meets Tesla in the Pax 2 vaporizer -- a luxurious, $280 device that's going to be used by millions to enjoy cannabis without smoking it.
The Emerald Cup judge Nikki Lastreto — co-founder of Swami Select brand cannabis — details her techniques for assaying the world’s finest cannabis.
The Hash's Max Savage Levenson shares a story of the power of the vape pen -- and how it may be a great alternative for those negatively affected by marijuana.
High Times and VICE journalist, and author of The Pot Smoker’s Handbook David Bienenstock explains what the terms sativa and indica mean, describing cannabis’ effects, history, and breeding.
San Francisco podcast The Hash reports from a high-end glass art opening, where bongs sell for $15,000, and have become their own form of banking.
HBO picks up cult comic shorts "High Maintenance" for six episodes. The Hash talks with creators Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfield about working in the golden age of independent television.
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Vice and High Times writer David Bienenstock lays down some ground rules for deflowering cannabis virgins. Be gentle. And kind.
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The ArcView Group and Canopy Boulder will bring their unique canna-business incubator to San Francisco, ArcView's Troy Dayton tells the Hash in its Season 2 debut.
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David Bienenstock takes a look at the celebrated cannabis holiday April 20th, 420.
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