014: Inside Missouri’s Cannabis Industry with Dr. Mimi Vo

05/28/20 • 51 min

The Green Repeal - A Guide to Cannabis Marketing & Advertising

In November of 2018, Missouri voted to legalize medical use of cannabis, making them the 33rd state to do so. As the state builds momentum toward adult use, a number of interesting things are happening that prove how different just every path to legalization is.

Today’s guest is Internist Mimi Vo. Mimi graduated from medical school at the age of 23, and discovered that there was a massive educational gap when it came to the potential use of cannabis.

Now, in addition to practicing medicine in St. Louis as the CEO of Vo Medical Clinic, she’s also one half of YEN-ology, an organization representing healthcare and patient rights for cannabis patients, and the Head of Healthcare Education and Training at the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association. The St. Louis Business Journal also named her one of the most influential businesswomen of 2019.

Today, Mimi joins the podcast to tell the story of her own awakening to the medical potential of cannabis, the promising research she’s seen in medical cannabis, and how the coronavirus crisis is impacting cannabis business owners on both sides of the industry at this time.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

How Mimi discovered the potential of medical cannabis - and used data, not stories, to change her strict father’s perception of cannabis.
Why cannabis is essentially apolitical in Missouri - and why rural communities actively want cannabis businesses to open there.
How the COVID-19 crisis changed the developing cannabis industry in Missouri - and the frustrations Mimi has faced as a medical practitioner.
Why attempts to keep the global economy moving could negatively impact cannabis prohibitions - and the unique challenges for businesses that can’t qualify for any federal aid money.
How universities are finally formally integrating cannabis science, extraction, and dispensary procedures into their curriculum - and why it looks a lot like trade programs for wine and beer.

Show Notes

For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com

To learn more about the podcast and get access to all episodes, visit: SoHoExp.com/GreenRepeal

Today’s guest is Internist Mimi Vo. Mimi graduated from medical school at the age of 23, and discovered that there was a massive educational gap when it came to the potential use of cannabis.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

How Mimi discovered the potential of medical cannabis - and used data, not stories, to change her strict father’s perception of cannabis.
Why cannabis is essentially apolitical in Missouri - and why rural communities actively want cannabis businesses to open there.
How the COVID-19 crisis changed the developing cannabis industry in Missouri - and the frustrations Mimi has faced as a medical practitioner.
Why attempts to keep the global economy moving could negatively impact cannabis prohibitions - and the unique challenges for businesses that can’t qualify for any federal aid money.
How universities are finally formally integrating cannabis science, extraction, and dispensary procedures into their curriculum - and why it looks a lot like trade programs for wine and beer.

Show Notes

For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com

To learn more about the podcast and get access to all episodes, visit: SoHoExp.com/GreenRepeal

Previous Episode

013: How COVID-19 is Affecting the Cannabis Industry with Ken Wolski

The COVID-19 pandemic and the surrounding crises have impacted virtually every industry all over the world, and cannabis is no exception. Though cannabis businesses, much like liquor, have been deemed essential, there are myriad issues facing producers and users at this time - and they may ultimately impact the long journey to full legalization.

As 2020 is officially the Year of the Nurse, we’re joined today by registered nurse Ken Wolski. Ken has been practicing since 1976, was on the front lines of the AIDS crisis, and transitioned into medical marijuana advocacy in the 1990s. He ran for US Senate in New Jersey representing the Green Party in 2012 and is now Executive Director of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana in New Jersey.

In today’s podcast, we discuss how this crisis has changed cannabis supply chains, program development, patient experiences, and more, as well as the safety of cannabis and CBD consumption during this pandemic.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

How access to medication has changed for cannabis patients since the onset of the crisis.
The unique issues facing cannabis patients when hospitalized.
Why dispensaries are doing okay right now - and the lasting impacts on cannabis and other surrounding industries.
How to safely consume cannabis products in the era of social distancing.
Why Ken believes this moment will lead to further reforms and potentially change the course of modern marijuana laws.

Show Notes

For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com

To learn more about the podcast and get access to all episodes, visit: SoHoExp.com/GreenRepeal

Next Episode

015: How Lantern Created a Cannabis Delivery Business with Meredith Mahoney

With the onset of the COVID-19, lifestyles all over the world have changed in major ways. More than ever before, people are relying on delivery services to get their groceries, meals from their favorite restaurants, alcoholic beverages, and a whole lot of other things. However, for many reasons, some of which might be obvious, cannabis is a particularly tricky product to legally deliver.

Meredith Mahoney is facing these challenges head-on. She’s the president of Lantern, a cannabis business solely owned by Drizly. Currently serving customers in Massachusetts, Lantern helps people shop by dispensary, find cannabis products suited to their unique needs, and safely and legally purchase directly from shops from the convenience of their doorstep.

Today, Meredith joins the podcast to walk us through how Lantern got started, the challenges of building an online business in a highly regulated space, and what the company is doing to grow over the next several years.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Why Lantern, as a software company and not a delivery business, doesn’t need to be licensed on a state-by-state basis in order to operate.
How a business like Lantern differs from food delivery vendors in terms of pricing structure.
How Lantern finds partners, retailers, and dispensaries to work with - and how social equity and economic empowerment are part of the company’s mission.
What makes using Lantern a better experience than most dispensaries’ own websites.
Why Lantern hasn’t yet rolled out in states like Colorado - and how federal restrictions help protect the company from competitors.

Show Notes

For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com/15

To learn more about the podcast and get access to all episodes, visit: SoHoExp.com/GreenRepeal