The cannabis community is full of interesting characters and I have the privilege of knowing and collaborating with my fair share. As a young journalist at university, I was attracted to feature writing - what hard news folks like to call puff pieces - but for me, it was way more interesting to examine the layers of an idea, person, or experience than report on crime, politics or natural disasters. Twenty-five years later, as a cannabis journalist, I’m okay if you call my work puff pieces. ‘Cuz You know I live for a good pun.

And I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say so does today’s guest. Joe Dolce, author of Brave New Weed and host of the Brave New Weed podcast joins me for a casual chat about our adventures in cannabis as both content creators and citizen scientists. We swap cannabis-infused stories, favorite products, and current experiments.

I’m happy to be your cannabis lifestyle guide and share what I know and learn with you. So if you feel inspired, please take a beat to rate and review Casually Baked on iTunes or Apple Podcasts. That simple action helps other canna-curious folks find this highly responsible cannabis content.

Kumbaya and cannabis, -Jo 💚

This Potcast Is Covered By MJ Relief

‘After the Show’ Notes

The Medical Cannabis Mentor courses and methodologies were developed by Joe Dolce, author of Brave New Weed and a medical cannabis patient, under the guidance of Dr. Junella Chin, DO. Dr. Chin has treated over 10,000 patients in California and New York with medical cannabis. The materials are based on over 23,000 published scientific studies plus hundreds of hours of interviews with the finest researchers and clinicians working today.

Medical Cannabis Mentor offers the most up-to-date scientific research and guidelines in clear and engaging formats to help individuals and professionals make informed treatment decisions.

Learn about Joe’s favorite edible and how to get it by listening to this episode of Brave New Weed.

Here are some of my current favorite products and experiments.

Aspen Green Hemp-derived CBD:

There is an overwhelming number of CBD companies on the market and I often get asked for recommendations, so I found an affiliate partner. Aspen Green is a small business run by a pair of husband-wife duos. They produce Certified USDA Organic hemp products in Colorado. I use their full-spectrum CBD oil at bedtime and again in the morning for chronic pain and overall wellness. And when you use promo code CB20 you’ll SAVE 20% on your order EVERY TIME you purchase. www.aspengreen.com

Sandland Hemp-derived CBN:

I'm not affiliated with this company, though, I am trying to work out an affiliate discount for listeners. I have had success with the Fall Asleep sublingual tabs. I'm asleep in less than 15-minutes every time. If you have trouble staying asleep, they've got something for that, too. www.sandlandsleep.com

MJ Relief:

MJ Relief is the muscle rub for what aches and pains you. The pain-relieving, skin-soothing muscle rub I co-created with Dr. Monica Vialpando, is finally out in the wild and ready to enhance your everyday experience. MJ Relief is the same thoughtful Ph.D. formulation we’ve batch produced for friends and family as Casually Baked Muscle Rub for the past four years. But now it’s in a convenient tube so you can avoid messy mishaps, over-using, and contamination from those “double-dipping” fingers. And bonus, it smells like a relaxing dream and will up-level your next massage. I use MJ Relief damn near every day to ease my chronic neck and shoulder tension. If you’re feelin’ my pain and want some muscle and joint relief of your own, head over to https://mjskinrelief.com/ and order a tube for you and another one for your favorite friend or family member. 😘 mjskinrelief.com

Ayahuasca Microdosing (No DMT):

Ayahuasca Vine (Banisteriopsis Caapi) with Bobinsana (Calliandra Angustifolia) Fresh-cut vine from deep in the jungle of Iquitos, Peru, is pounded then boiled in a stainless steel pot for 14 hours as it is refined slowly to a thick paste. The paste is then rehydrated with distilled water. The blend is 70% Banisteriopsis Caapi vine and 30% Bobinsana. Ayahuasca Master Teacher Plant: a deeper connection to source and nature, deeper meditative states, increased intuition, creativity, and focus, helps alleviate depression and anxiety. Bobinsana: Used for heart opening, empathy, heartbreak, grief, loss, lucid dreaming, inflammation, arthritis, and contraception. (Do not use if you want to get pregnant)! www.ayahuascamicrodosing.com

The Sustainability Roll-up is presented by OCB Rolling Papers. In perfect harmony with natural, sustainable practices, it’s always been the OCB signature to provide the highest quality, responsibly-sourced, and sustainably crafted rolling papers.

Back in the day, Henry Ford sought ways to merge the automotive and agricultural industries, as he thought the bond would be mutually beneficial.

He wanted to help farmers during the Great Depression, but Ford also believed that using bioplastics in building cars could be a safer and more durable option than steel. So, in the early 1930s, he began experimenting but ended up abandoning the project during World War II. In 1941 at Dearborn Days, Ford presented the first automobile made with bioplastics. It had a steel frame with 14 plastic panels attached to it. The prototype was later destroyed by E.T. Gregorie, the very person who had helped build it.

Today, scientists in the auto industry are honing the use of hemp to make tough but lightweight bioplastics that also help reduce a vehicle’s carbon footprint.

A key innovator in the space is Bruce Dietzen, president of Renew Design, a Florida-based company that produces custom-ordered cars. The body parts are made from processing the outer stalk of hemp plants and combining the biomass with a synthetic resin placed in a mold.

“All the body panels are made of a woven hemp material which, since the 1950s, has been well understood to provide additional strength latitudinally and longitudinally as opposed to traditional materials like plastic, fiberglass or metal,” Bruce explains.

In the potcast, I mention that entry-level models of the car start at $40,000 - that was an old number. They now start at $100k according to the FAQ on Renew’s website. So it’s likely they can reach higher than $200,000 for a 525-hp motor, depending on the amount of power you want. You can make your custom sports car even greener by customizing it to work with an electric drivetrain and battery or biofuel.

As for buying from a mainstream car manufacturer, the BMW i-series is using hemp-based trunk liners, airbags, and door panels, as well as a carbon-fiber-reinforced frame. The fully electric BMW i3 at $42,000 is about the same price as its Tesla counterpart. Though Tesla cars account for an estimated 75%-85% of electric vehicles sold in the US alone.

Fun Fact: In 2016, the LAPD had "the largest fully battery-powered municipal fleet" in the United States With 186 electric cars - mostly used by civilian employees - though it’s funny to think about a high-speed car chase and all of the cop cars run out of juice. And you and I drive off into the sunset smoking our sun-grown herb in OCB rolling papers. <OCB does not endorse my daydreams and stories of high-speed car chases 😂>

Last year, OCB rolled out America’s first, ultra-thin, slow-burning BAMBOO rolling paper and cones that have been taking the market by storm. The 100% French-milled OCB bamboo is Harvested responsibly, is highly sustainable, Chlorine-free, dye-free, bleach-free, GMO-free, and VEGAN. You’ll love OCB even more because they make no tear, even-burning, rolling papers with natural always-sticks acacia gum grown in African fields that OCB has been re-foresting for decades. Of course, you must be 21 and older to buy OCB rolling papers and to follow @ocb_usa on social.

I’ve loved the convenience of the OCB cones but I’ve put them on the shelf as I master the classic art of hand rolling my joints. And I had a breakthrough on the episode of Roll With Me when my friend Luke taught us the art of the Dutch cone roll.

Roll With Me, a new video series launched on the Casually Baked YouTube channel in April 2021, is a collaboration with OCB Rolling Papers. Get lessons and insights on the craft of rolling while chatting about all things hemp and cannabis culture.

Complete This Form to Roll With Me On An Upcoming Episode

We all know practice makes perfect so I’m engaging my cannabis industry friends to coach me. And if you’ve got some rolling tricks up your sleeve, perhaps you, too, can school me on an episode of Roll With Me.

If you too are a joint rolling novice and want to learn the craft alongside me, go ahead and get your supplies ready. Visit ocbusa.com/BAKED to get 4 booklets of OCB and a rolling tray for only $4.99! This bundle is worth 20 bucks and is around for a limited time. But the rolling skills and street cred we’re going to earn together, my friend, makes this bundle priceless as far as I’m concerned. As for you OG’s who can roll a joint one-handed, I challenge you to sample the entire line of OCB products and let me know your favorite.

Get 4 booklets of OCB and a rolling tray for only $4.99! This bundle is worth 20 bucks and is around for a limited time. But the rolling skills and street cred we’re going to earn together, my friend, makes this bundle priceless as far as I’m concerned. ✌️💚