036: Inside the World of Cannabis Journalism with Mary Jane Gibson

Media companies are finally changing their tune when it comes to cannabis. After decades of reporting from all sorts of outlets about cannabis as a problematic drug, the New York Times changed the conversation by calling for the legalization of cannabis in 2014—and one of the people to have a real conversation with the head of their editorial board about the changing times was Mary Jane Gibson.

Mary Jane (her real name!) is an actress, writer, and a former lifestyle entertainment and culture editor at High Times. She’s spent years tracking the legalization of cannabis, and her work has been seen in Rolling Stone and Playboy, as well as on PBS. Complex has called her one of the 15 most powerful women in the weed industry, and she’s also the host of the Weed + Grub podcast with comedian Mike Glazer.

In our conversation today, Mary Jane joins us to talk about her journey into cannabis culture, and how journalists are now writing about long-standing issues that have needed to be addressed for decades, including social justice, social equity, and how to right the wrongs of the war on drugs—among many other topics.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Why so many publications are so bad at writing about cannabis.
• The biggest issues cannabis journalists are grappling with in 2021.
• The remarkable work being done by the Last Prisoner Project, Mission Green, and 40 Tons.
• How nanotechnology is improving the edible experience.
• What Mary Jane does on the Weed + Grub podcast—and how cannabis-infused cooking has changed in the last decade.
• How cannabis cups, dinners, and other events work—and why it’s entirely possible to try twelve different strains in one sitting without getting too stoned.

Show Notes

For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com/36

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