Joint Session is your go-to source for the latest cannabis news shaping the New York market. Hosted by Herb Barbot, Esq., the first Director of Operations at the NYS Office of Cannabis Management, this podcast delivers expert insights, breaking developments, and in-depth conversations with the industry’s most influential voices.From policymakers and legislators to business leaders, licensees, and advocates, Joint Session brings you exclusive interviews with those shaping the future of cannabis in New York and beyond. Plus, we keep you informed with key national and international cannabis updates. Whether you're an industry professional, an advocate, or just curious about the evolving landscape, Joint Session delivers factual, insightful, and digestible information to help you stay ahead of the curve. Tune in for high-level discussions, straight talk, and expert perspectives you won’t find anywhere else.
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What is Joint Session: Diverse Voices in NYS Cannabis?
Joint Session: Diverse Voices in NYS Cannabis is a business podcast hosted by Herb Barbot, Esq., with 64 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.
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Herb Barbot, Esq. hosts Joint Session: Diverse Voices in NYS Cannabis, a business show with 64 episodes published.
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Episode #22
How a Moment in Vegas Led to Cannabis Advocacy
Sep 8, 202627 minS3
In this episode of Joint Session , host Herb Barbot is joined by Nikki Lawley, a former nurse, traumatic brain injury survivor, cannabis advocate, invisible illness educator, and founder of Nikki and the Plant. Nikki shares the deeply personal story of how a workplace brain injury transformed her from healthcare provider to patient, leaving her with chronic pain and other debilitating symptoms while conventional medicine struggled to provide answers or relief. After cycling through dozens of doctors and medications, an unexpected encounter with medical cannabis in Las Vegas changed the direction of her life and ultimately turned her into a passionate advocate for the plant. The conversation explores the stigma Nikki faced from the medical community, the challenges patients encounter navigating different cannabis laws across state lines, and why education remains essential for both patients and healthcare professionals. Nikki also discusses social media censorship, the decline of New York’s medical cannabis program following adult-use legalization, and her belief that medical guidance needs to remain an important part of the cannabis ecosystem. It’s a powerful conversation about invisible illness, patient advocacy, and how one life-changing experience with cannabis became a mission to help others find relief. Joint Session: Diverse Voices in NYS Cannabis is produced by Herb Barbot, with executive production and marketing by Simlev Media. Please contact us at herb.jointsession@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments, including topics to cover. Follow the show on Instagram at jointsession.pod, on BlueSky at @jointsessionpod.bsky.social and on LinkedIn at Joint Session Podcast. If you enjoy the show, leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. It helps new listeners find the show. #medicalcannabis #nikkiandtheplant #cannabisindustry #nycannabis
Licensee Highlight: From Cancer Survivor to Cannabis Entrepreneur
Sep 1, 202620 minS3
In this episode of Joint Session , host Herb Barbot is joined by Vanessa Cuccurullo, founder of Mrs. C Botanicals and the woman behind Leilala and Watson, a cannabis brand built around the idea of “low dose, high trust.” A two-time cancer survivor, Vanessa shares how her experience first as a caregiver for her grandmother and later as a patient herself changed her relationship with cannabis and ultimately inspired her to enter the industry. The conversation explores her journey from navigating New York’s licensing process to developing a clean, solventless, low-dose product designed for people who want greater control over their cannabis experience. Vanessa discusses the gap she saw in the market for consumers who are cannabis-curious, returning to cannabis, or simply looking for an alternative to higher-dose products, as well as the challenges of getting a new brand onto dispensary shelves. She also shares her thoughts on breaking the stigma around cannabis, the importance of education and transparency, and her plans to expand into new low-dose products while using the brand to support causes close to her own experience with cancer. Joint Session: Diverse Voices in NYS Cannabis is produced by Herb Barbot, with executive production and marketing by Simlev Media. Please contact us at herb.jointsession@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments, including topics to cover. Follow the show on Instagram at jointsession.pod, on BlueSky at @jointsessionpod.bsky.social and on LinkedIn at Joint Session Podcast. If you enjoy the show, leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. It helps new listeners find the show.
In this episode of Joint Session , host Herb Barbot is joined by cannabis regulatory attorney and social equity advocate Toni Forge, founder of 4Leaf Consulting, and Whitney Beatty, founder of Josephine & Billie’s, Los Angeles’ first cannabis dispensary created by and for women of color. Drawing on California’s decade of experience with adult-use cannabis, Toni and Whitney examine what New York can learn as its own legal market matures. The conversation explores California’s persistent illicit market, high taxes and licensing costs, the challenges of dual state and local regulation, and why many licensed operators are struggling to survive despite the promise of legalization. They also take a hard look at social equity, discussing predatory investment, access to capital, technical assistance, and why simply awarding licenses is not enough to create sustainable businesses. Looking at New York’s progress, Toni and Whitney highlight where the state has successfully responded to operators while warning against repeating California’s mistakes. From enforcement and taxation to grants, interstate commerce, and the need for regulators to listen directly to operators, the episode offers a candid look at what it takes to build a legal cannabis market that actually works. Joint Session: Diverse Voices in NYS Cannabis is produced by Herb Barbot, with executive production and marketing by Simlev Media. Please contact us at herb.jointsession@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments, including topics to cover. Follow the show on Instagram at jointsession.pod, on BlueSky at @jointsessionpod.bsky.social and on LinkedIn at Joint Session Podcast. If you enjoy the show, leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. It helps new listeners find the show. #toniforge #whitneybeatty #4leafconsulting #josephine&billie’s #californiacannabis #nycannabis #cannabisbusiness #cannabisindustry #nysocm
In this episode of Joint Session , host Herb Barbot is joined by Adam Goldner, co-founder and Executive Director of We Grow NYC, for a conversation about home cannabis cultivation, education, and the growing movement to empower New Yorkers to grow their own. A longtime New York City public school educator, Adam shares how his passion for teaching, urban gardening, and cannabis cultivation came together during the COVID pandemic and ultimately led to the creation of We Grow NYC. The conversation explores New York’s home-grow laws, the realities of cultivating cannabis in small urban spaces, and why access to practical knowledge and community support can make home growing more achievable. Adam also discusses We Grow NYC’s partnerships with licensed dispensaries to deliver cultivation workshops, the surprising relationship between home growers and cannabis retailers, and his belief that understanding how cannabis is grown can create more knowledgeable and engaged consumers. At its heart, the episode explores home cultivation as more than a hobby—positioning education, self-reliance, and access to growing knowledge as important parts of New York’s evolving cannabis culture. Joint Session: Diverse Voices in NYS Cannabis is produced by Herb Barbot, with executive production and marketing by Simlev Media. Please contact us at herb.jointsession@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments, including topics to cover. Follow the show on Instagram at jointsession.pod, on BlueSky at @jointsessionpod.bsky.social and on LinkedIn at Joint Session Podcast. If you enjoy the show, leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. It helps new listeners find the show. #HomeGrow #CannabisEducation #CannabisCultivation #NewYorkCannabis #WeGrowNYC
In this episode of Joint Session , host Herb Barbot is joined by Tiffany Walters, founder of New York State Cannabis Connect, and Floyd Jarvis, Director of Cannabis Workforce and Business Development at Borough of Manhattan Community College, for a wide-ranging conversation about building a skilled, equitable workforce for New York’s growing cannabis industry. Drawing on their work with communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition, Tiffany and Floyd explore the barriers people still face when trying to turn existing skills and legacy experience into meaningful careers in the legal market. The conversation examines why cannabis workforce development needs to go far beyond training budtenders, with opportunities spanning cultivation, manufacturing, security, logistics, compliance, engineering, marketing, and management. They also discuss the role of CUNY and SUNY programs in creating career pathways, the need for stronger coordination and industry-wide training standards, and the challenges created by expiring workforce-development funding. Tiffany and Floyd ultimately make the case that if New York wants cannabis legalization to deliver on its promise of economic opportunity and social equity, sustained investment in education, skills, and long-term career development must be at the heart of the industry’s next chapter. Joint Session: Diverse Voices in NYS Cannabis is produced by Herb Barbot, with executive production and marketing by Simlev Media. Please contact us at herb.jointsession@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments, including topics to cover. Follow the show on Instagram at jointsession.pod, on BlueSky at @jointsessionpod.bsky.social and on LinkedIn at Joint Session Podcast. If you enjoy the show, leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. It helps new listeners find the show. #CannabisWorkforce #NewYorkCannabis #CannabisCareers #CannabisEducation #SocialEquity #WorkforceDevelopment #CannabisIndustry
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