Different Leaf: the Podcast

Steven Van Zandt may be best known as the legendary founding guitarist from Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street band, or perhaps as Silvio Dante from The Sopranos. Now, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer "Little Stevie" is diving into the world of weed, with a focus on wellness.
As Van Zandt tells host Brit Smith, unlike other celebrities who have put their names on THC-focused cannabis lines, Little Stevie's new pre-rolled joints are heavy with CBD and easy on THC, designed to give the consumer a nice mellow body buzz. The bud itself is also being grown by one of the best in the business; Chemdog, one of the most iconic cannabis growers in modern U.S. history. “Little Steven’s Underground Apothecary” has launched exclusively at Canna Provisions recreational dispensaries in Lee and Holyoke, Massachusetts.
Audio in this episode includes music by Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, and sound from HBO's The Sopranos.
Buy the Fall 2021 issue of Different Leaf the Magazine at DifferentLeaf.com and now at Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million book stores across the U.S. Follow us on social media @differentleaf @different_leaf and follow host Brit Smith @BritTheBritish - Produced by Andrea Muraskin and Brit Smith, music by Homebody.

Investing in cannabis companies may seem daunting, but it's undoubtedly becoming more popular. Funding for marijuana companies spiked big-time in January 2021 after President Biden was sworn into office and Democrats won control of the Senate. For anyone interested in investing in weed, experts says this is the time to get in on the game. This episode, host Brit Smith talks to the leaders of the ArcView Group, the world’s first and largest group of high-net worth investors who focus solely on legal cannabis companies. CEO Kim Kovacs, CIO Jeanne Sullivan, and Chief of Staff Laura Toomey discuss legal implications, investment strategies, advice for marijuana entrepreneurs, and details on the ArcView Group's Women's Inclusion Network. Find out more at ArcViewVentures.com - Find us on social media @DifferentLeaf @Different_Leaf and @BritTheBritish - check out DifferentLeaf.com for copies of our magazine. Produced by Andrea Muraskin and Brit Smith, music by Homebody.

Growing up, athlete Rachael Rapinoe thrived off the "built-in rivalry" at home with her twin sister Megan. The Rapinoe twins played collegiate-level soccer for the Portland Pilots, where Rachael sustained a career-changing knee injury. After years of surgeries and overuse of prescription painkillers, Rachael learned just how many elite athletes were tapping into the vast health benefits of CBD, and she tried it for herself.
With a Master's degree in Health and Exercise Science behind her and the lived experience of how cannabinoids can help athletes like herself, Rachael co-founded Mendi, a sports-focused CBD brand whose mission is to "improve athletes lives using nature’s best recovery tools." Mendi offers CBD-infused gummies, capsules, tinctures, salves, and oils, all designed to help keep athletes like the Rapinoe twins at the top of their game. In this episode, Brit and Rachael discuss her experience with opioids and pot, how cannabinoids help athletes recover, whether weed should be considered a performance-enhancing drug, the current state of CBD, and THC rules in major sports, and more.
Learn more about Mendi at themendico.com.
Find issues of Different Leaf the Magazine at DifferenLeaf.com or at Barnes and Noble and Books-a-Million bookstores, follow us on social media @differentleaf and @different_leaf, and follow host Brit Smith @BritTheBritish. Produced by Andrea Muraskin and Brit Smith, music by Homebody.

In much of the so-called Bible Belt cannabis is still completely illegal, and medical marijuana programs are minimal at best. But folks in the South are still accessing marijuana products in droves on the underground legacy market, which is mostly funneled from the west coast where it's legal. This episode Brit talks to CeCe, a weed dealer in College Park, Atlanta, to learn how Georgia's illicit market supply chain works, and what kind of products are most popular in the South. Then, Brit talks to Stanley Atkins II, director of the Georgia chapter of Minorities for Medical Marijuana, to learn about the current medical cannabis program in the Peach State, and what the future looks like for Georgians who are hoping for legal access to the plant.
Check out DifferentLeaf.com for all the issues of our cannabis magazine, and follow us on social media @DifferentLeaf @Different_Leaf, and find host Brit Smith @BritTheBritish
Produced by Andrea Muraskin and Brit Smith, music by Homebody.

US cannabis culture has its roots deeply planted in reggae music. "Rockers" is the quintessential cult movie credited with introducing reggae music, Rastafarianism, and ganja to young American audiences in the 1970s. Before his death in 2015, the film's director Ted Bafaloukos penned an autobiography about his discovery of reggae in New York, and his experience shooting "Rockers" in Jamaica. In this episode, Brit talks to Gingko Press publisher David Lopes about the book "Rockers: The Making of Reggae's Most Iconic Film." Then, Brit talks to Niambe McIntosh, the youngest daughter of the late reggae legend Peter Tosh, founding member of The Wailers, to discuss the connection between the Rastafarian faith in Jamaica, weed, and reggae music.
Find Different Leaf the magazine now on the shelves at Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million bookstores across the US. Search for your nearest location or buy issues at differentleaf.com. Follow us on social media @differentleaf and @different_leaf, and follow host Brit Smith on social media @BritTheBritish.
This episode includes music by Ketsa, Kiddus-I, Peter Tosh, and Bob Marley. Produced by Andrea Muraskin and Brit Smith, music by Homebody.