Give and Toke: Cannabis Conversations

Paul O'Donoghue
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Alternative Health
  • Updated Biweekly

Give & Toke is a podcast about cannabis, told through the people living and building it. Hosted by Paul O’Donoghue, each episode features conversations with patients, doctors, advocates and operators, exploring access, regulation, culture and the realities of the industry. Grounded, curious and at times uncomfortable, the show aims to move beyond headlines and into what actually matters.

  1. Helping or Hurting? Pineapple Express

    May 31

    Helping or Hurting? Pineapple Express

    A rare strain. A murder. A stoned process server and his dealer somehow becoming action heroes. Episode 4 of Helping or Hurting? revisits Pineapple Express, the 2008 cult classic that pushed cannabis deeper into mainstream Hollywood than ever before. What begins as a stoner comedy quickly becomes a full-scale action film, blending strain culture, paranoia, friendship and absurd violence into one chaotic ride. Hosted by Paul O’Donoghue of Give & Toke, alongside Joel Green and Bashar Al-Humrany of Exotican, this episode explores whether Pineapple Express helped normalise cannabis for a wider audience, or simply repackaged old stereotypes for a new generation. From the legacy of Reefer Madness to the rise of commercial strain culture, this conversation unpacks how cannabis moved from counterculture into blockbuster entertainment. Helping or Hurting? is a four-part podcast series by Give & Toke and Exotican examining how cannabis has been portrayed on screen, and whether those portrayals have helped or hindered progress. giveandtoke.com.au exotican.com.au

    51 min
  2. Helping or Hurting? Half Baked

    May 17

    Helping or Hurting? Half Baked

    By 1998, cannabis films had changed completely. The fear and hysteria of Reefer Madness was gone. The quiet realism of Dazed and Confused had passed. In its place came Half Baked. Helping or Hurting? is a four-part podcast series from Give & Toke and Exotican examining how cannabis has been portrayed on screen, and whether those portrayals have helped or hindered progress.

    40 min
  3. Helping or Hurting? Dazed and Confused

    May 3

    Helping or Hurting? Dazed and Confused

    In 1936, cannabis was portrayed as a menace to society. By 1993, it was simply part of the furniture. Episode Two of Helping or Hurting? revisits Dazed and Confused, Richard Linklater’s cult classic set on the last day of school in 1976. Far removed from the hysteria of Reefer Madness, this film presents cannabis not as a threat, but as a quiet and unremarkable presence in the lives of American teenagers. But was this shift a step forward? Hosted by Paul O’Donoghue of Give & Toke, alongside Joel and Bash of Exotican, this episode explores whether Dazed and Confused helped normalise cannabis through relatability, or reinforced stereotypes that continue to shape public perception today. Part cultural time capsule, part social commentary, this conversation examines the intersection of cinema, stigma, and progress. This four-part series from Give & Toke and Exotican examines how cannabis has been portrayed on screen, and whether those portrayals have helped or hindered reform. Give & Toke: https://giveandtoke.com Exotican: https://exotican.com.au

    38 min
  4. Helping or Hurting? Reefer Madness

    Apr 19

    Helping or Hurting? Reefer Madness

    In 1936, a low-budget propaganda film set out to warn the public about the dangers of cannabis. Instead, it became one of the most infamous examples of moral panic ever committed to screen. In this episode, Paul O’Donoghue of Give & Toke is joined by Joel and Bash of Exotican to revisit Reefer Madness, the film that tried to terrify audiences with tales of insanity, violence, and social decay. What was intended as a cautionary tale has since evolved into a cult classic and a cultural case study in misinformation. Together, they unpack the historical context behind the film, the forces that shaped early cannabis prohibition, and the unintended consequences of exaggerated drug messaging. More than just cinema, Reefer Madness reveals how fear-based narratives can influence public perception, policy, and stigma for generations. Was it effective public education or one of the greatest propaganda misfires in modern history? 🔗 Give & Toke: https://giveandtoke.com.au 🔗 Exotican: https://exotican.com.au Helping or Hurting? is a limited series from Give & Toke and Exotican examining how cannabis has been portrayed on screen, and whether those portrayals have shaped perception for better or worse.

    35 min
  5. Pharmacy, Partnership & Progress w/ Jen and Nick Ravenswood (Rays Wellness)

    Apr 5

    Pharmacy, Partnership & Progress w/ Jen and Nick Ravenswood (Rays Wellness)

    Pharmacists don’t usually sit at the centre of conversations about plant medicine, but maybe they should. Jen and Nick Ravenswood are a husband-and-wife team with deep roots in community pharmacy, and the founders of Rays Wellness, a medicinal cannabis dispensary built on patient care, education, and professional standards. Their journey into cannabis didn’t start with hype. It started with a prescription and a system that didn’t work the way it should. What followed was a hands-on effort to improve access, raise the bar on patient care, and bring a pharmacist-led perspective into a space that often moves faster than its foundations. With experience across prescribing, education, clinic support, and regulatory navigation, Jen and Nick offer a grounded view of where medicinal cannabis sits today and where it’s heading. This is a conversation about partnership, progress, and what happens when healthcare professionals step forward to shape the future, rather than wait for it. Visit www.rayswellness.com.au Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram Email giveandtoke@gmail.com

    1h 4m
  6. Plant Powered Pain Relief w/ Tanner Stewart (Stewart Farms)

    Mar 15

    Plant Powered Pain Relief w/ Tanner Stewart (Stewart Farms)

    Tanner Stewart is focused on one of the most challenging and consequential areas in health: how we understand and manage pain. Through Stewart Farms, he’s working to develop plant-powered alternatives that sit alongside conventional approaches, offering people more options in a space long dominated by pharmaceuticals. At the centre of that work is Arctic Heat, a topical wellness line designed with restraint, intention, and respect for both science and lived experience. Rather than chasing hype, Tanner speaks candidly about responsibility in wellness, the limits of what products can promise, and the importance of trust when people are seeking relief. In this episode: Thousands of Canadians supported each month (0:30) Prioritising integrity (4:20) Maintaining medicinal integrity (7:40) Cannabis, pain, PTSD and veterans (13:45) The safety profile of cannabis and opioid addiction (18:30) Taking on big pharma (24:15) Topicals 101 (31:40) Stewart Farms: From startup to scale (36:00) Hotbox Quiz (44:00) Pauls of Wisdom (49:00) Follow @tannerstewart.life on Instagram Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram Email giveandtoke@gmail.com

    51 min
  7. The Catch-Up: United In Compassion 2026

    Mar 11

    The Catch-Up: United In Compassion 2026

    Get $10 off accessories with the code ‘CATCHUP’ at giveandtoke.com.au The Catch-Up is a collaboration between Give and Toke and AusCannaReviews with Paul and Christina coming together occasionally to explore what’s happening in Cannabis in Australia and around the world.  In this episode: Unmissable talks: Gabriel Younes on aroma, and Chad Walkaden on Indigenous healthcare (2:30) The TGA Presentation: cautious optimism and takeaways (7:00) Community leading the way (12:00) Good vibes prevailing in a volatile time (14:30) Key takeaways - memories, challenged perspectives, finding common ground, breaking stigma (17:00) Improving UIC for patients (22:00) UIC is Cannabis School Camp (26:00) @AusCannaReviews on SubStack, Instagram and Twitter/X Email AusCannaReviews@gmail.com Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au Follow @giveandtoke on InstagramEmail giveandtoke@gmail.com

    31 min
  8. Craft Without Compromise w/ Justin Lee (Ay Papi)

    Mar 1

    Craft Without Compromise w/ Justin Lee (Ay Papi)

    Justin Lee is the founder of Ay Papi, a California-based craft cannabis company focused on solventless, single-origin products made in collaboration with regenerative legacy cultivators. Before entering the cannabis industry, Justin worked in entertainment as an actor and producer, and competed as an MMA fighter. His path into cannabis was shaped by firsthand experience with injury, chronic pain, and recovery, which led him to explore cannabis not just recreationally, but as part of a broader, more intentional approach to health and wellbeing. Ay Papi operates without outside capital and rejects volume-driven models, tier systems, and artificial flavouring. Instead, the brand centres genetics, farming practices, and flavour as expressions of place, people, and process. In 2024, Ay Papi’s Whitethorn Rose Single Origin Live Rosin Infused Gummies received Gold and the Golden Bear at the California State Fair, recognised for doing the opposite of most edibles: allowing the cannabis itself to define the experience. Justin is also a certified Ganjier and a vocal advocate for solventless production, regenerative agriculture, and greater cannabis literacy. His work sits at the intersection of culture, craft, and responsibility, with a strong emphasis on honouring farmers, hashmakers, and the systems that make high-quality cannabis possible. In this episode: Justin Lee on being Annyong on Arrested Development (2:00) Abbott Elementary cannabis activation (6:30) Cannabis as medicine: overcoming concussion, ceasing opioids and bio-hacking (9:00) Self-care to Ay Papi (19:00) What does craft mean? (23:00) What does organic and regenerative mean? (27:00) Live Rosin (32:00) Quiz: Hellos around the World (39:30) Real time habit changes (41:30) Regulatory and industry changes needed in California (43:00) Will rescheduling happen? (45:00) Pauls of Wisdom (48:00) Follow @yoswaggylee on Instagram Follow @aypapico on Instagram Visit https://aypapi.co/ Visit www.giveandtoke.com.au Follow @giveandtoke on Instagram Email giveandtoke@gmail.com

    51 min
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About

Give & Toke is a podcast about cannabis, told through the people living and building it. Hosted by Paul O’Donoghue, each episode features conversations with patients, doctors, advocates and operators, exploring access, regulation, culture and the realities of the industry. Grounded, curious and at times uncomfortable, the show aims to move beyond headlines and into what actually matters.

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