The Cannabis Connection

Chris
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Arts
  • Biweekly

The Cannabis Connection hosted by Christopher Carr provides stimulating conversation with professionals, regulators, researchers, and experts striving to demystify common misconceptions about Cannabis.

  1. 1d ago

    David Bienenstock - The History of Weed 10/30/26

    David Bienenstock is back on The Cannabis Connection - first appearance since our 2020 election coverage- returning ahead of his live solo show "The History of Weed" in Berkeley. We discuss his new solo hour, 10,000 years of weed history jammed into 60 minutes. David Bienenstock is a producer on the new Hulu original documentary series "4x20 Quick Hits" (from Executive Producer Jimmy Kimmel) and co-creator of the show "Bong Appétit." He's the author of "How to Smoke Pot (Properly): A Highbrow Guide to Getting High" (from Penguin / Random House) and creator/host of the popular podcast "Great Moments in Weed History." Previously, he served as Head of Content at HIGH TIMES and was a columnist and frequent contributor at VICE, where he created viral videos like "A Gourmet Weed Dinner at Hunter S. Thompson's House" and "Marijuana Nonna." He has been profiled by The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, The Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, LA Weekly, Slate, and elsewhere, while making frequent media appearances, including on CNN, NPR, MSNBC, HBO, and Fox News. See David Live: "The History of Weed" Saturday, Nov 7, 2- 5 PM, Chapel of the Flowers, 3049 Adeline St., Berkeley. Presented by Budist + CBCB, emceed by David Downs, tasting 2-3 and 4-5 around the 3-4 show. Tickets available via EventHi; use code HISTORY25 for 25% off: https://eventhi.io/events/the-history-of-weed-15235

  2. Oct 22

    Johnny "Greenfingaz" Hamala & Elizabeth Benney - The Green Spot Santa Cruz 10/21/26

    This week on the show, we welcome John "Johnny Greenfingaz" Hamala and Elizabeth Benney of The Green Spot Santa Cruz.  Johnny is a well-known figure in California's Cannabis Scene. He is CEO & Owner of GreenFingaz Farmz, a 72,000-square foot outdoor greenhouse cultivation facility o the California Gold Coast. He is also President and CEO, along with partner Elizabeth Benney, of The Green Spot Santa Cruz, a cannabis dispensary brand.  Johnny is a craft grower, bassist, and the grow operations manager who worked alongside Greg (Chem Dog) Krzanowski to oversee the cultivation team and maintain the strict standard operating procedures required to grow authentic legacy genetics. He also worked alongside Ben Kohen of Ben and Jerry's ice cream as well as Steven Van Zant to create a strain of low THC and High CBD for Little Stevens Underground Apothecary. Johnny and Elizabeth were featured in the Wall Street Journal and on NPR earlier this year.

  3. Oct 10

    Sean Ryan - Murphys Ridge 10/09/26

    Sean Ryan is a longtime California cannabis cultivator, entrepreneur, and founder of Murphys Ridge, a veteran-owned craft cannabis farm and brand focused on quality, wellness, and culture. With decades of cultivation experience, Sean is passionate about living-soil growing, supporting the cannabis community, and building a business rooted in authenticity and purpose.    As a T3 complete paraplegic, Sean brings a unique perspective on resilience, perseverance, and living life to the fullest. Through his journey in business, fitness, travel, and adventure, he hopes to inspire others to overcome challenges, keep pushing forward, and never stop exploring what life has to offer.

  4. Sep 24

    Shawn Colligan - Lemon Tree and Growing a Santa Cruz Lifestyle Brand 09/24/26

    Shawn Colligan is a Santa Cruz, California native and cannabis industry pioneer. Born and raised on the Central Coast, he co-founded Lemon Tree and secured his own residential agriculture cannabis license in 2019. Over the years, he has collaborated with artists including Young Dolph, Kool John, and B-Legit, while earning recognition and awards at events such as High Times. Drawing on deep roots in both cultivation and culture, Shawn brings authentic insight, industry experience, and a local perspective to the cannabis conversation.

  5. Sep 19

    Aaron Zeeman - Big Island Genetics 09/19/26

    Aaron Zeeman, better known as Professor Potgrower, is a Hawaiʻi Island  cultivator, breeder, author, and cannabis culture writer who has spent  more than 30 years in Hawaiʻi. He is the founder of Big Island  Genetics, author of The Hemp Ritual Handbook: A Slightly Disrespectful  Guide to Cannabis Culture, and a contributor to SKUNK Magazine. His  work focuses on Hawaiʻi’s legacy genetics, the people and culture that  preserved them, and what has been gained — and lost — as cannabis  moved from prohibition into the modern legal era.

  6. Sep 10

    Danny Sheehan - Voting Rights In America

    Our guest today is Danny Sheehan. Danny is a constitutional litigator who has worked on some of the most important cases in modern American history. From the Pentagon Papers and the Watergate scandal to Iran-Contra, Danny now serves as Chief Counsel, President & Co-Founder of The Romero Institute.   We explore the importance of mobilizing the citizenry to vote this coming November. We encourage everyone to join the Voting Rights in America town hall on September 19 at the 418 Project in Santa Cruz to empower the community and educate people about the Voting Rights Act, gerrymandering, and voter suppression in the United States.  Local leaders like Ami Chen Mills and Ryan Coonerty, along with environmental activist Julia Butterfly Hill, will share the stage with Danny, plus an incredible music lineup featuring Phreeborn, Random Rab, and immersive visuals by Liquid Lit.  Our goal is to mobilize and educate a local force to reach out to connections across the country, helping people vote and turn out at the highest possible percentage of registered voters so their voices are heard this election cycle.

  7. Sep 4

    Kerry Hurley - NorCal Weed Gal 09/04/26

    Today, we welcome Kerry Hurley, NorCal Weed Gal, an Emerald Triangle native and cannabis culture historian. At 16, she consciously decided to become a regular cannabis consumer to avoid the pitfalls of alcohol, drugs, or other addictions, like shopping. As a teen, Kerry noticed that every adult had a "vice" and wanted to design her life to avoid waking up at 30 and finding herself with a life-altering addiction. Kerry's parents were both civil servants and very responsible hippie cannabis consumers, so weed seemed like the safest choice.  With divorced parents, Kerry is a Sonoma / Trinity hybrid. Kerry writes about her life experiences weekly on Substack, along with stories from locals and industry leaders whom she interviews, about the history of our nation's War on Weed and how it affected life in the Emerald Triangle. Kerry has a background in sales and marketing for companies like McAfee, Comcast, NBC, and Clifbar.  At the 2026 Women in Cannabis Expo, Kerry was recently honored with the High Impact Award for her writing and Entrepreneurship.

  8. Aug 27

    Brian Applegarth - The Cannabis Trail 08/27/26

    This week, we welcome Brian Applegarth, who is in town to celebrate Wo/Mans Alliance for Medical Marijuana WAMM and its place in Santa Cruz and California cultural history, adding it as a cultural landmark to the Cannabis Trail. The Cannabis Trail is a California cultural tourism initiative that preserves and shares the people, places, and stories that helped shape California cannabis history.  Brian Applegarth is the owner and founder of Applegarth Intelligence, also known as A-Intel, a destination stewardship intelligence practice helping organizations understand change and strengthen their capacity to steward places with greater awareness, responsibility, and care. His work was forged at the intersection of cannabis, hemp, travel, culture, hospitality, and place. He is the founder of The Cannabis Trail and founding chair of the Cannabis Travel Association International. For more than a decade, Brian has helped shape cannabis and hemp tourism through destination programs, museum exhibitions, cultural storytelling, place-based inquiry, and the creation and launch of the California State Fair Cannabis Awards and Exhibit. Today, his work includes preserving and interpreting cannabis history as an important part of California’s broader cultural history.

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5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

The Cannabis Connection hosted by Christopher Carr provides stimulating conversation with professionals, regulators, researchers, and experts striving to demystify common misconceptions about Cannabis.

Information

  • Creator
    Chris
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    182
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Cannabis Connection
  • Show Website
    The Cannabis Connection

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