Dispense Magazine podcast: Recent Episodes
Sven Hosford, Publisher and Podcaster
Dispense Magazine seeks to support and enhance the conversation that takes place between patient and physician about medical cannabis. Anything you discuss with your doctor -- that's what we'll discuss on this podcast. Although we are based in and focused on Pennsylvania's industry, much of the information is universal.
Medical cannabis patients in Pennsylvania are experiencing a severe shortage at the state’s legal dispensaries. Many people are angry, many are quite vocal about who is to blame for these shortages. Can these shortages be fixed? And when can we see relief?
In this episode, we'll be talking with some people passionate about their role as industry watchdogs. Doug Albert is a patient advocate and runs a popular facebook support group. Julia Kline, Jason Mitchell, and Skip Shuda are the founders of Soulful cannabis, a non-profit organization with the mission of creating the best industry possible.
We’ll discuss whether these shortages are just growing pains or are fundamental flaws in the program. We’ll detail the problems and search for solutions in this panel discussion.
Medical cannabis is a huge issue with veterans, as it is often the most effective treatment for both pain and PTSD. So we’re proud to bring you profiles of veterans who are making waves in the cannabis industry by helping to make things better for other veterans.
In this episode, we talk with Ron Millward, founder of Balanced Veterans, a Philadelphia based 501-3-C with new chapters sprouting across the country. Ron saw a need for more cannabis education within many Vets organizations, and he seeks to collaborate beside as many as he can.
Ron talks about the network of like-minded medical professionals that he is building to provide wellness services for vets in need. And while cannabis is a large part of the healing path for many Vets, Ron says that healthy community, conversation, and holistic healing practices are vital to living a truly balanced life.
To find out more, visit BalancedVeterans.com
For many people dealing with mental health issues, to explore using cannabis as a treatment seems overwhelming because of two stigmas. First is the stigma of their condition, and second the stigma still lingering with medical cannabis in some communities. How can we reduce these stigmas? And what do patients with mental health issues need to do to begin that exploration?
In this episode, we bring you a panel discussion from a recent Mind Body expo that explores these questions is some depth.
Our panelists include:
- Sara Makin, of Makin Wellness in Pittsburgh. Her practice provides diagnosis and treatment for many mental health conditions, but especially anxiety and PTSD, which are qualifying conditions in PA.
- Richard Greer, Pharmacy Director for Solevo Wellness, a dispensary in Pittsburgh.
- Chad Rodman of Medical Marijuana Solutions, which provides patient certifications in many locations across mid and western PA. He’s also a patient who treats his anxiety with cannabis.
Recorded on September 28, 2019 in Monroeville PA.
There’s a huge gap in people’s understanding of cannabis. Most patients want to know why it’s illegal, while most doctors want to know why they didn’t learn about it in medical school. So says Dr. Paloma Lehfeldt, Medical Science and Patient Liaison for Vireo Health.
Vireo Health is a physician-led company, now in ten states and Puerto Rico, that works very hard to educate patients and physicians. For that very purpose, They have just launched a new cannabis brand called 1937, named for the year that cannabis prohibition started in America. Now available in Penna and Maryland, 1937 features historic cannabis strains and gives an opportunity to learn more about the history of cannabis.
In this episode, we talk about that new brand and the long history of cannabis as medicine, including prohibition and the science that is finally leading us out of these dark ages and into the full acceptance of the healing power of this plant.
Many cannabis growers can grow, cure and process the plant, but what does it take to make good medicine? How do you make sure it is completely safe?
In this episode, we’ll find out what it takes to make good and safe medicine with Dr. Corey Burchman, the Chief Medical Officer for Acreage Holdings, the parent company of Prime Wellness of PA, which has a grower/processor permit and whose products can be found in most Pennsylvania dispensaries.
He explains how he discovered medical cannabis as an effective tool for treating chronic pain in the late 90s, and the research that followed. Today he has a deep understanding of the healing power of cannabis and the need for more education.
Dr. Burchman believes all claims about cannabis should be backed by solid research. He is the author of a May 2017 study that found a significant reduction of opioids, anti-depressants, and alcohol when pain patients began using medical cannabis.
This conversation is full of fascinating insights about the science and current research on cannabis and the endocannabinoid system, and just what kind of education is needed for patients and physicians.
I started by asking Dr. Burchman about the advantages of working for a large, multi-state company.
Sen. Daylin Leach was a co-author of Act 16, which legalized Medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania. Signed into law in April 2016, the first dispensaries opened two years later in February 2018, and since then over 200,000 patients have had access to cannabis as medicine.
Now Leach is a co-author of SenateBill 350, which would legalize growing, processing, transporting, and consuming cannabis in the state of Pennsylvania. Many are giving it high praise as an all-encompassing bill that would address the most important issues around legalization.
In this episode, we'll dig into those issues. Join host Sven Hosford and Dispense Magazine CEO Phelan Barreiro in a discussion on home grow, and unannounced inspections, We’ll talk about jobs, taxes, and social justice with PA State Senator Daylin Leach on the details of SB 350.
Pennsylvania now has over 60 medical cannabis dispensaries, and many more are planned. Each one must have a Pharmacist available during hours of operation. In theory, every patient should have every question answered during every visit. In practice, the success of the program - with over 200 thousand patients - has made that difficult. But on the cover of the third issue Dispense Magazine, we spotlight a dispensary that makes that their mission - that every patient gets every question answered by a medical professional, and that no one ever has a negative cannabis experience.
In this podcast, we talk with Victor Guadagnino Jr., Manager and co-founder of Keystone Canna Remedies. He and his aunt Joan have created a model for how to run a Patient-focused Dispensary - one which provides equal doses of education and empowerment for patients and physicians. Kristal Oknefski, Editor-in-Chief of Dispense Magazine, assists in the questioning.
Keystone Canna Remedies has two locations in Allentown and Bethlehem, and one more on the way in Stroudsburg.
This is truly an inspiring interview detailing how and what it takes to make patients the center of a dispensary business.
Last week, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced that he and his Lt. Governor are firmly in favor of the legalization of cannabis for adult use.
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is a loud clear voice for legalization, a voice he earned by listening to over 10,000 people on his 67-county tour of the commonwealth. But how does he feel about MEDICAL cannabis? Over 200 thousand patients have already signed up and almost 12 hundred physicians are signing recommendations. What happens to this program after adult-use becomes legal?
In this episode of the Dispense Magazine podcast, we’ll hear directly from the Lt Governor -- passionate, emphatic -- dare we say unfettered?
He calls PA's medical program "the gold standard" and says there is universal love for it in every part of the state -- even in the Redest counties.
Medical cannabis is a huge issue with veterans, as it is often the most effective treatment for both pain and PTSD. So Dispense Magazine is proud to bring you profiles of veterans who are making waves in the cannabis industry by helping to make things better for other veterans.
In this episode, we talk with Erik Asher, a veteran of Desert Storm, who survived the darkest night of the soul to become a fierce proponent for the only medicine that actually works for him.
Erik tells the tale of that darkness and what brought him back to the light. Now on a fixed income, he has learned how to triple the yield of the dry flower he purchases in authorized Pennsylvania dispensaries with the help of a rosin press.
This is a powerful story of survival, which includes some great tips for medical cannabis patients.
Recorded in March 2019 at Mind Body and Holistic Healing Expo in Monroeville.
Visit his YouTube Channel to see his 'squash' videos.
As of July 20, 2019, the Pennsylvania Dept of Health now includes anxiety to the list of qualifying conditions for patients to be able to use medical cannabis.
But what exactly does it mean to have anxiety? We all get anxious from time to time.
And how does one go about getting a diagnosis to be able to get certified?
In this podcast, mental health professional Sara Makin will outline just what it means to have anxiety, some of the different types of anxiety, and what you need to do find out if you qualify for medical cannabis.
She’ll describe how cannabis is incorporated into her clinic’s therapy plan for anxiety, PTSD and other mental conditions, along with some of the other modern therapies that are demonstrating remarkable results.
The legal Medical Cannabis produced in Pennsylvania is getting great reviews, and the medicine produced at Prime Wellness of PA is getting some of the highest marks. What does it take to create the best quality medicine and keep that quality consistent over time?
In this podcast, we talk with two of the team members who are responsible for just that. Director of Production Brandon Miller and Extraction Manager Trevin George will take us behind the scenes and we'll dive deep into what sets their products apart genetics, and the various processes that produce such high-quality medicine.
The rapid growth of the cannabis industry in America today is causing concerns about the impact on our economy, our health, and our wallet. So who is out there working to keep the medical cannabis industry a healthy one?
Soulful Cannabis is a Philadelphia based organization working to keep all aspects of the industry focused on the right things. They call themselves a collective to make a good industry better. Using thought-provoking events and other third-party tools, they monitor the Social Equity of cannabis, which is a big picture view of the community impact, opportunity, diversity, patient advocacy, and social justice issues.
In this episode, we’ll talk to the founding team of Soulful Cannabis. Skip Shuda, Jason Mitchell and Julia Kline discuss a wide range of topics, from industry practices to holistic medicine, social justice and some key ways to help end the stigma.
Rather than a Gateway Drug, Cannabis is quickly becoming the Exit drug as more people like Felicia Greenfield-Blau encourage patients to use it along with well established holistic therapies. She’s part of a natural convergence of the holistic and cannabis worlds, which is why she's on the cover of our Spring Issue!
In this interview she explains her therapies and philosophies, and how cannabis has been such an important part of an opioid reduction program. She offers this therapy model at multiple locations of Reboot Integrative Wellness Center in the Philadelphia area.
In this episode, we continue our discussion about what happens to the medical program when the recreational adult use of cannabis is legalized. We talk to PA State Senator Shariff Street, author of SB-350, an adult use bill currently being debated in the State Senate. How will legalization affect the medical industry? Can current patients be assured that their medicine will still be available? These questions and more are answered by Sen. Street. If you live in Pennsylvania and are concerned that legal adult use may affect the medical program, this podcast is for you!
Right now, the Lt Governor of PA is on a listening tour to every county in the state -- all 67 of them -- to hear what people think about legalizing the recreational adult use of cannabis. In this episode, we get to hear from his wife, the Second Lady of PA Gisele Fetterman, about her thoughts on the subject.
She's part of an All-Star panel that came together recently to discuss what happens to the medical cannabis program in Pennsylvania once adult use is legalized.
We also hear from Rep. Jake Wheatley, author of an adult use bill in the state house, along with Rep. Ed Gainey, a staunch proponent, and Debbie Churgai, Interim Director of Americans for Safe Access, and an expert on state laws on recreation and medicinal cannabis use.
Recorded on March 30, 2019, at the Mind Body Holistic Healing Expo in Monroeville PA.
This podcast series is focused on what you and your doctor might talk about, and in this episode, we talk with just such a doctor. Dr. Stephen Dahmer is a practicing physician and also happens to be the Chief Medical Officer of Vireo Health.
During this wide-ranging interview, we cover the Entourage Effect, or as he prefers to call it the Ensemble Effect, along with why cannabis and holistic therapies work so well together, and why he’s so excited to be working with the physician-led company Vireo Health.
We spoke to him at the Mind Body Holistic Healing Expo in Monroeville PA on March 30, 2019.
The International Research Center on Cannabis and Mental Health (IRCCMH), along with the Cannabis Chemistry Subdivision of the American Chemical Society, recently released a report about the safety of unregulated CBD vape products commonly found in gas stations and health food stores. Dispense Magazine publisher Sven Hosford talked to the report’s authors, Jahan Marcu and Jan Roberts, to get all the details.
On Oct 6, 2018, the Mind Body Spirit Healing Expo in Monroeville, PA. was host to a panel discussion on Integrating Cannabis and Holistic Health. Featured were three luminaries of the medical cannabis industry in the Pittsburgh area:
- Dr. Monika Juszczyk: a pioneering functional medicine physician who brings together nutrition, energy, movement, and breathing, as well as medical cannabis.
- Dr. John Metcalf, a certifying physician and pioneering expert on medical cannabis.
- Mike Butler, the first medical cannabis pharmacist to work Washington County, with The Healing Center, now also in Monroeville.
Recorded before a lively audience with a great discussion on functional medicine, this podcast covers the building blocks of good health, the role of cannabis in healing, and how both work to get to the root cause of disease rather than just treating the symptoms. We also hear how the principles of holistic healing are incorporated into the operating principles of a medical cannabis dispensary.
Solevo Wellness, Pittsburgh’s first medical marijuana dispensary, and Dispense Magazine team up for this series of podcasts called Cannabis Conversations. Recorded live in front of an audience every month, these conversations discuss various aspects of medical marijuana with a panel of medical professionals and Solevo Wellness staff.
In this episode, we'll talk to a mental health professional, a combat Veteran, and two members of the Solevo Staff. The topic is PTSD -- what causes it, what are the symptoms, and what are the effective treatments.
Specifically, we hear about the challenges to find just the right medicine for those who are suffering.
The panel this time is mental health expert Sara Makin, of Makin Wellness, a combat veteran named John who wishes to stay anonymous, plus Pharmacist Amy Scott and Patient education director Zack Kesneck, both with Solevo Wellness.
Recorded live in front of an audience on Nov. 29th, 2018.
Solevo Wellness, Pittsburgh’s first medical marijuana dispensary, and Dispense Magazine team up for this series of podcasts called Cannabis Conversations. Recorded live in front of an audience every month, these conversations discuss various aspects of medical marijuana with a panel of medical professionals and Solevo Wellness staff.
In this episode, we'll talk to:
Annie Corbin - the Solevo Wellness Director of Pediatric Care and a Patient Care Consultant. Annie works closely with patients to help them select the best medical marijuana strains and ratios based upon their physician’s recommendations and their unique situations. Annie has worked hands-on with both plants and patients in Colorado as both a grower and patient consultant. Annie suffers from epilepsy. She also assists her daughter, who has a rare brain condition and epilepsy, to help her have the best quality of life through the administration of this medication.
Richard Greer - Pharmacy Director at Solevo Wellness. He completed his Doctor of Pharmacy Degree at Duquesne University, where he served as class president for 4 years, sat on numerous student advisory committees, and was a member of the prestigious Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity. He is licensed through the Pennsylvania Department of State to practice pharmacy and is a certified medical marijuana practitioner through the PA Department of Health.
And we'll hear some final audience questions for all our panelists.
This is part TWO of this conversation on Pediatric Medicine.
Recorded live on Oct. 20, 2018, at Solevo Wellness.
Solevo Wellness, Pittsburgh’s first medical marijuana dispensary, and Dispense Magazine team up for this series of podcasts called Cannabis Conversations. Recorded live in front of an audience every month, these conversations discuss various aspects of medical marijuana with a panel of medical professionals and Solevo Wellness staff.
In this episode, we'll talk to two Pediatricians using Medical Marijuana in the Pittsburgh area.
Dr. Elizabeth Spaar is a PA Medical Marijuana Certified Physician. As a physician treating autism and PTSD, Dr. Spaar had seen the amazing benefits of medical marijuana even before the dispensaries opened in Pennsylvania through her participation in the Safe Harbor program. Two of her own children currently take medical marijuana for autism and have benefited greatly. She is passionate about providing access to this crucial medicine to all patients with qualifying conditions.
Dr. Kultar Shergill is a board-certified pediatrician who trained in London, England. He has been serving the Alle Kiski community for 18 years. As well as general pediatrics, he treats children for behavioral issues, ADHD, autism, epilepsy and asthma. Dr. Shergill is a Certified PA Medical Marijuana Physician.
This is part ONE of this conversation on Pediatric Medicine.
Recorded live on Oct. 20, 2018, at Solevo Wellness.
Solevo Wellness, Pittsburgh’s first medical marijuana dispensary, and Dispense Magazine team up for this series of podcasts called Cannabis Conversations. Recorded live in front of an audience every month, these conversations discuss various aspects of medical marijuana with a panel of medical professionals and Solevo Wellness staff.
In this episode, Solevo Wellness Pharmacist Richard Greer talks about his experience using cannabis to treat Pain Management and Opioid Addiction.
This is part THREE of a conversation on Pain Management and Opioids. Richard discusses exactly what dispensary pharmacists can and cannot do as advisors about your situation, and why it is important to be an active participant in your medication decisions.
We also finish up the questioning with the other panel participants, Dr. John Metcalf and Daniel Johnson.
Recorded live on Sept 24, 2018, at Solevo Wellness.
Solevo Wellness, Pittsburgh’s first medical marijuana dispensary, and Dispense Magazine team up for this series of podcasts called Cannabis Conversations. Recorded live in front of an audience every month, these conversations discuss various aspects of medical marijuana with a panel of medical professionals and Solevo Wellness staff.
In this episode, Daniel Johnson gives us an overview of how Chinese Medicine treats pain in part TWO of a conversation on Pain Management and Opioids.
Daniel Johnson is a Doctor of Medical QiGong and is the Clinical Director of the WAY Wellness Center. He has studied in the US and China, an expert in mind-body studies, a certified yoga instructor, and a certified Tea Master. He uses acupuncture, bodywork, herbal medicine, nutritional therapy, and Qigong to enhance the effects of cannabis to empower and heal his clients.
Recorded live on Sept 24, 2018, at Solevo Wellness.
Solevo Wellness, Pittsburgh’s first medical marijuana dispensary, and Dispense Magazine team up for this series of podcasts called Cannabis Conversations. Recorded live in front of an audience every month, these conversations discuss various aspects of medical marijuana with a panel of medical professionals and Solevo Wellness staff.
In this episode, Dr. John Metcalf gives us some startling statistics about addiction in part ONE of a conversation on Pain Management and Opioids.
Dr. Metcalf is the Medical Director of ReLeaf Specialists. Along with his expertise in functional and internal medicine, he has researched the biochemistry of cannabis and its effects on the nervous, immune and endocannabinoid systems. He is certified in Pennsylvania to recommend patients for medical marijuana.
Recorded live on Sept 24, 2018, at Solevo Wellness.
At a recent Dispense with the Nonsense event in Harmony PA, we recorded a panel discussion with a live audience on the topic of "Cannabis and Mental Health".
Panelists included:
Dr. John Metcalf, Ph.D., MD, ABIM, CFMP, Medical Director of ReLeaf Specialists - Along with his specialization in functional and regenerative medicine, Dr. Metcalf has researched the biochemistry of cannabis and its effects on the nervous, immune and endocannabinoid systems. He is certified in Pennsylvania to recommend patients for medical marijuana.
Sara Makin, M.S.Ed.,LPC, NCC, is a #1 Best Selling Author of From Depression To Joy: A Parent's Handbook For Teenage Wellness. She is also the owner of Makin Wellness, Pittsburgh's premier therapy and coaching centers located in Downtown, Pittsburgh & New Kensington. She can diagnose and treat PTSD, opioid addiction and other mental health conditions with a variety of evidence-based modalities.
Diana Hileman Briggs, a founding member of Campaign 4 Compassion, an organization key to PA winning the fight for legalization. She is the founder of PA Compassionate Caregivers, an organization to support Medical Cannabis Caregivers and those they serve.
Host: Sven Hosford, Publisher of Dispense Magazine.
In PART TWO, we hear from Diana Hileman Briggs on being a Caregiver. Once she and her fellow "mama bears" convinced Pennsylvania's legislature to pass the legalization bill, she thought her job was over, but she describes the patient that inspired her to start PA Compassionate Caregivers.
Recorded at the Center of Harmony in Harmony PA on Sept 15, 2018
At a recent Dispense with the Nonsense event in Harmony PA, we recorded a panel discussion with a live audience on the topic of "Cannabis and Mental Health".
Panelists included:
Dr. John Metcalf, Ph.D., MD, ABIM, CFMP, Medical Director of ReLeaf Specialists - Along with his specialization in functional and regenerative medicine, Dr. Metcalf has researched the biochemistry of cannabis and its effects on the nervous, immune and endocannabinoid systems. He is certified in Pennsylvania to recommend patients for medical marijuana.
Sara Makin, M.S.Ed.,LPC, NCC, is a #1 Best Selling Author of From Depression To Joy: A Parent's Handbook For Teenage Wellness. She is also the owner of Makin Wellness, Pittsburgh's premier therapy and coaching centers located in Downtown, Pittsburgh & New Kensington. She can diagnose and treat PTSD, opioid addiction and other mental health conditions with a variety of evidence-based modalities.
Diana Hileman Briggs, a founding member of Campaign 4 Compassion, an organization key to PA winning the fight for legalization. She is the founder of PA Compassionate Caregivers, an organization to support Medical Cannabis Caregivers and those they serve.
Host: Sven Hosford, Publisher of Dispense Magazine.
In PART ONE, we hear from Dr. Metcalf and Sara Makin on trauma, anxiety, depression and what is know about medical cannabis's ability to heal or possibly exacerbate those conditions.
Recorded at the Center of Harmony in Harmony PA on Sept 15, 2018
Solevo Wellness, Pittsburgh’s first medical marijuana dispensary, and Dispense Magazine team up for a new series of podcasts called Cannabis Conversations. Recorded live in front of an audience every month, these conversations are with a medical doctor and a holistic health professional to cover a topic from all angles.
In this premiere conversation, Dr. Adam Rothschild and holistic practitioner Mandi Babkes wind up their discussion on “Medical Marijuana for First-Time Users”. In part three, we discuss things users should know as you gain experience using medical marijuana — the endocannabinoid system, theories about cannabinoid deficiency and whether medical marijuana only treats symptoms or can it actually be a cure of some conditions
This is the third and final part of a conversation recorded August 30, 2018, at Solevo Wellness.
Solevo Wellness, Pittsburgh’s first medical marijuana dispensary, and Dispense Magazine team up for a new series of podcasts called Cannabis Conversations. Recorded live in front of an audience every month, these conversations are with a medical doctor and a holistic health professional to cover a topic from all angles.
In this premiere conversation, Dr. Adam Rothschild and holistic practitioner Mandi Babkes continue their discussion on “Medical Marijuana for First-Time Users”. In part two, we dive deeper into some things every user should know. This includes the safety of safe vaping and smoking, and the various ways to adjust your dosage.
This is part two of a conversation recorded August 30, 2018 atSolevo Wellness.
Solevo Wellness, Pittsburgh's first medical marijuana dispensary, and Dispense Magazine team up for a new series of podcasts called Cannabis Conversations. Recorded live in front of an audience every month, these conversations are with a medical doctor and a holistic health professional to cover a topic from all angles.
In this premier episode, Dr. Adam Rothschild and holistic practitioner Mandi Babkes discuss "Medical Marijuana for First-Time Users." From delivery systems to dosages to THC vs CBD, we discuss all the basics that every user should know, but many beginners don't.
This is part one of this conversation, recorded August 30, 2018.
Over 70 percent of Americans will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime, and 20 percent will develop some form of PTSD because of it. So says, Sara Makin, a mental health specialist with offices in Pittsburgh and New Kensington. She uses the a variety of new methods -- including medical cannabis -- to treat PTSD, addiction and other mental health issues. A PTSD diagnosis from her can help get you certified when you meet with a certifying physician, but that is only the start of the healing work she can do. She recently sat down with us to discuss trauma, PTSD and cannabis.
This conversation was recorded live as part of a panel discussion at the Dispense with the Nonsense event held in Pittsburgh at Thrive on Health on July 14, 2018.
On this podcast, we hear from Mandi Babkes, a holistic health and nutrition practitioner in Pittsburgh. She has years of experience helping clients with diet, lifestyle and supplementation changes to bring about optimal health. As you’ll hear, she specializes in the ways CBD products can help treat many conditions.
We also talk with Joseph Onesta, a hypnotist in the Pittsburgh area, as he talks about some of the amazing things he has experienced that demonstrate the mind-body connection.
Many Thanks to our sponsors for this event:
thanks to our sponsors for this event:
- Cresco Yeltrah - PAs first operational grower/processor with dispensaries in Butler PA and the strip district in Pittsburgh.
- Solevo Wellness - Pittsburgh’s first operational dispensary
- The Healing Center - Washington PA’s first operational dispensary
- Holistic Health with Mandi - the practice of Mandi Babkes, a board-certified holistic and nutritional practitioner
- Glass Gone Wow - southwest PAs premier source for all the accessories needed to consume medical cannabis.
- And Medical Marijuana Solutions, providing patient services in three locations in the Pittsburgh area.