A few weeks ago, I had the chance to talk with Halle Tarvin, a PhD candidate in cultural anthropology at SMU whose work focuses on how people with mental health conditions use psychoactive plants as therapeutic tools. She's involved in academic research, currently working on an NIMH-funded project on early psychosis and substance use, and also plays a key role in cannabis advocacy as the Director of Research and Analysis for the Texas Cannabis Collective. I reached out to her because she sits right at the intersection of science, policy, and lived experience, and I wanted to explore how cannabis use, mental health, and legislation collide, especially here in Texas. This conversation opened up a lot of necessary questions about stigma, education, and where we go from here.

Download The Advanced Cannabis User’s Guide to Healthy Consumption, written by Halle and her colleagues:

https://linktr.ee/halletarvin?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

Erowid is an online library of user experiences and research-based information on psychoactive substances focused on education and harm reduction.

Erowid

Sources:

Texas Cannabis Policy Center. “Texas House Public Affairs Committee Hearing on Chairman Ken King’s HB 46 - 89TxLege.” YouTube, 17 Apr. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGCfMAQRZ54. Accessed 5 May 2025.

Russo, E., Cuttler, C., et al. (2024). Acute effects of cannabigerol on anxiety, stress, and mood: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover, field trial. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66879-0

Episode 1: Resurrection

Welcome to Remnants and Rye. I’m Flip — a combat veteran, convicted felon, and college student with curious thoughts about life's big questions. This first episode isn’t polished. It isn’t scripted. It’s just me, a microphone, a cup of old coffee, and my thoughts. I unpack the story behind my struggles with identity, faith, prison, substance abuse and purpose, and why I have decided to open up about my life. This is an introduction of what’s to come from Remnants and Rye.