PODCAST · business
Blunt Business
by Cannabis Radio
Dispensing Cannabis business knowledge beyond a million square feet of cultivation space. Blunt Business will navigate the challenges and opportunities of one of the most profitable industries on earth. Join us each episode to hear our weekly round tables and interviews with industry professionals.
Episodes
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The Clash Over Massachusetts Question 8
The debate over Question 8—the controversial ballot initiative seeking to repeal adult-use cannabis sales in Massachusetts—has pitted prohibitionist campaigns against major political leaders and industry advocates. Scrutiny highlighted by WGBH centers on the unexpected financial backers and...
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Last Call for Legal THC: Mainstream Media Sounds the Alarm on the Looming Federal Hemp Ban
Major outlets like PBS NewsHour, NPR, and Forbes are turning their spotlight onto an impending regulatory cliff that threatens to dismantle America's $28 billion hemp-derived THC market. As the year-end countdown accelerates, national reporting is moving beyond niche cannabis circles to expose…
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Massachusetts Cannabis on the Brink: 18,000 Jobs at Stake as Voters Defend Legalization
Massachusetts is at the center of the nation's cannabis conversation as a looming repeal ballot initiative threatens the livelihoods of nearly 18,000 workers across the state's marijuana industry. Despite the existential risk to these businesses and local jobs, recent polling shows that...
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Crushed by Red Tape and Illicit Rivals: California and New York’s Cannabis Reality Check
While the broader cannabis market grapples with steep price compression, state-level missteps in both California and New York have turned promise into an uphill battle for legal operators. In California, despite generating $8.4 billion in economic impact, compliant businesses face relentless…
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Cultivating Better Care: How Humboldt Health is Revolutionizing Benefits for the Cannabis Industry
Humboldt Health is breaking new ground with a specialized healthcare captive tailored specifically for cannabis businesses with 50 to 2,000 employees. Blackwell Captive Scott Byrne joins Blunt Business to full us in on the details on the plan offering enrollment on October 1st. By leveraging…
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Hemp’s 30-Day Countdown on Regulation and Risk
As the timer ticks down on an impending federal crackdown, the hemp industry faces an existential race against the clock. Mainstream retailers—led by convenience store associations—are urging Congress to hit the pause button on an outright ban and instead establish a regulated, age-gated...
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Berner Bets on Himself: Bringing Splash City to the Big Screen
In this episode of Blunt Business, Berner opens up about putting his own money on the line to co-write, co-direct, and produce his gritty Bay Area crime thriller, Splash City. Rather than waiting around for traditional studio approval, the cannabis mogul and artist invested $2 million of his own...
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Cannabis Clashes with Legal Storms and Operational Shifts
The federal government’s increasing acknowledgment of medical cannabis applications marks a pivotal turning point for the sector, granting long-sought validation to consumers and patients alike. However, this formal legitimacy comes with heightened accountability, obligating operators to raise...
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Cannabis Reform Takes Center Stage in the 2026 Midterms
As the 2026 midterm elections approach, marijuana reform is proving to be a rare unifying force across the political spectrum. Driven by high-stakes federal rescheduling efforts and a fresh wave of state-level ballot measures, cannabis policy has evolved from a fringe topic into a mainstream,...
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Retail Innovations and Local Access Roll Out for New Cannabis Customers
As the legal cannabis sector eagerly awaits federal reclassification judgments, industry players are aggressively pivoting toward untapped markets and hesitant, first-time consumers. In California, dispensaries are tearing down old retail friction points by introducing state-approved…
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Beyond the Hearings: Navigating Cannabis's Legal Crossroads
Although the historic DEA rescheduling hearings have officially concluded, the administrative process has ended without an immediate, final ruling, leaving the federal status of cannabis temporarily in limbo. Despite the lack of a definitive outcome, the hearings marked a monumental breakdown in...
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Navigating the DEA’s Cannabis Rescheduling Shift
As the DEA moves toward rescheduling cannabis, the industry is bracing for a complex transformation defined by regulatory uncertainty and potential legal headwinds. While federal agencies have taken an unexpectedly active role in supporting this transition, the timeline for full implementation...
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Future of Cannabusiness: Brand Strategy and Industry Consolidation
Joe Bayern with MM Brands outlines a strategic roadmap for professionalizing the cannabis industry, emphasizing that sustainable growth requires moving beyond fragmented operations. Key strategies include adopting a portfolio-based management model to share operational and manufacturing costs,...
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The Ongoing Federal Rescheduling and Operational Hurdles in Cannabis
Blunt Business welcomes Joe Bayern, the CEO of MM Brands to discuss how the cannabis industry is approaching a potential turning point as DOJ and DEA hearings conclude this July, with anticipation high for a move to Schedule 3 classification. This reclassification could eliminate 280E tax...
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Banking, Compliance, and the DOJ Hearing for Cannabis Rescheduling
Once again we welcome back Nick Richards, Partner and co-chair of the cannabis law practice group at Greenspoon Marder about how the cannabis and hemp industries currently face a complex landscape defined by existential regulatory threats and critical federal proceedings. Financial institutions…
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Courts, Cannabis, and Compliance: WNBA Policy Shifts vs. Impending Hemp Regulations
The sports industry is witnessing a landmark normalization of cannabis, highlighted by the WNBA’s recent collective bargaining agreement which removed cannabis from its prohibited substances list in favor of supportive substance abuse treatment programs. While this signals a new era for athlete...
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DOJ Rescheduling Preview | Virginia Amending Adult Use | Illinois Introduces Hemp Ban?
We report on a wave of highly targeted legislative, legal, and medical updates aimed at curbing market disorder and protecting public health. In the United States, Virginia has advanced a budget deal to its governor establishing a definitive July 2027 timeline for adult-use dispensary sales…
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Clarifying Cannabis From THCA Loopholes to Schedule III Shifts
Dr. Priyanka Sharma, co-CEO of Kazmira Therapeutics and fellow co-CEO Pulak Sharma, cut through the confusion surrounding the rapidly evolving cannabis and hemp sectors. She clarifies the critical distinction between THCA—the non-intoxicating precursor that converts to THC upon heating—and…
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Kazmira Therapeutics and the Future of CBD Medicine
Kazmira Therapeutics is revolutionizing the CBD landscape by transitioning cannabinoids from over-the-counter health supplements to precision, pharmacist-compounded "real medicine". Led by co-founders Dr. Priyanka Sharma and Pulak Sharma, the company leverages proprietary…
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The Hemp Lifeline: States Open Cannabis Gateways as Federal Lawsuit Targets MSOs
As a massive federal hammer prepares to fall on the hemp industry, progressive states are throwing operators a regulatory lifeline—just as the legal cannabis market faces its own "Big Tobacco" reckoning. A newly filed federal class-action lawsuit targets major Chicago-based operators like Cresco...
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Federal Rescheduling and the BUILD Act: Capitol Hill’s Shift on Cannabis Reform
Blunt Business zeroes in on major developments unfolding on the congressional front. It highlights how impending federal rescheduling could significantly alter medical cannabis policies within the Veterans Administration, potentially expanding access for military veterans by allowing VA doctors…
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Georgia Expands Medical Access and D.C. Beats Cannabis Lawsuit
This week on Blunt Business, we’re diving into two massive legal shifts reshaping cannabis markets on opposite sides of the country. First, we break down Georgia’s major policy overhaul as Governor Brian Kemp signs the "Putting Georgia's Patients First Act."From expanding the list of qualifying...
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$15 Billion Refund? Navigating Retroactive 280E Relief
As the federal government moves toward rescheduling marijuana, the cannabis industry is eyeing a massive financial shift: the potential for $15 billion in retroactive tax relief from Section 280E. While the transition to Schedule 3 offers a path to future profitability, businesses must act...
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Can Las Vegas Cash In on the Cannabis Reclassification?
The potential move to Schedule III presents a massive financial opportunity for "Sin City," yet current local friction threatens to stall that momentum. As the federal government nears reclassification, the industry is at a crossroads between record-breaking growth and a cooling tourist market....
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A Psychedelic and Cannabis Research Revolution On the Horizon?
This episode of Blunt Business explores a significant shift in federal drug policy following a new executive order aimed at accelerating research into psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, and ibogaine for treating mental health disorders. The newly signed executive order to direct the FDA to...
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4/20 Fortune: Critics Say High-Stakes Holiday Losing Its Edge?
As the legal landscape evolves, the traditional 4/20 retail boom is showing signs of cooling, with some markets seeing higher sales during the surrounding week than on the holiday itself due to aggressive discounting and operational strain. This shift toward a more mature market coincides with...
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Massachusetts Cannabis Market Overhaul and a Major MSO Files Bankruptcy
The cannabis landscape in Massachusetts and the broader U.S. market is undergoing a significant correction as regulators and major corporations grapple with the industry's economic realities. In a move toward increased oversight and efficiency, a state legislative committee has passed a plan to...
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Inside New York’s Five-Year Cannabis Chronicle
In this episode of The Blunt Business, the discussion dives deep into the complex landscape of the New York cannabis market as it hits its five-year legalization anniversary. While Governor Kathy Hochul lauds the state’s achievement of $3.3 billion in total sales and the opening of its 600th...
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The Cannabis Business CLIMB or Cannabis for Healthy Livers
Blunt Business dives into the shifting landscape of American cannabis, from the halls of Congress to the microscopic world of medical research. We break down the newly proposed CLIMB Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at finally opening major U.S. stock exchanges and private lending to state-sanctioned...
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Clickbait Science Exposed! Debunking the Mainstream Media's War on Cannabis
Blunt Business tears apart the "bunk" science being weaponized by mainstream outlets like Reuters and The Guardian. By interrogating the raw data behind a widely cited Lancet Psychiatry study, the program exposes a collection of massive research failures—including tiny sample sizes, high risks of...
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Beyond the Ban: David Spang’s Mission to Regulate and Rescue South Carolina’s Hemp Industry
David Spang, co-founder of Coastal Green Wellness, dives deep into the turbulent legislative landscape of the Southeast cannabis market. Spang discusses the high-stakes battle against impending hemp bans in South Carolina, advocating for comprehensive regulation over total prohibition to protect...
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The Looming $6 Billion Crisis: A Survival Guide for Distressed Cannabis Operators
Scot Crow and Benjam Sobczak of Dickinson Wright tare back this week to discuss the industry’s significant $6 billion debt crisis and the necessary survival strategies for compromised companies. The debt crisis is separate from 280E tax liabilities, rooted in market volatility (like the sharp…
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Private Equity & The Green Rush: Why Schedule III Won't Open the Bank Vaults
Scot Crow and Benjam Sobczak of the cannabis practice at Dickinson Wright the impact of federal Schedule III reclassification and the increasing, albeit complex, role of private equity (PE) in the cannabis sector. Experts agreed that moving to Schedule III, while providing significant tax relief...
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Joe Salome on Pioneering the South's Medical Cannabis and Hemp Industry
Joe Salome, co-founder of The Georgia Hemp Company and Simple Leaf Wellness, and former CMO of Halcyon Organics, is a respected figure in medical cannabis policy, instrumental in the passage of Georgia’s landmark Haleigh's Hope Act (2014) and the 2019 Georgia’s Hope Act. The discussion centers on...
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How Rescheduling Could Transform Cannabis Economics and Brain Health
This week we explore the dual impact of cannabis legalisation and rescheduling—focusing on both the massive financial implications for the industry and emerging scientific research on health benefits. The $2 Billion Tax Windfall The program leads with a deep dive into the potential rescheduling…
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Back to Business: Navigating the 2026 Cannabis Frontier
After a much-needed hiatus following eight years of consistent broadcasting, Blunt Business has returned in 2026 by reaffirming the show's commitment to raw, unfiltered industry commentary. This "re-launch" episode marks a strategic shift as the program absorbs its companion series, Grassroots...
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Schedule 3 and the Green Light: Unlocking Traditional Finance for the Cannabis Industry
Blunt Business discusses the evolving landscape of cannabis banking, where Kevin Hart (CEO of Green Check Verified) explained that financial institutions are increasingly engaging with the sector, driven by data transparency, robust compliance standards, and the realization that there is no...
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Hemp's $6B Cliff Edge: Policy Contradictions, Political Concessions, and the Fight to Save Delta 8 THC
Thomas Winstanley from Edibles.com is back to discuss the critical issue of federally recriminalizing hemp-derived THC products like Delta 8 THC via the congressional spending bill, despite the industry being legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill. Winstanley emphasized the dire economic consequences...
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President Trump Signs Landmark Cannabis Rescheduling Order
In what is being hailed as a "watershed moment" for the cannabis industry, President Trump has officially signed an executive order to move cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 of the Controlled Substances Act. This historic shift, which follows a bipartisan initiation process started by the...
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Trump's Cannabis Executive Order: Reclassification vs. Declassification
Attorney Joshua Bauchner is back to talk about the potential reclassification of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, spurred by reports of an impending executive order from President Trump. While the move is seen as a beneficial step for research, both speakers and the National Organization...
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Arizona's Cannabis Correction: Legal Survival, Hemp War, and the End of the Billable Hour
Ryan Hurley, founder of Litix Legal, discusses the "full swing market correction" in the Arizona cannabis industry, stressing the critical need for lean, compliant operations for survival. He introduced Litix Legal's model of "killing the billable hour" through flat, subscription-based rates,...
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Incannex Healthcare: Pioneering Combination Medicines and Psychedelic Therapies
Blunt Business speaks with Joel Latham, CEO of Incannex Healthcare (NASDAQ: IXHL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the use of proprietary combination medicines. Latham breaks down their strategy of fusing synthetic cannabinoids and well-characterized active drug components…
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Sam Adams to Solventless: Paul Weaver Unpacks Boston Beer's Cannabis Playbook
Blunt Business welcomes back Paul Weaver, Director and Head of Cannabis at the Boston Beer Company, to Blunt Business to discuss the expansion of their Emerald Hour cannabis line, which now includes cocktail-inspired THC gummies made with live rosin, launching in Ontario and Alberta following…
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From Student Facing Felony Charges to Cannabis Entrepreneur and Advocate
Jackson Rund, a recipient of the DaySavers Higher Potential Scholarship and co-founder of Higher State Brands, shared his journey in the cannabis industry. He overcame felony charges at 17 to pursue his passion, earning dual bachelor's degrees in cannabis chemistry and business. Rund's company,...
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LeafLink's Bold Pivot: Flat Fees, Simplified Tiers, and a New Financial Frontier
LeafLink CEO Ashwin Raj discusses the changes for their customers involve a shift back to a flat-fee pricing model from a usage-based structure. discuss the company's shift in its pricing model. Leaf Link is reverting from an unpopular usage-based structure back to a flat-fee structure and...
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Protecting the $28.4 Billion Hemp Industry: A Critical Inflection Point
Founder and Chief Communications Officer of Cornbread Hemp and Cornbread Mafia Author Jim Higdon discusses the critical federal threat to the $28.4 billion hemp industry posed by a minibus appropriations bill seeking to ban hemp-derived THC nationwide, noting the government shutdown provides a...
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HR and The Critical Role of PEOs in the Cannabis Industry
Daniela Williams, Chief Growth Officer for Paylient, discusses the critical role of HR and the benefits of the Professional Employer Organization (PEO) model in the cannabis industry. Daniela detailed how PEOs like Paylient manage HR complexities, ensure compliance with labor laws, and mitigate...
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Business of Cannabis NY and Navigating New York's Evolving Cannabis Market
Shabbaz K Virani, Co-Founder of The Cannabis Collective and a key speaker at the upcoming Business of Cannabis NY event, delves into the dynamic New York cannabis market. We cover the market's rapid growth, compliance and regulatory hurdles, the crucial role of Dr. June Chin, the new Chief…
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Litigation Against Georgia Hemp Farming Act
Zakiya Watson-Caffe, principal attorney at Watson Law LLC, and Rancheros Fortune, Founder and CEO of Good Fortune Group, discussed the lawsuit "Grassroots Association Incorporated versus the state of Georgia." This lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the Georgia Hemp Farming Act (SB 494)...
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MJBizCon 2025: Evolution, Inclusivity, and Future Directions
MJBizCon is evolving to offer a more consumer-focused experience, introducing initiatives like the MJBowl, a bi-coastal cannabis competition, and hosting offsite consumption events at NuWu. This shift aims to gather consumer feedback and integrate the consumer aspect into the "seed to sale"...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Dispensing Cannabis business knowledge beyond a million square feet of cultivation space. Blunt Business will navigate the challenges and opportunities of one of the most profitable industries on earth. Join us each episode to hear our weekly round tables and interviews with industry professionals.
HOSTED BY
Cannabis Radio
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Blunt Business have?
Blunt Business currently has 488 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Blunt Business about?
Dispensing Cannabis business knowledge beyond a million square feet of cultivation space. Blunt Business will navigate the challenges and opportunities of one of the most profitable industries on earth. Join us each episode to hear our weekly round tables and interviews with industry professionals.
How often does Blunt Business release new episodes?
Blunt Business publishes regularly with 488 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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You can listen to Blunt Business on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Blunt Business?
Blunt Business is created and hosted by Cannabis Radio.
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