Let's be Blunt with Montel Williams

CANNABIS PRISONER IN MI | RUDI GAMMO

In 2018 Michigan became the first state in the midwest to legalize the possession and sale of cannabis for adult use. 2018 also marked a historic injustice when a husband and father of three was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for his operation of a Detroit city-sanctioned medical cannabis dispensary. On this episode of Let’s Be Blunt, Montel speaks to Rudi Gammo by phone from the Michigan State prison, where he has now been incarcerated for 3 years and 8 months of his 5 1/2 year sentence for a victimless cannabis offense. Montel checks in with Sarah Gerston as well on Rudi’s case, General Counsel for The Last Prisoner Project.

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Montel Williams is one of the “ground Breakers” about use of marijuana because of his illness - He came out many years ago for support and sounds that he has not slowed down concerning legalization of __Thanks Montell !!

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VETERANS & SOCIAL EQUITY | PHILLIP SMITH & JENNY ROSEMAN

On this episode of Let’s Be Blunt, Montel talks with the Co-founders of Freshly Baked, Phillip Smith & Jenny Roseman. Phillip and Jenny are both disabled veterans suffering from service-related PTSD. Cannabis has been a lifesaver for them both in managing their PTSD, which in turn prompted them to focus their careers on sharing that gift with others whom it might help. They were awarded cannabis licenses in Massachusetts as part of the state’s inaugural social equity program and were also the first company awarded a license for home delivery service in MA.

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im a proud Michigander, from the Upper Peninsula. been growin since medical was legalized. also, there’s a Michigan expungement act that went into effect early this year to help with “erasing” cannabis related crimes, certain misdemeanors, etc. good strides in the right direction, it opens up a lot of doors for people like me. not me personally, but plenty of people like me. there is still a stereotypical stigma between police and users, reguardless of legality. it’s sad but true. especially when they try to invoke a RICO law! seriously effed up.

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INSOMIA | ANGELA ARENA

Montel speaks with Angela Arena on this episode of Let’s be Blunt. Angela earned her MBA & MS from Boston University where she also studied as an undergrad. She was a business executive in the fast-paced tech world, juggling a career and parenthood when she began experiencing severe insomnia due to stress and decided it was time for a change. She is the founder of Kind Lab, a radical plant-based wellness company specializing in CBD solutions for women over 45.

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CHINESE MEDICINE & CANNABIS | CHLOE WEBER

On this episode of Let’s be Blunt Montel chats with Chloe Weber, a doctor of Chinese Medicine and a licensed acupuncturist. When her son Remy was born with a rare genetic disorder, she began studying the benefits of CBD, and realized that combining CBD with Chinese herbs could provide relief for her sons tremors and seizures. She is the owner and co-founder of Radical Roots Herbs, an herbal company that uses the power of full spectrum hemp to potentiate the actions of Chinese herbs.

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STONED TO SUCCESS | SCOTT SUNDVOR & LIBBY COOPER

On this episode of Let’s be Blunt, Montel talks with the co-founders of Space Coyote, Scott Sundvor and Libby Cooper, about why their brand is unique and the approach has driven them and their company to success. Scott & Libby discuss how cannabis can enhance one’s artistic creativity amongst the many other benefits. Space Coyote is a pre-roll company that combines high-quality flower with high-quality, potent extracts. Since their conception, Space Coyote has become the fourth largest infused pre-roll brand on the market.

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FIGHTING FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS IN IRELAND | VERA TWOMEY

Vera Twomey’s daughter Ava suffered up to 100 seizures a day, and Vera feared that without cannabis, Ava could die. In her book “For Ava” dedicated to her daughter, she writes “ I strove to think of a way to alleviate her suffering and give her a chance at a better, healthier life.” Vera has been a fierce and relentless advocate for access to medical cannabis in Ireland, after discovering it could help her daughter Ava when nothing else worked. Vera shares her families story with Montel on this episode of Let’s Be Blunt. She walked 200 miles from her home in Cork to Dublin to raise awareness and force political dialogue on the subject and was joined by thousands of supporters along the way. Her family had to become medical refugees in Holland at one point in order to get the medication their daughter desperately needed. You won’t want to miss hearing this families incredible story!

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THE PEOPLES FUND FOR CANNABIS | CHRISTINE DE LA ROSA

On this episode of Let’s be Blunt, Montel talks with Christine De La Rosa, an industry advisor and thought leader who is focusing her skill set to help Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and women-led businesses in the cannabis sector. Social Equity has become a cliche term for many, but not for this powerhouse. She was named one of the 10 women to watch out for in 2021, and one of the 35 Most Influential Women in Cannabis in 2020. She is the founder of The Peoples Group, a fund that invests in diverse & competitive cannabis companies.

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2021 STRAIN OF THE YEAR | DAVID DOWNS

Not all cannabis is created equal. Different strains of cannabis produce different effects and thus can be used for different reasons. Most consumers have generally divided cannabis into one of three categories, indica, sativa, and hybrid based on the general outcome of effects that those products produce. However, industry experts are saying that the terms are really meaningless, that when tested in the lab there are NO identifiable characteristics consistent with these terms. What is generally consistent though, is the effect and profile from a particular strain. On this episode of Let’s Be Blunt, Montel talks with Leafly’s California Bureau Chief and Co-host of the Hash Podcast, David Downs, to learn about Leafly’s selection of the 2021 Strain of the Year.

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MULTI PLATINUM ARTIST TALKS GANJA | SEAN PAUL

On this episode of Let’s Be Blunt, Montel talks with multi-platinum selling artist Sean Paul. Sean Paul is one of the most successful Jamaican artists on the international charts, and undoubtedly the king of dance hall music worldwide. His 7th album ‘Live N Livin’
was just nominated for Best Reggae Album of the Year for the 64th annual Grammy Awards. Ganja is a part of roots, and he shares some personal stories with Montel about his experiences growing up in this candid conversation.

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CANNABIS HELPED ME THROUGH CANCER TREATMENT | MARY & ANDREW BOWDEN

A new study in the Journal of Cancer found that 42 percent of the 612 breast cancer patients studied said they used cannabis to relieve symptoms associated with their disease or the side effects of treatment, including pain, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, stress, and anxiety. Three-quarters of the people who used cannabis said it was helpful in alleviating their symptoms. Research has shown that cannabis can be effective for many of these symptoms, notably pain and nausea. 49% of the study participants who used cannabis also believed that cannabis could be used to treat cancer itself — something that’s not yet supported by research. On this episode of Let’s be Blunt, Montel talks with Mary Bowden, a stage 3 breast cancer survivor, along with her son Andrew, who transitioned from real estate to the cannabis industry after witnessing the impact cannabis had on his mother.

CANNABIS! A VIPER VAUDEVILLE! | BABA ISRAEL & GRACE GALU

Montel talks with Baba Israel & Grace Galu on this episode of Let’s Be Blunt about their new theatrical production entitled Cannabis! A Viper Vaudeville. The show is a theatrical concert exploring the history of cannabis using music, dance, and spoken word. It’s inspired by Martin A. Lee’s book Smoke Signals: A Social History of Marijuana - Medical, Recreational, and Scientific. Cannabis! weaves the histories of icons such as Louis Armstrong and Bob Marley, and grassroots activists such as Dennis Perron and Brownie Mary with personal narratives and explores the cycles of repression & injustice surrounding the policing of the plant (and those who use it), along with its simultaneous celebration in the culture at large. It’s an immersive, multimedia artistic experience. The show runs from January 8, 2022-January 15, 2022 at the Ellen Stewart Theatre in New York City.

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CANNABIS YEAR IN REVIEW 2021

Mike Glazer & Mary Jane Gibson join Montel on this episode of Let’s be Blunt for our first ever “Cannabis Year in Review”, a round-up of developments and headlines relating to cannabis in 2021. Many had hoped that 2021 was set to be a record year for cannabis with Democrats sweeping the 2020 elections, and the industry was optimistic that legalization was within reach. Montel & his guests discuss the progress on state legalizations, corporate support for cannabis, the recent mayhem in Oakland, the Olympics and much more!

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CANNABIS INDUSTRY INNOVATION | CULLEN RAICHART

William Pollard once said, “Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.” On this episode of Let’s Be Blunt, Montel chats with Cullen Raichart, a US Navy veteran who is a pioneer in automation in the emerging agricultural cannabis sector. His vision has led his company GreenBroz, Inc, to become a world leader in automated harvesting solutions.

CANNABIS LIAISON | LIZ ROGAN

On this episode of Let’s Be Blunt, Montel speaks with Liz Rogan, a certified Cannabinoid Medicine Specialist by the American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine. Liz is a 17 year veteran of the cannabis industry and acts as a liaison between government, community and cannabis business owners, and a consultant to both doctors and patients on customizing cannabis treatment plans and approaches the industry from a natural sciences perspective. She holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Environmental Biology with a minor in Botany from the University of Maine and is currently the Executive Director for the Cannabis Business Council of Santa Barbara County, Inc.

CANNABIS CARE | BENJAMIN CAPLAN, M.D.

Montel talks with one of the 100 most influential individuals in cannabis on this episode of Let’s Be Blunt, Dr Benjamin Caplan. After an early career in brain imaging research at UCLA, he graduated from Williams College, completed his medical degree at Tufts University School of Medicine, and his residency at Boston University. In addition to practicing as a primary care physician at some of Boston’s foremost hospitals, he served as the Chief Medical Officer of one of the largest medical cannabis healthcare groups in the US, overseeing the clinical evaluations of over 250,000 medical patients. He has supervised and mentored hundreds of physicians across the United States and abroad, served as Investigator for multiple pharmaceutical research studies, and has been published in premier medical journals including the New England Journal of Medicine. He is a board-certified doctor of Family Medicine, the Founder and the Chief Medical Officer of CED Clinic, CED Foundation, and EO Care, Inc, as well as a co-founder of Solo Sciences which was acquired by Akerna Corp.

CANNABIS LAW | JOSIAH YOUNG

Cannabis has a special responsibility when it comes to social justice, because cannabis has a special history. To quote the Leafly report on social equity -Seeds of Change: Strategies to Create an Equitable Cannabis Industry - It is disingenuous to legalize cannabis and pretend that people of all races enjoy equal access to the opportunity offered by this new industry. Eight decades of prohibition have burdened people of color with targeted policing, arrests, and criminal records. In the present, venture capitalists and other investors, who are overwhelmingly white, often ignore, shun, or dismiss pitches from entrepreneurs of color. To make progress in the future, we’ll have to examine where and how we can do better. On this episode of Let’s be Blunt Montel talks with Josiah Young, a NY & CA licensed attorney with a passion for social equity within the cannabis industry.

NATIONAL CANNA FESTIVAL & SUMMIT | CAROLINE PHILLIPS

Montel talks with Caroline Phillips on this episode of Let’s Be Blunt. Caroline is the founder of The High Street LLC, a public relations and event production company with the mission of cultivating projects and ideas that leverage business and advocacy for social good. In 2016, she launched the National Canna Festival in Washington, D.C. and in 2018 she expanded the program to include the National Canna Policy Summit and Four20 Month. Going into year 6, the National Canna Festival is now the largest ticketed canna gathering on the east coast and NCPS is the only nationally televised canna conference in the United States. The 2022 summit and festival will be held in Washington, DC on April 23rd & 24th. Headliners inlude Wiz Khalifa, Ghostface Killah & More.

TBI CHANGED ME BUT CANNA SAVED ME | NIKKI LAWLEY

Montel talks with canna activist Nikki Lawley on this episode of Let’s Be Blunt. Nikki was working as a pediatric nurse when she suffered a traumatic brain injury. After years of suffering and many traditional medications that brought no relief and a multitude of side effects, she decided to try medical cannabis. That day was a turning point for her, and she has been a relentless cannabis advocate and educator ever since.