Episode 28 - Botrytis & Powdery Mildew in Scientific Detail with guest Kevin McKernan

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Episode 28 - Botrytis & Powdery Mildew in Scientific Detail with guest Kevin McKernan

Molds threaten every cannabis crop. From small patient grows to large scale commercial growing operations, cannabis growers must remain vigilant to avoid crop loss and contamination. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with Kevin McKernan of Medicinal Genomics about the biology of both Botrytis and Powdery Mildew, how it spreads, breeding for resistance and a new assay that detects it before it can be seen with the naked eye.

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Episode 27 - Cannabinoids and Terpenoids in Detail Part 2 with guest Dr. Ethan Russo

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Episode 27 - Cannabinoids and Terpenoids in Detail Part 2 with guest Dr. Ethan Russo

Dr. Ethan Russo returns for Part 2 of our epic dive into the essential cannabis cannabinoids and terpenoids. During Shaping Fire episode 11, we went paragraph by paragraph through Dr. Russo's cornerstone "Taming THC" paper. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los and Dr. Russo review in detail his new, much longer, scientific paper co-authored with esteemed scientist Jahan Marcu, PhD titled "Cannabis Pharmacology: The Usual Suspects and a Few Promising Leads." The paper examines even more terpenes and other components for their healing properties and potential for future research.

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Episode 26 - Cannabis Root Ball Medicine with guest Natasha Ryz, PhD

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Episode 26 - Cannabis Root Ball Medicine with guest Natasha Ryz, PhD

The cannabis root ball is usually discarded in modern cultivation, but that was not always the case. Healers throughout history have used the root ball for preparations, relieving a wide range of ailments. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with health researcher Natasha Ryz, PhD about her new paper, co-authored by renowned cannabis neurologist Dr. Ethan Russo and David Remillard, that illustrates the root ball's remarkable healing abilities beyond phytocannabinoids.

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Episode 25 - The Convoluted CBD Market with guest Seth Crawford

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Episode 25 - The Convoluted CBD Market with guest Seth Crawford

The market for CBD is volatile and complex. As demand for Cannabidiol increases, the lack of a functioning nationwide market for CBD results in a morass of producers, product designers and patients all trying to cobble together some sort of reliable system. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with cannabis economy analyst Seth Crawford, Phd about the rising demand in the splintered CBD market and what the future may hold for investors, pharmaceutical companies and patients.

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Episode 24 - The Keeper Plants: Cannabis Breeding with guest Mean Gene

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Episode 24 - The Keeper Plants: Cannabis Breeding with guest Mean Gene

Breeding cannabis plants takes planning, intuition and loads of patience. While there are many who claim to be breeders nowadays, there are precious few who have done the work to earn the title. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with Mean Gene, the legendary cannabis breeder from Mendocino California. Gene's company, Freeborn Selections has been breeding for the country's most elite growers since 1997. Their conversation spans best practices for breeding, using intuition when choosing plants, chemovar naming conventions and limited edition seed releases.

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Episode 23 - The Reality of Cannabis Trademarks with guest Neil Juneja

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Episode 23 - The Reality of Cannabis Trademarks with guest Neil Juneja

The cannabis trademark process is confusing because most of what everyone says is based on conjecture and rumor. The fact of the matter is that even though Federal trademarks are not technically obtainable yet, cannabis businesses are positioning themselves and securing related trademarks that will help them in the future. During this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los speaks with cannabis trademark attorney Neil Juneja about the actions that entrepreneurs need to take now to secure their business identity and defend their intellectual property from both scoundrels and the ignorant.

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Episode 22 - Treating Brain Injury with Cannabis and Mushrooms with guest Dr. Ethan Russo

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Episode 22 - Treating Brain Injury with Cannabis and Mushrooms with guest Dr. Ethan Russo

There is a new way to treat traumatic brain injuries that some neuroscientists believe will help patients recover more fully. Microdosing cannabis to support the endocannabinoid system while also microdosing psilocybin, the active molecule in hallucinogenic mushrooms, promises to help in the recovery of brain injury and PTSD by giving the brain what it needs to heal, rebuild and reorient itself. During this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los welcomes back Dr. Ethan Russo to talk about this revolutionary approach, the scientific support for it, and some suggestions for those considering self-medicating.

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Episode 21 - Teaming with Microbes and Fungi for Thriving Cannabis with guest Jeff Lowenfels

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Episode 21 - Teaming with Microbes and Fungi for Thriving Cannabis with guest Jeff Lowenfels

There is a wave of resistance to the further use of synthetic nutrients and chemical pesticides when growing cannabis. Cannabis producers are now building living microbe and fungal communities in their soil to produce thriving and healthy cannabis plants with large yields that can protect themselves from pests. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with legendary living soil advocate and author Jeff Lowenfels about some of the ways to nurture your soil to maximize the terpene profile, yield and marketability.of your cannabis plants.

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Episode 20 - The New Wave of Cannabis Consumers with guest Jane West

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Episode 20 - The New Wave of Cannabis Consumers with guest Jane West

Continuing normalization means a new wave of cannabis consumers are discovering the health and happiness benefits of the plant. These newcomers are getting turned on in such numbers that they are now influencing cannabis laws, product design and social mores. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with Jane West, founder of Jane West and Women Grow about the motivations and expectations of this new segment of consumers, how they will impact the market, and why savvy cannabis companies will consider their desires.

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Episode 19 - A Rather Interesting Chat about CO2 Extraction with guest AC Braddock

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Episode 19 - A Rather Interesting Chat about CO2 Extraction with guest AC Braddock

Using carbon dioxide to extract oils from the cannabis plant has become exceptionally popular around the entire world. The technology has come a long way in both its efficiencies and the quality of its output. During today's episode of Shaping Fire,  podcast host Shango Los sits down with AC Braddock, CEO of Eden Labs, to discuss CO2 technology's place in the market, how it compares to other extraction options, defending engineering intellectual property and the importance of a well-trained lab extraction team. The episode finishes with a short discussion of the importance of the kindness culture historically present in the cannabis scene and why it is so relevant to cannabis business going forward.

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Episode 18 - Putting Terpenes to Work for You with guest Ben Cassiday

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Episode 18 - Putting Terpenes to Work for You with guest Ben Cassiday

Terpenes are an essential part of the healing and playful aspects of cannabis. As normalization stretches across the country, more products are being developed and more consumers are experimenting with terpenes in an array of applications. On this week’s episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los chats with Ben Cassiday, co-founder of True Terpenes about the origins of terpenes used in cannabis products, their desirable traits and how to enjoy terpenes without cannabis at all.

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Episode 17 - Evaluating Cannabis Quality with guest Max Montrose

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Episode 17 - Evaluating Cannabis Quality with guest Max Montrose

Everybody knows cannabis they like when it is presented to them, but few have the experience to delineate in detail its many attributes. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los speaks with Max Montrose, founder of The Trichome Institute about judging cannabis quality for oneself, for cannabis cup competitions and the sommelier-like Interpening certification for cannabis.

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Episode 16 - Topicals and the Birth of CHABA with guest Ah Warner

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Episode 16 - Topicals and the Birth of CHABA with guest Ah Warner

Until now, any health and beauty aid products that contained THC had to be regulated and sold in a medical or recreational cannabis store. With the passing of the first Cannabis Health And Beauty Aid (CHABA) law in the country, topical products containing THC can now be sold at any retail store in Washington State. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los chats with Ah Warner, founder of Cannabis Basics, about the state's new CHABA law, how it has been implemented since the legislation was passed, and how the model used in Washington should inspire other activists and health and beauty aid pioneers to lobby for similar laws in their own state.

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Episode 15 - Open Source Probiotic Cannabis with guest Alan Adkisson

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Episode 15 - Open Source Probiotic Cannabis with guest Alan Adkisson

Working in cooperation with nature's delicate systems instead of forcing her to do our bidding makes for thriving cannabis plants. Probiotic growing was muscled out of cannabis for awhile by prohibition, bottled nutrients and a misunderstanding of our relationship to biological systems. Now, living soils, wildcrafted nutrient teas and other probiotic growing techniques are making a huge comeback. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los speaks with Alan Adkisson, co-founder of the Probiotic Farmers Alliance and founder of Gro-Kashi about the return of the probiotic craft, why it is winning cannabis cups and its healing roots in ancient Rome.

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Episode 14 - Synthetic Cannabinoids with guest Greg Gerdeman

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Episode 14 - Synthetic Cannabinoids with guest Greg Gerdeman

Many have heard of the street drug sold at gas stations and party stores under many names like Spice and K2. It is often on local news. They usually call it "fake marijuana." It wasn't until one reporter referred to it as "synthetic cannabinoids" that it caught our attention. On this week's Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with cannabinoid researcher Greg Gerdeman PhD about what the hell synthetic cannabinoids even are and where they came from. Listen to this week's show for the engaging story of how synthetic cannabinoids escaped the laboratory to become popular with schlock journalists and misdirected thrill seekers who can't get their hands on authentic cannabis.

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Episode 13 - Maximizing Yield with Light Dep with guest Eric Brandstad

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Episode 13 - Maximizing Yield with Light Dep with guest Eric Brandstad

Light Deprivation can fool your cannabis plants into thinking that fall is coming and the time to flower is now. Using this approach can give your greenhouse several growing cycles per year instead of only one outdoor season. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with Eric Brandstad of Forever Flowering Greenhouses about the history of light dep, the strategy behind it and how modern light dep is taking over the commercial cannabis industry.

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Episode 12 - The Discovery of High CBD Cannabis Strains with guest Kevin Jodrey

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Episode 12 - The Discovery of High CBD Cannabis Strains with guest Kevin Jodrey

Cultivars of cannabis testing high in cannabidiol have awakened many people to the healing power of cannabis. These plants are exceptionally valuable and are still so rare that for some patients they are priceless.  During today's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los chats with Kevin Jodrey, founder of Wonderland Nursery in Humboldt County, California, about the discovery of the very first high-CBD strains, where they came from and how they were bred and shared with medical cannabis growers across the country. This is an essential oral history of American cannabis.

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Episode 11 - Cannabinoids and Terpenoids in Detail with guest Dr. Ethan Russo

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Episode 11 - Cannabinoids and Terpenoids in Detail with guest Dr. Ethan Russo

Taming THC: Potential Cannabis Synergy and Phytocannabinoid-Terpenoid Entourage Effects is one of the most important research papers in cannabis medicine. For many, it was the first time they had read an explanation of the interaction between THC, CBD, terpenoids and minor cannabinoids explained in terms that a layperson could understand. On today's episode of Shaping Fire, Dr. Ethan Russo sits down with podcast host Shango Los to discuss the paper in detail and further explain and illustrate his research. This is a must-hear show for anyone serious about cannabis medicine. You can read the paper in full here: http://bit.ly/2lrsB3z

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Episode 10 - Trimming for Fun and Profit with guest Kristen Baldwin

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Episode 10 - Trimming for Fun and Profit with guest Kristen Baldwin

Trimming cannabis has been a popular way for cannabis enthusiasts to make some extra money for decades. With increasing normalization of cannabis at the state level, licensed producers and medical patients are looking for reliable and consistent solutions for processing their flowers.

On this week's Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los speaks with Kristen Baldwin of Colorado's Green Mountain Harvest. They discuss the professional trimming business model, best practices for managing a trim shop and what brand of trimming shears they prefer.

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Episode 09 - Is Veganics a Thing? with guest Nebu

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Episode 09 - Is Veganics a Thing? with guest Nebu

After coming across some exceptional veganically grown cannabis in Southern California, Shaping Fire podcast host Shango Los goes on a search to understand what veganics is and whether it is really preferable to grow cannabis with zero animal inputs. The special guest for this episode, Nebu, is a long time probiotic grower and writer for High Times magazine.

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