High Spirits: The Cannabis Business Podcast
Hosts Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein serve up unfiltered insights, reveal their insiders' perspectives, and illuminate transformative ideas about the cannabis industry for people who want to make sense of it all.
Episodes
In this edition of This Week in Cannabis Live, our host Ben Larson joins Jay Rosenthal & Jeremy Berke of Cultivated and Marc Hauser of Cannabis Musings for a fast-moving, no-BS conversation on the biggest stories shaping cannabis right now.
From Schedule III claims and missed DOJ deadlines to a surprise hemp bill, New York’s track-and-trace chaos, and the realities behind M&A headlines, this episode is all signal, no fluff.
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Cannabis is leaving its “startup era”—and the next phase won’t be won by hype. It’ll be won by operators who can build trust, standardize the experience, and run tighter businesses in a margin-crushed market.
On Episode 122 of High Spirits, hosts Ben & AnnaRae sit down with Ashwin Raj, CEO of LeafLink, to unpack what he’s seeing from the center of cannabis wholesale—where billions in transactions reveal the real signals of indus...
Two of the most durable edibles brands in cannabis just joined forces—and the backstory is pure “mature-market grit.”
On Episode 121 of High Spirits, hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein sit down with Aaron Morris (Founder & CEO of Wyld) and Draper Bender (President of Grön) for their first interview together following Wyld’s acquisition of Grön.
They unpack why Oregon breeds profitable operators, how “market compressions” s...
What actually changes for cannabis in 2026—and what’s still just wishful thinking?
Join the teams from Cultivated Media, High Spirits: The Cannabis Business Podcast, and Cannabis Musings for This Week in Cannabis Live | 2026 Prediction Show.
From rescheduling realities and 280E implications to M&A strategy, hemp-derived beverages, and where not to start a cannabis business, this conversation cuts through the noise with grounded...
New year, new signals—and cannabis is entering 2026 with policy momentum, consolidation heat, and a growing demand for real numbers (not vibes). In Episode 120 of High Spirits, hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein sit down with Cy Scott, Co-Founder & CEO of Headset, to break down what 2025 actually told us—and what to watch as rescheduling moves forward and markets keep maturing.
From New York’s explosive growth to the marg...
It’s a cozy year-end check-in—and a clear-eyed look at what’s next. Recorded Tuesday, December 30, 2025, Ben & AnnaRae close out the year by revisiting their 2025 predictions, unpacking what actually happened across regulated cannabis and hemp-derived THC, and setting the tone for 2026: faster, sharper, and more focused.
From the surreal experience of finding cannabis policy debates in a 1969 Playboy issue to today’s reschedulin...
On this special This Week in Cannabis episode Presented by Cultivated Media, High Spirits hosts Ben & AnnaRae join Jay & Jeremy from Cultivated and Marc Hauser of Cannabis Musings to break down the biggest cannabis policy story of the year: the federal push to reschedule marijuana to Schedule III.
Recorded live just days after the announcement, this conversation cuts through the hype to examine what actually changes—and what...
This episode of High Spirits is a little different. Recorded live just days before a major federal shakeup, hosts Ben & AnnaRae dive headfirst into the state of cannabis media, policy uncertainty, and what survival really looks like heading into 2026.
From the collapse of trusted cannabis journalism to bold predictions around Schedule III, hemp legislation, M&A, and THC beverages, this conversation captures the raw, unfilter...
Recorded live on December 5th from Las Vegas, this recording of "This Morning in Cannabis Live" brings together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and experts for candid conversations about the current state and future of cannabis and hemp. The hosts—Jay Rosenthal, AnnaRae Grabstein, Marc Hauser, and Jeremy Berke—guide discussions on rapid business growth, regulatory challenges, market innovation, and the importance of advo...
Recorded Live on December 3rd from Las Vegas, this special episode of "This Week in Cannabis" brings together industry leaders and insiders to discuss the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the cannabis and hemp sectors.
We dive into federal policy, market expansion, retail innovation, and the evolving landscape of cannabis journalism. Featuring in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs, executives, and retailer...
The mics take a breather, but the cannabis market doesn’t. We’re wheels up for MJBizCon and our High Spirits Morning Mixer on Thursday, and then straight to BevNET, while state and federal moves reshape the map from Texas to Virginia to Minnesota to California.
We start with Texas, where regulators approved nine new medical licenses in a historically tight program. It’s a modest step with big implications: recognition that...
We unpack the 365-day clock facing hemp-derived THC beverages, why the category exploded, and how a policy rider vaulted prohibition-style limits into law. Martín Caballero of BevNet joins us to map realistic paths forward, where coalition power lives, and what compromises might actually work.
• why hemp-derived THC drinks resonated with mainstream shoppers
• how a funding bill rider created the new 0.4 mg per package ...
We unpack the federal push to restrict hemp products, then turn to a grounded model for the future: regenerative organic cannabis. Darren Story from Coastal Sun shares how soil health lowers costs, why OCAL matters, and how compassion and affordability can scale.
• hemp policy shock and what it means for access
• lessons for advocacy and industry unity
• Darren’s path from blueberries to cannabis
• WAM partners...
We explore how local elections shape cannabis policy on the ground, then dive into the real map of cannabis patents with Dr. Ruth Fisher. She explains who holds the IP, why enforcement is scarce for now, and how one big verdict could change the industry overnight.
• grounding in stoicism and local civic action
• breaking news on recalls and lawsuits in New York and Florida
• Dr. Ruth Fisher on 10,000+ cannabis pate...
We explore how hemp-derived THC beverages are redefining adult drinking, why big brands hesitate while startups build, and how “vice wellness” turns ritual into wellness-driven status. Jeff Cantalupo of Listen Ventures shares what gets a VC to yes, how portfolios form, and where retail wins.
• consumer demand driving THC beverage mainstream adoption
• integration of life lessons into leadership and team communication
We unpack why cannabis retail still can’t run on normal card rails, how debit and alternative payments increase average tickets, and what federal legality would actually change. Aubrey Amatelli of PayRio shares data, pitfalls, and a playbook for safer, smoother checkout.
• why Visa and Mastercard rules block standard cannabis card payments
• cashless ATM and debit as the current stable rails
• 34% average ticket li...
We dig into the rise of THC beverages from dispensary side racks to big-box end caps, then peel back how Uncle Arnie’s raised $7.5M, built distribution state by state, and scaled a team while staying scrappy. Theo shares lessons on dosage, education, and why focused markets beat scattershot launches.
• Target’s Minnesota pilot and retail data signals
• Ohio’s 90-day hemp ban and policy risks
• Uncle Arnie’s Series ...
We unpack how a federal shutdown freezes cannabis policy progress, why Michigan’s new 24% tax risks shrinking the legal market, and how a Vireo–Schwazze restructuring signals financial maturity. We close with a live “Ode to California” challenging protectionism and calling for true access and scale.
• federal shutdown halting rescheduling, farm bill momentum and appropriations
• behind the scenes lobbying dynamics duri...
We trace how a headline-grabbing CBD moment collided with the realities of cannabis policy, then dive into Levia’s rare founder buyback to unpack brand trust, dual-channel strategy, and what it takes to build consistent, safe, and truly approachable THC beverages. The conversation blends practical deal lessons, product innovation, and senior-focused education with a call for higher standards across hemp and regulated markets.
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Elliot Lewis, CEO of Catalyst Cannabis and famously dubbed "the angriest weed CEO in California," pulls no punches in this revealing conversation about the state of California's cannabis industry. Having built Catalyst into one of California's largest retail chains with over 25 stores, Lewis speaks from experience when he describes the maddening reality of operating under excessive regulation and taxation.
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