NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES – 2016/06/26: Pro-cannabis marchers. LIGHTROCKET VIA GETTY IMAGES
Amid the recent uprising and protests there’s one undeniable fact, the energy of the people and the messages from the streets are what politicians should be paying attention to. During June, the Pride month for LGBTQIA+ and their allies to celebrate and advocate for equality, the Supreme Court ruled against the administration, making it illegal to terminate an individual’s employment based on their sexual preferences or identification.
Vasco de Gama Journey PHOTO COURTESY: C4 DISTRIBUTION
Warren Bobrow=WB: Why Cannabis? What was your path to the plant? Who were you with when you first got high? Do you remember what you were listening to?
Eric Spitz=ES: I grew up in a house with five boys, so there was a good amount of mischief, and one of my cousins was the center of the local pot scene. I hung out with the guys who were buying and selling weed at school but decided to wait until I got accepted into college to begin my relationship with cannabis. I remember hearing that I might not get high on my first experience, but that doesn’t explain why I have a perpetual and vague memory of the movie Lucas. I remember the hoopla around my first bong hit, and then not much of the movie. Once in college, I realized that I liked cannabis culture and smoking pot to enhance and supplement my enjoyment of partying with alcohol. But heavy drinking often wreaks havoc during the evening and a leaves a hangover the next day. Weed has fewer side effects, and it’s far more versatile. I like inhaling weed (smoking and vaping, not so much eating) before I work out or have a great meal, and it frequently stimulates creative sessions of writing and business strategy. Weed is fun for me and usually puts a smile on my face.
Warren Bobrow=WB: Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from? Where do you reside now? How did you discover cannabis? CBD? Did you use the plant for pain and stress management?
Alex in front of the camera PHOTO COURTESY: ALEX SHREEVE
Warren Bobrow=WB: Where are you from? Where are you now in the world? Why cannabis instead of business, law, medicine or what have you? What brought you to the plant?
Alex Shreeve=AS: I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, however, lived in California and Florida for High School and College. I was a medical card holder prior to Recreational Cannabis to address health issues and my personal sense of wellness. My passion has always been cannabis and I’ve been drawn to the complexity of flavors and corresponding effects of flower. I began to notice the subtle flavors on the inhale and exhale of specific cultivars, motivating a lifelong search for the best genetics in the world.
Anthony Dindia in Chicago PHOTO COURTESY: ANTHONY DINDIA
I met Anthony Dindia a month or so ago at New Jersey’s latest cannabis dispensary. He had just spent the past few grueling days of night and day work getting the Elizabeth, NJ location for the Verano family of dispensaries ready to open and greet their guests.
Anthony is unmistakably a key player in this remarkably fluid organization and deeply reflective time of the pandemic, Covid-19. A take-charge man who loves what he does, and that reflects deeply upon his life and philosophy for healing.
Warren Bobrow=WB: Where are you from? What propelled you on your journey? How does cannabis inspire you?
Justin Dye=JD: I grew up in Winslow, Indiana, a small rural community with a population of 1,200 in the southwest corner of the state. The major industries were coal mining and farming with honest and hardworking people. It was a great place to grow up. I grew up a big sports fan and have always been very competitive. For college, I attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana where I majored in Political Science. As I began my career, I brought with me not only the great education I received from DePauw but also the hard-working, honest and competitiveness that were instilled in me from growing up. These traits are what have propelled my career throughout the last two decades.
About HERBL: HERBL is California’s largest cannabis distributor and supply chain solutions company servicing more than 850 storefront and non-storefront retail licensees. Founded in 2016, HERBL’s team is composed of distribution and retail experts with extensive experience in large-scale global supply chains. HERBL brings the state’s leading cannabis retailers and top brands together through world-class technology, unparalleled service, and high-security, state-of-the-art facilities and trucks. Exclusive brand partners include the leaders in flower, vapes, edibles, topicals, pre-rolls, and concentrate. To learn more, visit www.HERBL.com
Nationwide demand for legal cannabis has driven market momentum to an all-time high in recent years. Despite restrictive licensing and operating regulations, new cannabis products and brands have proliferated in the market, creating a hyper-competitive retail environment for consumer-facing cannabis businesses.
Annie Holman=AH: I was born the day Martin Luther King JR. gave his “I have a Dream Speech” – smack in the middle of it. I am from the Maine and have been in CA for 38 years. I believe the universe is bigger than me, but not by much. I’m a mother of an adopted daughter, and a wife to a Sonoma County winemaker. I understand the art of the apology.
I’m a storyteller and claim the attention of the room.
