Season finales are supposed to mean something… and this one absolutely does ☕️🍃

For Episode #80 of Coffee & Cannabis, Dr. Beast sits down with Bridget Papino — co-founder of We Are Jersey Magazine, real estate professional, entrepreneur, creative, and true Jersey connector — for an honest conversation about business, community, cannabis, spirituality, and what it really takes to build lasting relationships in this industry and beyond.

Over coffee and some gas, the ladies dive into:

🏡 The evolving housing market & cannabis-friendly renting practices

🌿 The mind, body & spiritual connection to cannabis

🤝 Why long-term partnerships and authentic relationship building matter more than clout

💨 Breaking the stigma around women who consume cannabis

📍How dispensaries and cannabis culture are impacting local communities, property demand, and neighborhood development

✨ Entrepreneurship, creativity, media, branding, and building platforms that actually represent the people

This episode brings New Jersey front and center — highlighting the creatives, culture shifters, entrepreneurs, and everyday consumers helping redefine what modern cannabis culture really looks like.

From real estate to representation… from wellness to weed… this conversation is layered, insightful, funny, grounded, and very Jersey.

A perfect way to close out the season. ❤️

WE ARE JERSEY.

🎥 Tune in Monday at 11AM

📍Coffee & Cannabis Podcast hosted by Dr. Beast

#CoffeeAndCannabis #WeAreJersey #BridgetPapino #NewJersey #CannabisCulture #WomenInCannabis #CannabisPodcast #RealEstate #NJRealEstate #Entrepreneurship #CreativeCulture #CannabisCommunity #DispensaryLife #Wellness #CannabisIndustry #WomenWhoConsume #JerseyCulture #Podcast

We took Coffee & Cannabis on the road to Boston and tapped directly into the community with Raesia Straker — founder of Diaspora, a culture-forward space rooted in connection, creativity, and intention.

Over coffee and some gas, we got into A LOT… and we promise you….this one is really for the culture.

But not just vibes — this is for the builders, the operators, the ones creating community-driven work while staying grounded in the reality of business structure, strategy, and the understanding that collaboration is everything.

We break down the story behind Diaspora in its 3rd iteration - a community hub and future consumption lounge in Cambridge, Massachusetts, perfectly positioned near two dispensaries and built to be the go-to space for co-working, creatives, students, and anyone looking to tap in and catch a vibe.

This wasn’t a polished, buttoned-up interview or staged in any way. This was real.

You can literally feel the city moving in the background - people walking, life happening - while two women entrepreneurs sit down and give real game on what it takes to navigate this crazy cannabis industry.

From vision… to execution… to what it actually looks like to chase your dreams in real time.

This is an honest, on-the-ground conversation about building something meaningful — not just for profit, but for people.

We’re outside, in the Massachusetts market, and this one is different 🎙️

This episode of ☕️ & 🍃 is a special one.

Dr. @beast.rod sits down with her former shipmate and brother-in-arms, Sage McDonald (@sage_a_wiseman_ ) — a 5x combat #veteran with extensive time spent in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf.

Over coffee and some gas from @highprophecy (a veteran woman-owned cannabis brand), they get into it… service, separation, and what life really looks like after the uniform comes off.

From their shared love of the #UAE and #Dubai the pain of watching it from afar… to the very real challenges of navigating the VA system and fighting for fair disability ratings… to the politics in New Jersey and the lack of meaningful support for veterans — NOTHING was off limits.

This is a raw, honest conversation that sheds light on the realities veterans face as they transition back into civilian life.

Since both being out over the past few years and now witnessing first hand what performative Veteran support experience is like…. they share their experience in an expeditionary combat unit, their journey transitioning out, the support given once you are out, the struggles asking for help, the identity shifts… and most important, the strength it takes to keep going.

If you have a veteran in your life, this episode is an eye opener and hopefully a call to do better in how we support those who have served 🪖🎖️

#veterans #njvererans #hudsoncountyveterans #jerseycity #leadership #dubai #dubailife #cannabiseducation #cannabisreform #cannabis #coffee #Drbeast

In this powerful and emotional episode of Coffee & Cannabis, Dr. Beast sits down with Kyle Page for a raw, unfiltered conversation over coffee and a smoke at local new Jersey City favorite, Abake.

Kyle’s story is one of transformation. From trafficking cannabis across the country and living a fast, lavish life… to losing everything, including time with his daughter and the love of his life… to now stepping into ownership in New Jersey’s legal cannabis market.

This episode dives deep into:

• The reality of incarceration for nonviolent cannabis offenses

• Rebuilding life, identity, and purpose after prison

• The emotional weight of time lost with family

• Corporate partnerships and navigating the legal market, including working with Ascend

• The mission and impact of the Last Prisoner Project

• What it really takes to transition from legacy to legal

Dr. Beast and Kyle connect not just as operators, but as parents who understand the cost of time away from their children and the responsibility of building something better on the other side.

This is more than a cannabis story.

It’s a story about redemption, resilience, and rewriting your future.

Proof that with faith, discipline, and relentless work… you can rebuild anything. 🎙️ Tap in this Monday at 11AM.

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The new season of Coffee & Cannabis is officially here.

After ushering in the return of Flowers & Tea last week, we’re bringing back the beloved Coffee & Cannabis podcast for an even bigger season of conversations rooted in community, culture, and cannabis.

Since January 2023, we’ve been producing top-tier cannabis media highlighting the people, businesses, and stories shaping New Jersey’s cannabis ecosystem and beyond. This season, we’re getting even more intentional — creating space for real conversations for the culture, all happening over coffee and cannabis.

On Episode 76, we head to The Heights in Jersey City, home of The Other Side Dispensary and a growing network of incredible women-led small businesses.

Dr. Beast sits down with Anatalie, owner of The Hair Room JC — a neighbor, customer, consumer, and fellow entrepreneur — for an honest conversation about what it takes to run a business in Jersey City.

Together they discuss:

• The journey of entrepreneurship

• The highs and lows of running a small business

• Navigating the realities of operating in Jersey City

• Why she chose to build her business in this community despite the chaos and even after moving

These are the conversations that matter — real people, real problems, and real solutions.

Coffee & Cannabis highlights leaders across the cannabis industry and the broader ecosystem — from operators and service providers to entrepreneurs and consumers shaping the culture.

New episodes drop every other Monday at 11AM ☕🍃

Tune in all season long for powerful conversations over Coffee & Cannabis.

Subscribe and follow for more conversations shaping cannabis culture.

#CoffeeAndCannabis #CannabisPodcast #NewJerseyCannabis #JerseyCity #WomenInBusiness #CannabisCommunity #CannabisCulture

In Episode 8 — (Ep 75) of Coffee & Cannabis, Dr. Beast and political strategist Gretchen Gailey close out the political series with none other than the legendary Wanda James — dispensary owner, cannabis pioneer, and now hopeful future Congresswoman.

Filmed LIVE at NECANN in Atlantic City, this episode captures a groundbreaking moment as Wanda officially announces her run for Congress right here on Coffee & Cannabis. 🇺🇸

She opens up about sustaining as a minority operator for over 15 years, the importance of generational wealth and license transferring, and why she can’t understand why politicians are still fumbling cannabis policy.

Wanda doesn’t hold back — from sharing her challenges as the only Black Regent at the University of Colorado, to calling out her opponent Diana DeGette, to breaking down the failures in governance that keep communities criminalized and patients underserved.

Dr. Beast and Gretchen keep the energy sharp and candid, mixing in humor, hard truths, and gratitude for Wanda’s trailblazing leadership.

This season finale is more than a conversation — it’s a call to action. Wanda James reminds us what it means to fight for our plant, our people, and our future 🌱💪

Politics, pot, policy — and yes, even academia — all collide in this unforgettable closer. ☕🌿

📍 Filming: NECANN, Atlantic City

📌 Full episode premieres today, September 29, 2025 at 11AM

In Episode 7 -- (Ep 74) of Coffee & Cannabis, Dr. Beast and political strategist Gretchen Gailey sit down with Pennsylvania State Senator and candidate for Congress Sharif Street for an unfiltered conversation about the future of adult-use cannabis in his state.

Senator Street breaks down the uphill battle of legalization, from the cultural stigma that frames cannabis as a “sin,” to Pennsylvania’s notoriously strict alcohol laws, to the resistance of conservative legislators. He makes it clear that legalization isn’t just about access — it’s about budget shortfalls, public safety, and keeping cannabis out of the hands of children.

Dr. Beast and Gretchen don’t shy away from pressing questions, weaving in humor and sharp critique as they unpack the hypocrisy in how lawmakers measure “sin,” and why political will often bends to convenience instead of principle.

This conversation is both candid and timely — offering insight into why cannabis reform in PA has lagged, and why Senator Street believes the tide is finally turning.

Politics, pot, and policy collide in this episode — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. ☕🌱

📍 Filming: Plant and People, West Philadelphia

📌 Full episode premieres Monday, September 15, 2025 at 11AM

In Episode 6 — (Ep 73) of Coffee & Cannabis, Dr. Beast and political strategist Gretchen Gailey take a step back from guest interviews for a candid conversation between the two of them.

This episode is part recap, part reality check. After sitting down with policymakers, candidates, and stakeholders in recent weeks, Dr. Beast and Gretchen share what they’ve learned so far, where the conversations need to go next, and how the cannabis industry continues to wrestle with its biggest challenges…from lack of funding and political delays to unchecked egos, straight-up delusion in the marketplace and confusion in the political arena .

They also talk about the upcoming NECANN Atlantic City 2025, where Coffee & Cannabis will host a live show featuring a very special guest to close out the political series. Expect raw insights, behind-the-scenes reflections, and a deep dive into the state of both cannabis and politics as the team gears up for one of the biggest conferences in New Jersey.

This is an unfiltered conversation about where the industry is headed, the lessons learned from past episodes, and why platforms like Coffee & Cannabis matter more than ever for building community, accountability, and change.

Filming: The Other Side Dispensary, 36 Congress St, Jersey City NJ

Full episode premieres Monday, August 18, 2025 at 11AM

Don’t forget to subscribe, drop your thoughts in the comments, and let us know what YOU want us to cover at NECANN 2025