Episode 95 - Is Cannabis the New Chardonnay?
In The New Chardonnay author Heather Cabot followed the cannabis boom and bust. It isn't pretty.
Heather Cabot is a fine journalist and a mom of a certain age. She is a part of a growing cohort of women that cannabis marketers call “Chardonnay moms.” These newly minted cannabists would use cannabis but abhor going to a dispensary to get it, prefer a discreet edible to smoking a joint, and are unlikely to tell their friends about their use. I enjoyed her recent book, The New Chardonnay, because it takes you on a rollicking ride through the boom boom days of the cannabis bubble, which has since burst.
Cabot traveled the country with some colorful characters, including Snoop Dogg, who, she reveals on this podcast, refused to grant her an interview. She chronicles the illusions and delusions of people who were hoping to make a killing in cannabis and instead got killed thanks to some shady deals with some shady characters.
Heather, who has never used the plant, learned a lot about it; still, at the end of this podcast she confesses that she would still be upset if her teenage sons tried it. That’s an interesting reaction, especially from someone who researched and understands the extraordinary safety profile of the plant. Old stigmas die hard -- even with this well educated chardonnay mom.
On another note...Our friends at Sun + Earth are launching a crowdfunding campaign to create a certification program and educate consumers about regenerative organic cannabis growing. I support this organization and urge you to as well. While industrialized growing under energy sucking lights seems sadly inevitable, this Sun+Earth is promoting other regenerative sustainable models that can support small farmers and renew soil rather than deplete it. The crowdfunding campaign runs through December 20, 2020. To donate and learn about Sun+Earth, go here. Oh, and just a small $25 contribution will win you a bar of Dr. Bronner’s cannabis-scented soap, made with hemp derived terpenes and fair trade oils, which sounds like it will perk up any bathroom!