Give and Toke

In this episode, we're joined by two industry trailblazers who’ve gone from the frontlines of patient care to the frontlines of cannabis supply. Bashar Al-Humrany (a pharmacist) and Joel Green (a nurse) first crossed paths at Melbourne’s Astrid Dispensary, one of the first dedicated medicinal cannabis dispensaries in the country. 

Together, they saw firsthand where the system was helping... and where it was falling short. No...

In this episode, we sit down with Fiona Patten, former Victorian MP and current Senate candidate for the Legalise Cannabis Party, to discuss her run for the Senate in the lead up to this weekend's federal Australian election, the future of cannabis legalisation in Australia, and why legalising cannabis is not a "single issue".

Sean Maloney is the sole Legal Counsel and Commercial Manager for MediCann Health - an Australian based medicinal cannabis company focussed on improving the quality of life of people in need through the use of affordable, reliable and science backed medicinal cannabis products.

With a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Laws from The University of Western Australia, Sean has worked as a Senior Consultant & Solicitor at a Big...

Rhys Cohen is a self-confessed “drug nerd” who has held countless cannabis-related roles over the past decade as he has become a trusted voice within the industry. With a Masters in Research and Sociology, Rhys has been a cannabis consultant, editor, advisory board member and today is the Policy Officer at Penington Institute.

Penington Institute is an independent drug policy non-profit that is currently developing a comprehensi...

James Yodgee is the General Manager of Partnerships at Biortica Agrimed, along with Matthew Turner who is the co-founder and Chief Global Officer of the organisation.

Biortica Agrimed operates one of Australia’s largest cultivation operations in Australia with greenhouses in Victoria and New South Wales along with a library of over 1,000 cultivars through Canadian-based Apollo Green.

In this episode:

Matthew’s pathway to cannabis/...

Kate Avruch is the founder of Operator Academy and is a seasoned expert in the cannabis industry having dedicated her career to scaling business operations in Massachusetts and beyond. With a unique blend of technical expertise in facility design, cannabis chemistry, and extraction methodologies, Kate brings a holistic understanding of the industry’s complexities.

In this episode:

Is The Town the best Boston movie? (1:00)

Pathway to c...

Sara Payan is a cannabis educator, public speaker, policy advocate, and the award-winning host of the Planted with Sara Payan podcast. She’s an expert in consumer trends, product development, and building relationships in the cannabis industry.

Sara has trained cannabis professionals, consulted for brands on product development and marketing, and worked with various committees, including the California Cannabis Advisory Committee a...

In this episode of Give & Toke, we sit down with Victorian MP Rachel Payne, for an insightful conversation that marks two years since entering parliament along with 50 episodes of this show.

We discuss the transition from Dan Andrews to Jacinta Allan and what it means for cannabis reform (3:00). We talk about the recent win for Victorian patients who drive (5:45), before looking back at two years of navigating hemp reform, pill...

Matthew Dent is the Director of Cultivation at Wangara Cultivation Co. With a boutique indoor grow operation in Queensland, their mission is to produce craft quality cannabis for Australia’s local market with a focus on terpenes and the wider entourage effect.

In this episode:

• What is FIRE? (1:00)

• Pathway to cannabis (2:20)

• Relationship with cannabis (8:30)

• Wangara Cultivation Co. (13:30)

• Selecting genetics (18:00...

Get $10 off accessories with the code ‘CATCHUP’ at giveandtoke.com.au

The Catch-Up is a collaboration between Give and Toke and AusCannaReviews. Paul and Christina come together monthly to explore what’s happening in Cannabis in Australia and around the world. 

In this episode:

• What’s Up? (0.40)

• Victoria’s drug driving changes (3:45)

• Medicinal cannabis sales booming (4:50)

• Health bodies call for end to SAS-B (7:50)

...

Sacha La Forgia is the co-founder of Golden Days Cultivators, a South-Australian based indoor cultivator and supplier of medicinal cannabis born out of prior experience in South Australia’s world-renowned alcohol industry.

With a Bachelor in Viticulture from the University of Adelaide, Sacha founded and managed 78o Distillery in Adelaide Hills prior to Golden Days before inertia kicked in in 2022, and a change was needed. As globa...

Talmage Herbert began working for RUA Bioscience in 2021. With strong familial ties to RUA’s growing region, he first started as a cultivator and is now managing supply chains and partnerships. 

RUA Bioscience supplies GMP-certified medicines to expanding markets including Europe and Australia backed by its centre of excellence where they incubate superior genetics including exclusive legacy genetics, sharing New Zealand’s rich cu...

Get $10 off accessories with the code ‘CATCHUP’ at giveandtoke.com.au

The Catch-Up is a collaboration between Give and Toke and AusCannaReviews. Paul and Christina come together monthly to explore what’s happening in Cannabis in Australia and around the world. 

In this episode:

Kamala Harris and federal legalisation (1:55)

Cannabis users skipping work (5:00)

The Dispensed Dilemma (7:30)

Releaf in trouble? (19:30)

New compounding ...

Michael Sassano is the CEO and Chairman of SOMAÍ Pharmaceuticals, a leading European vertically integrated company with a global footprint of distribution. SOMAÍ is building a leading global brand with a robust pipeline of innovative cannabis-based therapeutics. They envision a world where people live a healthy lifestyle empowered by natural cannabis medicine.

SOMAÍ owns a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and indoor cultiva...

Tom Forrest is a certified horticulturist, agronomist, and expert in soil and crop production. In 2019, Tom traveled the world as a recipient of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship. Visiting 10 different countries, and spending time at more than 50 cannabis cultivation facilities allowed him to publish a white paper and release a short documentary sharing his findings from his worldwide exploration of cannabis.

Today h...

Dr Brian Walker is a member of the legislative council for the Legalise Cannabis Western Australia Party. Having practiced medicine for many years in various different countries, he has front-line experience treating patients in hospitals, emergency departments, and general practice.

As a Member of Parliament, Dr Walker believes that far too many of our current laws are archaic, while others are unfit for purpose. Dr Walker’s pass...

Get $10 off accessories with the code ‘CATCHUP’ at giveandtoke.com.au

The Catch-Up is a collaboration between Give and Toke and AusCannaReviews. Paul and Christina come together monthly to explore what’s happening in Cannabis in Australia and around the world. 

In this episode:

Ukraine legalises medicinal cannabis (2:40)

Offensive odours (4:30)

Dispensed founder banned (7:00)

Is weed causing a booze sales slump? (13:00)

F...

Anna Li, The Cannabinista is a cannabis educator who is the host of the Mindful Consumption Podcast. She creates videos on Tik Tok, Youtube, and Instagram where she shares educational content along with fun and delicious cannabis infused recipes, from homemade edibles, infused butters and oils, to cannabis mocktails, and much more.

In this episode:

Canada’s coastal culture (3:00)

Reclaiming the word ‘stoner’ (4:00)

An enthusia...

Fiona Patten has announced a run for the senate for the Legalise Cannabis Party so we’ve dug this one out of the vault for your listening pleasure.

As a Member of Parliament from 2014-22, Ms. Patten chaired the public inquiry into personal cannabis use, and has battled uphill to help other parliamentarians understand how and why people use cannabis. 

In this episode:

How we met (1:40)

The fallacy of roadside drug testing (4:30)

Dis...