Levi Lyon is a Tacoma, Washington–based music-industry professional, community advocate, and owner of Lyon Pride Music LLC. Levi spent nearly two decades as entertainment director of Seattle Hempfest, for years the largest annual cannabis reform event in the world. We discuss what he has been learning about cannabis and nutrition, both for the mind and body.

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Angel Thrasher Weaver is the mother of the late Dylan Moon, who was born a micro preemie, or born very prematurely, at just 26 weeks. Dylan was born with hydrocephalus, resulting in brain damage and initial frontal lobe damage, which caused him to have intractable epilepsy. Dylan suffered grand mal seizures, which damaged his brain, killing neurons and further worsening his condition. Not surprisingly, cannabis significantly lessened Dylan’s suffering, but the iron curtain of federal cannabis prohibition created arbitrary obstacles to Dylan’s quest for relief, as well as thousands of other Americans seeking to lessen their suffering. Sadly, Dylan lost his battle in July of 2025.

Content advisory: This episode of Hempresent contains descriptions of medical procedures and treatment that some listeners may find graphic, emotionally difficult, or disturbing. Listener discretion is advised. 

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Mark Taylor Canfield is a journalist who has spent decades on the front lines of independent media, reporting on everything from politics and protest movements to civil liberties and the shifting landscape of press freedom.

Mark is an award-winning reporter, editor, and longtime advocate for First Amendment rights. He's a former writer at the Huffington Post and serves as Executive Director for Democracy Watch News, a non-profit news organization that specializes in covering threats to democracy and freedom of the press.

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Michael Khemmoro is the chief operating officer and co-founder of Mango Cannabis. Mike's journey in cannabis began in 2010 when he and his brother-in-law Kevin Pattah became cannabis cultivators and caregivers in Michigan, driven by an extreme passion and respect for the plant’s healing properties.  

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In 1996, Ted Smith founded the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club, Canada’s oldest compassion club. He is also the author of Hempology 101: The History and Uses of Cannabis Sativa (2012), developed from a free, non-credit lecture series he taught at the University of Victoria. From 2009 to 2016, he published the Cannabis Digest newspaper nationwide.

Between 2002 and 2003, the VCBC was raided four times and successfully beat every charge. In 2009, the club’s bakery was raided, leading to a unanimous Supreme Court of Canada decision that legalized cannabis extracts and edibles for patients.

Despite cannabis legalization in 2018, the club has been raided four more times and continues to face ongoing enforcement. Vivian and Ted discuss the fight to keep the club alive amid sustained government pressure.

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Edward Buck serves as chair of the Prairie Island Cannabis Regulatory Commission, a three person independent commission empowered to license, monitor, and enforce cannabis activities within Prairie Island’s jurisdiction, that seeks to ensure that all activities meet the highest standards of transparency, public health, and Tribal sovereignty. Fred Erickson serves as secretary of the Prairie Island CBH, Inc. Board of Directors and is the inventory manager for the Tribe’s dispensary, Island Peži.

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James Stephens, founder and CEO of Sinful Cannabis. In an industry where branding, compliance, and competition collide every day, James has carved out a reputation for building a company that isn’t afraid to stand out. Sinful Cannabis has developed a recognizable identity in the legal market while navigating the complex realities of regulated cannabis—from marketing restrictions to market consolidation and evolving consumer expectations.

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A Southwest-based author whose books Willie Nelson describes as “a blueprint for the America of the future,” Doug Fine is the author of six books, including 2020’s American Hemp Farmer as well as the Boston Globe Bestseller, Farewell, My Subaru. 

His wild goat-wrangling stories and optimistic persona have led to media appearances on Conan, The Tonight Show, BBC, and CNN, as well as a TED Talk and testimony before the United Nations on the right-to-farm. Fine’s speaking engagements have included appearances at SXSW, Town Hall Seattle, the National Geographic Heroes of the Planet Series, and at dozens of universities. 

Doug talks about his newest project, the myriad benefits and applications of the hemp plant, and the joys of sustainable living.

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Niambe McIntosh is the youngest child of reggae legend Peter Tosh and serves as the Chairperson of the Board for the Peter Tosh Foundation, as well as the head of the Peter Tosh Estate and Brand. 

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, she holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering and began her professional life in that field before following her passion for education. She taught mathematics and special education in the Boston Public School system, where she developed a deep commitment to youth empowerment and community engagement.

Through her work in music, cultural preservation, and cannabis advocacy, Niambe continues to amplify the spirit of resistance and empowerment that defines the Tosh name. 

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Leonora, or “Leo” Russell, is a Marriage and Family therapist and Substance Abuse Counselor who left a twenty-year career in government and social services, and providing direct services to the most disenfranchised, to direct her attention to the burgeoning psychedelic renaissance. In 2019, she began leading the Decriminalize Nature effort in Seattle and moved on to form the Political Action Group ADAPT-WA, a voter-based initiative focused on legalizing psilocybin and decriminalizing small amounts of entheogens for personal use. She also runs a 501c3 called Entheo Society, focused on creating community in the psychedelic space.

Leo is currently writing, directing, and filming in Idaho for The Psychedelic Road Trip movie (a comedy/documentary about Dana Beal (who has been on this show) and Idaho and the Plant Medicine Movement) and is organizing (with others) the largest plant-medicine educational event in Idaho’s history on Feb. 22nd at the Boise Depot. 

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Kevin Heiderich is a veteran, a guitarist and music enthusiast, and co-owner of House of Cannabis, which has retail stores in Tacoma, Tonasket, Twisp, and Whidbey Island, in Washington. Kevin has been on the front lines of one of the most tightly regulated legal cannabis markets in the country and has firsthand experience with what legalization looks like on the ground.

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Doug McVay is a longtime drug policy reform advocate, researcher, and journalist. Doug has spent decades challenging the War on Drugs and pushing for policies rooted in public health, harm reduction, and human rights. He’s best known for his work with Drug War Facts and for elevating voices directly impacted by prohibition. Doug’s radio program, Free Culture Radio, airs on KBOO Community Radio in Portland, Oregon, and is also distributed via Pacifica.

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Michael Krawitz is a U.S. Air Force veteran, longtime patient advocate, and one of the most influential voices in international medical cannabis policy. Michael has spent decades working at the intersection of veterans’ health, human rights, and drug policy reform.

He served as a key civil society participant in the World Health Organization’s first-ever scientific review of medicinal cannabis — a historic process that helped reshape global scheduling policy. He also represents patients at the United Nations through the IACM Patient Council, where he advocates for non-discriminatory access to medical cannabis worldwide.

Beyond global policy, Michael has been sounding the alarm about cannabis biopiracy, working to protect indigenous genetics and traditional knowledge. He’s also helping advance cannabis appellations, which aim to preserve regional plant heritage while supporting small farmers and patient choice.

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Joy Beckerman has been involved in the hemp movement and industries for over 30 years, and her extraordinary knowledge and passion for this versatile, valuable crop is contagious! Often referred to as a "hemp encyclopedia," Joy is the Principal and Senior Paralegal at Hemp Ace International, a Seattle-based consulting, legal support, and expert witness firm serving the global hemp industries. She is also a sought-after regulatory specialist in the rapidly developing field of non-intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids.

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Jasmine Johnson is the force behind GŪD Essence. Her Florida-based vertically integrated cannabis wellness company blends ancestral plant wisdom with cutting-edge clinical research, “building a bridge between cultural healing traditions and modern neuroscience." Jasmine talks about the journey, the vision, and the community power behind GŪD Essence, its emphasis on customer education, culturally informed research, equitable hiring, and its new Clearwater dispensary. Jasmine believes this moment represents both a homecoming and a bold new chapter for cannabis wellness in Florida, and she tells us why.

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Michael Dalle Molle serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Mariposa Technology, where he oversees daily business operations, communications, and brand management. He is an entrepreneur, teacher, business advisor, and environmentalist with almost a decade of professional experience as a sustainability advocate in the design and construction industry. Before entering the cannabis industry, Michael taught at the Tulane University School of Architecture and ran his design+build studio in New Orleans.

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Lynnette Shaw is a trailblazing medical marijuana activist best known as the first legally licensed cannabis dispensary operator in the United States. As the founder of the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana in Fairfax, California, she became a central figure in the fight for patients’ rights after the passage of Proposition 215 in 1996. 

For decades, Shaw battled DEA raids, federal injunctions, and financial ruin, refusing to back down even when the government tried to brand her a criminal. Lynnette’s work laid the foundation for today’s medical and recreational cannabis industries, though she remains outspoken about the movement’s roots in compassion, human rights, and grassroots activism rather than corporate profit.

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Alicia Deals is a trailblazer in Arizona’s cannabis industry and a leading advocate for equity and justice. Drawing on her personal experience navigating the legal system after her father, Robert Deals, received an 18-year sentence for a cannabis-related conviction, she has made it her mission to reform the industry and help those still incarcerated for marijuana offenses. 

Alicia is a social equity license holder and the first Black woman to own and operate a cannabis dispensary in Arizona. She partnered with Cookies, the international cannabis brand founded by Berner, to open the state’s first Cookies dispensary in Tempe. 

Kaitlin DiMaggio is the founder and managing attorney of DiMaggio Law Office, a Scottsdale-based law firm dedicated to defending the rights and dignity of individuals navigating Arizona’s criminal legal system. 

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Kim Richards possesses over 30 years of experience and a distinguished history of accomplishments in the music, film, and television industries. As CEO & Chairman at Allied Artists International, Inc., he has earned more than 70 gold, platinum, and diamond records, as well as numerous Grammy and Emmy nominations. 

Chief among his credits is Pink Floyd's "The Wall," which has been certified diamond, selling 23 million copies, making it the third highest-grossing album of all time, behind only the Eagles' Greatest Hits and Michael Jackson's Thriller. 

Richards' video productions have won at both the New York and Cannes Film Festivals.

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Brad Zerman is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience founding and operating businesses in highly regulated industries, including cannabis, payments, and financial services. He is the founder and CEO of Seven Point Cannabis Dispensary and previously led one of Illinois’ first licensed dispensaries before selling it to a public company. Zerman also personally benefits from the medical effects of cannabis, which fuels his passion for building a responsible and community-focused cannabis ecosystem. 

Beyond cannabis, Brad built and sold major companies in ATM operations and payment processing, managing thousands of machines and billions in transactions while ensuring compliance and security. His extensive regulatory, security, and financial expertise positions him as a strong leader in the evolving cannabis industry

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