CANNABIS: A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH | JUDGE DOUG BENCH
Judge Doug Bench put more than 300 people in jail for minor marijuana offenses during his tenure. In retirement, his prohibitionist stance on cannabis took a sharp turn after being diagnosed with terminal COPD. His wife Jan convinced him to try cannabis-based on her own research, and after much hesitation, he finally tried cannabis and is now declared symptom free by his doctor. Judge Bench and his wife Jan are the founders of Rethink Green, cannabis advocacy and CBD product company.
Montel talks with Frank Jones and Phillip Smith on this episode of Let’s Be Blunt. Frank has more than 30 years of experience as a pharmaceutical executive. He is the co-founder of Greene Street Pharmaceuticals and works to capitalize on his extensive experience to develop innovative products that make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and physicians. Also joining the conversation, is Montel’s friend and partner, the co-founder of Freshly Baked Company, Philip Smith.
Montel chats with Rachel Grochowski on this episode of Let’s Be Blunt. Rachel is an award-winning architect and designer. Her diverse body of work spans both residential and commercial projects throughout the US. She’s been recognized by the Urban Land Institute for sustainable development and has been awarded Gold and Silver LEED certifications for her work. In 2019, she was named one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs in NJ, and now she has brought her talent to the cannabis industry designing dispensaries and consumption lounges.
Montel chats with JM Balbuena on this episode of Let’s Be Blunt about her new book The Successful Canna-Prenueur. JM is an author, filmmaker, advocate, and entrepreneur focused on empowering aspiring leaders in the rapidly growing legal cannabis space. She is a Navy veteran, having received a Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal for her dedicated service as an Aviation Electronics Tech from 2010 to 2014. She went on to earn her masters degree in business administration and information systems.
SURVIVING THE WAR ON DRUGS | TERRENCE STEVENS & PHIL SMITH
Montel talks with Terrence Stevens and Philip Smith on this episode of Let’s be Blunt. Terrence is a quadriplegic with Muscular Dystrophy who was sentenced to 15 years in a maximum security prison for a non-violent low level drug offense. He suffered years of abuse and exploitation from the penal system and was eventually granted clemency by Governor Pataki after serving 10 years of his sentence. Since his release he has dedicated his life to creating positive change in communities disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. His story was featured in the PBS documentary The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross. Now focused on treating a myriad of medical ailments, he has teamed up with Freshly Baked founders Jenny Roseman and Philip Smith to launch his IRONSYDZ brand of cannabis products in Massachusetts.
While smokable flowers, edibles, and vapes lead legal cannabis sales, THC-infused beverages are projected to become a major market segment. For now, they account for slightly more than one percent of total cannabis sales, but “beverages are growing and trending up” according to market intelligence firm Headset, and the category is becoming more sophisticated. Montel talks with Paul Weaver, Head of Cannabis for the Boston Beer Company on this episode of Let’s Be Blunt. In 2021, The Boston Beer Company, the name behind some of Americas favorite brands such as Samuel Adams, Twisted Tea and Angry Orchard, threw its hat in the ring and established a Canadian subsidiary to research and develop THC beverages in advance of future US legalization.
On this episode of Let’s Be Blunt, Montel talks with Tiffany Chin, who recently launched Death Row Cannabis with Snoop Dogg. Tiffany is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Wharton Business School. She started working with Snoop Dogg as an intern and quickly rose through the ranks to lead his cannabis business development. She negotiated the two largest licensing deals at the time in the history of the cannabis space, and under her direction, Leafs by Snoop generated over $50M of annual revenue while available in only two territories, Canada and Colorado.
Montel speaks with Arend Richard on this episode of Let’s Be Blunt. Arend is a seasoned entrepreneur, LGBTQ+ advocate, and passionate cannabis enthusiast with a proven track record of building successful businesses from the ground up. A thought leader in the cannabis space, Arend currently serves as the founder of Cirrus Social Club, an innovative space to celebrate and socialize over the wonders of cannabis, set to open its doors in the Summer of 2023. With a vision to provide a safe, inclusive, and social setting, Richard is seamlessly merging the cannabis space with the hospitality sector, making waves in both industries.
He was a co-founder of the Weed Tube and has co-founded Canna4ClimateDay and co-hosted the historic Glitter Bong Bash, the first and only cannabis event for the LGBTQ+ community. He has also published two LGBTQ+ Sci-Fi novels available on Amazon.
On this episode of Let’s be Blunt, Montel talks with Michael Wilson, the foudner of the MO canna company, Franklin’s Stash House. Michael is a serial entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience across design and engineering, precision manufacturing, brand development, corporate modeling, financial modeling and multi-state and international cannabis licensing. He first launched his business as a hemp brand, and later obtained licenses to manufacture and distribute THC based products.
ON LOCATION
Montel speaks with Marie St Fleur on this episode of Let’s Be Blunt. St Fleur was the first Haitian- American elected to state office in the United States and the first woman to serve as Vice Chair of the powerful Committee on Ways and Means. She served as a state representative for Massachusetts for eleven years. Before that, she served as an Assistant District Attorney and Assistant Attorney General in Massachusetts. She is a passionate advocate for social justice reform and cannabis legalization.
On this episode of Let’s Be Blunt Montel speaks with Dr Benjamin Caplan, a board-certified doctor of Family Medicine who was named one of the 100 most influential individuals in cannabis. In addition to practicing at some of Boston’s foremost hospitals, he served as the Chief Medical Officer for one of the largest medical cannabis healthcare groups in the US, overseeing the clinical evaluations of over 250,000 medical patients. His new book, “The Doctor Approved Cannabis Handbook” will be released in October 17th, 2023. 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.
On this episode of Let’s be Blunt, Montel talks with the Ohio Executive Director of Norml, Simon Dunkle. Simon started his career working for Ohio Speaker of the House, Vern Riffe, in the Ohio’s 114th General Assembly. He then spent 25 years in broadcasting, with the high point being a nationally syndicated blues radio show that ran in 40 Markets from 1994 to 1998. After an accident and twenty plus surgeries, he is permanently disabled and has found relief through medical cannabis. He is a staunch patient advocate and shares what is happening in Ohio’s medical cannabis landscape.
On this episode of Let’s be Blunt, Montel talks with Firstman. He is a founding member of Life Is A Ceremony retreats where healers, shamans, artists, change makers, and more, commune in nature’s wisdom, hold space for personal development and solve systemic issues within a village of elders among the glory of Jamaica’s most potent and powerful resources: visionary plants, the healing powers of nature, and the unique wisdom held within Rastafari Indigenous Village. Firstman has had a long career as a community organizer and cannabis freedom activist; serving as a charter member of the Jamaican Ganja Task Force; as the Chair of the first Ganja Advisory Committee to the Government of Jamaica; and as a Co-founder of the Rastafari and Grass Roots Growers Association. He is one of the original founders of Rastafari Indigenous Village; a father, drummer, chanter, singer, songwriter, and orator.
AUTISM CANNABIS STUDY | DR GOLDSTEIN, DR KUREK & DR RABER
On this episode of Let’s Be Blunt, Montel talks with Bonni Goldstein, MD, Itzhak Kurek, PHD and Jeff Raber PHD about a study on the impact of cannabinoid therapy for treating Autism utilizing Cannformatics saliva based Cannabis-responsive biomarkers for before and after results. Dr Kurek is the CEO and founder of Cannformatics, a biotech company developing a lab service to analyze non-invasive saliva samples to determine if cannabis or CBD is a viable option for a patient’s medical condition; help guide healthcare providers and patients with what to take and how to
take it; evaluate how cannabis or CBD is impacting the body and provide a recommendation to optimize usage. Dr Bonni Goldstein is a reknown pediatrician and cannabis expert who oversaw treatment for the study, and Dr Raber is an acclaimed organic chemist who works with cannabis. Dr Raber’s Stepson has autism and was treated by Dr. Goldstein in the Cannformatics pilot study.
Montel welcomes back Margo Vesely-Stone to this episode of Let’s be Bunt to talk about cannabis educational programs she is implementing in IL. Margo has dedicated her career to inspiring humanity to understand the blessings in plant medicine. She is a passionate cannabis advocate, researcher, and entrepreneur with almost two decades of cannabis and legal experience, both in the public and private sectors. She volunteers as the executive director of the IL Chapter of the non-profit NORML.
PRIMITIV CANNABIS | CALVIN JOHNSON & GOSDER CHERILUS
On this episode of Let’s be Blunt, Montel talks with Calvin Johnson and Gosder Cherilus, retired NFL players who founded a forward-thinking company dedicated to the advancement of cannabis as a form of elevated wellness, believing that the plant holds incredible potential as a healing agent. Their vision is to positively impact the global cannabis industry, changing stigmas and stereotypes by highlighting the healing power of the plant and producing products that help people and athletes optimize their wellness through holistic relief. Currently they have operations in Michigan and Massachusetts.
On Location in Massachusetts
On this episode of Let’s Be Blunt, Montel talks with Chris Walsh on location at Green Care Collective, a vertically integrated cannabis company in Massachusetts that he has recently taken the helm of as CEO. Chris began his career in the entertainment industry and eventually co-founded the legendary production company, The Shooting Gallery, an indie film company that has been credited with launching the indie film boom of the early 1990’s with such hits as Sling Blade and Laws of Gravity. He was an entrepreneur in film, music and tourism before entering the cannabis industry. His cannabis experience spans from launching a national CBD brand to helping to shape Vermont’s cannabis laws to consulting with Ben & Jerry’s and more.
