Want to Stay Ahead of the Cannabis Industry? Listen to These Podcasts

Podcasts are one of the fastest growing media formats largely thanks to the convenience — download at home, listen any time — and the rapid growth in popularity driving competition and increasing the quality of available podcasts. “What Are Podcasts” and “How to Download” tutorial

There are podcasts for every single different niche from craft beer to the winter sports industry. As the contemporary cannabis culture collides with the evolving cannabis industry, independent cannabis media is also evolving to include more and higher quality podcasts.

Around the same time we started Heady Vermont, I started tinkering with a podcast as a way to use audio interviews and start practicing the format and after seventeen episodes spanning a full calendar year, we’re taking the podcast weekly and looking for feedback.  

That being said, the point of this article isn’t (only) self-promotion, it’s to share the podcasts that I listen to for both inspiration as a cannabis podcast host, and research as a cannabis entrepreneur.

All of the podcasts listed below are available on iTunes for free using the podcast app and the iTunes store. Listen, Subscribe and download the podcasts below and check out the Vermontijuana Podcast on iTunes.

Shaping Fire With Shango Los

The Shaping Fire Podcast is especially great for those who already have a degree of cannabis knowledge and industry perspective. Not only are the guests the leaders in their fields, but with the long interview format, the listener gets the full scope of detail on the technology, techniques, and people featured.

Shango Los started and hosted the Ganjapreneur Podcast served as it’s Director of Content and Brand Strategy and he’s based on the West Coast so he’s unparalleled in terms of industry knowledge and connections. Without being arrogant or annoying, Los is able to talk cultivation with OG growers, molecular chemistry with scientists, and high finance with CEO’s.

Recommended Episode: “Cannabinoids and Terpenoids in Detail Part 2 With Guest Dr. Ethan Russo” | LINK

Recommended Episode: “Open Source Probiotic Cannabis With Guest Alan Adkisson” | LINK

CannaInsider Podcast

Note: this post has since been updated for clarity and to note that the CannaInsider podcast are independently funded; our apologies for the error.

This podcast can sometimes feel like more of an advertising tool than a news program, but the businesses and individuals who are featured are often really interesting and the host, Matthew Kind is able to get beyond the basic promotion of the featured business or product.

Many of the interesting guests are entrepreneurs that have ties to the ArcView Group — an investment group that focuses on supporting the cannabis industry, and among other things, organizes the CanopyBoulder cannabis business accelerator. they’re on the leading edge of what’s happening in the world of cannabis. The podcast has close ties to Arcview and Canopy Boulder, which benefits the listener as the types of businesses represented are showing signs of success and a look at the leading edge of the cannabis industry.

Recommended Episode: “Pharmacielo is Growing Cannabis At The Equator To Export to The World” – LINK

Disclaimer: The author has appeared on this podcast in April 2016. Neither the author nor Heady Vermont were compensated nor do we have an advertising relationship with CannaInsider.

Ganjapreneur Podcast

Disclaimer: The author has been interviewed for this podcast for an upcoming episode. Neither the author of this article nor Heady Vermont were compensated nor do we have an advertising relationship with Ganjapreneur. Heady Vermont proudly works with the Ganjapreneur Podcast host, TG Branfalt, as a paid contributor to Heady Vermont.

Ganjapreneur is well known for sharing stories that shine an informative spotlight on the people, products, and organizations changing the cannabis landscape around the country and the Podcast delivers the same high quality information. The newsletter is good, but we also check the Ganjapreneur website directly for stories.

The host, TG Branfalt, has the interview skills belying his background as a veteran journalist and leads his dynamic and diverse guests into comfortable and casual discussions about a much wider range of topics than you might expect from an industry-specific outlet.

Recommended Episode: “Dr. Allen Miller: Using Cannabis to Kick Opioid Dependency” | LINK

The Marijuana Agenda with Russ Belville

Disclaimer: The author has appeared as a guest on this podcast in April 2017. Neither the author nor Heady Vermont were compensated then or now, nor do we have an advertising relationship with the Marijuana Agenda.

‘Radical Russ’ aka Russ Belville is based in Oregon but is one of the nation’s leading voices for cannabis reform as an advocate, writer, and host of the daily podcast, “The Marijuana Agenda”.

Not only does Russ point out hypocrisy and ignorance from opponents in an entertaining and accurate way, he’s also obviously a highly intelligent guy who actually reads the original polls, reports, and research. Russ passes around that data and information generously in order to help debunk lies and misrepresentations, and to support advocates with real data.

Look @GovPhilScott, if #marijuana and driving were a serious concern, how is #Vermont 2nd-most pot use state and 2nd-safest for driving? pic.twitter.com/zasuhppYOL

— Russ Belville (@RadicalRuss) May 12, 2017

As a truly independent and outspoken advocate, Radical Russ is now crowd-funding his podcast and media ventures through his Patreon page, which you can directly support here for as little as $4.20. 

Recommended Episode:“Today is the 80th Birthday of Marijuana Prohibition” | LINK

Vermontijuana Podcast

Obviously we were going to give ourselves a little plug here – some of the earlier of the seventeen episodes are a little rough around the edges, but there are some great guests and interviews, ranging from Melissa Etheridge to college-aged Trim-migrants to the successful inventor of the “K Cup of Cannabis”.

Listen to the latest episode on Heady Vermont here, subscribe on iTunes here and email [email protected] or follow on social media @Vermontijuana

Recommended Episode: “‘The K Cup for Weed’ – CannaKorp & the CannaCloud ft. Inventor Michael Bourque | LINK

Recommended Episode: “How to Talk To Your Doctor About Cannabis ft. Dr. Joe McSherry, Ph.D, M.D” | LINK

And if you enjoy podcasts in general, here are a few more nuggets for you to remember next time you’re on your favorite mobile device:

Wintry Mix – Host Alex Kaufman spotlights winter activities and snow sports, and the awesome people who partake and drive the community. After spending the first few seasons working with Vermont Public Radio, Wintry Mix has an updated user-submitted format – listen for the “Smoke and Stoke segment” | LINK

Pardon My Take – The best sports satire out there, plain and simple. #Re2pect #AWLnayshun | LINK TO BARSTOOL SPORTS DOT COM

It’s The Beer Talkin’ – Hosts Jeff, Jason, and the entire team from Farrell Distributing conduct fun and informative interview with leaders in the craft beer and alcohol world and spotlight the people and places behind some of the country’s best beverages | LINK