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In this episode of Crow’s Feet: Life As We Age, Melinda Blau talks to “audio anthropologist" and longtime NPR contributor Karen Michel, who now stars in and produces the Ganja Granny podcast. Karen’s goal is to offer “solid information aimed at seniors and curious others wishing to explore the new cannabis territory.” From art school in Los Angeles to teaching (and driving a dog sled) above the Arctic Circle, to award-winning public radio, Karen has built a life around one guiding principle: never be bored.

Karen shares how a weed-and-wine dinner party sparked her cannabis podcast for older adults, how her mother’s escape from Nazi Germany shaped her appetite for risk, and why aging has made her kinder. She breaks down what older adults need to know about cannabis—buying it and understanding how it can be used safely to treat pain, insomnia, and other medical conditions. She also reminds us that it’s never too late to reinvent or, as she puts it, “reactivate” ourselves.

 Listen to the Ganja Granny podcast here: https://theganjagranny.com/ 

This episode also features an excerpt from “I Never Imagined I’d Be Shopping for Marijuana at 66,” read by Crow’s Feet contributor Kathleen  Murphy.  Check out Kathleen’s Substack newsletter: https://substack.com/@kathleenamurphy

 Important: Before using any form of cannabis, consult a physician. Ganja Granny recommends checking out reliable sources of information for older adults:

• Realm of Caring, an independent non-profit, founded in 2013, "serving anyone in need of more information about cannabinoid therapies"
• Dr. Peter Grinspoon on Substack
• Dr. Kenneth Weinberg, founder and chief medical officer, Cannabis Doctors of New York

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