Conversations With Kush

Molly the Kush RN
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  • Mental Health
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A nurse-led, patient-driven cannabis media and education company bridging the gap between patients, the industry, and healthcare through independent journalism, trusted education, and clinical expertise.

  1. 05/29/2025

    Grief, Caregiving & Cannabis Community | Sergio Villareal of Simpatico420

    Cannabis as medicine, and the community that makes safe access possible, is at the heart of the Season 2 finale of Conversations with Kush. Molly the Kush RN talks with Sergio Villareal, a Minnesota cannabis event organizer and community advocate. They cover how he built a vendor-first festival, how grief over losing his brother pulled him into the industry, and how testing and caregiving can help patients find the right grower. As Minnesota's market takes shape, this conversation shows why small businesses, craft growers, and patients need each other. Guest Sergio Villareal: Minnesota cannabis event organizer and community advocate, formerly with the Doobie Dabbler festival and now running his own Simpatico events. The first Doobie Dabbler drew an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people and about 86 vendors. In this episode How Sergio Villareal built the Doobie Dabbler festival around vendors and small businesses, with a $20 ticket and booth fees that could be paid partly in product.Why vendors and sponsors often get the short end of the stick at cannabis events, and how an organizer can make sure they are seen and heard.How small Minnesota cannabis businesses are trying to stay afloat while dispensaries are still about a year away from opening.How cannabis helped Sergio and his late brother, Johnny, deal with anger, and how grief after his brother's death led Sergio into the cannabis industry.Why a proposed rule requiring 60 grams of concentrate for testing worries Minnesota's small batch hash and concentrate makers.Why Molly the Kush RN wants cannabis suppositories, which are not currently legal in the Minnesota market, added to the products allowed. Chapters 0:00 Welcome to the Season 2 finale1:35 Doobie Dabbler: a festival built for vendors7:55 Small businesses holding on until launch14:22 Simpatico events and summer plans17:57 Bridging legacy and legal markets20:59 Remembering his brother Johnny29:32 Rules on concentrates, testing and suppositories36:16 Respecting growers and Minnesota craft44:46 Competition ideas and cannabinoid testing55:37 Veterans, Nurses Week and where to find Sergio Season 2, Episode 10 of Conversations with Kush. Hosted by Molly the Kush RN, a cannabis nurse in Minnesota. Show notes and full transcript: https://convoswithkush.com/episodes/grief-caregiving-cannabis-community #ConversationsWithKush #MollyTheKushRN #Simpatico420

  2. 05/22/2025 ·  Bonus

    Behind the Scenes at Smoking on the Runway | Minnesota's Cannabis Fashion Show

    Cannabis stigma and the creative side of cannabis are at the center of this episode, as Molly the Kush RN, a cannabis nurse and co-producer of Minnesota's Smoking on the Runway fashion show, sits down with the people who make it happen. Guests include designers KB Baller of Provider and Roxy Vale of Camp Buzzkill, models Mai Vang and Joe Lenway, and the show's organizers. Together they show how pairing cannabis with fashion, art and local community can open minds and help newcomers learn about the plant's many uses. Guests KB Baller: creator of Provider (PRVDR), a Twin Cities streetwear brand and Uptown community shop, and founder of the nonprofit Next Gen Legacy. He has been a firefighter for over 10 years and runs Ballers and Badges, a free yearly basketball event that brings kids and first responders together.Roxy Vale: co-owner of Camp Buzzkill, an alternative fashion and jewelry brand she runs with her twin, London. The shop started around 2021, and Smoking on the Runway is the brand's first fashion show.Mai Vang: runway model and owner of My Business Inc, offering model scouting, coaching, business consulting, websites and comp cards. Her first fashion show was Fashion Week Minnesota in April 2022.Joe Lenway: model who has walked three of the four Smoking on the Runway shows. He works in pipe fitting and personal security, and is starting the brand Outcast with his cousin.Kara: co-organizer of Smoking on the Runway. She describes the show as a joint effort between artists and industry people that celebrates the creative side of cannabis. In this episode How Smoking on the Runway uses fashion and cannabis to bring artists, businesses and community together in Minnesota.Why a cannabis nurse encourages people to look beyond smoking and edibles to topicals, tinctures and suppositories.How cannabis topicals may support workout recovery, and how tinctures or suppositories may help with period pain or endometriosis.Why one model finds cannabis calming and helpful for pain relief, including the pain many women experience.How some people use cannabis before the gym for focus and a stronger mind body connection.Why edibles feel different from smoking: you can stop smoking, but with an edible you are buckled in for whatever happens. Chapters 0:00 Smoking on the Runway and KB Baller of Provider5:44 Next Gen Legacy and Ballers and Badges7:55 Roxy Vale and the Camp Buzzkill Origin Story11:13 Maximalist Alternative Style and Handmade Jewelry17:08 First Fashion Show, Buzzed Out, and the Buzzverse21:37 Meet the Models: Mai Vang and Joe Lenway25:41 Personal Relationships with Cannabis27:37 A Cannabis Nurse on Topicals, Tinctures and Options30:09 The Organizers on What Smoking on the Runway Means34:27 Sponsors, Tickets and What to Expect Season 2 bonus episode of Conversations with Kush. Hosted by Molly the Kush RN, a cannabis nurse in Minnesota. Show notes and full transcript: https://convoswithkush.com/episodes/behind-the-scenes-at-smoking-on-the-runway #ConversationsWithKush #MollyTheKushRN #SmokingOnTheRunway

  3. 05/15/2025

    Indica vs. Sativa Is a Myth | Dr. Clemon "Doc Dabs" Dabney III

    Cannabis chemovars, terpenes, and home grow science shape how patients and consumers find the right product for their bodies. Molly the Kush RN talks with Clemon Dabney III, known as Doc Dabs, a PhD in cannabis molecular genetics and genomics and CEO of Doc Dab's Healthy Highs, about breeding, product innovation, Minnesota's new cannabis rules, and the indica versus sativa myth. The conversation matters because understanding what is actually in the plant helps people choose products that fit their needs. Guest Clemon Dabney III (Doc Dabs): PhD in cannabis molecular genetics and genomics, CEO of Doc Dab's Healthy Highs, and co-owner of A&D Genetics. His doctoral work at the University of Minnesota helped produce what was at the time the most highly resolved cannabis genome, and he has won several Legacy Cup awards. In this episode How a jeweler's loupe lets home growers check trichome heads to time harvest, and why stigmas turning from white to orange or brown are a simpler backup sign.Why seed pack finish times can be off, with a cultivar labeled 8 weeks sometimes needing 10 or 11 weeks.Why a pH meter helps indoor home growers avoid nutrient lockout and salt buildup, especially when tap water runs as basic as 8.4.Why THC by itself is often uncomfortable, and how CBD, CBG, terpenes, and volatile sulfur compounds work together to shape the cannabis experience.Why plants labeled indica and sativa show no genetic differentiation, and why those labels are better understood as words that describe an effect.How the name Cannabis indica may have started as a way around the legal scheduling of Cannabis sativa L. Chapters 0:00 Welcome and introductions1:34 From a riverbank grow to plant genetics5:51 Genome research and hemp fiber9:32 Doc Dabs, maple syrup, and product innovation16:32 Chemovars, terpenes, and home grow tips26:36 Minnesota rules and small business advocacy36:32 Life after the OCM, equity, and the Star Tribune42:16 Breeding for specific needs and the indica sativa myth50:06 Sustainability and launch challenges1:01:31 The history of 4/20 and changing cannabis images Season 2, Episode 9 of Conversations with Kush. Hosted by Molly the Kush RN, a cannabis nurse in Minnesota. Show notes and full transcript: https://convoswithkush.com/episodes/indica-vs-sativa-is-a-myth #ConversationsWithKush #MollyTheKushRN #DocDabs

  4. 05/08/2025

    Marketing Cannabis When Social Media Says No | Bree McGee & Sarah Gawinski

    Cannabis stigma and strict advertising rules make it hard for patients, especially women, to find clear, trustworthy cannabis education online. Molly the Kush RN talks with Bree McGee, the photographer and visual lead at Higher States Marketing, and Sarah Gawinski, the firm's SEO strategist, about how cannabis brands can educate new consumers through websites, search, and honest imagery. Their advice matters because what a brand puts on its website can decide whether someone's first experience with cannabis is a good one. Guests Bree McGee: photographer and visual lead at Higher States Marketing (whose official LLC name is Higher State Marketing Collective). Before the pandemic, she specialized in behind-the-scenes photography of makers creating products in their homes.Sarah Gawinski: SEO strategist at Higher States Marketing. She met Bree in a group business coaching class in early 2020, just before the pandemic, and the two became accountability partners before forming their cannabis marketing firm. In this episode Why cannabis brands should put their effort into owned platforms like websites, email marketing, and apps instead of relying on social media that can ban them without warning.How search engine optimization (SEO) helps dispensaries and cannabis brands show up in local searches like cannabis near me.Why code words like gardening may be needed on Instagram, while your own website can use the real terms people search for, such as cannabis or gummies.How blogging and content marketing on topics like THC versus CBD ratios can make a cannabis brand a trusted, expert source and improve its search rankings over time.Why clear product photos that show packaging, serving sizes, and how big a gummy really is help first-time consumers trust and buy a product.How using real people in cannabis marketing, like a 70-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis using a cannabis hand salve, can help older women consider cannabis topicals. Chapters 0:00 Welcome and Meeting in Orbit1:34 How Higher States Marketing Began4:47 Serving Women in Cannabis7:15 Owned Platforms, Emotion, and Real People9:57 Coming Out of the Cannabis Closet14:28 SEO and Building Trust Through Education22:01 Social Media Limits and Product Photography27:09 Blogging and Tips for Small Budgets34:37 Personal Cannabis Stories, Microdosing, and Pets48:59 What's Next for Minnesota Cannabis Season 2, Episode 8 of Conversations with Kush. Hosted by Molly the Kush RN, a cannabis nurse in Minnesota. Show notes and full transcript: https://convoswithkush.com/episodes/marketing-cannabis-when-social-media-says-no #ConversationsWithKush #MollyTheKushRN #HigherStatesMarketing

  5. 05/01/2025

    Cannabis, PTSD & the Endocannabinoid System | Dr. Uwe Blesching

    PTSD, burnout and chronic illness are changing how nurses and patients think about cannabis and the endocannabinoid system. Molly the Kush RN, an emergency nurse and former labor and delivery nurse, talks with Dr. Uwe Blesching, co-founder and chief scientific officer of CannaKeys and author of the Cannabis Health Index, about evidence-based cannabis care, treatment algorithms, chemotypes and the role of teacher plants in healing trauma. This conversation gives clinicians, patients and advocates practical, research-informed language for bringing cannabis into conversations at the bedside. Guest Dr. Uwe Blesching: co-founder and chief scientific officer of CannaKeys and author of the Cannabis Health Index, Breaking the Cycle of Opioid Addiction, and Your Cannabis CBD/THC Ratios. He trained as a paramedic at Stanford and worked as a medic for the San Francisco Department of Public Health for about two decades before becoming a doctor and writer. In this episode How cannabis may help interrupt the pain and tension cycle, and why the nurse to patient connection matters so much in healing.Why PTSD and burnout among nurses, medics, police and firefighters after COVID make safe cannabis access for helping professionals an important policy issue.How NIH researchers discovered the endocannabinoid system in the late 1980s, and why only about 1 in 10 medical schools teach it today, by Dr. Blesching's estimate.What the endocannabinoid dome is, and how turmeric, age-appropriate cardio, tai chi, yoga and cognitive behavioral approaches can improve endocannabinoid signaling without using cannabis.Why fewer endocannabinoid receptor sites with age may contribute to slower recovery and suboptimal aging.How a Florida trial using 16 mg THCV and 20 mg CBD once daily for 90 days led to significant weight loss and lower bad cholesterol in people with metabolic syndrome. Chapters 0:00 Welcome and supporting cannabis nurses5:17 Burnout, PTSD and healing at the bedside14:05 Why CannaKeys was built23:32 The endocannabinoid dome and aging34:07 How to read cannabis research42:32 Using CannaKeys and treatment algorithms50:01 Chemotypes, COAs and terpenes1:00:06 Flow state, teacher plants and shadow work1:09:54 From paramedic to author, DNA and pregnancy research1:26:09 Opioid addiction and the future of medicine Season 2, Episode 7 of Conversations with Kush. Hosted by Molly the Kush RN, a cannabis nurse in Minnesota. Show notes and full transcript: https://convoswithkush.com/episodes/cannabis-ptsd-the-endocannabinoid-system #ConversationsWithKush #MollyTheKushRN #CannaKeys

  6. 04/24/2025

    Sisterhood, Science & Soul Work | Live from the DOPE Roots Women & Cannabis Summit

    Cannabis as medicine, from pediatric oncology and perimenopause symptom relief to nurse burnout, is the focus of this live episode recorded at the Dope Roots Women in Cannabis event. Molly the Kush RN talks with pediatric oncology nurse practitioner Sarah Slater, nurse practitioner and formulator Lynn, VEEK Wellness founder Margie, and event founder Nekima Levy Armstrong, a lawyer and activist. She also hears from the creators behind a terpene tasting kit, High Flora, Rasta Teas and the MN Women's Cannabis Collective. These conversations matter because patients keep asking about cannabis, and many of their providers still cannot answer them. Guests Sarah Slater: Pediatric oncology nurse practitioner and founder of Balanced Cannatherapeutics and Pediatrics. She certifies children for medical cannabis and started her business to bridge the gap between healthcare and cannabis as medicine.Heather: Founder of High Flora and Root to Rise catering, trained in design. After closing the High Flora restaurant, she is developing herbal drinks with and without THC.Margie: Founder of VEEK Wellness, a brand for women in perimenopause, menopause and beyond. Her own difficult introduction to perimenopause, which included a uterine ablation, led her to create it.Mercy: Yogi herbalist behind Rasta Teas hot and barbecue sauces and pot sauce. Proceeds support the Million Meal March, which has reached roughly 55,000 toward its goal of feeding 1 million people.Lynn: Nurse practitioner, cannabis topicals formulator and co-founder of The North Bloom magazine. She previously built and sold a nurse practitioner company that grew to 65 employees over 15 years.Nekima Levy Armstrong: Lawyer, activist and founder of Dope Roots, which hosted the Women in Cannabis event. She bakes cannabis cookies with a canna butter developed with food scientists, inspired by her grandmother. In this episode Why a pediatric oncology nurse practitioner who certifies children for medical cannabis says providers, more than patients, push back on cannabis, and why limited time makes those conversations so hard.Where nurses and clinicians can start learning about the endocannabinoid system, including a free, evidence-based course for licensed healthcare practitioners from Bonnie Goldstein.How six terpene superclasses cover about 95% of commercially available cannabis in the United States, and how reading terpenes on a certificate of analysis (COA) can guide dispensary choices.Why strain names are unreliable and why shopping for the highest THC percentage is a holdover from prohibition.A simple smell training exercise for learning caryophyllene using cloves, cinnamon and allspice.Why perimenopause can last 10 to 15 years, and how one women's wellness brand microdoses its gummies at 2.5 mg THC paired with CBD, CBN or CBG for mood, sleep and focus. Chapters 0:00 Sarah Slater: Cannabis in pediatric oncology7:27 Terpene tasting and the language of craft cannabis24:56 Heather: High Flora, food and finding your voice33:24 Margie: Perimenopause and VEEK Wellness47:44 Mercy: Rasta Teas pot sauce and the Million Meal March59:18 Lynn: Topicals for older adults and start low, go slow1:10:04 Nurse burnout, PTSD and reclaiming who you are1:25:16 MN Women's Cannabis Collective1:37:25 Nekima Levy Armstrong: Centering women at Dope Roots Season 2, Episode 6 of Conversations with Kush. Hosted by Molly the Kush RN, a cannabis nurse in Minnesota. Show notes and full transcript: https://convoswithkush.com/episodes/sisterhood-science-soul-work #ConversationsWithKush #MollyTheKushRN #DopeRoots

  7. 04/10/2025

    Cannabis Banking Explained | Brandon Padget of Union Bank & Trust

    Cannabis banking is still a major hurdle for cannabis businesses, because federal scheduling limits loans, payment processing, and access to basic financial services. Molly the Kush RN talks with Brandon Padget, Chief Deposit Officer at Union Bank and Trust, a 100% union owned bank that has served cannabis clients for about 10 years, about compliance, fair fees, cash security, and labor. As Minnesota gets ready for adult use licenses, this conversation helps current and future operators choose a banking partner they can trust and avoid costly mistakes. Guest Brandon Padget: Chief Deposit Officer at Union Bank and Trust, a 100% union owned bank founded in 1976. Brandon worked in banking for 19 years before joining Union Bank and Trust and grew up in a union family with a retired IBEW electrician father. In this episode Why Union Bank and Trust, founded in 1976 by building trade leaders, started serving medical cannabis clients after seeing union members cut back on ibuprofen and opioids.Why a bank's board has to be fully committed to cannabis banking, and how operators can end up with only 30 days' notice that their account is closing.How the Bank Secrecy Act, anti money laundering rules, and know your customer requirements shape cannabis banking compliance, and how a partner like RiskScout tracks licenses and cash variance.Why Union Bank and Trust asks cannabis operators for a business plan and a signed labor peace agreement before opening an account.How excessive banking fees hurt small cannabis businesses, including one operator who spent $30,000 on banking fees in a year.Why startup loans for cannabis businesses are so hard to get without SBA or USDA guarantees, and why a typical ask is a $50,000 to $100,000 line of credit. Chapters 0:00 Welcome and a bank built by labor1:21 Why Union Bank and Trust went all in on cannabis4:06 Banking services, compliance and labor peace agreements7:39 Values: all in, solidarity and legacy12:30 Barriers to capital and compliance17:53 Choosing a bank partner and spotting red flags22:12 SAFE Banking and the future of cannabis banking27:59 Cash security, digital safes and ancillary jobs36:00 Brandon's personal relationship with cannabis40:06 Unions organizing cannabis workers and closing thoughts Season 2, Episode 5 of Conversations with Kush. Hosted by Molly the Kush RN, a cannabis nurse in Minnesota. Show notes and full transcript: https://convoswithkush.com/episodes/cannabis-banking-explained #ConversationsWithKush #MollyTheKushRN #UnionBankAndTrust

  8. 04/03/2025

    From Opioids to Cannabis | Dr. Jesse Christianson, DNP

    Cannabis as a therapy for chronic pain, stress, anxiety and sleep problems, and as an option for people relying on opioids, benzodiazepines or sleep medications, is the focus of this conversation. Molly the Kush RN talks with Jesse Christianson, a Madison, Wisconsin nurse, gerontologist and founder of Cannabinoid Therapeutics, who formulates lab-tested hemp-derived edibles and guides patients on dosing. It matters because many patients, especially in states without a medical program, are left to work through a confusing, largely unregulated market without a trusted clinician beside them. Guest Jesse Christianson: nurse since 2016 and gerontologist with graduate training at UW, founder of Cannabinoid Therapeutics in Madison, Wisconsin. He was invited to give an hour-long cannabis lecture at the Wisconsin Nurses Association APRN conference, which drew more attendees than any other session. In this episode Why some patients with stress, anxiety, sleep problems or pain look to cannabis instead of waiting about 6 weeks for an SSRI or SNRI to take effect.Why long-term benzodiazepine or opioid use is a concern for some populations, and how cannabis can serve as another tool in the toolbox.How cannabis can be used as a short-term or transitional therapy to help someone get over a specific hurdle rather than as a lifelong treatment.How a nurse formulated a sleep and pain edible with 10 mg Delta-9 THC plus myrcene, beta-caryophyllene and linalool, and why he left out low-dose CBD, which some evidence suggests can be stimulating.Why a 1:1 THC to CBD ratio, 10 mg of each, can smooth out the effects of THC and help reduce anxiety or paranoia.Why the timing of an edible matters, depending on whether you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Chapters 0:00 Welcome and Jesse's path into cannabis nursing4:58 Stigma, legislators and Wisconsin's hemp market10:01 Patient-first education at farmers markets13:03 Why cannabis belongs in the toolbox17:52 Formulating safe, tested edibles24:11 Changing stigma among clinicians27:27 Patient outcomes, pain contracts and impairment33:11 Minnesota expansion and research hopes39:54 Cannabis guidelines for helping professionals51:56 Jesse's personal experience and starting low Season 2, Episode 4 of Conversations with Kush. Hosted by Molly the Kush RN, a cannabis nurse in Minnesota. Show notes and full transcript: https://convoswithkush.com/episodes/from-opioids-to-cannabis #ConversationsWithKush #MollyTheKushRN #CannabinoidTherapeutics

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About

A nurse-led, patient-driven cannabis media and education company bridging the gap between patients, the industry, and healthcare through independent journalism, trusted education, and clinical expertise.

Information

  • Creator
    Molly the Kush RN
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Molly the Kush RN
  • Show Website
    Conversations With Kush