EPISODES

In this behind-the-scenes conversation we are rejoined with extraction technologist and Cannabis educator Murphy Murri to talk all about CRC aka “Color Remediation Cartridges”. CRC has gained a lot of buzz, both positive and negative, in recent years as extractors experiment with refinement techniques that manipulate the appearance of the extract. The concept of “colorless” Cannabis extracts was largely popularized by The Clear years ago, and now has become commonplace. But what is CRC? And what is happening to these extracts when their color is “remediated”? And does CRC present any risks to consumers or extraction technicians?
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Murphy Murri provides a common sense take on CRC for anyone wanting to wrap their minds around this popular topic.

In this behind-the-scenes interview we sit down with doctor and Cannabis educator, Mary Clifton, MD. Dr. Clifton has become a popular medical Cannabis educator, with tons of videos on YouTube as well as a course that she teaches called The Cannabinoid Protocol. Her focus is strictly on clinical applications of Cannabis and works to help train other clinicians and health care professionals how to understand and use Cannabis and cannabinoid products in targeted ways.

In our discussion we talk about how she discovered the promise of medical Cannabis through two separate hospice experiences with loved ones, what drove her to decide to dedicate her time to learning about and teaching about Cannabis, her thoughts on CBG as the new popular cannabinoid, how Cannabis affects the immune system, Cannabis for anxiety, and much more.

You can learn more about Dr. Clifton and find her educational video library at: www.CBDandCannabisInfo.com

Dr. Clifton and I are working together in a newly formed education and research group called The Institute of Cannabinoid Medicine (TIOCM). Learn more about TIOCM at www.tiocm.org

In this behind-the-scenes interview we sat down with Elise McDonough to talk all things Cannabis edibles! Elise has authored multiple Cannabis cookbooks including Bong Appetit and The Official High Times Cannabis Cookbook. We explore lessons that Elise has learned about cooking with Cannabis, exciting opportunities in the Cannabis edibles market, what the future of Cannabis edibles may look like, her history in the Cannabis industry including her work with WAMM, and much more!

Learn more about Elise’s work at www.elisemcdonough.com
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Stay curious and take it easy!

​In this behind-the-scenes episode we are joined by 1st Lady of the West Coast (FLOTWC), a musician, producer, entrepreneur, and medical Cannabis advocate. In our conversation, 1st Lady shared her incredibly personal and inspirational story of confronting childhood trauma, battling bipolar disorder and depression, and how Cannabis saved her life - inspiring her to start her own line of Cannabis varieties, including Black Girl Magic OG, FLOTWC Kush, and others. We also discuss her career in the music industry, how Cannabis affects her creativity, life lessons that she has learned from a lifetime in the music industry, and much more.

Featured Song: "BGMO" (feat. Rick Ross) by 1st Lady of the West Coast

You can find 1st Lady of the West Coast on Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever else you listen to music.

Enjoy, stay curious and take it easy.
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Disclaimer: None of the content featured on The Curious About Cannabis Podcast is medical advice. Always seek the help of a licensed healthcare professional if you desire to use Cannabis as medicine. 

In this behind-the-scenes interview we are joined by Arno Hazekamp, PhD. Arno is based out of the Netherlands and has been researching Cannabis since 2001. He is probably most famous for proposing the concept of Cannabis chemovars to replace the idea of "strains". His work has primarily focused on examining the chemical constituents of Cannabis and Cannabis products including Cannabis teas, Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), and more. He has also published numerous papers on other topics like Cannabis sterilization via gamma irradiation, review papers on human clinical research around Cannabis, and many more.

Arno shares my passion for science communication and science education, which came through very clearly in this conversation. We discussed many different topics over the course of the two hours including common Cannabis misconceptions, evidence for therapeutic applications of Cannabis, how to think about "strains" and indica/sativa vernacular, the best way to make Cannabis tea, the importance of writing scientific papers with a lay audience in mind, and a whole lot more!

Connecting with Arno was a delight and I look forward to talking to him again in the future. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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Learn more about Arno's work at https://hazekamp.info/ 

​In this behind-the-scenes episode we talk with Dr. Jeff Raber of The Werc Shop, a Cannabis and cannabinoid science and technology company that began testing Cannabis products in California back in 2010. Our conversation explores Dr. Raber’s background in biochemistry, the turbulent history of Cannabis testing labs, how Cannabis companies began leveraging Cannabis test results to improve products, impurities found in delta-8 THC products, the future of The Werc Shop and more!
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Learn more about The Werc Shop: https://thewercshop.com/

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The Curious About Cannabis Podcast is produced by Natural Learning Enterprises, a mission driven company focused on enhancing critical thinking skills and public scientific literacy about life and the natural world. If you enjoy Curious About Cannabis, consider checking out some of these other programs by Natural Learning Enterprises:

• Toadstool’s Treasures (www.ToadstoolsTreasures.com)
• GardenWild (www.GardenWild.org)
• Serious About Psychedelics (www.SeriousAboutPsychedelics.com)

Learn more about Natural Learning Enterprises at www.NaturalEDU.com

In this episode we journey beyond Cannabis and the endocannabinoid system into the endocannabinoidome! The endocannabinoidome is a relatively new concept used to describe the vast hundreds of compounds involved in the functioning of endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors. Learn about how this concept of the endocannabinoidome was formed, what clinicians think about its discovery, and what we can expect from the future of endocannabinoidome research! Plus hear an often overlooked story about the origin of "the entourage effect" and how the concept has been redefined for popular culture.

Featuring a contribution from Raphael Mechoulam, PhD via email and relevant excerpts from behind-the-scenes episodes:

BTS #5 Ethan Russo, MD
BTS #31 The Doctors Knox
BTS #35 Vincenzo Di Marzo, PhD

Stay curious, and take it easy!

In this behind-the-scenes episode we join Cannabis culture icon Marcus “Bubbleman” Richardson. In the mid 1990s, he was one of the first to receive an industrial hemp license in Canada and began performing research and development with hemp varieties of Cannabis very early in his career. Marcus is also the producer of “bubble bags” and popularized bubble hash in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2014 he started a weekly long-form Cannabis show called Hash Church, which had a huge influence on Cannabis culture and the development of Cannabis extraction technology. Marcus is also a photographer and has an extensive library of macro photos of Cannabis trichomes and other curious odds and ends.

In our conversation we talked about the science of hash making, Marcus’ legacy in the Cannabis industry, lessons he has learned, the battle between full spectrum and cannabinoid isolates, and much more!
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Learn more about Marcus’ work at www.bubblemanbrand.com

In this behind-the-scenes episode we join Anna Schwabe, PhD, a geneticist and plant scientist that spent her PhD work examining how and why Cannabis plants exhibit different chemical profiles, smells, and effects. In our conversation we dive into many of these nuances and talk about whether people can distinguish Cannabis varieties consistently by smell, how much variation exists between Cannabis plants labeled as the same strain, and whether there may be some hope after all for the colloquial use of the terms “indica” and “sativa”.
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Learn more about Anna’s work at www.annaschwabe.com

In this episode, we dive into the world of Cannabis extraction science and technology to understand how Cannabis extracts are made, why there are so many different types of extracts, the science behind extraction, and how to make sense of marketing terms like “full spectrum”, “broad spectrum”, or “whole plant”.
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Featuring excerpts from our behind-the-scenes interviews with:

• Marcus “Bubbleman” Richardson (Hash Maker and Cannabis Aficionado)
• Wyeth Callaway, PhD (Organic Chemist)
• Murphy Murri (Extraction Technologist)
• Daniel Hayden, PhD (Molecular Plant Biologist)
• Travis Simpson (Herbal Scientist)

In this behind-the-scenes episode we join renowned endocannabinoid researcher Dr. Vincenzo Di Marzo, who has been studying endocannabinoids since their discovery in the late 1980s and 1990s. Dr. Di Marzo, along with his colleagues, originally proposed the concept of the endocannabinoid system, the entourage effect, and the endocannabinoidome. Currently Dr. Di Marzo is working on studying the relationships between endocannabinoids and the gut microbiome to better understand how cannabinoids may affect health through the gut. In our conversation we discuss Dr. Di Marzo’s fascination with endocannabinoids, how he conceptualizes the endocannabinoidome, common misunderstandings about endocannabinoids, how the concept of the “entourage effect” has evolved away from its original intended meaning, where the future of Cannabis research may be heading, and much more.


This was a career highlight of mine to be able to talk to Vincenzo and I am honored to share this conversation with you. Enjoy!

In this behind-the-scenes interview we sit down with Sher Ali Butt, the co-founder of CB Therapeutics, a company focused on biosynthesizing cannabinoids and psychedelics using fermentation. We talk about the science behind biosynthetic technology, why they have chosen to focus on psychedelics and cannabinoids, how biosynthesis compares to chemical synthesis techniques for producing compounds, why isolated compounds and complex herbal mixtures both have a place in healthcare, and much more!
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Learn more about CB Therapeutics at www.cbthera.com 

"It's a plant that goes by many names.
Some call it hemp. Some call it marijuana.
Call it what you will - it's Cannabis. And it's got a lot of people curious.

Tune in to the Curious About Cannabis Podcast to join scientist and educator Jason Wilson on a journey to explore critical questions about the world's most controversial plant. Featuring contributions from leading researchers, doctors, and industry veterans alike - prepare to transcend the hype as we discover lasting insights about Cannabis.

​The Curious About Cannabis Podcast is available now at CACPodcast.com or wherever you listen to podcasts."

In this behind-the-scenes episode we are joined with Alice Moon, a PR professional working in the Cannabis industry and diagnosed cannabinoid hyperemesis patient. In our conversation we discuss her entrepreneurial journey within the Cannabis industry that led to her work in public relations, issues facing Cannabis brands, her experience with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, what she has learned about the disorder since being diagnosed, work that she is doing to try and understand the disorder, how she responds to criticisms from the Cannabis industry, words of advice for those who are worried that they may be suffering from CHS, and more!

To learn more about Alice Moon visit www.alicemoon.la
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To learn more about cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, visit www.cannabinoid-hyperemesis.com

​In this behind-the-scenes episode we sit down with Mark Scialdone PhD, a chemist responsible for inventing a method for producing hydrogenated cannabinoid acids, semi-synthetic cannabinoids that could be effective at battling certain types of cancer. We discuss the history of cannabinoid science, controversy around cannabinoid boiling points, how Mark learned from his research with catnip essential oil hydrogenation and how he adapted the technology for Cannabis essential oil, the importance of balancing science with art, the future of Cannabis research, his role in helping the American Chemical Society's Cannabis Chemistry subdivision get started, and much more.

On August 1st we will finally be releasing the second edition of the Curious About Cannabis book!

Revised and expanded with over 450 pages of content covering nearly all areas of Cannabis and cannabinoid science, the Curious About Cannabis book is sure to be an important resource for both self-taught enthusiasts and Cannabis educators. Dive into hundreds of citations and resources, dozens of activities and puzzles, and hundreds of pages of educational content to help you take your Cannabis education to the next level. You might even catch a few quotes from the Curious About Cannabis Podcast in there as well!

In this behind-the-scenes conversation we speak with The Doctors Knox, aka The Knox Docs, including Drs. Janice, David, Rachel, and Jessica Knox to talk all about the endocannabinoid system and how our understanding of the endocannabinoid system and the endocannabinoidome is revolutionizing healthcare.

This was our first interview with four people at the same time, so it was quite a different experience and allowed for some unique dynamics that I hope you enjoy.
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You can learn more about The Doctors Knox at  https://doctorsknox.com/ 

In this behind-the-scenes interview we talk with Morris Beegle of We Are For Better Alternatives (Colorado Hemp Company, NoCo Hemp Expo, Let's Talk Hemp, and others). In this conversation we talked about the many different uses of the Cannabis plant besides cannabinoid-rich resin production, the challenges of getting hemp alternatives accepted in the market, the future of the industrial use of mushrooms, and much more.

Learn more about WAFBA at:  https://wafba.org/

Stay curious, and take it easy!
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In this behind-the-scenes episode we sit down with Kyle Boyar, vice chair and scholarship chair for CANN, the Cannabis Chemistry Subdivision of the American Chemical Society, and Director of Product Science at TagLeaf. We talked about the ways Cannabis testing labs test Cannabis samples for microbiological contaminants, how microbiological testing can go wrong, other issues facing Cannabis testing, controversy around a medical condition called Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), and more!

This conversation was cut to fit our new 1.5 hour limit.
​To listen to the entire 2 hour conversation, join our community on Patreon at www.Patreon.com/CuriousAboutCannabis

Enjoy and stay curious!

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In this behind-the-scenes episode we sit down with organic chemist Jackie von Salm PhD (@terp_queen_phd on Instagram), who was a recent winner of the ElSohly award given to outstanding researchers in the Cannabis space. Her team recently discovered the presence of a terpene common only among certain varieties of Cannabis, which is not tested for currently among most Cannabis testing labs and has largely been excluded from the discussion when talking about categorizing Cannabis varieties by chemical profile. We also discuss the process of discovering natural products suitable for drug development, how chemistry is interconnected with ecology and psychology, what she wants to see from future Cannabis research and much more!

Jackie is a co-founder and CSO of the company Psilera Bioscience which is dedicated to exploring the potential of psychoactive natural products to treat mental health disorders.

​Learn more about Psilera Bioscience at www.psilera.com


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In this behind-the-scenes episode, we talk with Austin Flohrschutz, the Science Director for TruPotency.com, a CBD retailer that performs extensive third party testing on CBD products to screen for fraudulent or mislabeled products. At the time that we spoke, Austin informed me that they had tested 400 products, and 30% of those products passed testing. The vast majority of failures were for mislabeled potency. Around 0.5% failed for contaminants like heavy metals or residual solvents.

​Through this conversation we discuss the extent of CBD product fraud in the market, what TruPotency has seen regarding CBD product quality, issues related to cannabinoid testing, research into the psychedelic Salvinorin A from Salvia divinorum and implications for alternative opioid therapies, and much more.

Enjoy and stay curious!
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In this behind-the-scenes episode we talk with Dr. Genester Wilson-King, a board certified OB/GYN, Cannabis clinician, and hormone expert. Our conversation spanned many topics including how cannabinoids and hormones interact with one another, how Cannabis affects women differently than men, how Cannabis affects women after menopause differently than women experiencing cyclical hormones, how Cannabis affects cis gender people different than trans gender people, how Cannabis affects fertility, Cannabis during pregnancy and breastfeeding and much more!

Learn more about Dr. Wilson-King here: https://www.victoryrejuvenationcenter.com/
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Enjoy and stay curious!

In this behind-the-scenes (BTS) episode we talk with Clarenda (daughter of Clarence and Brenda) "Farmer Cee" Stanley of Green Heffa Farms! Green Heffa Farms is a medicinal plant farm and learning laboratory that is dedicated to teaching community members, with a focus on women of color, about food production, resource management, gardening, and medicinal plants. We talk about how Cee found her way into farming, her perspective of ecological consciousness in farming and land use, what led to the development of her first hemp product, experiences with systemic racism in the agricultural and Cannabis industries, and much more.
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Learn more about Green Heffa Farms at www.GreenHeffaFarms.com

In this behind-the-scenes (BTS) interview we join Angus of The Real Seed Company once again to discuss a recently published paper entitled "A Classification of Endangered High-THC Cannabis Domesticates and Their Wild Relatives" by John McPartland and Ernest Small. We discussed some of our basic thoughts about the paper, how the new taxonomy will influence The Real Seed Company's operations and what plants they collect from, the implications this new taxonomy has for preserving the dwindling genetic diversity of the Cannabis plant, how landrace Cannabis farmers in places like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other areas are getting hit hard by COVID-19, and much more.

This is an edited version of our conversation. The full conversation is nearly three hours long and can be found at Patreon.com/CuriousAboutCannabis
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I hope you enjoy! Stay curious

In this behind-the-scenes (BTS) interview we sit down with Cannabis activist, entrepreneur and actor Andrew DeAngelo, best known for being the co-founder of Harborside Dispensary in California. In our conversation we dive into the psychology and sociology of the Cannabis culture, exploring the role stigma plays in a Cannabis user's life, strategies for healing from the trauma of stigma, effective ways of affecting change, and much more.

Learn more about Andrew DeAngelo at www.AndrewDeAngelo.com
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Learn more about the Last Prisoner Project at www.LastPrisonerProject.org

Note: Please forgive the audio quality of my microphone in this interview. For whatever reason, my audio was a bit distorted. The issue has since been resolved.