On This Week in Cannabis Live, High Spirits hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein join the team at Cultivated for a high-stakes news roundup. From the logistical nightmare of surging oil prices to the "race to the bottom" for cannabis pricing on the East Coast, the crew breaks down the macro-trends hitting operators' bottom lines right now. Plus, a look at the latest hemp-derived THC legislation and the "de-banking" saga that proves no one is safe from the whims of big banks.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• The Logistics Crunch: How $110 oil is forcing distributors like Nabis to use AI and "secure roots" just to keep trucks moving.
• The "Massachusetts Effect": Why East Coast markets are rapidly compressing toward $23 eighths and how operators must find efficiency to survive.
• Hemp vs. The Farm Bill: A breakdown of the Klobuchar-Rand Paul hemp bill and whether "gas station weed" can actually survive federal scrutiny.
• The De-Banking Reality: Why even non-plant-touching media companies are getting shut down by Chase and the critical need for financial redundancy.

🌟 Meet the Panel:

This episode features a "full house" of industry experts, including hosts Ben Larson (Vertosa) and AnnaRae Grabstein(Wolf Meyer), alongside Jay Rosenthal and Jeremy Berke of Cultivated, and Marc Hauser of Cannabis Musings. This group combines deep expertise in cannabis investment, media, legal policy, and supply chain operations.

📅 Why Tune In?

Whether you're an MSO executive or a craft hemp brand, the "difficulty level" of the cannabis industry just increased. Tune in to hear how the top minds in the space are navigating the current "knife fight" for profitability and where they see the biggest wins (and losses) heading into the rest of the year.

Have a question for us? Send us a text. We may answer it in the next show!

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High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

The hemp beverage industry is thriving, but a federal "cliff" in November could bring it all to a screeching halt. With a looming ban on products over 0.4mg of THC, the stakes have never been higher for operators and consumers alike.

About This Episode:

In this episode of High Spirits, hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein sit down with Dawson Hobbs, EVP of Government Affairs at the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA). As a key player representing 80% of the nation’s wine and spirits distribution, Dawson provides a high-stakes look at the legislative battle in Washington D.C., the push for a three-tier regulatory model, and why the industry must choose between strict regulation or total extinction.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• The November 2026 Deadline: Why federal funding bills currently threaten to criminalize nearly every hemp beverage on the market.
• The Power of the Three-Tier System: How the alcohol model of "Producer-Distributor-Retailer" can provide the safety guardrails Congress is demanding.
• Legislative Strategy for 218 Votes: Why standalone bills matter and how to find champions on the Hill who prioritize public safety over "gas station weed."
• The "Perfect vs. Good" Trap: Why the hemp industry must stop suing over state regulations if it wants to survive at the federal level.

🌟 Meet Dawson Hobbs:

Dawson Hobbs is the EVP of Government Affairs for the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA). With over two decades of experience navigating alcohol policy, Dawson is one of the most influential voices in Washington regarding the intersection of traditional beverage and emerging THC categories. He leads advocacy efforts for over 380 member companies, bridging the gap between legacy distribution and the future of hemp-derived intoxicants.

📅 Why Tune In?

Whether you are a hemp operator, a cannabis MSO, or a beverage investor, this conversation is your roadmap for the next six months. Dawson breaks down the exact "proof of concept" the industry needs to present to Congress to ensure THC beverages stay on shelves and out of the shadows.

Have a question for us? Send us a text. We may answer it in the next show!

--
High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

Is the "show me" state actually showing the rest of the country how to build a sustainable, high-growth cannabis market? In an era where many MSOs are struggling to stay afloat, one family-owned operator is proving that technical expertise and operational discipline are the ultimate competitive advantages.

On this episode of High Spirits, hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein are joined by Boston Dickerson, Founder and CEO of Show Me Organics. Boston shares the incredible journey of scaling a "backwards vertical" business—starting with retail and manufacturing before moving into cultivation—and how he grew the company from a two-person startup to a 350-employee powerhouse across Missouri and Kentucky.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• The "Backwards" Vertical Strategy: Why starting with retail and manufacturing provided a unique advantage in understanding consumer demand before touching a single plant.
• The Reality of the "Knife Fight": How oversupply in Missouri shifted power to retailers and what it takes for a brand to survive pricing pressure.
• Winning with Process: The transition from "founder-led hustle" to using EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) for clarity and accountability at scale.
• Breaking into Kentucky: The challenges and opportunities of operating in a new, highly restrictive medical market and the importance of localized pride.

🌟 Meet Boston Dickerson:

Boston Dickerson is the Founder and CEO of Show Me Organics, one of Missouri’s premier vertically integrated cannabis operators. With a background in biochemistry and a passion for the plant, Boston and his brother Montana have built a diverse portfolio including Blue Sage Dispensaries, Vivid, and Missouri’s Own Edibles. Known for his disciplined approach to capital and operations, Boston is currently leading the company's expansion into Kentucky and eyeing future growth in limited-license markets like Texas.

📅 Why Tune In?

If you are an operator trying to navigate the messy transition from startup hustle to enterprise-level scaling, this conversation is a masterclass. Boston provides a rare, transparent look at the "nos" it takes to get a "yes," the discipline required to raise capital in a down market, and why your business plan shouldn't rely on rescheduling as a lifeline.
Keep your spirits high!

Have a question for us? Send us a text. We may answer it in the next show!

--
High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.