Shaping Fire

To a casual observer, the licensed cannabis market may seem risky but essentially orderly. Of course, this is a fantasy because anyone actually involved in the process sees first hand the turbulent interplay of regulators, license holders, and the ever-present, ever-adaptable black market. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los speaks with Dominic Corva, Director of the Center for the Study of Cannabis and Social Policy, about the persistence of the unlicensed markets, the industrialization of corporate cannabis and how the licensed and unlicensed markets may continue to interact over time.

Have no doubt that agricultural and pharmaceutical companies are coming for your cannabis genetics. And while these mega-corporations are well-funded and focused on their goals, heritage cannabis growers and enthusiasts are disorganized, unfunded and believe in a wide array of patent law myths. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks frankly with Reggie Gaudino PhD of Steep Hill Labs about the realities of cannabis genetics patenting today, the cannabis patents already awarded and the steps that must be taken today if the cannabis community is to defensively patent their cannabis cultivars.

As common as animal nutrients are for growing cannabis, many of them remain exotic to most growers. Worm castings are known to many but what about crab shell flour, soldier flies or sea bird guano. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with probiotic growing educator Tad Hussey about the usefulness and sustainability of a wide array of animal inputs.

The stock market is a moody beast. No matter how much insight you have or how many Fibonacci lines you draw on your charts, there are still innumerable pitfalls that can cross your path and ruin your trade. The risks involved skyrocket when you invest in a nascent industry like cannabis too. The rapidly changing market, lack of historical data and, of course, Federal cannabis prohibition all make investing in cannabis unlike investing in any other industry. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los speaks with Alan Brochstein of 420 Investor about opportunities in cannabis stocks, weighing the unique risks of the industry, and the cannabis hype machine.

Cannabis enthusiasts are waking up to the dangers associated with pesticides and both state regulatory agencies and consumers are looking for cleaner, pesticide-free products. At the same time, cannabis growers are migrating away from chemicals and instead are choosing beneficial insects to defend their cannabis crops. On this week’s episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Shane Young of Natural Enemies about transitioning from pesticides to beneficial insects and some of the key considerations when making that change.

A key to enjoyable cannabis use is repeatable results. Whether you are a patient seeking relief, or on your way to a party or the beach, knowing what effect taking cannabis will have on your human is exceptionally helpful. Potency testing and manufacturing standards have not been part of the prohibition-era cannabis market. As normalization widens and international cannabis trade begins, manufacturing standards are being developed that will impact the entire world. On this week’s episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los speaks with Jahan Marcu about how these standards are coming together and why they matter.

Molds threaten every cannabis crop. From small patient grows to large scale commercial growing operations, cannabis growers must remain vigilant to avoid crop loss and contamination. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Kevin McKernan of Medicinal Genomics about the biology of both Botrytis and Powdery Mildew, how it spreads, breeding for resistance and a new assay that detects it before it can be seen with the naked eye.

Dr. Ethan Russo returns for Part 2 of our epic dive into the essential cannabis cannabinoids and terpenoids. During Shaping Fire episode 11, we went paragraph by paragraph through Dr. Russo's cornerstone "Taming THC" paper. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los and Dr. Russo review in detail his new, much longer, scientific paper co-authored with esteemed scientist Jahan Marcu, PhD titled "Cannabis Pharmacology: The Usual Suspects and a Few Promising Leads." The paper examines even more terpenes and other components for their healing properties and potential for future research.

The cannabis root ball is usually discarded in modern cultivation, but that was not always the case. Healers throughout history have used the root ball for preparations, relieving a wide range of ailments. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with health researcher Natasha Ryz, PhD. about her new paper, co-authored by renowned cannabis neurologist Dr. Ethan Russo and David Remillard, that illustrates the root ball's remarkable healing abilities beyond phytocannabinoids.

The market for CBD is volatile and complex. As demand for Cannabidiol increases, the lack of a functioning nationwide market for CBD results in a morass of producers, product designers and patients all trying to cobble together some sort of reliable system. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with cannabis economy analyst Seth Crawford, Phd about the rising demand in the splintered CBD market and what the future may hold for investors, pharmaceutical companies and patients.

Breeding cannabis plants takes planning, intuition and loads of patience. While there are many who claim to be breeders nowadays, there are precious few who have done the work to earn the title. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with Mean Gene, the legendary cannabis breeder from Mendocino California. Gene's company, Freeborn Selections has been breeding for the country's most elite growers since 1997. Their conversation spans best practices for breeding, using intuition when choosing plants, chemovar naming conventions and limited edition seed releases.

The cannabis trademark process is confusing because most of what everyone says is based on conjecture and rumor. The fact of the matter is that even though Federal trademarks are not technically obtainable yet, cannabis businesses are positioning themselves and securing related trademarks that will help them in the future. During this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los speaks with cannabis trademark attorney Neil Juneja about the actions that entrepreneurs need to take now to secure their business identity and defend their intellectual property from both scoundrels and the ignorant.

There is a new way to treat traumatic brain injuries that some neuroscientists believe will help patients recover more fully. Microdosing cannabis to support the endocannabinoid system while also microdosing psilocybin, the active molecule in hallucinogenic mushrooms, promises to help in the recovery of brain injury by giving the brain what it needs to heal, rebuild and reorient itself. During this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los welcomes back Dr. Ethan Russo to talk about this revolutionary approach, the scientific support for it, and some suggestions for those considering self-medicating.

There is a wave of resistance to the further use of synthetic nutrients and chemical pesticides when growing cannabis. Cannabis producers are now building living microbe and fungal communities in their soil to produce thriving and healthy cannabis plants with large yields that can protect themselves from pests. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with legendary living soil advocate and author Jeff Lowenfels about some of the ways to nurture your soil to maximize the terpene profile, yield and marketability.of your cannabis plants.

Continuing normalization means a new wave of cannabis consumers are discovering the health and happiness benefits of the plant. These newcomers are getting turned on in such numbers that they are now influencing cannabis laws, product design and social mores. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with Jane West, founder of Jane West and Women Grow about the motivations and expectations of this new segment of consumers, how they will impact the market, and why savvy cannabis companies will consider their desires.

Using carbon dioxide to extract oils from the cannabis plant has become exceptionally popular around the entire world. The technology has come a long way in both its efficiencies and the quality of its output. During today's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los sits down with AC Braddock, CEO of Eden Labs, to discuss CO2 technology's place in the market, how it compares to other extraction options, defending engineering intellectual property and the importance of a well-trained lab extraction team. The episode finishes with a short discussion of the importance of the kindness culture historically present in the cannabis scene and why it is so relevant to cannabis business going forward.

Terpenes are an essential part of the healing and playful aspects of cannabis. As normalization stretches across the country, more products are being developed and more consumers are experimenting with terpenes in an array of applications. On this week’s episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los chats with Ben Cassiday, co-founder of True Terpenes about the origins of terpenes used in cannabis products, their desirable traits and how to enjoy terpenes without cannabis at all.

Everybody knows cannabis they like when it is presented to them, but few have the experience to delineate in detail its many attributes. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los speaks with Max Montrose, founder of The Trichome Institute about judging cannabis quality for oneself, for cannabis cup competitions and the sommelier-like Interpening certification for cannabis.

Until now, any health and beauty aid products that contained THC had to be regulated and sold in a medical or recreational cannabis store. With the passing of the first Cannabis Health And Beauty Aid (CHABA) law in the country, topical products containing THC can now be sold at any retail store in Washington State. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los chats with Ah Warner, founder of Cannabis Basics, about the state's new CHABA law, how it has been implemented since the legislation was passed, and how the model used in Washington should inspire other activists and health and beauty aid pioneers to lobby for similar laws in their own state.

Working in cooperation with nature's delicate systems instead of forcing her to do our bidding makes for thriving cannabis plants. Probiotic growing was muscled out of cannabis for awhile by prohibition, bottled nutrients and a misunderstanding of our relationship to biological systems. Now, living soils, wildcrafted nutrient teas and other probiotic growing techniques are making a huge comeback. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los speaks with Alan Adkisson, co-founder of the Probiotic Farmers Alliance and founder of Gro-Kashi about the return of the probiotic craft, why it is winning cannabis cups and its healing roots in ancient Rome.