Today, we are joined by two guests: Fleesie Hubbard, founder of FiveTen Wellness, and Jim Belushi, founder of Belushi’s cannabis farm. We begin with Fleesie Hubbard, whose business focuses on three main areas: patient education, advancing clinical research, and building community partnerships. Hubbard also discusses CBD and the way its role in the industry has evolved: “The passage of the Farm Bill really has opened a door to companies that should not be in the space, that are marketing things, that are making claims that are not really accurate. I think that there’s a real lack of education around the value of CBD and what types of CBD products are valuable.” Jim Belushi then joins us with a discussion of the work he is currently doing in Oregon. For example, Belushi is working to establish an opiate trade program in Portland so that anyone can receive cannabis, regardless of what they’re able to pay. For Belushi, cannabis is spiritual: “I believe that the cannabis that we’re putting out there, like that veteran, he’s talking to his wife, he’s talking to his kids because of the plant. I feel we can heal families and heal the community.”
Seth Adler: Fleesie Hubbard and Jim Belushi join us. Welcome to Cannabis Economy, I'm your host, Seth Adler. Download episodes on canneconomy.com, that's two N's, and the word economy. First, a word from our supporter, and then Fleesie Hubbard and then Jim Belushi. MedMen is the most recognizable cannabis retailer in the US, with operations across the country and flagship stores in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York. Recently, MedMen entered Florida for the first time, the third largest medical cannabis market, where the company is licensed for 35 total stores. It's all part of MedMen's impressive footprint, which currently spans 86 licenses, including pending acquisitions. Learn more about how MedMen is creating a safer, happier, and healthier world at medmen.com.
Seth Adler: So Fleesie ...
Fleesie Hubbard: Yes.
Seth Adler: You're definitely the first Fleesie I've ever met in my life.
Fleesie Hubbard: I am the only Fleesie that I know as well.
Seth Adler: Okay.
Fleesie Hubbard: Yep, have not met another one.
Seth Adler: How does this name happen, I guess, is the ...
Fleesie Hubbard: So it's my grandmother's name, I am my grandmother's namesake. Not so fun growing up, but great as an adult.
Seth Adler: Why not so fun growing up?
Fleesie Hubbard: You know, it's an odd name. Kids wanted to call me Lisa or some variation of Fleesie.
Seth Adler: But Lisa isn't even funny.
Fleesie Hubbard: It's not, it's not fun.
Seth Adler: Well, it's not funny, is what I'm saying. At least ...
Fleesie Hubbard: Well, Fleesie is funny when you're in grade school.
Seth Adler: Right. Oh, and then just laugh at the name?
Fleesie Hubbard: Yeah.
Seth Adler: Oh, and then that's uncomfortable.
Fleesie Hubbard: So that was uncomfortable, but ego ...
Seth Adler: But now we've come around on it.
Fleesie Hubbard: Now I love it and I absolutely feel that I have my grandmother with me every day, and I'm so grateful to be her namesake.
Seth Adler: We are at the NCIA event.
Fleesie Hubbard: We are.
Seth Adler: In San Jose.
Fleesie Hubbard: Indeed.
Seth Adler: We are located very close to the San Jose airport.
Fleesie Hubbard: To the airport.
Seth Adler: Yeah. This interview is going to be known for the planes that come by every few minutes, and we're just going to deal with it.
Fleesie Hubbard: That's fantastic.
Seth Adler: Because you and I decided to sit outside for a minute.
Fleesie Hubbard: We did, right there.
Seth Adler: Can we just have a minute outside of the inside?
Fleesie Hubbard: Yeah. We'll probably regret this in five minutes. It's a little warmer than I anticipated.
Seth Adler: We'll see how it goes.
Fleesie Hubbard: But I'm all about it.
Seth Adler: Right. So Fleesie, we didn't like the name so much, but now we like it definitely.
Fleesie Hubbard: Yes.
Seth Adler: Why were we named, for the grandmother?
Fleesie Hubbard: For the grandmother, yes. My grandmother's name, my father's mom's name is Fleesie.
Seth Adler: And so why did we choose that, is what I'm saying? Why would she ...
Fleesie Hubbard: I'll tell you this very short story. So my name is Fleesie [Adasona 00:02:41] Hubbard, and my parents were actually going to call me by my middle name, Adasona. My grandmother came to visit when I was born and just was so happy that my name was Fleesie that she kept calling me Fleesie. And neither one of them had the guts to say ...
Seth Adler: They can't take it away.
Fleesie Hubbard: ... "We're not going to call her Fleesie."
Seth Adler: What are the chances that your father is Freddie Hubbard?
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