The Rotation

Juliana Whitney, is the founder of cannabis business strategy firm Cann Strategy. With a Master's degree in Business Administration, specializing in New Venture Development, she has unlocked the potential of budding ventures in the cannabis industry since 2015. In 2024 she was appointed as the Chair of the Advisory Board for the official Cannabis Hall of Fame (R) inside Cannabition at Planet 13 Las Vegas. Her journey in the industry began with a critical role in the pioneering team of the first medical marijuana dispensary in Las Vegas. Here, she honed her skills in customer relations, inventory management, sales, operating procedures, and training. She navigated the rough regulatory waters of operations, identified the gaps in industry performance, excelled in serving cannabis consumers, and fine-tuned operational efficiencies. These experiences opened her eyes to the multifaceted challenges confronting new cannabis ventures. Fired up to make a bigger impact, Juliana ventured into cannabis business consulting in 2016. Since then, she has commanded teams of industry mavens to secure competitive licensing and foster industry-leading cannabis ventures. Among her notable achievements is launching the first ever dispensary owned by Deep Roots Harvest, now a vertically integrated operation with seven dispensary locations; developing the training program that Planet 13 Holdings - a multi-state publicly traded cannabis company with operations in Nevada, California, Illinois and Florida, and owner of the largest dispensary in the world - has used to train 500+ of its dispensary employees; and helping Southern Crop obtain the first ever medical cannabis business licenses in Mississippi. As a recognized authority in the field, Juliana has graced numerous industry podcasts and news outlets. She's a sought-after speaker, having shared her insights on business success, marketing, and branding at platforms like the G4 Live Convention in Las Vegas, the Cleveland School of Cannabis, and Cannadelic Miami. Bold, assertive, and influential, Juliana Whitney is a force to reckon with in the cannabis industry.

With 20+ years of brand-building and consumer marketing experience serving American Express, MasterCard, PepsiCo and Microsoft, David has participated in developing and marketing many of today’s best-known brands. David’s career focus has been on brand strategy, brand development, brand management and integrated marketing. He has developed, activated and led comprehensive marketing programs designed to connect brands with relevant communities in consistent, credible, and meaningful ways. Since entering the cannabis industry in 2012, David has created profitable partnerships while working as the VP, Licensing & Brand Partnerships at DOPE Magazine and crafted award-winning cannabis-infused products as the Chief Brand Officer at Evergreen Herbal. David is perhaps best known for his writings and thought-leadership on cannabis branding and marketing. His writings have been featured in Forbes, Kiplinger, The Brookings Institution, The Green Report, Green Entrepreneur, Dope Magazine, High Times, PROHBTD, Cannabis Dispensary Magazine, MG, The Cannabis Industry Journal, A Different Leaf, Skunk Magazine, and New Cannabis Ventures, among others. David’s book, “Branding Bud: The Commercialization of Cannabis” – the first book on cannabis branding – released in April 2021 and ramped to be the best-selling book on Amazon in the “Branding & Logo Design” and “Green Business” categories. He’s recently published his second book titled, “Cannabis vs Marijuana." As Founder of the Branding Bud Consulting Group, he now consults on many aspects of legal cannabis to those both currently in the industry and to those wanting to enter it.

John Bash argued in defense of Amendment 3 in November of 2023 before the FL Supreme Court against Attorney General Ashley Moody team's attempt to have it struck from the ballot. John Bash is Co-Chair of Quinn Emanuel’s National Appellate Practice and Co-Managing Partner of the firm’s Austin office. He joined the firm in 2020. His practice focuses on appellate litigation and internal investigations. Before joining the firm, John served in the United States Department of Justice, first as an Assistant to the Solicitor General and then as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas. He also served as Special Assistant to the President and Associate Counsel to the President. In the Solicitor General’s Office, John argued ten cases in the Supreme Court, briefed twenty cases on the merits, and filed over one hundred certiorari-stage briefs. He also advised the Solicitor General on whether to authorize federal agency appeals and petitions for rehearing, and he collaborated with other components of the Department of Justice and various federal agencies—including the Department of Transportation, the Department of Labor, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Internal Revenue Service, and the National Security Agency—on important legal issues and national-security matters. His practice in the Solicitor General’s Office encompassed numerous areas of federal law, such as energy regulation, intellectual property, taxation, employee benefits, national security, and criminal law. As United States Attorney, John oversaw all federal prosecutions in one of the largest and busiest judicial districts in the country—a vast area encompassing the cities of Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, and Waco, as well as the oil-rich Permian Basin region. During his tenure, his office secured many significant convictions. Those included the convictions of a state senator for multiple acts of fraud and bribery; a federal subcontractor that had engaged in a bribery scheme involving hundreds of millions of dollars; and the perpetrators of the largest identity-theft scheme ever targeting U.S. servicemembers and veterans. John also obtained a ninety-count indictment against the domestic terrorist who murdered 23 people during a shooting rampage in El Paso in 2019. In addition to managing the office’s criminal docket, he represented the United States in civil matters, such as suits brought against healthcare providers, government contractors, and other entities under the False Claims Act. While serving as U.S. Attorney, John was appointed to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee and to the subcommittees for national security and white-collar crime.

Saturday, April 13th at 7pm join Suncoast NORML for the biggest and baddest rolling competition of the year! The 3rd Annual Best Blunt in the Bay Rolling Competition in Ybor City sponsored by Chillum and the Broad Leaf Brothers. Individual Entries and Team Competition Available. Limited Judge positions while tickets last. VIP Tickets include a 1 year membership to Suncoast NORML. Free General Admission for Suncoast NORML members.

Eric Goepel is the founder and CEO of the Veterans Cannabis Coalitions, an independent advocacy group working to end cannabis prohibition and ensure the development of cannabis-based treatments through the Department of Veterans Affairs. He is an Army veteran of the Iraq War, having served for seven years on active duty providing communications and intelligence support in a special operations unit. After the military, struggling like so many with issues relating to his service, Eric saw how many veterans were benefiting from the medicinal properties of the plant. That experience convinced him of the need to contribute to broader cannabis legalization efforts while centering the health needs of veterans and other patients. Today, Eric and VCC are focused on lobbying on federal legislation, advising members of Congress, and building grassroots donation and education networks to reduce veteran suicide and overdose risk and improve the community quality of life.

Maritza Perez Medina is the Director of Federal Affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance in Washington, DC. She manages the organization’s federal legislative agenda and advocacy strategy in Congress as well as DPA’s general engagement with the federal government on its policy priorities. Previously, Maritza was a Senior Policy Analyst for Criminal Justice Reform at the Center for American Progress (CAP). Prior to joining CAP, Maritza was a Legislative Staff Attorney at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) where she advocated on a range of civil rights issues impacting Latino communities. Originally from Nevada, Maritza obtained her B.A. from the University of Nevada, Reno with academic honors, graduating with double majors in journalism and Spanish and double minors in political science and economic policy. She earned her J.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, receiving the highest distinction upon graduation for her pro bono work, and is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia and in the state of California. A criminal justice and drug policy expert, Maritza has been featured in various media outlets including The Washington Post, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, Roll Call, The Boston Globe, CNN, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, NPR, Latino USA, and more.

Dan Viets is an attorney in private practice in Columbia, MO, concentrating on the defense of marijuana cases. He has served for many years as the Missouri State Coordinator for NORML. He is a former president of the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, former chair of the board of the Mid-Missouri ACLU, former president of the University of Missouri student body and former chair of the City of Columbia Human Rights Commission. Dan Viets was the recipient of the 1993 Martin Luther King Association’s “Keeping the Dream Alive” award and the 1995 Mid-Missouri “Civil Libertarian of the Year.” Dan was named High Times Freedom Fighter of the Month in March 2005 for his work helping to pass both a marijuana decriminalization initiative and a medical marijuana initiative in the November 2004 election in Columbia. He received the 2005 Atticus Finch Outstanding Criminal Defense Lawyer award from the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. In January 2006 he received the Trailblazer award from the Mid-Missouri NAACP. He received the “Audiencey Award” from Conan O’Brien on the Tonight Show for looking most like the college professor who could always get you weed. Dan hosts a weekly radio program, called “Sex, Drugs and Civil Liberties”, on a community station affiliated with National Public Radio. Dan co-authored Missouri’s medical marijuana law and chaired the Board of the 2018 campaign which passed that law, now Article XIV, Section 1 of Missouri’s Constitution. He co-authored Missouri’s law legalizing adult use, cultivation and sales of marijuana and Chaired the Advisory Board of the 2022 campaign which passed that law, now Article XIV, Section 2 of Missouri’s Constitution. Dan is Chair of the NORML Board of Directors, a member of The NORML Foundation Board of Directors, and a Lifetime member of the NORML Legal Committee.

Rhory Gould was a friend of the Rotation and a cannabis activist for over 40 years and in 2011 started his own dispensary in Michigan. As the founder and CEO of ArborSide Compassion, located in Ann Arbor, he serviced thousands of patients a week with top quality service. Winning over 22 HIGH TIMES Cannabis Cup awards, his dedication to medical marijuana patients was 2nd to none. Join us as we jump in the Rotation for this special memorial episode dedicated to Rhory Gould.

We ain't celebrating yet but the rumor is that the hemp bills are going to die this session.... We will find out soon.... In the mean time we decided to dedicate this show to grassroots effort of this years hemp movement to save the hemp industry! What do we got? Well... We got Hannah and Vinnie from Kushy Pies, we got Tammy from Battle buds, we have Pablo the 1620 Marine, we got Alex from Florida Hemp Distributors and we have Mike Thompson from Dank of Ganja! Well.... looks like a bunch of super heroes are on the show today! Could it be the Justice League of Florida hemp? It is a crowded show but if hemp is going to save the world it is going to be one of these people to do it! Lets see what we have to say about hempin Florida.

As Florida’s Legislative Session grinds into its second half, the future of the Hemp industry seems screwed and the forecast of an Adult Market is Mostly Cloudy, we jump with both feet into The Rotation with Vanderbilt Law Professor Dr. Beverly Moran and Hemp farmer Randy Rembert ! Beverly I. Moran is a professor of law and professor of sociology at Vanderbilt Law School. She teaches in federal income taxation, including individuals, partnerships, tax-exempt organizations and corporate, as well as courses in Law and Cinema, Islamic Law and Race and Law. In addition to her work on the Internal Revenue Code, Professor Moran’s interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary work encompasses empirical legal studies,, international & comparative tax law, Islamic law, labor law, law & development, legal education, legal philosophy, and politics. Over the course of her career, she has won a number of teaching awards and grants, including a Fulbright award and grants from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Ford Foundation. While serving on Vanderbilt’s law faculty, she has served on the executive committee of the Association of American Law Schools, the board of the Society of American Law Teachers and as part of the American Bar Association Initiative on the Middle East and North Africa. She is a former director of Vanderbilt’s LL.M. and Social Justice programs, and was the first director of the Vanderbilt University Center for the Americas. Dr. Morans currently serves on the national board of directors for NORML. Randy Rembert is the founder, owner and manager of Rembert family farms, LLC. The first Black owned hemp farm and nursery in the state of Florida. He is an advocate for Cannabis and a member of several Cannabis associations. He is also a 4th generation farm with 20 plus years of growing experience.

Imani Dawson is a writer and communications executive, leading her MWBE-certified agency, TCC Media, focusing on political communications, social impact, and cannabis advocacy. Her strategic acumen has fueled social change, advising officials, non-profits, and growing businesses. Dawson’s work has seen historical wins, like Shawyn Patterson-Howard’s mayoral victory, and has boosted community engagement, exemplified by her Census 2020 campaign that led to a significant increase in Black responses. With over 20 years of media experience, Dawson’s advocacy extends to cannabis legalization, emphasizing social and economic justice. She’s played pivotal roles in community outreach and DEI initiatives within the cannabis industry. She serves on the boards of NORML and the Cannabis Education Advocacy Symposium and Expo, driving education and awareness around cannabis benefits and industry opportunities for those most affected by prior legislation.

ALL THESE CUBANS SMELL LIKE HEMP! It is a very Cubano episode of the rotation today when we invite Martha Bueno and Arby Barroso into the Rotation! Both of these cubanasos are very passionate about hemp and have been seen in Tallahassee lobbying against the current hemp bills. Let's see what they have to say about the future of Hemp in Florida! Arby Barroso is the co-founder of Green Roads, one of the largest and most respected CBD manufacturers in the country. Green Roads was acquired by Valens Company for $40 million dollars in 2021. He is also the commission appointed Board Chair of the Broward County Medical Marijuana Advisory Board, and the co-owner/ host of Cannabis Life Radio. In 2022 Arvida Labs appointed him as Chief Revenue Officer. Martha Bueno has been a consummate entrepreneur. She started her first business with her mother at the precocious age of 17. By 32, Bueno’s company, PureFormulas.com made the Inc 500 list (#97) for fastest growing companies in the USA. Martha recently launched Our Good Products, a legal cannabinoid brand that is poised to revolutionize the edible marketplace. Our Good Products provide all the benefits of cannabinoids, in a formulation that guarantees rapid onset, greater bioavailability, and in a sugar-free, healthy alternative! All in a convenient and discreet tablet that you can be taken anywhere. Martha also ran for Miami-Dade County Commissioner in 2022, where she made national and International news for her innovative OnlyFans campaign. Martha has a passion for business and leaving the world a better, freer, place.

Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones is a public servant, former educator and consensus builder. Jones grew up in Carol City, FL, to a mom who taught in the classroom and a Pastor father who led a large church. From a young age his parents instilled in him and his 3 brothers the importance of education, faith and service to the community. He also recognized the power of education as the great equalizer, a foundation that drove Shevrin into teaching to help students reach their full potential. After teaching A.P. Chemistry in Broward County at Florida Atlantic University High School, Jones’ firsthand look at the inequities in education propelled him to enter public service. In 2012, he ran and was elected to the Florida House, championing meaningful bipartisan legislation, including two consecutive bills to secure dignity for incarcerated women; statewide expansion of a clean syringe exchange program; safety and oversight for athletic coaches for youth athletic teams; and ensuring transparency and accountability via police body cameras. In 2020 Jones was elected to the Florida Senate, and was subsequently elected to represent the newly re-drawn 34th Senate District in 2022. Senator Jones now proudly represents Northeast Miami-Dade County in the Florida Legislature. Senator Shevrin Jones is an active member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and is completing his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at Florida Atlantic University. Senator Jones served on President Barack Obama’s College Promise Task Force and was recently appointed to President Biden’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Carlos took RSO before the show... One of America's preeminent criminal defense and cannabis lawyers, "His oratorical intensity hovers at the evangelical" (The New York Times). Named one of America’s Top 100 Attorneys and one of the Top 100 Criminal Trial Lawyers by the American College of Trial Lawyers, Joseph Bondy is an internationally-recognized expert in criminal litigation. With over 28 years of superlative trial and federal sentencing experience, Bondy has advised thousands of clients in complex criminal defense, cannabis business and advocacy, and crisis management matters. The New York Times has described him as “eloquent and armed with the serene demeanor of a surgeon. High Times dubbed Bondy “one of the nation’s preeminent cannabis attorneys,” and his outstanding talent for defense strategy has been hailed by such outlets as CNN, Politico, and the New York Law Journal, as well as legal analysts from around the world. Bondy’s unique approach to criminal defense and public media strategies were particularly praised on a global level while he represented Lev Parnas, a Guiliani associate connected to the Ukraine scandal leading to Donald Trump’s first impeachment. Bondy and Parnas’s interview on The Rachel Maddow Show(MSNBC) was its highest audience-drawing episode of all time, earning an Emmy nomination; and a subsequent feature on Anderson Cooper 360 was one of that program’s most-viewed episodes of the year. Bondy serves on the Board of Directors for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and is a Vice President and Board Member of the Cannabis Cultural Association (CCA). A graduate of Columbia University and Brooklyn Law School, Bondy was a key member of a team of attorneys on the seminal case Washington v Barr (2019), originally Washington v Sessions (2017), an action brought against the Department of Justice with the aim to legalize cannabis federally. He is the founder of In the Know 420, a well-known early radio talk show and live-stream on cannabis law, policy, and industry. Bondy is also a lifetime member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and serves on the faculty of Cardozo Law School’s Intensive Trial Advocacy Program (ITAP).

A retired U.S. Naval Commander and aerospace tech industry business manager, Tom is a Suncoast NORML member and advocate for working people. Criminal justice reform and reducing the economic burdens on working families are key issues he plans to tackle in Tallahassee as the newly elected State Representative in House District 35 which covers parts of Osceola & Orange County. Also Alex is gonna talk hemp bills!

Do you like infused cotton candy? I like infused cotton candy. We got Florida Boys in the house and they didn't bring me any infused cotton candy! Oh well... let's talk Florida hemp!

Did you miss us?! We are joined today with Tom Grebenstein! New Market Leader of Green Dragon!

Did you miss us?!

Malcolm MacKinnon, widely known as "Dan Skye," has etched his name in cannabis history as the former editor-in-chief of High Times magazine. Over 25 trailblazing years, Malcolm traveled, interviewed, and photographed, crafting an unrivaled archive of cannabis photography. Recognized globally for his dedication, Malcolm's passion has always been the camera—capturing cannabis culture's essence from its advocates to its adversaries. Pot Shots, The Journey of a HIGH TIMES Photographer isn’t just a visual spectacle, it’s a poignant reminder of the movement’s journey. Malcolm’s voice and vision are unparalleled, making this book an indispensable gem for every cannabis and art enthusiast.” His latest book of cannabis photography has just been released in softback and eBook. Visit www.potshotsbook.com and check it out!

Ethan Russo, MD, is a board-certified neurologist, psychopharmacologist, and Founder/CEO of CReDO Science. He is also Chief Medical Officer to Andira Pharmaceuticals, Senior Medical Advisor to Canurta and Medical Director of Breeder’s Best. Dr. Russo was Director of R&D for the International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute, 2017-19, Medical Director of PHYTECS, 2015-2017, and from 2003-2014, Senior Medical Advisor, medical monitor/study physician to GW Pharmaceuticals for numerous Phase I-III clinical trials of Sativex and Epidiolex. A clinical neurologist in Missoula, Montana for 20 years. He has held faculty appointments in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Montana, and Medicine at the University of Washington. He is author/editor of seven books and has published over than 60 peer-reviewed articles.