As the cannabis industry matures, the conversation is shifting from basic intoxication to precise, effect-based wellness. But how do we bridge the gap between consumer anecdotes and true scientific validation for minor cannabinoids?

About This Episode

In this episode of High Spirits, Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein sit down with Alleh Lindquist, CEO of FloraWorks, to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of minor cannabinoids. Alleh shares how FloraWorks transitioned from a wholesale supplier to a clinical research pioneer, paving the way for CBN to become a mainstream, trusted ingredient in the global wellness market. They dive deep into the regulatory hurdles of the upcoming hemp landscape, the reality of running a 1,000+ person clinical trial, and the incredible therapeutic potential of CBN beyond sleep.

What You’ll Learn

• The Clinical Blueprint for Cannabinoids: Why a 50mg dose of pure CBN outperformed melatonin in a landmark double-blind, placebo-controlled sleep study—and what this means for product formulation.
• Navigating the Regulatory Gray Zone: How to structurally and legally position structure-function claims (like "improving sleep quality") on product packaging without triggering FDA disease claims.
• The Future of Cannabinoid Research: A look into FloraWorks’ ground-breaking collaboration with the Salk Institute, where CBN is showing massive potential in reversing age-related cognitive decline and protecting neural pathways.
• Embracing Uncertainty as a Leader: Actionable advice on how operators can survive current market instability while building a 10-year vision for a stigma-free, mature industry.

Meet the Guest

Alleh Lindquist is the CEO of FloraWorks, a specialized cannabinoid data and technology company dedicated to the clinical verification and commercialization of minor cannabinoids. Under his leadership, FloraWorks has standardized its patented manufacturing processes to approach FDA dietary ingredient pathways and pioneered massive real-world evidence trials. Alleh is a recognized voice in navigating frontier markets, dedicated to collaborating with researchers, clinicians, and major brands to professionalize the cannabinoid supply chain.

Why Tune In?

If you are an operator, entrepreneur, or investor looking to understand how the cannabinoid market will survive shifting regulations and integrate into the broader healthcare and dietary supplement spaces, this conversation provides the ultimate scientific and strategic roadmap.

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.

This week on This Week in Cannabis Live, Jay Rosenthal, Jeremy Berke (Cultivated), plus Ben Larson of High Spirits and Marc Hauser of Cannabis Musings, break down the biggest stories in cannabis business and policy.

• New York's fiscal 2027 state budget locks in roughly $10 million for the seed-to-sale track and trace system — a win Cultivated first reported after an interview with Assemblymember Landon Dais.
  
  
• Curaleaf announced a 1-for-3 reverse stock split ahead of a potential Nasdaq uplisting, with CEO Boris Jordan targeting a major U.S. exchange as the company consolidates its share price.
  
  
• And a federal judge dismissed SAM's lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's Medicare hemp coverage program, ruling the group lacked standing to challenge the CMS initiative covering up to $500 in hemp-derived products annually for eligible patients.
  
  

Plus, Jay shares highlights from Thursday's Midwest Cannabis Forum in Chicago.

This Week in Cannabis Live airs every Friday at noon ET/9 AM Pacific on LinkedIn and YouTube. Subscribe at cultivated.news!

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.

Nothing in the cannabis and hemp markets moves in a straight line, and lately, the operational whiplash has been more intense than ever. In this unpolished and deeply personal episode, hosts Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein step away from the usual guest format to unpack what it actually takes to lead when the industry forces you to slam on the brakes.

About This Episode

In Episode 139, Ben and AnnaRae pull back the curtain on their own recent business realities, reflecting on the transition from the hyper-growth of hemp beverages in '24 and '25 to the pragmatism required in 2026. They dive into the personal tax of saying "yes" to the wrong revenue, the power of setting firm operational boundaries, and how the introduction of AI is fundamentally restructuring executive advisory teams. This raw conversation offers a real-time case study in founder reinvention, governance, and maintaining a high-spirits mindset during economic and regulatory contraction.

What You’ll Learn

• The Power of Discernment: When turning down high-dollar contracts can actually create the critical operational space needed to support your core portfolio.
• Surviving the Whiplash: Strategic tactics for transitioning your leadership style from an optimistic growth founder to a pragmatic, survivalist CEO.
• AI as an Executive Advisory Board: How to build a digital brain trust to rapidly stress-test business decisions without the overhead of expanded human teams.
• What "Adulting" in Cannabis Means: Why consistency, transparency, and building data-backed trust with your board outweighs performative professionalism in volatile markets.

Why Tune In?

If you are a cannabis or hemp operator currently navigating market realignments, board dynamics, or shifting regulatory headwinds, this episode provides the grounded validation and strategic fundamentals necessary to trade fear-based opportunism for sustainable, long-term business health.

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.