TWICL (Feb 6, 2026) - Cannabis, Congress, And The Olympic Moment

From Olympic hockey banter to Washington politics and THC drinks at major arenas, this episode proves there’s never a slow week in cannabis. AnnaRae joins a familiar roundtable to unpack policy signals, market stress, and why beverages keep stealing the spotlight.About This EpisodeOn this week’s edition of This Week in Cannabis Live, Jay Rosenthal is joined by Jeremy Berke, Marc Hauser, and AnnaRae Grabstein for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of the industry. Topics include Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s candid take on cannabis reform, GTI/Rhythm’s THC beverages landing at the United Center, MSO financial distress, and a surprise capital raise from Willie Nelson’s THC beverage brand.AnnaRae also digs into what these headlines mean for operators navigating policy uncertainty, capital constraints, and shifting consumer behavior.💡 What You’ll LearnWhat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s comments signal about cannabis reform under a Trump administrationWhy THC beverages are breaking into arenas, concerts, and hospitality venuesHow MSO distress (including asset sales and forbearance agreements) reflects a broader industry resetWhy Willie’s Remedy raising $15M surprised many investorsWhat New York’s Brand Power Rankings reveal about local vs. national cannabis brandsHow policy uncertainty is freezing capital—and where momentum still existsHave a question for us? Send us a text. We may answer it in the next show!--High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover? Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations. Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.