Season 2, Episode 07 | Travis Cullen: From Federal Prison to Minnesota Cannabis License Holder

Before Minnesota legalized cannabis, Travis Cullen spent eight years in federal prison for cannabis offenses after being sentenced to 11 years at just 21 years old.

Today, Travis is a licensed cannabis operator, owner of Hopkins Dispensary, and one of Minnesota's strongest voices for social equity and cannabis justice.

In this episode of The Canna Connect Show, Stephen Eigenmann sits down with Travis to discuss his journey from the underground cannabis market to legal entrepreneurship, the realities of federal prison, Minnesota's legalization movement, and why he continues advocating for those still incarcerated because of outdated cannabis laws.

This conversation explores:

• Serving eight years in federal prison for cannabis
 • Life before and after legalization
 • Building Hopkins Dispensary
 • Minnesota's social equity program
 • Cannabis policy and criminal justice reform
 • Working with Freedom Grow and national advocacy organizations
 • Tribal partnerships and the future of Minnesota cannabis
 • Why legalization should never forget the people harmed by prohibition

Whether you're an entrepreneur, advocate, policymaker, or simply curious about Minnesota's evolving cannabis industry, this episode offers one of the most honest conversations we've had on the show.

Subscribe for more conversations with the people shaping Minnesota cannabis.

Become Part of the Canna Connect Community Network

Every episode, Community Spotlight, and partner profile helps connect Minnesota's cannabis industry. Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, and the trusted organizations helping shape the future of cannabis in Minnesota.

Transcript

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I started my activism and I would say, "Yo,
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I'm Travis Cullen. I got arrested when I was 21, first-time felon, 700 pounds.
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I did eight years in prison." People are like, "You got sentenced to eight?" I'd be
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like, "No, I got sentenced to 11, but I did eight." But we had weed in there.
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You did?
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Yep. They would smuggle it in.
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How would you light it?
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I've learned and read so much. I wrote a book about the first bust in
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American history, and nobody can take anything of the work that I've
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done and I don't have any chip on my shoulder, I guess, towards
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society. I'm grateful that rules changed, but I
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definitely want to-
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Mm-hmm
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... keep helping people that were impacted like me, keep with the spirit of social
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equity.
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Welcome back to the "Canna Connect Show" season two, brought to you by
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What Rebates. I'm here with Travis Cullen, Hopkins
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Dispensary, freedom fighter, activist, marijuana
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prisoner turned
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activist, and not just doing it for himself, but doing it for
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people that are locked up, that have been locked up.
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Owner of Hopkins Dispensary, but so much more. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
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Well, license holder, too. That's the big thing when I'm out there
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in the activism world now. So when I
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first started cannabis in general, when Minnesota
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legalized the hemp, I started my activism and I would say,
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"Yo,
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I'm Travis Cullen. I got arrested when I was 21, first-time felon, 700 pounds.

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I did eight years in prison." People are like, "You got sentenced to eight?" I'd be
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like, "No, I got sentenced to 11, but I did eight." So anyways, now when I'm out
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there, like I just got back from Vegas at the Freedom Fest, a
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libertarian event,
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spreading the word about cannabis prisoners.
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When I talk about the cannabis prisoners, I can say I'm a licensed holder, and that
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makes a big difference,
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especially to the folks in power right now, like the Republicans and stuff.
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You say, "Man, this guy has a license holder, and I pay sales taxes," so yeah, it's
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huge.
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Absolutely.
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700 pounds,
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what were they moving like? Now
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that you've served your time,

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what was the
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sales channel like? What was the supply chain like?
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You were-
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In 2004 when I got arrested?
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Yeah.
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Oh, it was
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the second you got marijuana. They called it marijuana then too
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in Minnesota. You could double your money or if
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you smuggled it yourself from California. I got caught with brick weed.
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We paid 300 a pound, and then we'd sell it for 500 wholesale,
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the 700 pounds. We would front weed back then, too.
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Right.
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But then they had the weed coming from Canada also, the
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Canadian BC Bud, so that would come down.
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But yeah, it was like liquid gold, 4,000 a pound, and then the
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Mexican brick weed
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was like 500 a pound on the streets, 600.
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So in my world, in the digital space, there's a million different ways
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to launch a website, build a platform, take online payments,
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but software as a service is tough.
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POS software in general, right? There's a lot of different ones out there,
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especially in the cannabis space. I don't know the right one.
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If you ask a lot of different dispensary owners, there probably isn't a right one.
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It's just what path do you want to go to that leads it down?
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What path have we gone down?
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Are you referring to Dutchie, the modern cannabis commerce
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point-of-sale system?
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Newly integrated AI solutions.
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They have so many different ways that they can serve cannabis businesses, brands,
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wholesalers, et cetera. They're not just point-of-sale technology anymore.
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Right.
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Dutchie's been a great partner for us. They can definitely help you.
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They're in more stores in America than any
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other point-of-sale company, so they must be doing something.
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I hope so. And if you're going to look up our boy, look up Gus.
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Yeah, Gus Stavastos with Dutchie, based out of Ohio, serves the Midwest
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market well. He's here often. He's been on the show before.
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We love working with Gus. We love working with the whole team at Dutchie.
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Check them out and let them know Canna Connect sent you.
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We'll include the link in the end of the description.
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What were some of the biggest weight, how much weight would you flip?
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What was the-
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Well, it was worth a lot more money.

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We'd get 200 pounds of indoor
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fronted every month from some Canadian guys, and they would charge us
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like 3,500 a pound. It was zeroes. It would be labeled zero for
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the best, one, two, three, and four is for the not the
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best.
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Yeah.
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More of the red hairs, crystally, and then the four is when it
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smelled as good, and then the zeroes would be real
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crystally. But yeah, we'd get it fronted like 200
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pounds.
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Wow.
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Sell that a month. So that's 700,000
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fronted to me, and then I could
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put like 400 a pound I'd put on it, and it would go

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quick. And I had a group of guys I would give it to, and it was awesome.
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Wow.
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I loved it. Then I got caught.
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Then you got caught. And from when you got caught to how long you were in
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jail,
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you got arrested right away. Were you on bond, or were you just in jail from that
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point?
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Yeah, I was a first-time felon. I was 21 years old, me and my co-defendant,
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my best friend, Ben Shukert, my high school from Ben.
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From high school, we've been best friends since eighth grade.
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He got arrested with me.
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I was talking on the phone to a driver with 700 pounds of
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weed that I sent to California to get, and then Ben had the
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misfortune of me stopping by and waking him up that morning, saying, "Hey, I got
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to..." We owned a restaurant together on 15th and Como,
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Southeast Minneapolis, Mikey's, 1517 Como Avenue.
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That's where I got arrested at, actually.
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Wow.
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And so I was working, and then he went and met the driver who got pulled over in
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Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Highway 90 and flipped
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right away to the DEA. So he had a DEA agent sitting next to
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him, and I was on the phone talking to him.
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So I was hooked up, and then Ben unfortunately got hooked up.
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He
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did five years.
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Okay.
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And when you were in jail, like-
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What did you think of your life at that point?
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What did you-
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I was like, "Man, I'm going to be in prison forever." I had no idea
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that
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marijuana would be legal one day. I did say it to the judge.
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I was like, "Yo, Judge, they're selling it legally in California,
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medical back then." And they're like, "That don't matter."
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Mm-hmm.
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And they gave me 135 months when I was 21.
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Wow.
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And I was like, "Oh."
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When I got to prison, I was like, "Man, I need to find some weed to smoke some weed
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in here or something." You know what I mean? And yeah.
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You didn't have CBD back then. There's-
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None of that.
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None of it.

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Yeah, none of that. We didn't have vapes back then.
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That would've been cool to have vapes in prison. But we had weed in there.
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You did?
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Yep. They would smuggle it in. They would
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swallow balloons and poop it out.
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Mm-hmm.
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And then they would sell it in ChapStick caps.
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Wow.
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And then you would buy books of stamps to mail -
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Yeah
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... 20 stamps on commissary, and you would give them two
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books of stamps for the littlest piece of weed out of a ChapStick cap.
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The top of a ChapStick cap full of weed, you get like eight
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two-bookers or two books of stamps.

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How would you light it?
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You'd take two batteries and then you would take a
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Goya pack, and you slit the Goya pack with a razor blade into little
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pieces. You hook the two batteries up together like that, and roll the
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joint with the outside of a toilet paper.
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Oh my God.
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Yeah, and you blaze it up inside federal prison.
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Hell yeah.
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I think one of the things that you're known for that you put out there is
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there's a difference in your history, there's a difference in your-
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Yeah
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... perspective as it relates to the
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legal cannabis market here in Minnesota, and some of the
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experiences that you had,
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given that you were trapping before it was legal, that you served time for-
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Yeah, and all my friends. Yeah
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... moving weight. And your friends, you're not alone.
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You've brought your-
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Yeah
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... people with you.
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People feel that, whether it's through you or through your dispensary,
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and it gives you guys an air of confidence
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to say, "This isn't our first time doing this.
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We're not just some money investors that are like, 'Oh,
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we should make money in cannabis.'"
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You're probably better off at this
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entrepreneurial venture because you have experience in the space.
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Yeah. It's much more personal to me. Hopkins, I got arrested.
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I went to high school out there. I went to high school in St. Louis Park.
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I actually got caught selling a quarter pound of weed my senior year,
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and I graduated high school from the county home school, which was in Hopkins, so I
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have a Hopkins High School diploma.
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And yet when I was a kid,
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21 years old, and they gave me 135
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months, there was no talking about cannabis is good.
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There was no talking about the medical benefits.
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They were like, "Oh, you're bad." And I was like, really all it was, was in high
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school I didn't want to go be drunk all the time, so I smoked pot with my friends
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as an adventure of something to do.
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And in that adventure, we built a secret society, and we all kind of love each
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other, and we think you guys are idiots that drink.
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So that's kind of like I tried explaining that, but they don't want to hear any
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of that. So I was like, "Okay, either you become a rat and tell on all your

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friends, or you're going to prison for a long time," because that's what it came
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down to. In 2004 when I got caught behind that load, it
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wasn't about cannabis is good or we're going to start
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a business or any of that. It was just about
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we got you and you're going to give up your network-
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Mm
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... or you're going to go to prison for a long time, and everybody else gives up
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the network. And I was just like,
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my conviction of who I was, I was like, "No, let's just go to prison forever." You
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know what I mean? That's what happened.
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Wow.
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Yeah.
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Where are you at with alcohol nowadays?
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Is it-

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I never drink, ever. Since I got home from prison, I have never been drunk at
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a bar. I'm not a saint. I've
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had my struggles throughout my life.
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Yeah.
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But
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yeah, I don't drink alcohol.
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Do you have a family network that you still rely on?
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Prison pretty much decimated my family network.
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Okay.
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I have my best friend Ben, my mother, and yeah.
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Okay.
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And I have
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people that share that story with me of what happened to me when I was young
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because it's part of their
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life, too. They remember. A lot of people remember what happened to me in
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that one day I was back. And then it was kind of interesting because when
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I went to prison,
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they gave me a
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federal enhancement called leader organizer where they said I was a leader of five
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or more participants. So obviously-
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In a good way or a negative way?
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Say that I was directing. No, it wasn't good. It cost me four more years in prison.
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Right. I see what you mean.
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Being the organizer, you know what I mean?
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So
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yeah, but I came home in 2013
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and I tried selling weed, but the market was just gone for
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the industry I was used to.
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Yeah.
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00:11:07.190 --> 00:11:10.790
So I was just kind of old school. I tried hustling a few times, but I
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00:11:10.850 --> 00:11:14.610
do remember those people I sold weed
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to, and they remember me, and it's just like,
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00:11:18.790 --> 00:11:21.130

yeah, now I started selling weed again legally because-
247

00:11:21.370 --> 00:11:22.110
What year did you get out?
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2013.
249
00:11:23.510 --> 00:11:24.510
Okay, so you got out.
250
00:11:25.330 --> 00:11:26.950
And it's a whole different market at that point.
251
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Yeah.
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00:11:27.910 --> 00:11:29.750
Fast-forward 10 years, you and I meet.
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Canna Connect.
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Canna Connect.
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00:11:32.170 --> 00:11:32.180
Yep.
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00:11:33.010 --> 00:11:33.430
Freedom

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00:11:35.270 --> 00:11:38.920
Grow was the group, and they're a nonprofit, and
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shout out to Sue and shout out to you.
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00:11:40.710 --> 00:11:44.520
Yeah, I watched the movie, "The
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00:11:44.610 --> 00:11:47.410
Need for Speed" on Netflix with Randy Lanier.
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Randy Lanier.
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And I was like, "Yo, this dude did 27 years for weed." So, anybody
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that's been through
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00:11:53.870 --> 00:11:57.390
what I've been through, like Randy Lanier, he did 27 years for weed.
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He was a race car driver. He
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was running Freedom Grow at the time.
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And we'll be bonded because my story and what
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happened to me is like
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it happens.
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Sure.

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And it's part of the history of cannabis, so we are all kind of
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linked, and that's how I got in with Freedom Grow.
273
00:12:15.110 --> 00:12:16.240

Mm-hmm. And-
274

00:12:17.798 --> 00:12:18.798
Those early days,
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for us, it was
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we should have a nonprofit.
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00:12:24.738 --> 00:12:28.678
My thinking around how we linked up was, yes, we should
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have a nonprofit. Yes, we should have activists at Canna Connect
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events.
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Mm-hmm.
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And we should never say no to somebody like Travis
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because he's speaking the truth, and he's speaking
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a truth that very few in the Minnesota market are
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acknowledging or have that same experience.
285

00:12:48.018 --> 00:12:50.058
There aren't a lot of underground
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distributors that were willing to
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00:12:55.358 --> 00:12:57.818
put their head out and say, "This is what I'm doing.
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00:12:57.898 --> 00:13:01.638
I'm actively campaigning for cannabis
289
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legalization, and I'm willing to do it at a Canna Connect event," which
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is
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more mainstream.
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00:13:09.918 --> 00:13:12.778
I can only speak for myself. I'm from Plymouth.
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I've never been to-
294

00:13:15.038 --> 00:13:15.938
St. Louis Park.
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00:13:15.978 --> 00:13:18.468
Right. Sure, and yeah, so we have things in common, but
296
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we were focused on the hemp beverage market
297
00:13:22.438 --> 00:13:24.558
at that point, or the gummies more so.
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Early Canna Connect was 2023, low potency.
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00:13:29.238 --> 00:13:33.138

We knew cannabis was coming to be legalized that year, August 1st.
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But I appreciate you taking a chance on me and
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vice versa because we've always been legit with each other.
302
00:13:42.638 --> 00:13:43.198
Yeah.
303
00:13:43.238 --> 00:13:47.338
Tell
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00:13:47.398 --> 00:13:50.618
me your achievements from, let's say,
305
00:13:51.618 --> 00:13:53.818
when you're next to Sue at the booth to
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00:13:55.198 --> 00:13:58.418
coming back from Vegas and getting back into your own dispensary because you've
307
00:13:58.478 --> 00:14:01.257
really done everything you've wanted to do.
308
00:14:02.778 --> 00:14:03.198
Not yet.
309
00:14:03.258 --> 00:14:03.718
Not yet.
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Well, it all started with the State of Minnesota and the Democrat
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legislators passing social equity.
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00:14:10.718 --> 00:14:14.688
Because for me, I was just like, when Minnesota opened up, I
313
00:14:14.758 --> 00:14:17.518
had a granite countertop business, so I was already an entrepreneur.

314
00:14:17.578 --> 00:14:21.118
I was running my own business. I did that for six years after I got out of prison,
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00:14:21.218 --> 00:14:24.158
but I was like, "Just let me get a license." You know what I mean?
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00:14:24.838 --> 00:14:25.197
And
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00:14:26.138 --> 00:14:30.068
then they said social equity. I was like, "What is social equity?" And
318
00:14:30.138 --> 00:14:33.588
you are one of the pioneers. When you had Canna Connect, it was
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00:14:35.358 --> 00:14:39.258
a great meeting of democracy almost because I remember back then, two,
320
00:14:39.298 --> 00:14:42.878
three years ago, it was grassroots, a bunch of people that really cared
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00:14:42.938 --> 00:14:45.458
about smoking weed and getting it together.
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And
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00:14:47.498 --> 00:14:51.428
we all met in that wilderness basement, and I remember we were
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in the back room, and there was whatever lead advocates at the
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00:14:55.398 --> 00:14:59.038
time. And I was like, well, I got up, I was like, "Well, you said social
326
00:14:59.098 --> 00:15:03.008
equity," because I was literally in my granite countertop work clothes, and
327
00:15:03.058 --> 00:15:06.228
I was like, "Well, here's social equity for you." You know what I mean?

328
00:15:06.318 --> 00:15:10.118
I did eight years, and I'm still decimated, and my
329
00:15:10.198 --> 00:15:11.918
friends are still in prison now.
330
00:15:12.118 --> 00:15:12.238
Hmm.
331
00:15:12.598 --> 00:15:16.418
And that goes to, I didn't understand any of this, and since the journey,
332
00:15:16.478 --> 00:15:18.158
like you tell, that was probably three years ago.
333
00:15:18.358 --> 00:15:18.498
Yeah.
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00:15:19.218 --> 00:15:23.058
I've learned and read so much. I wrote a book about the first bust in
335
00:15:23.098 --> 00:15:26.878
American history, and nobody can take anything of the work that I've
336
00:15:26.918 --> 00:15:30.858
done. And now I understand the big picture of the '90s
337
00:15:30.938 --> 00:15:34.318
drug war and everything. The Minnesota Democrat legislators understood
338
00:15:34.498 --> 00:15:34.978
history.
339
00:15:35.258 --> 00:15:35.418
Sure.
340
00:15:35.758 --> 00:15:38.258
So there's a lot of history to America, right?
341
00:15:38.398 --> 00:15:38.598
Right.
342

00:15:38.778 --> 00:15:42.198
And I got entangled in the bad drug laws of marijuana,
343
00:15:42.618 --> 00:15:45.658
and through those bad drug laws, I got max sentenced.
344
00:15:45.778 --> 00:15:49.638
I wasn't going to court saying, "Oh, I just told on all my
345
00:15:49.658 --> 00:15:53.158
friends. Let me get two years." No, I was like, "F**k this prosecutor.
346
00:15:53.818 --> 00:15:56.218
Let's roll." You know what I mean? Not even like that. I was scared as hell.
347
00:15:56.518 --> 00:16:00.267
And the prosecutor's like, "I want 17 years." And the judge,
348
00:16:00.378 --> 00:16:04.168
Judge Richard Kyle, he was like, "Nah, first-time felon, I'm not doing all that."
349
00:16:04.228 --> 00:16:08.158
He gave me 11. You know what I mean? So it's like what I came
350
00:16:08.198 --> 00:16:10.288
from was what the legislators read about.
351
00:16:10.578 --> 00:16:10.618
Yes.
352
00:16:10.628 --> 00:16:13.528
And they understood history. You know what I'm saying?
353
00:16:13.598 --> 00:16:17.178
So I'm a part of history, and I know I can maybe be
354
00:16:17.218 --> 00:16:20.898
abrasive to a couple people or whatever, but they don't understand what I've been
355
00:16:20.918 --> 00:16:23.998
through and what social equity really means.
356
00:16:24.118 --> 00:16:27.898

Social equity is about history. It's about recognizing that
357
00:16:27.918 --> 00:16:29.218
America has done s**t,
358
00:16:30.018 --> 00:16:31.718
particularly with cannabis. I'm
359
00:16:32.638 --> 00:16:34.318
here for cannabis policy, you know what I mean?
360
00:16:34.338 --> 00:16:38.038
It's 2026, but America's done stuff to marginalized communities
361
00:16:38.158 --> 00:16:38.378
too
362
00:16:39.218 --> 00:16:42.698
behind cannabis prohibition, and cannabis has never hurt anybody before.
363
00:16:42.818 --> 00:16:42.958
Right.
364
00:16:43.218 --> 00:16:47.138
So for them to recognize that history, it emboldened me to become
365
00:16:47.158 --> 00:16:47.698
an activist.
366
00:16:47.758 --> 00:16:47.868
Right.
367
00:16:48.238 --> 00:16:49.558
So without that, I wouldn't have done nothing.
368
00:16:49.638 --> 00:16:51.898
And who at the Minnesota at the state level helped?
369
00:16:51.918 --> 00:16:55.678
Probably Jess Hanson. She was meeting everybody and coming around.
370
00:16:55.758 --> 00:16:59.438
She inspired me. She brought me backstage to speak on stage,

371
00:16:59.878 --> 00:17:01.138

and I remember Zach Stevens-
372

00:17:01.498 --> 00:17:02.858
You spoke on stage at First Avenue?
373
00:17:03.298 --> 00:17:06.758
Yep, when they legalized. And I remember Zach Stevens walked up to me, and he shook
374
00:17:06.798 --> 00:17:10.058
my hand. He's like, "Man, I'm sorry about what happened to you."
375
00:17:10.398 --> 00:17:10.598
Hmm.
376
00:17:10.738 --> 00:17:13.378
I was like, "Wow." And then I met Ilhan Omar, and then
377
00:17:14.199 --> 00:17:18.058
she helped me with my activism. I like to think of her as my
378
00:17:18.078 --> 00:17:20.058
friend. I don't know if she considers me that. I like her a lot.
379
00:17:20.318 --> 00:17:20.479
Sure.
380
00:17:37.258 --> 00:17:40.138
Hey, everybody. Steven with Canna Connect, taking a quick minute to shout out
381
00:17:40.158 --> 00:17:43.888
today's sponsor, CEE. That is the Center for Energy and Environment.
382
00:17:44.318 --> 00:17:47.598
If you're not familiar with CEE, they are your one-stop shop for all lighting
383
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rebates. If you are in Xcel Energy territory and you're a micro business,
384
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CEE is somebody that you need to talk to. Give Brad a call.

385
00:17:55.078 --> 00:17:58.618
Give Tony a call. Go online. One-stop shop, LED lighting
386
00:17:58.678 --> 00:18:02.478
rebates. They'll help take care of up to 60% of the cost associated with your
387
00:18:02.558 --> 00:18:04.838
grow and your build-out with the lighting.
388
00:18:05.578 --> 00:18:09.078
Really nice people, great people to work with, huge sponsors of Canna Connect,
389
00:18:09.378 --> 00:18:11.938
and give them a shout. That's CEE,
390
00:18:12.818 --> 00:18:14.218
Center for Energy and Environment.
391
00:18:18.194 --> 00:18:21.334

But it just opened a lot of doors through my story because-
392

00:18:21.434 --> 00:18:21.614
Yeah
393
00:18:21.624 --> 00:18:21.624
...
394
00:18:22.434 --> 00:18:26.374
my story, and then I donate money to prisoners in
395
00:18:26.434 --> 00:18:28.094
federal prison, like Edwin Rubas.
396
00:18:28.144 --> 00:18:31.934
These people call me all day long, and they need money, and they're still in prison
397
00:18:31.974 --> 00:18:33.694
behind these '90s drug laws.
398
00:18:33.854 --> 00:18:33.994
Right.
399

00:18:34.534 --> 00:18:38.294
So I don't know. That's what it's all about to me, because I can never
400
00:18:38.304 --> 00:18:41.284
forget the eight years I spent in prison when I was
401
00:18:41.454 --> 00:18:45.004
21 to 30 for marijuana, and I appreciate
402
00:18:46.334 --> 00:18:48.594
social equity, and I appreciate it be written in the law.
403
00:18:48.654 --> 00:18:49.674
And it is a benefit
404
00:18:50.814 --> 00:18:54.134
to people if they know how to use it right. This is America.
405
00:18:54.194 --> 00:18:57.074
You can't just say, "Oh, you went to jail for weed.
406
00:18:57.374 --> 00:18:58.434
Here's $100,000."
407
00:18:59.474 --> 00:19:03.174
Because it just won't work. They don't do s**t like that.
408
00:19:03.214 --> 00:19:04.734
I think they should, actually.
409
00:19:04.794 --> 00:19:04.954
Right.
410
00:19:05.534 --> 00:19:07.014
But so yeah, it's good.
411
00:19:07.074 --> 00:19:09.074
You've got a unique connection to the Teamsters.
412
00:19:09.494 --> 00:19:11.754
Yep, Sean O'Brien. Yep, I was in prison with
413
00:19:13.154 --> 00:19:15.634

one of his father's friends, and yeah.
414
00:19:17.514 --> 00:19:21.474
I'm always in his ear about people in prison for marijuana charges, and he
415
00:19:21.534 --> 00:19:22.614
understands it, and
416
00:19:23.594 --> 00:19:24.034
yeah.
417
00:19:24.094 --> 00:19:27.274
Cool. How is your relationship with Union Bank?
418
00:19:27.834 --> 00:19:29.394
I like Union Bank. They're a great bank.
419
00:19:29.674 --> 00:19:30.314

Amazing. And-
420

00:19:30.334 --> 00:19:32.234
They do good business, and they
421
00:19:33.234 --> 00:19:36.374
let marijuana bank there, unlike a lot of the
422
00:19:36.434 --> 00:19:39.374
other banks where you can't even bank cannabis
423
00:19:40.514 --> 00:19:41.414
to a lot of places.
424
00:19:41.554 --> 00:19:45.374
What is the movement of money like owning a dispensary
425
00:19:45.414 --> 00:19:46.534

compared to when you were-
426

00:19:46.544 --> 00:19:49.584
It's dangerous. With movement of money, dispensary is
427
00:19:49.694 --> 00:19:53.404
great because it's legal, and the cops will come with guns right

428
00:19:53.434 --> 00:19:54.594
away. You know what I mean?
429
00:19:54.734 --> 00:19:54.744
Sure.
430
00:19:54.744 --> 00:19:57.734
So it's like the police are all right now. You know what I mean?
431
00:19:57.834 --> 00:19:59.494
They protect the industry.
432
00:19:59.624 --> 00:19:59.794
Mm-hmm.
433
00:19:59.854 --> 00:20:02.894
It's very interesting seeing the-- I have armed guard cops.
434
00:20:02.934 --> 00:20:06.354
They'll come pick up the cash, and I'll be like, "Yo, you're the sheriff.
435
00:20:06.814 --> 00:20:09.794
Da da da da. I got arrested by you guys then." And they laugh.
436
00:20:09.844 --> 00:20:12.514
They're like, "What the f**k?" I'm like, "Yeah, they said social equity.
437
00:20:12.574 --> 00:20:15.564
I'm here." "Let's go." You know what I mean?
438
00:20:15.574 --> 00:20:16.754
Yeah.
439
00:20:18.174 --> 00:20:21.434
So they pick up the money. Yeah, Union Bank's great. I love Brandon.
440
00:20:22.714 --> 00:20:24.834

What kind of flower are you rocking with right now and-
441

00:20:24.974 --> 00:20:28.893
A lot of tribal weed. I got some non-tribal weed, but yeah.

442
00:20:29.023 --> 00:20:29.314
Mm-hmm.
443
00:20:29.734 --> 00:20:32.334
The tribe has been the main source.
444
00:20:33.334 --> 00:20:35.594
Milac's got the fifth largest grow in America.
445
00:20:37.154 --> 00:20:37.294
I didn't know.
446
00:20:37.303 --> 00:20:39.834
So they've been pumping out, they've been holding down the industry.
447
00:20:39.894 --> 00:20:43.834
And the thing with the tribal weed, because it is hard to get product
448
00:20:43.874 --> 00:20:47.734
right now, I can go to the tribes and explain my story, and
449
00:20:47.814 --> 00:20:48.894
the tribe
450
00:20:49.774 --> 00:20:51.894
land has been policed by the feds forever.
451
00:20:51.974 --> 00:20:52.094

So-
452

00:20:52.394 --> 00:20:52.444
Yep
453
00:20:52.494 --> 00:20:55.004

... if you get a DWI on the tribe land-
454

00:20:55.094 --> 00:20:55.194
Mm-hmm
455
00:20:55.354 --> 00:20:56.434
... you go to federal court.
456

00:20:57.694 --> 00:21:01.314
The feds have jurisdiction, so the tribes have been a victim of the harsh
457
00:21:01.374 --> 00:21:02.774
sentencing and the federal laws.
458
00:21:02.974 --> 00:21:03.023
Mm-hmm.
459
00:21:03.074 --> 00:21:05.254
And that's the thing I can't stress enough to Minnesotans.
460
00:21:05.654 --> 00:21:09.354
It's not about getting arrested, it's about the harshness of our drug laws and the
461
00:21:09.414 --> 00:21:12.894
marijuana laws. I had a five-year minimum mandatory, and I
462
00:21:13.354 --> 00:21:17.274
got 11-year sentence. So the judge, he would've had to went
463
00:21:17.354 --> 00:21:21.194
crazy to just give me five years. So it's the harshness of the
464
00:21:21.214 --> 00:21:24.454
sentence. I'm not saying people shouldn't get arrested, but the
465
00:21:24.494 --> 00:21:28.294
marijuana doesn't do the damage to society that is
466
00:21:28.334 --> 00:21:29.494
proportionate to the sentencing.
467
00:21:29.534 --> 00:21:30.754
Mm-hmm.
468
00:21:32.634 --> 00:21:36.494
Now, you found that some of these groups don't want to
469
00:21:36.514 --> 00:21:37.154
work with you.
470
00:21:37.914 --> 00:21:39.274

Well, they can't handle history.
471
00:21:39.464 --> 00:21:39.884
Would you care to comment on that?
472
00:21:39.894 --> 00:21:42.904
Yeah, and I'll comment, and that's why I like the tribes, and the tribes are
473
00:21:43.714 --> 00:21:46.314
giving back to social equity because if you go to a tribal
474
00:21:46.454 --> 00:21:50.194
wholesaler or
475
00:21:50.214 --> 00:21:53.774
whatever and you tell them, "Yo, this is how I'm social equity," or even you tell
476
00:21:53.794 --> 00:21:56.574
them, "Yo, I'm military." You tell them, "I've been in this community forever"-
477
00:21:56.764 --> 00:21:56.964
Mm-hmm
478
00:21:57.034 --> 00:21:58.574
... they're not going to just think about the money.
479
00:21:58.714 --> 00:21:58.803
Sure.
480
00:21:59.154 --> 00:22:01.854
And they're going to make sociable decisions, and I like that s**t.
481
00:22:01.894 --> 00:22:02.194
Yes.
482
00:22:02.434 --> 00:22:04.374
And then other operators do the same thing.
483
00:22:05.334 --> 00:22:05.614
I have
484
00:22:06.634 --> 00:22:09.444
non-tribal partners that I work with, and they're awesome and-

485
00:22:09.754 --> 00:22:09.904
Great
486
00:22:10.814 --> 00:22:14.554
... I just look at people, and if they don't understand
487
00:22:14.894 --> 00:22:15.604
my mission,
488
00:22:16.874 --> 00:22:20.204
I'm just like, "Okay, well go do something for your community then." I hope they
489
00:22:20.294 --> 00:22:20.434
do.
490
00:22:20.754 --> 00:22:24.654
Right. Have you found that, let's go back to kind of 2023,
491
00:22:24.854 --> 00:22:28.374
2024, 2025, 2026. Have you found that you've
492
00:22:29.094 --> 00:22:32.554
felt more accepted even though this is your
493
00:22:32.594 --> 00:22:33.674

community in the sense-
494

00:22:33.694 --> 00:22:33.924
Oh, yeah
495
00:22:33.954 --> 00:22:37.514
... of your experience, but do you feel that your message is resonating more
496
00:22:37.594 --> 00:22:37.954
now?
497
00:22:37.993 --> 00:22:40.494
The thing about Minnesota is I love this place so much.
498
00:22:40.594 --> 00:22:44.374
I love these people so much. So a certain element, I

499
00:22:44.574 --> 00:22:48.134
remember when we first met, we were at the
500
00:22:48.194 --> 00:22:49.654
sandwich shop.
501
00:22:49.714 --> 00:22:49.834
Yeah.
502
00:22:49.943 --> 00:22:51.014

And the guy came up to me-
503

00:22:51.134 --> 00:22:51.234
Yeah
504
00:22:51.244 --> 00:22:54.514
... who's the bartender, he's like, "Man, Travis, seeing you win gives me hope."
505
00:22:54.654 --> 00:22:57.774
He's like, "I'm in the streets right now." So there's certain elements about
506
00:22:58.194 --> 00:23:01.194
Minnesota that I love and respect, and that would be the streets.
507
00:23:01.254 --> 00:23:04.014
So they're always going to support me. And I don't do anything wrong. Nothing.
508
00:23:04.234 --> 00:23:07.074
I don't break any rules because I know that
509
00:23:08.174 --> 00:23:11.664
I can help the people that are incarcerated with no voice, and I spent so much time
510
00:23:11.714 --> 00:23:12.804
in there with no voice
511
00:23:13.674 --> 00:23:17.574
that helping them. And plus, for real, crime's dead with all the cell
512
00:23:17.654 --> 00:23:18.554
phones and everything.
513

00:23:18.654 --> 00:23:18.774
Sure.
514
00:23:19.654 --> 00:23:23.114
I'm better. I'm in my 40s now. I'm better off. I got a good thing going.
515
00:23:23.174 --> 00:23:24.094
I'm not going to mess it up.
516
00:23:24.254 --> 00:23:24.374
Yeah.
517
00:23:24.594 --> 00:23:26.253
I elevate to where I'm at in life.
518
00:23:26.294 --> 00:23:26.364
Right.
519
00:23:26.554 --> 00:23:28.134
I've been up, I've been down. You know what I mean?
520
00:23:28.154 --> 00:23:28.164
Yeah.
521
00:23:28.204 --> 00:23:28.814
I'm up right now.
522
00:23:28.894 --> 00:23:30.884
There's no point in backdoor trapping at this point.
523
00:23:30.884 --> 00:23:31.294
No.
524
00:23:31.534 --> 00:23:31.774
Right.
525
00:23:32.614 --> 00:23:32.954
No.
526
00:23:34.214 --> 00:23:36.274
And where is your dispensary located?
527
00:23:36.414 --> 00:23:40.114

415 17th Avenue North, Hopkins, Minnesota, right on
528
00:23:40.154 --> 00:23:41.834
Highway 7 in Hopkins Crossroads.
529
00:23:41.894 --> 00:23:44.894
Right by the L-- Is it LA Fitness over there?
530
00:23:44.954 --> 00:23:46.294

Right across from LA Fitness-
531

00:23:46.374 --> 00:23:46.454
Yeah
532
00:23:46.464 --> 00:23:48.294
... Hopkins on the border of Minnetonka.
533
00:23:48.754 --> 00:23:49.694
Yeah, it's been a
534
00:23:50.734 --> 00:23:51.394
steady spot.
535
00:23:51.574 --> 00:23:53.524

And tell me about your team. Who's-
536

00:23:53.774 --> 00:23:57.214
I got my best friend that I got arrested with, Ben. He's my manager.
537
00:23:57.274 --> 00:23:59.294
He's the metro professional. Yeah.
538
00:23:59.334 --> 00:23:59.754
Okay.
539
00:23:59.814 --> 00:24:03.714
He did five years. And it's like the seriousness we bring to it because
540
00:24:03.754 --> 00:24:07.594
of the seriousness of what happened to us over cannabis is
541
00:24:07.654 --> 00:24:10.894
amazing. We really care. We love this stuff.

542
00:24:11.174 --> 00:24:15.134
I love selling people medicine, and I love telling my mom, "Look, Mom,
543
00:24:15.274 --> 00:24:16.374
I had it right the whole time."
544
00:24:16.634 --> 00:24:16.854
Yeah.
545
00:24:16.934 --> 00:24:18.514
These people with these laws are crazy.
546
00:24:18.874 --> 00:24:18.954
Right.
547
00:24:19.814 --> 00:24:22.894
It's crazy the laws and the level of
548
00:24:22.914 --> 00:24:26.554
scrutiny that is associated with the history of marijuana.
549
00:24:26.654 --> 00:24:26.884
Mm-hmm.
550
00:24:27.838 --> 00:24:29.658
And the s**t we went through just to smoke it.
551
00:24:30.178 --> 00:24:31.218
So you were just out in
552
00:24:32.398 --> 00:24:33.328
Arlington, Virginia, right?
553
00:24:33.398 --> 00:24:37.298
Yep. Day one rescheduling. Yeah, Minnesota says social equity, so I
554
00:24:37.318 --> 00:24:41.298
got to show up every time. Yeah, I was out there, and I stood in
555
00:24:41.338 --> 00:24:45.198
front of the DEA building, and we talked to some of the people going in there.

556
00:24:45.238 --> 00:24:46.338
We had a press conference.
557
00:24:46.458 --> 00:24:48.918
Who do you tap in with when you do that kind of stuff?
558
00:24:48.998 --> 00:24:49.808
Or who are you out there with?
559
00:24:49.828 --> 00:24:51.398
Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
560
00:24:51.498 --> 00:24:51.698
Okay.
561
00:24:52.178 --> 00:24:53.838
CAT over there, they're a leading
562
00:24:54.978 --> 00:24:58.858
national nonprofit on drug policy issues, and I really like their
563
00:24:58.918 --> 00:25:02.338
energy, and I like that they got the young people involved, and they have a good
564
00:25:02.458 --> 00:25:02.898
network.
565
00:25:02.998 --> 00:25:03.258
Right.
566
00:25:03.298 --> 00:25:07.138
And they get stuff done. So the money I'm able to make here at my
567
00:25:07.198 --> 00:25:07.538

store-
568

00:25:07.618 --> 00:25:07.758
Yeah
569
00:25:07.778 --> 00:25:11.718
... I'm able to get in with these nonprofits, donate, and then have them
570

00:25:12.598 --> 00:25:15.998
put the prisoners forefront. Just last weekend, I was in Vegas at the
571
00:25:16.038 --> 00:25:17.798
Libertarian Freedom Fest, and
572
00:25:18.778 --> 00:25:22.278
we engineered that SSDP. Cat, the leader, and I,
573
00:25:22.498 --> 00:25:24.338
she's like, "Yo, I got this event."
574
00:25:24.478 --> 00:25:24.678
Okay.
575
00:25:24.708 --> 00:25:27.128
"It's a libertarian event. We're going there for a different issue-"
576
00:25:27.388 --> 00:25:27.478
Okay
577
00:25:27.738 --> 00:25:30.858
"... that we're fighting for." But she fights for cannabis prisoners, too.
578
00:25:30.918 --> 00:25:32.598
She's like, "You should come." And then I brought
579
00:25:33.618 --> 00:25:33.878
the guy,
580
00:25:35.318 --> 00:25:38.038
main activist with us, Jimmy Romans. He had a life sentence.
581
00:25:38.158 --> 00:25:38.398
Wow.
582
00:25:38.938 --> 00:25:42.868
And I linked up with him through the network of going to prison forever type s**t.
583
00:25:42.878 --> 00:25:44.378
He had a life sentence for drug charges?
584
00:25:44.598 --> 00:25:47.238

Marijuana. Marijuana only. Life in prison.
585
00:25:47.608 --> 00:25:51.098
Life in federal prison means life in prison. It's not state.
586
00:25:51.918 --> 00:25:55.138
State spoils people. You get out of state prison, you don't get out of the feds.
587
00:25:55.178 --> 00:25:55.378
Mm.
588
00:25:55.778 --> 00:25:59.698
So, yeah, he had life. And then through his sister
589
00:25:59.778 --> 00:26:02.678
and all of them people, there's activists all over the nation.
590
00:26:02.718 --> 00:26:06.098
It's a group effort to lobby for people in prison. It's not one person.
591
00:26:06.138 --> 00:26:06.918
Yeah.
592
00:26:06.998 --> 00:26:10.598
But his family a lot is the one person for him.
593
00:26:10.638 --> 00:26:13.578
And then Alice Marie Johnson got Jimmy out, right?
594
00:26:13.858 --> 00:26:13.978
Okay.
595
00:26:14.018 --> 00:26:15.918
So Alice Marie Johnson had a life sentence.
596
00:26:16.538 --> 00:26:17.248

Trump let her out-
597

00:26:17.568 --> 00:26:17.728
Yeah
598
00:26:17.778 --> 00:26:21.658
... in his last term, and then he let Jimmy out the last day of his

599
00:26:21.718 --> 00:26:23.658
last term, right? And Alice got him out.
600
00:26:24.378 --> 00:26:27.998
So now Alice Marie Johnson is the pardon czar, so we're hoping to
601
00:26:29.278 --> 00:26:29.998
push Jimmy.
602
00:26:30.258 --> 00:26:30.438
Yeah.
603
00:26:30.798 --> 00:26:34.598
And through social equity in Minnesota, we're doing a
604
00:26:34.658 --> 00:26:37.777
lot. I'm behind a lot of stuff. My story is very
605
00:26:37.898 --> 00:26:41.888
powerful to people, I noticed. Because when I got out of prison, I sold granite
606
00:26:41.958 --> 00:26:45.218
countertops, and I would sell a lot of jobs, and I would gauge my customer's
607
00:26:45.258 --> 00:26:49.078
response if I didn't sell jobs. And I know recently,
608
00:26:49.098 --> 00:26:52.498
too, when I tell people I'm operating and I have a legal
609
00:26:52.518 --> 00:26:55.758

dispensary, and all the time I did, and I pay all sales tax-
610

00:26:55.978 --> 00:26:56.098
Yeah
611
00:26:56.218 --> 00:26:59.398
... the people are like, "Whoa! You can do it?" And I'm like, "Yeah."
612
00:27:00.918 --> 00:27:04.838
And between the granite countertop and Hopkins dispensary, you were operating

613
00:27:04.878 --> 00:27:06.108
a smoke shop. What was it called?
614
00:27:06.138 --> 00:27:07.338
Yeah, Laughing Waters. Yep.
615
00:27:07.358 --> 00:27:07.808
In Rochester?
616
00:27:07.808 --> 00:27:09.418
I sold that three right when we went legal.
617
00:27:09.478 --> 00:27:11.948
Right before we went legal, I sold that. Yep. Laughing Waters, yep.
618
00:27:12.018 --> 00:27:13.818

You utilized the hemp program and the low-
619

00:27:13.918 --> 00:27:14.098
Yep
620
00:27:14.118 --> 00:27:14.778
... THC opportunity.
621
00:27:14.818 --> 00:27:15.558
Freedom Soda.
622
00:27:15.578 --> 00:27:16.598
Freedom Sodas.
623
00:27:16.658 --> 00:27:16.838
Yep.
624
00:27:16.978 --> 00:27:17.048
Right.
625
00:27:17.048 --> 00:27:19.778
Represent the prisoners. I remember I was at the Legacy Cup.
626
00:27:19.818 --> 00:27:22.058

That's another pioneer type thing-
627

00:27:22.198 --> 00:27:22.627
Yeah, absolutely
628
00:27:22.627 --> 00:27:25.688
... going in Minnesota. And I seen all these people creating
629
00:27:25.718 --> 00:27:29.538
brands. And I swear, the spark in me of social equity, they say
630
00:27:29.578 --> 00:27:33.158

when you get something good in life, you pay your-
631

00:27:33.168 --> 00:27:33.228
Pay it forward
632
00:27:33.228 --> 00:27:36.238
... best step forward. Pay it forward. That's everything I did.
633
00:27:36.318 --> 00:27:39.038
If Minnesota wouldn't have said social equity, I wouldn't have had the courage.
634
00:27:39.258 --> 00:27:42.238
I would've always told my story because I know what I went through and I know how
635
00:27:42.278 --> 00:27:42.618
it went.
636
00:27:42.758 --> 00:27:42.898
Yeah.
637
00:27:43.338 --> 00:27:43.638
But,
638
00:27:44.498 --> 00:27:48.458
yeah. I seen all these brands get created at Legacy, and none of them
639
00:27:48.478 --> 00:27:51.278
were talking about the prisoners, and I was making good money at my smoke shop
640
00:27:51.318 --> 00:27:51.498
then.
641
00:27:51.678 --> 00:27:52.098

Sure.
642
00:27:52.158 --> 00:27:54.158
I was like, "S**t, I'm going to do Freedom Soda."
643
00:27:54.218 --> 00:27:54.398
Yep.
644
00:27:54.738 --> 00:27:56.478
Learned a little bit about manufacturing.
645
00:27:56.518 --> 00:27:59.768
And my first intention of Freedom Soda was put a prisoner's face on it like the
646
00:27:59.818 --> 00:28:00.258
milk carton.
647
00:28:00.318 --> 00:28:00.598
Okay.
648
00:28:00.958 --> 00:28:01.598
You know what I mean?
649
00:28:01.658 --> 00:28:01.877
That's funny.
650
00:28:02.118 --> 00:28:02.308
But
651
00:28:04.118 --> 00:28:06.878
that didn't work out. I might do that again, though.
652
00:28:06.978 --> 00:28:09.477
So then Freedom Soda, we sold that, and I donate the money.
653
00:28:10.178 --> 00:28:12.558
Activist of the Year 2024?
654
00:28:12.678 --> 00:28:15.678
Yep. I'm very proud of that. I would like more competition.
655
00:28:15.718 --> 00:28:18.058
I would like to see a lot more people doing good.

656
00:28:18.118 --> 00:28:19.138
But as the industry
657
00:28:20.038 --> 00:28:22.438
unfolds, Minnesota's a good place.
658
00:28:22.758 --> 00:28:26.358
I go to events all over the nation, and I preach for the prisoners all over.
659
00:28:26.398 --> 00:28:28.138
I go to Florida, Texas, everywhere.
660
00:28:28.338 --> 00:28:31.018
Minnesota's always a great response from people.
661
00:28:31.078 --> 00:28:31.238
Cool.
662
00:28:32.218 --> 00:28:35.758
They're like, "Oh man, that shouldn't have happened to you, Travis." Especially
663
00:28:36.098 --> 00:28:38.658
women in marginalized communities.
664
00:28:39.238 --> 00:28:41.798
All of them support and want to help the prisoners.
665
00:28:41.878 --> 00:28:45.417
Yeah. Absolutely. So, I've seen you
666
00:28:45.477 --> 00:28:47.498

travel all across the country. You go-
667

00:28:47.698 --> 00:28:48.238
Freedom Van
668
00:28:48.258 --> 00:28:51.298
... and you meet these people where they're locked up.
669
00:28:51.678 --> 00:28:54.678
Yeah, I go to visit Edwin Rubas. Yep, I go visit. Yeah, I do.

670
00:28:55.318 --> 00:28:57.738
My heart's with them. Business is cool.
671
00:28:57.778 --> 00:28:58.278
Yeah.
672
00:28:58.298 --> 00:29:01.678
But if you really want to be great in this life, you got to help people.
673
00:29:01.718 --> 00:29:02.998
And I consider myself as
674
00:29:04.038 --> 00:29:04.828
just
675
00:29:05.778 --> 00:29:09.578
what happens to people when they get indicted by the federal government is
676
00:29:09.618 --> 00:29:12.958
something you will never know unless it happens to you. They take everything.
677
00:29:13.018 --> 00:29:15.278
They take all your time. They take all your thoughts.
678
00:29:15.578 --> 00:29:17.038
They say, "Hey, your life's on hold.
679
00:29:17.358 --> 00:29:21.008
You're going to sit in a prison with child molesters, murderers,
680
00:29:21.498 --> 00:29:24.898
other drug offenders, violent people." And you're like, "Oh, s**t.
681
00:29:25.198 --> 00:29:29.178
I was just selling weed. I didn't even know I was hurting anybody." So that's where
682
00:29:29.238 --> 00:29:31.998
my heart's at. That's what I want to do with my career.
683
00:29:32.518 --> 00:29:33.718
Tell me about Edwin's story.
684

00:29:33.978 --> 00:29:37.198
Edwin Rubas, 1997, he got indicted.
685
00:29:37.618 --> 00:29:40.858
He wasn't the leader of his organization. He was not the leader of the conspiracy.
686
00:29:40.958 --> 00:29:44.338
Another guy was. Edwin Rubas is a Mexican guy.
687
00:29:44.378 --> 00:29:44.628
The other
688
00:29:46.078 --> 00:29:49.058
guy was white guy, told on Edwin, got 20 years.
689
00:29:49.178 --> 00:29:52.528
Edwin got 40 years, went to trial, the trial penalty.
690
00:29:52.578 --> 00:29:56.158
And he's still in there from 1997. So,
691
00:29:56.518 --> 00:30:00.498
just me, when I started making money off the hemp and with the thought of social
692
00:30:00.578 --> 00:30:02.068
equity and all that, I was like, "Well,
693
00:30:03.298 --> 00:30:06.978
I'm going to donate money. I'm going to get involved." And I've been messing,
694
00:30:07.398 --> 00:30:10.198
helping, sending the money, doing what we can, trying to raise awareness.
695
00:30:10.778 --> 00:30:11.588
I'm hoping for
696
00:30:13.598 --> 00:30:16.418
clemency for everybody. I thought Biden was going to do clemency.
697
00:30:16.478 --> 00:30:18.618
Now I'm like, what's Trump going to do?
698
00:30:19.158 --> 00:30:21.078

He's got some good things, some thoughts going.
699
00:30:21.638 --> 00:30:23.418
Rescheduling is less harsh.
700
00:30:24.758 --> 00:30:26.418
Oh, yeah. What do you think of Trump?
701
00:30:27.398 --> 00:30:28.117
I think that
702
00:30:30.030 --> 00:30:33.990
For Republicans, he is more forward-thinking
703
00:30:34.030 --> 00:30:38.010
than any of the other Republicans for marijuana, and we have a Republican-led
704
00:30:39.010 --> 00:30:41.090
country right now, so he's good for that.
705
00:30:41.230 --> 00:30:44.090
I want more clemency rescheduling.
706
00:30:44.330 --> 00:30:47.290
I like descheduling, but I would say Biden,
707
00:30:48.410 --> 00:30:49.630
he let us down with
708
00:30:51.630 --> 00:30:55.230
not rescheduling, not getting the prisoners out on cannabis
709
00:30:55.250 --> 00:30:57.150
charges, and he could've done more.
710
00:30:57.270 --> 00:30:57.730
So yeah, I
711
00:30:59.210 --> 00:31:03.070
don't know with Trump, they said 250 people would get out, 250-year
712
00:31:03.250 --> 00:31:04.050
anniversary.

713
00:31:04.310 --> 00:31:04.590
Oh.
714
00:31:04.810 --> 00:31:07.970
And they'd do 250 clemencies. They haven't done anything with clemency.
715
00:31:08.070 --> 00:31:10.570

So yeah, I want more radical-
716

00:31:11.550 --> 00:31:11.750
Yeah
717
00:31:12.010 --> 00:31:13.010
... I want people to get released.
718
00:31:13.070 --> 00:31:13.250
Right.
719
00:31:18.270 --> 00:31:18.530
What?
720
00:31:19.090 --> 00:31:19.710
Rebates.
721
00:31:20.050 --> 00:31:20.310
What?
722
00:31:20.910 --> 00:31:21.530
Rebates.
723
00:31:21.890 --> 00:31:25.720
What are operators in the Minnesota space leaving on the table right
724
00:31:25.750 --> 00:31:25.940
now?
725
00:31:26.430 --> 00:31:30.090
That they can get up to 60% of their lighting rebates covered if they're in Xcel
726
00:31:30.130 --> 00:31:34.090
Energy territory, and nobody's better at offering these rebates back to

727
00:31:34.150 --> 00:31:36.430
the growers and cultivators than Watt Rebates.
728
00:31:37.270 --> 00:31:37.650
Perfect.
729
00:31:38.350 --> 00:31:39.990
HVAC, lighting,
730
00:31:41.010 --> 00:31:43.420
overall cultivation, air conditioning,
731
00:31:43.590 --> 00:31:46.970
dehumidifiers. We've got these hot
732
00:31:47.030 --> 00:31:49.930
temperatures. We've got these humid conditions.
733
00:31:49.990 --> 00:31:52.270
Growing in Minnesota is unlike any other state.
734
00:31:52.910 --> 00:31:56.790
Work with a group that understands lighting rebates as well as HVAC, Watt
735
00:31:56.870 --> 00:31:57.550
Rebates.
736
00:31:57.570 --> 00:31:57.950
Bingo.
737
00:32:02.630 --> 00:32:06.350
What was the vibe out at the ALJ
738
00:32:06.390 --> 00:32:08.670
hearing in Virginia?
739
00:32:08.990 --> 00:32:12.710
That Trump is pushing it and they would shut it down if they could, the DEA.
740
00:32:12.990 --> 00:32:15.330
It's a bunch of bureaucrats in that building.
741

00:32:15.410 --> 00:32:16.210
And Trump's like,
742
00:32:17.090 --> 00:32:19.980
for whatever reason, I'm not a Trumpy, but he's
743
00:32:21.090 --> 00:32:22.430
pushing it for sure.
744
00:32:22.490 --> 00:32:22.910
Yeah.
745
00:32:22.950 --> 00:32:25.210
And that's the thing with all the rescheduling.
746
00:32:25.240 --> 00:32:26.990
I will take one foot forward
747
00:32:27.810 --> 00:32:31.790
on less cannabis laws and do rescheduling,
748
00:32:31.870 --> 00:32:35.230
and yeah, anything is better
749
00:32:36.010 --> 00:32:37.750

than Schedule 1 and just-
750

00:32:37.850 --> 00:32:37.989
Yeah
751
00:32:38.030 --> 00:32:40.279

... giving people prison time and-
752

00:32:40.370 --> 00:32:40.510
Right
753
00:32:40.750 --> 00:32:41.010
... yeah.
754
00:32:41.190 --> 00:32:41.650
Do you think
755
00:32:42.610 --> 00:32:45.930

the new changes at the legislature this year are going to affect your business,
756
00:32:46.010 --> 00:32:49.470
like your ability to sell medical cannabis?
757
00:32:49.750 --> 00:32:50.250
Yeah, it's good.
758
00:32:50.290 --> 00:32:50.909
Things like that.
759
00:32:51.050 --> 00:32:51.730
What we have to do,
760
00:32:52.770 --> 00:32:56.210
they got to do some sort of medical thing because,
761
00:32:58.790 --> 00:33:01.010
yeah, we got to just, I don't know.
762
00:33:01.150 --> 00:33:02.970
What would you like for the industry to--
763
00:33:03.930 --> 00:33:06.850
How would you like the industry to come together in Minnesota, and what would you
764
00:33:06.950 --> 00:33:10.700

like to see at the state capital going into-
765

00:33:10.770 --> 00:33:11.970
I'd like to see more people
766
00:33:12.910 --> 00:33:14.890
start manufacturing. I'd like to see more people
767
00:33:16.310 --> 00:33:17.890
just getting the grows up and going.
768
00:33:17.950 --> 00:33:18.550
Yeah.
769
00:33:18.630 --> 00:33:20.990
And not being upset and just-

770
00:33:21.070 --> 00:33:22.370
Yeah
771
00:33:22.390 --> 00:33:25.650
... do the work because Minnesota's very good on
772
00:33:26.450 --> 00:33:29.770
letting people start their businesses as far as in the cannabis industry.
773
00:33:29.890 --> 00:33:30.590
Sure.
774
00:33:30.630 --> 00:33:33.930
And we need more grows. Oh, I'm so excited. I get calls. It is happening.
775
00:33:34.030 --> 00:33:34.470
Yep.
776
00:33:34.510 --> 00:33:38.010
And I think it's going to be better after the summer is over.
777
00:33:38.050 --> 00:33:38.779

We'll get more-
778

00:33:38.830 --> 00:33:39.370
Yeah
779
00:33:39.380 --> 00:33:41.250
... material to make more products.
780
00:33:41.290 --> 00:33:45.150
Right. Absolutely. But from a lobbying perspective, from an
781
00:33:45.210 --> 00:33:48.990
activism perspective, where do you see opportunities
782
00:33:49.110 --> 00:33:50.070
still for us to
783
00:33:51.990 --> 00:33:52.690
push more?

784
00:33:53.150 --> 00:33:57.110
I think job restrictions are really tough on felons and job restriction on
785
00:33:57.170 --> 00:34:01.020
hiring people that have a first or second-degree drug felony,
786
00:34:01.190 --> 00:34:03.850
not letting them work. I think that's absolutely ridiculous.
787
00:34:04.270 --> 00:34:07.450
So we need to work on the job restrictions and the
788
00:34:08.071 --> 00:34:09.990
letting people-- They should just do away with that.
789
00:34:10.210 --> 00:34:10.350
Yeah.
790
00:34:10.710 --> 00:34:11.690
If it's a 10 year,
791
00:34:13.210 --> 00:34:17.170
spent 10 years since you got your felony, any type of felony, let them be in
792
00:34:17.190 --> 00:34:18.270
the industry completely.
793
00:34:18.710 --> 00:34:18.870
Sure.
794
00:34:18.970 --> 00:34:20.051
All felonies too.
795
00:34:20.680 --> 00:34:20.680
Right.
796
00:34:20.710 --> 00:34:24.650
It's just stupid to not let people work or not let people own
797
00:34:24.670 --> 00:34:28.220
businesses because then they're going to just be sitting around their house and
798

00:34:28.250 --> 00:34:29.810
commit crimes, and it's bad for society.
799
00:34:29.850 --> 00:34:29.960
Right.
800
00:34:29.970 --> 00:34:30.870
Just let the people work.
801
00:34:30.910 --> 00:34:31.680
Right. Because you
802
00:34:33.011 --> 00:34:35.880
have a felony on your record and you were still able to get a license.
803
00:34:35.910 --> 00:34:37.370

It helped me. I got social equity-
804

00:34:37.470 --> 00:34:37.640
Right
805
00:34:37.640 --> 00:34:38.210
... so it was good.
806
00:34:38.410 --> 00:34:42.361
Right. I see what you mean. Yeah. Not every state allows for felons to get
807
00:34:42.390 --> 00:34:43.091

licenses and-
808

00:34:43.130 --> 00:34:46.591
You're banned. And yeah, and
809
00:34:46.689 --> 00:34:48.031
Illinois is just terrible
810
00:34:49.430 --> 00:34:53.390
how they did it. They just did only the grows, only certain
811
00:34:53.650 --> 00:34:55.710
people got the grow license in Illinois.
812
00:34:56.220 --> 00:34:57.910

Anybody can grow here.
813
00:34:57.950 --> 00:34:58.230
Yeah.
814
00:34:59.070 --> 00:35:02.790
No system is perfect, but this is what I argue, and this is another thing I'd like
815
00:35:02.800 --> 00:35:06.250
to say. The news and the press, they only like decisiveness.
816
00:35:06.590 --> 00:35:10.150
If you want to get an interview with the news, you got to be decisive.
817
00:35:10.830 --> 00:35:14.710
It's working. We have marginalized people doing it.
818
00:35:14.990 --> 00:35:17.910
The natives are growing a little weed. We need more product, yes.
819
00:35:17.990 --> 00:35:18.490
Yeah.
820
00:35:18.510 --> 00:35:22.230
But the problem isn't in testing. The problem is people aren't
821
00:35:22.270 --> 00:35:23.870
building. They need to finish their grows.
822
00:35:23.990 --> 00:35:24.020
Mm-hmm.
823
00:35:24.570 --> 00:35:27.810
Maybe extend licensing or whatever they have to do to help these folks out.
824
00:35:27.930 --> 00:35:28.040
Mm-hmm.
825
00:35:28.210 --> 00:35:31.890
But people are working hard, but we're starting
826
00:35:32.010 --> 00:35:32.970
something from the ground up.

827
00:35:33.810 --> 00:35:37.470

Right. Yeah. What you're talking about is the divisiveness in the newspaper-
828

00:35:37.550 --> 00:35:38.070
Yeah. It's not,
829
00:35:39.150 --> 00:35:39.830
they're not
830
00:35:41.350 --> 00:35:44.750
grasping the real realities. And I preach this, especially to people that have been
831
00:35:44.790 --> 00:35:48.730
impacted by bad laws in cannabis. Don't be as
832
00:35:48.770 --> 00:35:52.009
discouraged. Call me. If you went to prison, call me, I'll help you.
833
00:35:52.550 --> 00:35:55.310

No pedophiles or none of that stuff, but like-
834

00:35:55.630 --> 00:35:55.910
Mm-hmm
835
00:35:56.130 --> 00:35:58.690
... there is opportunity to get working.
836
00:35:58.730 --> 00:36:02.610
And if people that had been impacted by cannabis laws were
837
00:36:02.650 --> 00:36:06.600
not getting a fair shake, I'd be screaming to the high heavens, "This s**t is not
838
00:36:06.610 --> 00:36:06.950
working."
839
00:36:07.010 --> 00:36:07.190
Right.
840
00:36:07.390 --> 00:36:08.270
But we are.

841
00:36:08.330 --> 00:36:08.490
Right.
842
00:36:09.150 --> 00:36:12.750

The financial path to get in stores is a whole another conversation, but-
843

00:36:12.970 --> 00:36:13.150
Yeah
844
00:36:13.250 --> 00:36:14.010
... this is America.
845
00:36:14.230 --> 00:36:15.389
Sure. Right. It's capitalism.
846
00:36:15.400 --> 00:36:17.329
It's a capitalistic society. It's free trade.
847
00:36:17.510 --> 00:36:17.610
Yeah.
848
00:36:18.090 --> 00:36:19.770
And they do give out certain grants and
849
00:36:21.170 --> 00:36:21.590
I don't know.
850
00:36:21.710 --> 00:36:25.530
Talk a little bit about OCM and social equity director Jess
851
00:36:25.590 --> 00:36:25.990
Jackson.
852
00:36:26.390 --> 00:36:29.830
I think she's good. She reaches out to the community a lot, and
853
00:36:29.930 --> 00:36:32.130
I think it's amazing that
854
00:36:33.194 --> 00:36:36.754
She came from an organization called Redemption Foundation out of
855

00:36:36.794 --> 00:36:39.534
Michigan, and she was already working with Edward Rubeis.
856
00:36:39.574 --> 00:36:39.914
Okay.
857
00:36:39.974 --> 00:36:41.774
And she was the one sending them money.
858
00:36:41.834 --> 00:36:42.114
Oh, wow.
859
00:36:42.214 --> 00:36:44.274
So I found out that later. And then
860
00:36:45.214 --> 00:36:46.094
the OCM,
861
00:36:47.834 --> 00:36:50.714
they're strict, they raid and like...
862
00:36:51.414 --> 00:36:54.034
But as far as social equity, they get it.
863
00:36:54.094 --> 00:36:57.654
They get the history of it. And you know the other person who gets it?
864
00:36:57.944 --> 00:37:01.394
The consumers. The consumers love the history of marijuana and people that
865
00:37:01.434 --> 00:37:03.334
help people impacted by justice.
866
00:37:03.394 --> 00:37:03.654
Yeah.
867
00:37:03.714 --> 00:37:07.314
So all these people can avoid it, but really, if they're not
868
00:37:07.374 --> 00:37:11.154
helping those impacted by social equity, I'm taking notes.
869
00:37:11.234 --> 00:37:13.754

You know what I mean? There's a time and a place because
870
00:37:15.014 --> 00:37:18.854
material's so dry right now, but it's like this whole program got
871
00:37:18.934 --> 00:37:20.614
created off of social equity.
872
00:37:21.014 --> 00:37:21.134
Right.
873
00:37:21.554 --> 00:37:25.434
They were able to pass the marijuana laws in Minnesota
874
00:37:25.444 --> 00:37:29.314
by telling the rest of the legislators like, "Hey, we're going to repair
875
00:37:29.374 --> 00:37:32.734
some of the harms that happened in history through drug laws, and we're going to do
876
00:37:32.754 --> 00:37:36.514
this thing called social equity." So that was like a, we have a very liberal
877
00:37:36.554 --> 00:37:36.954
charged
878
00:37:38.033 --> 00:37:39.264

legislative back then when they passed-
879

00:37:39.274 --> 00:37:41.074
Right. It was the trifecta, the democratic trifecta.
880
00:37:41.114 --> 00:37:44.574
Yeah. And that's why it's like of course,
881
00:37:44.964 --> 00:37:48.884
people in the social... I don't get extra perks because
882
00:37:49.034 --> 00:37:51.374
I'm real social equity if you ask me.
883
00:37:51.734 --> 00:37:53.304
I went to prison for what?

884
00:37:53.494 --> 00:37:53.564
Right.
885
00:37:54.014 --> 00:37:56.174
Without me going to prison, there is no other category.
886
00:37:56.194 --> 00:37:57.674
Versus if I was a veteran, for example.
887
00:37:57.794 --> 00:37:59.554
No, I respect and love the veterans.
888
00:37:59.594 --> 00:38:03.094
They're more honorable people than me, so I can never hate on them as a group.
889
00:38:03.214 --> 00:38:03.334
Yeah.
890
00:38:03.654 --> 00:38:06.094

And some of them did, so I'm not on-
891

00:38:06.314 --> 00:38:06.474
Yeah
892
00:38:06.514 --> 00:38:07.254
... that at all.
893
00:38:07.314 --> 00:38:08.304
That's not what I'm trying to say. Yeah.
894
00:38:08.334 --> 00:38:09.834
But I wish I would've went to the military.
895
00:38:09.894 --> 00:38:13.474
But as far as like, I will say this, there is no
896
00:38:13.994 --> 00:38:16.654
social equity for veterans without me going to prison.
897
00:38:16.714 --> 00:38:19.644
How are you going to sell that? Unless you would've sold the category hey, and

898
00:38:19.734 --> 00:38:20.624

explained it, but-
899

00:38:20.774 --> 00:38:21.574
Right. They wind it.
900
00:38:21.734 --> 00:38:24.214
Yeah, but veterans are way more honorable than me.
901
00:38:24.274 --> 00:38:26.674
I wish I would've went to the military instead of went to prison.
902
00:38:26.744 --> 00:38:27.084
Right.
903
00:38:27.134 --> 00:38:27.854
I admire them.
904
00:38:28.694 --> 00:38:29.734
You go way back with
905
00:38:30.714 --> 00:38:31.294
Ben Lipkin.
906
00:38:31.674 --> 00:38:33.614
Yeah. Well, yeah, I knew Ben. Ben knew
907
00:38:34.654 --> 00:38:37.884
about me going to prison. Yep. He's you betcha and all them, yep.
908
00:38:37.934 --> 00:38:39.414

20 years later, you guys are both-
909

00:38:40.114 --> 00:38:40.894
Yeah, in the industry
910
00:38:40.954 --> 00:38:40.964
... doing it.
911
00:38:40.974 --> 00:38:42.234
It's very interesting, yeah.
912

00:38:42.474 --> 00:38:42.584
Yeah.
913
00:38:42.584 --> 00:38:43.854
Yeah, Ben's doing a good job.
914
00:38:44.774 --> 00:38:45.174
Yep.
915
00:38:45.234 --> 00:38:46.584

Yeah. And what do consumers say like-
916

00:38:46.614 --> 00:38:48.414
Me and Ben, I'll tell you another story about Ben.
917
00:38:48.464 --> 00:38:48.464
Yeah.
918
00:38:48.494 --> 00:38:51.874
Ben won't tell anybody, but we had a mutual friend, and this is what happened.
919
00:38:52.434 --> 00:38:56.424
Ben probably did better in school after this, but one of our
920
00:38:56.454 --> 00:38:58.434
friends got murdered over a half pound of marijuana.
921
00:38:58.494 --> 00:38:58.734
Wow.
922
00:38:58.754 --> 00:39:02.063
Heinz Moorman, rest in peace, at the Augsburg Park in
923
00:39:02.074 --> 00:39:03.914
1998.
924
00:39:03.994 --> 00:39:04.094
Wow.
925
00:39:04.264 --> 00:39:05.714
Yep, he went to Southwest High School.
926
00:39:06.654 --> 00:39:07.454

He pulled up
927
00:39:08.294 --> 00:39:10.494
to sell these guys a half pound of brick weed.
928
00:39:11.234 --> 00:39:11.854
Yeah, Ben
929
00:39:13.554 --> 00:39:14.334
knew him, so yeah.
930
00:39:14.574 --> 00:39:14.814
Uh-huh.
931
00:39:15.574 --> 00:39:17.254
Yep, they grew up in the same neighborhood.
932
00:39:17.354 --> 00:39:18.214
But anyway, Heinz
933
00:39:20.214 --> 00:39:24.034
pulled up to sell a half pound of brick weed, and the guys had their mind
934
00:39:24.074 --> 00:39:27.214
set that they were going to rob him, and he had already sold these guys weed
935
00:39:27.254 --> 00:39:29.464
before, so that's not fair. You know what I mean, right?
936
00:39:29.464 --> 00:39:29.593
Right.
937
00:39:30.074 --> 00:39:33.974
He gets there, they pull out a shotgun, he and then Heinz is like,
938
00:39:34.634 --> 00:39:37.694
they pull out the shotgun. Justin Stiles, he got life for it.
939
00:39:38.074 --> 00:39:41.444
He's like, "Yo, give me up your weed." Heinz is like, "Hell no, I ain't giving up
940
00:39:41.474 --> 00:39:45.254
my weed." Reaches for his gun, slams the trunk with the weed, and they

941
00:39:45.734 --> 00:39:47.894
blow him away. Yeah, dude's still in prison for that.
942
00:39:48.374 --> 00:39:48.654
Wow.
943
00:39:49.114 --> 00:39:51.894
That's why I do my Minnesota Canna history, right?
944
00:39:51.974 --> 00:39:53.354
Yeah. Tell me a little bit about that.
945
00:39:53.714 --> 00:39:56.114

It's very important to me-
946

00:39:56.414 --> 00:39:56.614
Yeah
947
00:39:56.874 --> 00:39:57.254
... that
948
00:39:59.374 --> 00:40:01.634
people remember the history of marijuana.
949
00:40:02.194 --> 00:40:06.014
I don't require people to act to help prisoners, but it is
950
00:40:06.054 --> 00:40:09.974
pretty messed up that we're selling the same thing, profiting,
951
00:40:10.034 --> 00:40:11.774
living the life, partying, our whole being,
952
00:40:12.614 --> 00:40:16.574
our shows, everything is marijuana, cannabis, and there's people locked
953
00:40:16.634 --> 00:40:20.584
in cells, and it's just whatever the feds decided, that person was
954
00:40:20.594 --> 00:40:21.254
going to prison.

955
00:40:22.054 --> 00:40:24.954

It's ICE. ICE has been kidnapping people-
956

00:40:24.994 --> 00:40:25.224
Mm-hmm
957
00:40:25.394 --> 00:40:27.734
... for marijuana charges. Same. That's why I
958
00:40:28.874 --> 00:40:32.434
love the super moms, I love the ICE protesters, but man, if them people in
959
00:40:32.574 --> 00:40:35.914
2004, the federal government did not do anything, they taught me a lesson.
960
00:40:36.694 --> 00:40:40.174
Stay away from them m***********s. Straight up, for real.
961
00:40:40.774 --> 00:40:41.494
But yeah, man.
962
00:40:41.614 --> 00:40:44.234
I hear what you're saying because what you're talking about is unjust laws.
963
00:40:44.574 --> 00:40:47.824
Yeah, they just come through, and then the ones they wanted, like even the protest,
964
00:40:47.884 --> 00:40:51.794
"Oh, you're indicted." Get indicted by the federal government, your whole life just
965
00:40:51.834 --> 00:40:52.574

changed. So it's like-
966

00:40:53.054 --> 00:40:53.314
Mm-hmm
967
00:40:53.934 --> 00:40:54.824
... I respect,
968
00:40:56.134 --> 00:40:59.954
when I went to federal prison in 2004, the federal agents
969

00:40:59.994 --> 00:41:03.334
weren't acting like how the ICE was acting in the streets of Minneapolis.
970
00:41:03.374 --> 00:41:06.173
They were acting with like, man, I got treated with respect. I ain't going to lie.
971
00:41:06.474 --> 00:41:07.274
I never talked to them.
972
00:41:07.334 --> 00:41:07.574
Sure.
973
00:41:07.594 --> 00:41:09.164
But it was like, "Yes, sir." They were in suits.
974
00:41:09.514 --> 00:41:13.214
Like that s**t I saw, the way they acted in our city was disgusting.
975
00:41:13.274 --> 00:41:17.174
And the people I dealt with back, and even the prison guards
976
00:41:17.254 --> 00:41:19.134
back in that time, they didn't act like these people.
977
00:41:19.224 --> 00:41:19.504
Mm-hmm.
978
00:41:20.054 --> 00:41:23.214
And they're out there. There was rogue guards, but these guys, and it's the same
979
00:41:23.274 --> 00:41:26.994
federal agency, so something about going to federal prison, you just understand the
980
00:41:27.034 --> 00:41:27.874
federal agencies.
981
00:41:28.114 --> 00:41:28.334
Sure.
982
00:41:28.734 --> 00:41:28.974

And-
983

00:41:29.934 --> 00:41:33.914

It's kind of wild to think that the DEA has been putting together
984
00:41:33.974 --> 00:41:36.734
a case for cannabis, for a reschedule.
985
00:41:36.764 --> 00:41:39.634
Bro, they don't mess around. When you get arrested, I got arrested by the DEA.
986
00:41:40.274 --> 00:41:42.974
Yeah, that they're putting on the rescheduling for it, yeah.
987
00:41:43.074 --> 00:41:43.454

Yeah, I mean-
988

00:41:43.474 --> 00:41:43.944
That's Trump
989
00:41:44.134 --> 00:41:46.014
... 20 years
990
00:41:46.894 --> 00:41:48.144
I guess it's a little more than, I
991
00:41:49.354 --> 00:41:52.944
started high school in 2004, so when you got arrested, I was a ninth
992
00:41:52.994 --> 00:41:53.654
grader.
993
00:41:53.714 --> 00:41:53.974
Yep.
994
00:41:55.674 --> 00:41:58.454
And just to think, like 22 years later, the
995
00:41:59.994 --> 00:42:01.594
federal government's finally coming around to it.
996
00:42:01.674 --> 00:42:04.694
Now, they're definitely going to want their piece of it, right?
997
00:42:04.874 --> 00:42:07.044
If it goes legal at the federal level, they're going to-

998
00:42:07.114 --> 00:42:08.034
I just hope that they
999
00:42:09.274 --> 00:42:12.594
let, like I got a guy, Jimmy Rolan's co-defendant, Kevin Hardin.
1000
00:42:12.834 --> 00:42:13.064
Mm-hmm.
1001
00:42:13.064 --> 00:42:13.234
He's
1002
00:42:14.074 --> 00:42:17.014
been in 15 years on the same case that Jimmy was on.
1003
00:42:17.054 --> 00:42:17.854

Same marijuana-
1004

00:42:17.974 --> 00:42:18.214
Wow
1005
00:42:18.254 --> 00:42:20.794
... that Jimmy sold. Kevin's in prison still. He didn't get out.
1006
00:42:21.214 --> 00:42:24.994
He has a pacemaker on the outside of his body right now, and he calls and we
1007
00:42:25.054 --> 00:42:28.934

talk to him, and it's like he's in a Buttner medical joint, but it's like-
1008

00:42:29.174 --> 00:42:29.354
Yeah
1009
00:42:29.654 --> 00:42:30.934
... man, I just hope that
1010
00:42:32.134 --> 00:42:36.114
even through doing stuff like this, like my whole media presence started
1011
00:42:36.494 --> 00:42:37.514
and is because of

1012
00:42:38.466 --> 00:42:39.326
Stories like Kevin.
1013
00:42:39.566 --> 00:42:39.706
Right.
1014
00:42:40.606 --> 00:42:44.466
You want to talk about cannabis, this guy has a pacemaker on the outside of his
1015
00:42:44.506 --> 00:42:48.466
body. He wears a jacket. They got a name for it, I forget it, but he wears a jacket
1016
00:42:48.506 --> 00:42:51.206
with the pacemaker, and if that pacemaker breaks, he'll die.
1017
00:42:52.146 --> 00:42:52.366
Wow.
1018
00:42:52.806 --> 00:42:53.866
And he's in there for marijuana.
1019
00:42:53.906 --> 00:42:53.946
Wow.
1020
00:42:54.026 --> 00:42:57.906
So I just hope that this rescheduling stuff, they hurry it
1021
00:42:57.986 --> 00:43:00.076
up because we've had a lot of people in there since the '90s.
1022
00:43:00.246 --> 00:43:01.926
It's still a problem. Absolutely.
1023
00:43:01.986 --> 00:43:05.876
There's people whose lives
1024
00:43:05.906 --> 00:43:09.046
have been turned upside down and ruined,
1025
00:43:09.886 --> 00:43:11.786
and yet we're here talking about it.
1026

00:43:11.866 --> 00:43:12.786
Yeah.
1027
00:43:13.266 --> 00:43:14.766
You're selling it. I'm trying.
1028
00:43:15.286 --> 00:43:16.286
Minnesota's good, though.
1029
00:43:16.606 --> 00:43:16.706
Yeah.
1030
00:43:17.766 --> 00:43:21.116
You get a lot of flak on Facebook when you put up
1031
00:43:21.846 --> 00:43:25.706
posts that are pro what you believe in, but you're
1032
00:43:25.746 --> 00:43:27.186
not afraid to answer them either.
1033
00:43:27.266 --> 00:43:30.006
I love Minnesota, and I love Minnesota businesses.
1034
00:43:30.286 --> 00:43:30.476
Mm-hmm.
1035
00:43:30.586 --> 00:43:34.446
I even get mad at some of these Minnesota businesses, and I try to leave them alone
1036
00:43:34.486 --> 00:43:36.926
a little bit because I'd rather fight with someone from out of
1037
00:43:37.986 --> 00:43:38.886
state. You know what I mean?
1038
00:43:38.926 --> 00:43:41.806
What are you seeing from the out-of-state market that's coming into Minnesota?
1039
00:43:42.106 --> 00:43:43.045
They're
1040
00:43:44.706 --> 00:43:45.686

not getting helped.
1041
00:43:45.886 --> 00:43:46.026
Yep.
1042
00:43:46.306 --> 00:43:47.166
I
1043
00:43:48.206 --> 00:43:49.106
don't
1044
00:43:50.546 --> 00:43:54.406
really appreciate them. I appreciate people that went to high school
1045
00:43:54.446 --> 00:43:55.846
here. That's the first thing you do.
1046
00:43:55.886 --> 00:43:58.806
I'm going to give your viewers some game, right? Ask them where they went.
1047
00:43:58.966 --> 00:44:01.366
Someone wants to do business, ask them where they went to high school, right?
1048
00:44:01.686 --> 00:44:01.926
Yeah.
1049
00:44:02.066 --> 00:44:05.706
Then maybe even do a Minnesota state court search on them if they're from here.
1050
00:44:05.926 --> 00:44:06.606
Sure.
1051
00:44:06.616 --> 00:44:08.276
And then we have a lot of
1052
00:44:10.046 --> 00:44:11.766
the Cookies thing.
1053
00:44:11.826 --> 00:44:11.996
Oh, yeah.
1054
00:44:12.026 --> 00:44:13.266
I answered that on Facebook.

1055
00:44:13.346 --> 00:44:13.476
Right.
1056
00:44:13.746 --> 00:44:17.316
Somebody has a banner on Washington Avenue of Cookies and
1057
00:44:17.346 --> 00:44:21.006
we're hearing rumors, this is all my opinion, that
1058
00:44:21.246 --> 00:44:24.526
I don't think it's ever going to open, in my opinion.
1059
00:44:24.586 --> 00:44:24.656
Yep.
1060
00:44:24.686 --> 00:44:25.326
I've stated that.
1061
00:44:25.346 --> 00:44:25.456
Yep.
1062
00:44:26.526 --> 00:44:27.246
And then I hear
1063
00:44:28.586 --> 00:44:31.646
people invest or whatever. There's all sorts of people running around
1064
00:44:32.626 --> 00:44:35.966
saying that, "I got money on that," or whatever, and this is all what I've heard.
1065
00:44:36.066 --> 00:44:36.256
Mm-hmm.
1066
00:44:36.526 --> 00:44:40.486
And my opinion, so it's like you see out-of-state things like that because
1067
00:44:40.496 --> 00:44:44.246
I don't think Cookies has anything to do with it.
1068
00:44:44.256 --> 00:44:44.256
Right.

1069
00:44:44.286 --> 00:44:45.606

But the banner is up-
1070

00:44:45.846 --> 00:44:45.966
Right
1071
00:44:46.186 --> 00:44:48.366
... on Washington, and there are rumors.
1072
00:44:48.466 --> 00:44:51.846
But that brand is so diluted from what it started as, right?
1073
00:44:52.026 --> 00:44:52.246
Yeah.
1074
00:44:52.426 --> 00:44:53.746
It's changed hands and
1075
00:44:54.706 --> 00:44:58.126
Berner only owns a little bit of it now or whatever the story is.
1076
00:44:59.346 --> 00:45:03.126
But I'm with you. I don't think the typical Minnesota
1077
00:45:03.206 --> 00:45:06.075

consumer really wants to rock with some out-of-state-
1078

00:45:06.075 --> 00:45:09.686
No, I don't think it'll work, and it's a weird place to put
1079
00:45:10.166 --> 00:45:11.186
that dispensary.
1080
00:45:11.426 --> 00:45:13.486
Sure. There's another one in Buffalo.
1081
00:45:13.966 --> 00:45:14.126
Yeah.
1082
00:45:14.986 --> 00:45:18.846
Is that going to open? Who knows? And this is all
1083

00:45:18.886 --> 00:45:19.786
just my opinion.
1084
00:45:20.046 --> 00:45:22.906

What about the medical companies that have now turned into-
1085

00:45:23.306 --> 00:45:25.266
In my opinion, I think they're scumbags.
1086
00:45:25.346 --> 00:45:28.526
I guess I've got to buy some medical weed.
1087
00:45:28.706 --> 00:45:32.575

I like the sales rep or whatever, but their business practices-
1088

00:45:32.846 --> 00:45:32.946
Yeah
1089
00:45:32.966 --> 00:45:34.326
... are not pro Minnesotan.
1090
00:45:34.526 --> 00:45:34.686
No.
1091
00:45:35.266 --> 00:45:35.786
And it's like
1092
00:45:37.086 --> 00:45:38.286
why are
1093
00:45:40.686 --> 00:45:43.166
they here? How'd the MOOD come up with this s**t?
1094
00:45:43.506 --> 00:45:47.366
They came here eight years ago, got their own special license, and then
1095
00:45:47.406 --> 00:45:50.706
they gave all their special licenses to all these people.
1096
00:45:50.766 --> 00:45:53.486
You won't get arrested for pot if you have this special license.
1097
00:45:53.526 --> 00:45:57.246

What about the poor people? That s**t was all b******t, and I'm
1098
00:45:57.266 --> 00:45:58.665
surprised Minnesota did it.
1099
00:45:58.686 --> 00:45:58.896
Mm-hmm.
1100
00:45:59.036 --> 00:46:02.426
And it's almost like we're just waking up to it now, like what the fuck's been
1101
00:46:02.446 --> 00:46:02.926
going on?
1102
00:46:02.966 --> 00:46:04.746
Mm-hmm. Because the medical program was so expensive.
1103
00:46:04.766 --> 00:46:06.786
Yeah, they're not giving back. You know what I mean?
1104
00:46:06.846 --> 00:46:10.746
You got somebody from Minnesota, they're going to go back to their community, shop
1105
00:46:10.766 --> 00:46:11.396

in their community-
1106

00:46:11.466 --> 00:46:11.476
Yeah
1107
00:46:11.476 --> 00:46:12.946
... do this and that. That's who I'm about.
1108
00:46:13.286 --> 00:46:13.646
I
1109
00:46:14.546 --> 00:46:16.046
could care less about an out-of-state person.
1110
00:46:16.086 --> 00:46:19.206
Right. Both of those licenses have changed hands since the original
1111
00:46:20.106 --> 00:46:23.586
awarding of the license, so both medical operators are owned by out-of-state

1112
00:46:23.666 --> 00:46:25.826
companies. Yeah, I hear what you're saying.
1113
00:46:26.086 --> 00:46:29.826
Yeah. And now they're going on the stock market, so they have a
1114
00:46:29.886 --> 00:46:33.626
fiduciary duty to make money off their shares, and they probably
1115
00:46:33.686 --> 00:46:35.126
already are on the stock market.
1116
00:46:35.226 --> 00:46:35.526
Mm-hmm.
1117
00:46:35.766 --> 00:46:38.806
And I think Green Thumb and Vireo.
1118
00:46:38.966 --> 00:46:39.066
Yep.
1119
00:46:39.366 --> 00:46:43.266
The bill
1120
00:46:43.346 --> 00:46:46.986
that went through was pro Minnesota.
1121
00:46:47.026 --> 00:46:50.146
They don't have a free pass here by any means.
1122
00:46:50.186 --> 00:46:52.766
The legislators are holding them accountable, and they're getting hip to their
1123
00:46:52.826 --> 00:46:53.106
s**t.
1124
00:46:53.126 --> 00:46:53.306
Yep.
1125
00:46:53.516 --> 00:46:56.846
Because now tax revenue's coming in.

1126
00:46:56.906 --> 00:46:59.926
The tribes are being supported. You have young people in the tribes getting excited
1127
00:46:59.966 --> 00:47:01.646
about cannabis. We're creating an industry.
1128
00:47:01.786 --> 00:47:02.026
Right.
1129
00:47:02.126 --> 00:47:06.106
My lawyer, rest in peace, Joe
1130
00:47:06.126 --> 00:47:09.686
Freeberg, he told me Minnesota is the least corrupt state in the nation.
1131
00:47:09.766 --> 00:47:11.296
So I do believe in the goodness of
1132
00:47:12.506 --> 00:47:15.086
everyone, the legislator and the people in power.
1133
00:47:15.246 --> 00:47:16.986

Your lawyer was Joe-
1134

00:47:16.996 --> 00:47:17.366
Joe Freeberg.
1135
00:47:17.486 --> 00:47:18.676
Yeah. Rest in peace, Joe Freeberg.
1136
00:47:18.726 --> 00:47:19.566
Yeah. That was my dog.
1137
00:47:19.626 --> 00:47:20.286
Mm-hmm.
1138
00:47:20.986 --> 00:47:21.186
Yeah.
1139
00:47:22.046 --> 00:47:23.866
But the legislators are
1140

00:47:24.666 --> 00:47:27.946
seeing tax revenue now because I'm sending in sales tax to everybody.
1141
00:47:27.966 --> 00:47:27.976
Yeah.
1142
00:47:29.226 --> 00:47:30.546

So I think that-
1143

00:47:30.606 --> 00:47:32.986

Is it tough to keep track of all the ones and zeros when it-
1144

00:47:33.106 --> 00:47:35.506
No, you've got to have everything perfect or you're screwed.
1145
00:47:35.546 --> 00:47:37.846
You do not want to get behind. You've got to keep up on metric.
1146
00:47:37.886 --> 00:47:40.486
You've got to have it in Dutchie. You've got to have it synced.
1147
00:47:40.526 --> 00:47:44.336
You've got to tag your stuff. And the OCM is
1148
00:47:44.406 --> 00:47:47.166
inspecting, and they will come in and want everything.
1149
00:47:47.206 --> 00:47:47.316
And
1150
00:47:48.606 --> 00:47:52.566
after the harshness of the stuff I've been through with cannabis laws, I would
1151
00:47:52.606 --> 00:47:54.736

rather just keep doing what I'm doing-
1152

00:47:55.466 --> 00:47:55.686
Yeah
1153
00:47:55.696 --> 00:47:56.746
... how they tell me to do it.
1154
00:47:57.326 --> 00:47:58.236

You want to try one of these?
1155
00:47:58.466 --> 00:48:01.686
Yeah, man. Let's go. What is it?
1156
00:48:01.886 --> 00:48:03.106
This is the Green Standard.
1157
00:48:03.326 --> 00:48:03.966
Hell yeah.
1158
00:48:08.646 --> 00:48:09.406
Oh, it's awesome.
1159
00:48:10.546 --> 00:48:11.146
It's good, right?
1160
00:48:11.326 --> 00:48:14.066
Mm-hmm. Not a lot of sugar. I like it.
1161
00:48:14.966 --> 00:48:17.486
That's right. Only six added grams,
1162
00:48:18.566 --> 00:48:20.406
or six grams plus seven added grams.
1163
00:48:22.886 --> 00:48:25.426
Hell yeah. Who's distributing these for you?
1164
00:48:26.466 --> 00:48:26.886
GRD.
1165
00:48:27.846 --> 00:48:28.846
Comes out of Earl Giles.
1166
00:48:29.286 --> 00:48:29.806
Oh, awesome.
1167
00:48:29.866 --> 00:48:32.646
And then the company that distributes Lunar.
1168
00:48:33.306 --> 00:48:35.566
That's another thing Minnesota's famous for is our drinks.

1169
00:48:35.846 --> 00:48:36.126
Yeah.
1170
00:48:37.726 --> 00:48:38.946

We really pioneered-
1171

00:48:39.026 --> 00:48:40.226
You tapped in early with that.
1172
00:48:41.026 --> 00:48:43.046

Yeah. The drink market is-
1173

00:48:44.462 --> 00:48:45.382
It's a tough business.
1174
00:48:45.502 --> 00:48:46.262
It is. It's heavy.
1175
00:48:46.282 --> 00:48:46.682
For sure.
1176
00:48:46.942 --> 00:48:47.122
Yeah.
1177
00:48:47.342 --> 00:48:50.922
It's heavy. We'll do some
1178
00:48:51.442 --> 00:48:55.002
Freedom Soda. So one of the main people that I work with is Redux
1179
00:48:55.012 --> 00:48:57.072

Cannabis, and I know they're going to be bottling-
1180

00:48:57.962 --> 00:48:58.532
I'm excited for that
1181
00:48:58.532 --> 00:48:58.842
... high dose.
1182
00:48:59.182 --> 00:49:00.162
Yeah.

1183
00:49:00.192 --> 00:49:00.982

Yeah. Yep, over there in-
1184

00:49:01.022 --> 00:49:04.022
What can we expect from Redux Cannabis?
1185
00:49:04.302 --> 00:49:05.522
A lot of great products.
1186
00:49:05.782 --> 00:49:06.082
Mm-hmm.
1187
00:49:06.602 --> 00:49:10.442
Great guys that care about social equity, help me.
1188
00:49:10.682 --> 00:49:12.802
The proof is in the pudding with me and my story.
1189
00:49:13.982 --> 00:49:15.042
I don't even care
1190
00:49:16.122 --> 00:49:18.842
how people treat me. I kind of look at myself in third person.
1191
00:49:18.902 --> 00:49:22.792
If you don't appreciate me, that's fine because I
1192
00:49:22.802 --> 00:49:26.682
know who I am and some people appreciate what I've been through, you know what I
1193
00:49:26.722 --> 00:49:30.062

mean, for the plant. I got sued last year by some clowns-
1194

00:49:30.122 --> 00:49:30.202
Okay
1195
00:49:30.212 --> 00:49:32.722
... you know what I mean, for speaking out the s**t I say.
1196
00:49:32.762 --> 00:49:36.522
It's not free, the stuff I do. And I do it, I really do care about these
1197

00:49:36.562 --> 00:49:40.302
people. I care about more the industry than the prisoners.
1198
00:49:40.342 --> 00:49:41.202

You know what I mean? The people-
1199

00:49:41.442 --> 00:49:41.602
Yeah
1200
00:49:42.022 --> 00:49:44.442
... we have to stay on track of the mission of actually
1201
00:49:44.542 --> 00:49:48.242
having cannabis be different. I got somebody
1202
00:49:48.282 --> 00:49:50.062
working in my store in a wheelchair.
1203
00:49:50.122 --> 00:49:54.082
You have to be conscious of who you hire, how you
1204
00:49:54.122 --> 00:49:58.022
do it, and donating money is also very important if you're making
1205
00:49:58.062 --> 00:49:58.802
money off cannabis.
1206
00:49:58.862 --> 00:49:59.982
Right. We're giving back.
1207
00:50:00.382 --> 00:50:01.142
Hell yeah.
1208
00:50:01.182 --> 00:50:01.382
Right.
1209
00:50:02.342 --> 00:50:06.062
You've taken issue with organizations
1210
00:50:06.162 --> 00:50:07.262

that are-
1211

00:50:08.022 --> 00:50:11.342

Oh, complete scumbags. Yeah. A lot of the nonprofits
1212
00:50:12.122 --> 00:50:16.092
I've come to learn because I'd be excited. I'm not going to start naming names.
1213
00:50:16.102 --> 00:50:17.162
I don't want to get sued again.
1214
00:50:17.262 --> 00:50:17.622
Mm-hmm.
1215
00:50:17.942 --> 00:50:18.172
But
1216
00:50:20.182 --> 00:50:22.282
they're not intentioned.
1217
00:50:23.142 --> 00:50:26.322
It's a business to make money, and I'm in this to help people.
1218
00:50:26.642 --> 00:50:26.772
Yeah.
1219
00:50:26.772 --> 00:50:27.982
And I make money selling weed.
1220
00:50:28.082 --> 00:50:28.192
Right.
1221
00:50:28.242 --> 00:50:31.512
So the national leaders on that s**t, I don't
1222
00:50:31.842 --> 00:50:33.532
understand it. And then I go off
1223
00:50:34.562 --> 00:50:38.322
because my story is I was a first-time felon. I did eight years.
1224
00:50:38.422 --> 00:50:42.122
I was told by all the nonprofits, "Oh, you don't belong
1225
00:50:42.202 --> 00:50:45.242
here. We don't want you speaking. We want the accountant speaking.

1226
00:50:45.302 --> 00:50:48.542
We want this lady that owns a business speaking," or, "We want this guy." I said,
1227
00:50:48.572 --> 00:50:49.232
"Nah, man. This
1228
00:50:50.222 --> 00:50:54.102
issue is about the prisoners." Now that's why my main thing with Jimmy Romans and
1229
00:50:54.142 --> 00:50:57.542
why I like SSDP a lot is they let the
1230
00:50:57.962 --> 00:51:01.872
prisoner's voice be heard. And that was one thing that Social Equity
1231
00:51:02.002 --> 00:51:05.682
did. It emboldened me to let people who've actually been
1232
00:51:05.702 --> 00:51:06.582
impacted by this
1233
00:51:07.562 --> 00:51:10.962
be heard at these events. And even last weekend, it was
1234
00:51:11.002 --> 00:51:14.922
great. It was my first event at Opposing Views with the Libertarian
1235
00:51:15.102 --> 00:51:16.042
Republican type deal.
1236
00:51:17.062 --> 00:51:18.822
And I had Jimmy Romans, who's received life.
1237
00:51:19.462 --> 00:51:23.402
They be like, "Oh, we don't like weed." And then I'd be like, "Well, I make money
1238
00:51:23.482 --> 00:51:26.582
off it, sir, and I send in taxes." They're like, "Oh, that's good." And then Jimmy
1239
00:51:26.662 --> 00:51:28.522
Roman would be like, "Trump let me out.

1240
00:51:28.582 --> 00:51:31.442
I had a life sentence for weed." They'd be like, "Oh, maybe weed's not that bad."
1241
00:51:31.822 --> 00:51:35.262
And then Rand Paul showed up, and we talked to him.
1242
00:51:35.342 --> 00:51:36.862

Jimmy told him the story, so it's like-
1243

00:51:36.962 --> 00:51:37.222
Yeah
1244
00:51:37.822 --> 00:51:38.542
... yeah, man.
1245
00:51:38.862 --> 00:51:40.742
Rand Paul, he's fighting for the hemp bill as well.
1246
00:51:40.802 --> 00:51:41.172

He's fighting for-
1247

00:51:41.262 --> 00:51:45.142
Rand Paul, yeah. He said that they decimated his hemp bill. He's mad about it.
1248
00:51:45.262 --> 00:51:45.422
Yeah.
1249
00:51:45.482 --> 00:51:47.462
He told us to keep fighting for the prisoners.
1250
00:51:47.522 --> 00:51:50.882
He said basically it's not as bad as it used to be, and he
1251
00:51:50.942 --> 00:51:52.522
appreciated us. I shook his hand.
1252
00:51:52.822 --> 00:51:53.722
Saw that. Yeah.
1253
00:51:53.762 --> 00:51:54.162
Yep.
1254

00:51:54.582 --> 00:51:58.242
I'm really glad you're out there. If I think about everybody that I've
1255
00:51:58.302 --> 00:52:00.002
met through Minnesota Cannabis,
1256
00:52:00.802 --> 00:52:00.982
you're
1257
00:52:02.282 --> 00:52:05.962
the number one guy who's out there beyond Minnesota,
1258
00:52:06.322 --> 00:52:06.542
not
1259
00:52:07.422 --> 00:52:08.142
just talking about
1260
00:52:09.502 --> 00:52:11.782
cannabis and business and product.
1261
00:52:11.822 --> 00:52:15.152
You're talking about something deeper than that, foundational.
1262
00:52:15.182 --> 00:52:15.722
The history.
1263
00:52:15.982 --> 00:52:16.662
The history.
1264
00:52:16.702 --> 00:52:19.262
The history of how we got to where we are in 2026.
1265
00:52:19.302 --> 00:52:22.222
How did we get to this $50, $70 billion industry?
1266
00:52:22.242 --> 00:52:22.502

It's like-
1267

00:52:22.602 --> 00:52:22.762
Mm-hmm
1268
00:52:24.062 --> 00:52:27.962

... it's a weird history. It's a history like mine and
1269
00:52:28.002 --> 00:52:29.862
Ben's friend that got murdered. You know what I mean?
1270
00:52:29.922 --> 00:52:31.682
It's like these things happened.
1271
00:52:31.742 --> 00:52:32.522
Right.
1272
00:52:32.782 --> 00:52:34.892
I went to prison for eight years for this.
1273
00:52:35.042 --> 00:52:37.862
I sell more weed now than I went to prison for.
1274
00:52:38.022 --> 00:52:39.042
Yeah. Wow.
1275
00:52:39.342 --> 00:52:39.882
And the country.
1276
00:52:40.282 --> 00:52:40.702
Right.
1277
00:52:40.782 --> 00:52:40.982
And I
1278
00:52:41.782 --> 00:52:45.381
don't have any chip on my shoulder, I guess, towards society.
1279
00:52:45.442 --> 00:52:48.842

I'm grateful that rules changed, but I definitely want to-
1280

00:52:49.322 --> 00:52:49.702
Mm-hmm
1281
00:52:50.142 --> 00:52:53.542
... keep helping people that were impacted like me, keep with the spirit of social
1282
00:52:53.622 --> 00:52:57.442
equity. And I encourage people just to even

1283
00:52:57.602 --> 00:53:00.842
Google, I always tell people Google marijuana indictment,
1284
00:53:01.242 --> 00:53:05.142
cannabis indictment. Go get the name, go on bop.gov and send these guys a
1285
00:53:05.182 --> 00:53:05.742
couple bucks.
1286
00:53:05.821 --> 00:53:09.662
Sure. And then when you go into your store, you can see some of the
1287
00:53:09.762 --> 00:53:13.632
history of the Marijuana Tax Act and the folks that were
1288
00:53:13.662 --> 00:53:17.542
first criminalized for the plant in the '20s and '30s of the
1289
00:53:17.552 --> 00:53:18.642

1900s and like-
1290

00:53:18.762 --> 00:53:20.002
Yep
1291
00:53:20.012 --> 00:53:23.682
... I definitely recommend people link up with you, reach out to you, visit your
1292
00:53:23.742 --> 00:53:25.372
store, purchase the products from the store.
1293
00:53:25.812 --> 00:53:28.522
And I know that as more supply becomes available, you're going to
1294
00:53:29.622 --> 00:53:32.832

keep it 100 on pricing and provide a fair price for these-
1295

00:53:32.942 --> 00:53:36.902
I'm a smoker, too. Every day I wake up, break up
1296
00:53:36.942 --> 00:53:40.702
some weed, grab some rosin, put it in my weed, and

1297
00:53:40.782 --> 00:53:43.662
start smoking joints. I used to smoke blunts.
1298
00:53:43.722 --> 00:53:44.322
Yeah.
1299
00:53:45.422 --> 00:53:45.642
But,
1300
00:53:46.542 --> 00:53:50.182

so really understanding the plant and loving the plant-
1301

00:53:50.322 --> 00:53:50.482
Mm-hmm
1302
00:53:50.842 --> 00:53:53.752
... is pretty helpful. And I understand the people that come in,
1303
00:53:54.982 --> 00:53:57.382
and they need to get high, man. Life's tough.
1304
00:53:57.442 --> 00:53:57.682
Right.
1305
00:53:58.542 --> 00:54:00.662
These are getting me buzzed up, man. I like it.
1306
00:54:00.842 --> 00:54:02.642
You got CBG in there. You know what I'm saying?
1307
00:54:03.022 --> 00:54:03.482
I like it.
1308
00:54:03.782 --> 00:54:04.022
Yeah.
1309
00:54:05.022 --> 00:54:08.542
We appreciate your support. This whole interview came about after
1310
00:54:09.162 --> 00:54:12.002
Lucky Leaf or NECANN. I think it was NECANN this year, so.
1311

00:54:12.082 --> 00:54:13.862
Yeah, NECANN was great. I liked that event.
1312
00:54:14.202 --> 00:54:17.672
I brought the cutouts of the inmates serving life sentences,
1313
00:54:18.182 --> 00:54:21.702
and I can't stress enough those inmates calling me
1314
00:54:22.222 --> 00:54:23.682
saying, "Man, Travis, we love you.
1315
00:54:23.722 --> 00:54:25.942
We support you." That's kind of who I look up to.
1316
00:54:26.022 --> 00:54:26.642
I feel like
1317
00:54:27.582 --> 00:54:30.322
you bring up Berner, yeah, I like Berner. I like his music.
1318
00:54:30.452 --> 00:54:30.452
Mm-hmm.
1319
00:54:30.682 --> 00:54:33.632

He's good. But my heroes in this industry-
1320

00:54:33.722 --> 00:54:33.822
Yeah
1321
00:54:33.832 --> 00:54:35.182
... are different. My heroes are the
1322
00:54:36.522 --> 00:54:38.842

people that got some fire-ass weed or like-
1323

00:54:39.002 --> 00:54:39.242
Sure
1324
00:54:39.522 --> 00:54:42.841
... you know what I mean? Or the people that did a life sentence like Randy Lanier
1325
00:54:42.902 --> 00:54:46.862

or Jimmy Romans for weed, got out, still love marijuana.
1326
00:54:47.342 --> 00:54:48.302

Yeah. Do you-
1327

00:54:49.574 --> 00:54:53.374
Who do you connect with and who do you bounce ideas off of
1328
00:54:53.434 --> 00:54:57.314
locally here? Are there any guys you look up to or people you look up to in
1329
00:54:57.354 --> 00:54:59.414
Minnesota that you rock with?
1330
00:55:01.194 --> 00:55:05.114

Yeah, for sure. I can't give all the details-
1331

00:55:05.174 --> 00:55:05.304
Sure
1332
00:55:05.474 --> 00:55:08.254
... of the inner circle. A lot of people have been supportive,
1333
00:55:09.494 --> 00:55:13.174
and I would like more people to support, for sure, because I
1334
00:55:13.234 --> 00:55:16.754
support the prisoners. I would like to see more people say, "Hey, I
1335
00:55:16.874 --> 00:55:20.734
donate to veterans that are wounded fighting for their country," or, "I donate
1336
00:55:20.834 --> 00:55:21.204
to a
1337
00:55:23.514 --> 00:55:27.294
women's shelter." I want to see more of that. That is what's cool to me.
1338
00:55:27.554 --> 00:55:27.674
Yeah.
1339
00:55:27.794 --> 00:55:29.114
That's what I respect.

1340
00:55:29.174 --> 00:55:29.794
To give back.
1341
00:55:30.234 --> 00:55:33.814
Yeah, doing something for people that can't do nothing for themselves, that need
1342
00:55:33.854 --> 00:55:34.134
help.
1343
00:55:34.794 --> 00:55:34.934
Yeah.
1344
00:55:36.314 --> 00:55:37.554
We want to be better at that, too.
1345
00:55:38.134 --> 00:55:40.354
Yeah. And really doing it and really
1346
00:55:40.494 --> 00:55:43.874
just doing some stuff with the
1347
00:55:43.894 --> 00:55:47.794
money. And then advertise, showing the community, like, "Yo,
1348
00:55:47.834 --> 00:55:50.674
this is what..." Be proud of it. Be consistent with it.
1349
00:55:51.014 --> 00:55:53.874
And I like that stuff. I
1350
00:55:53.914 --> 00:55:57.113
like really good weed, too, though.
1351
00:55:57.634 --> 00:55:57.754
Yeah.
1352
00:55:58.514 --> 00:56:00.084

You know what I mean? Straight up. But-
1353

00:56:00.254 --> 00:56:02.994
If people want to tap in with you, what's the best way to get ahold of you?

1354
00:56:03.594 --> 00:56:07.154
Man, I'm always available. 612-222-0471.
1355
00:56:07.234 --> 00:56:11.174
I'm available for the community. If you're a lame, I might tell you're a lame.
1356
00:56:11.214 --> 00:56:11.734
I'm sorry.
1357
00:56:11.934 --> 00:56:12.354
Not afraid.
1358
00:56:12.394 --> 00:56:13.874
You know what I mean? I did a lot of time.
1359
00:56:15.874 --> 00:56:19.614
Straight up, I'm doing the best I can out here. They said social equity.
1360
00:56:19.654 --> 00:56:20.354
I didn't say it.
1361
00:56:20.474 --> 00:56:20.674
Right.
1362
00:56:20.834 --> 00:56:22.594
If they didn't say social equity and,
1363
00:56:23.414 --> 00:56:25.294
man, we're going to keep winning on
1364
00:56:26.734 --> 00:56:29.994

Democrat liberal valleys. That's not going anywhere in Minnesota, so-
1365

00:56:30.034 --> 00:56:30.434
Right
1366
00:56:30.914 --> 00:56:31.764
... I really do
1367
00:56:33.974 --> 00:56:37.794
live a clean life and try to represent the prisoners in a good
1368

00:56:37.854 --> 00:56:41.794
way. But I just don't like it when people don't
1369
00:56:41.854 --> 00:56:45.714
have no appreciation for the people serving life sentences, or they say
1370
00:56:45.794 --> 00:56:48.284

s**t like, "Oh, they knew what they were doing," or-
1371

00:56:48.734 --> 00:56:48.764
Right
1372
00:56:48.774 --> 00:56:50.374
... well, yeah, but they got life, bro.
1373
00:56:50.434 --> 00:56:52.914
They're going to fricking die in there, and they didn't hurt anybody.
1374
00:56:52.924 --> 00:56:52.924
Right.
1375
00:56:52.954 --> 00:56:55.684
So it's like, and the community in this
1376
00:56:55.954 --> 00:56:58.734
industry does have a
1377
00:57:00.554 --> 00:57:03.974
obligation to the people serving life sentences and the people that are going to
1378
00:57:04.014 --> 00:57:05.384
die there for the same thing we're
1379
00:57:06.514 --> 00:57:10.423
consuming. And I believe that wholeheartedly, that if all these
1380
00:57:10.434 --> 00:57:14.054
dispensary owners got together and started screaming, "Yo,
1381
00:57:14.334 --> 00:57:15.094
it's not right."
1382
00:57:15.454 --> 00:57:15.574

Yeah.
1383
00:57:15.594 --> 00:57:19.234
But that's the problem, and they told me this at the Libertarian event, some guy.
1384
00:57:19.674 --> 00:57:22.774
You got to frame it about money for people to care.
1385
00:57:23.034 --> 00:57:23.234
Sure.
1386
00:57:23.314 --> 00:57:25.454
And that's why I do perfect metric.
1387
00:57:25.494 --> 00:57:26.554

That's why I do s**t right-
1388

00:57:26.794 --> 00:57:26.894
Yeah
1389
00:57:26.994 --> 00:57:28.874
... because I have to make money now, I realize.
1390
00:57:29.174 --> 00:57:31.174
Screaming on the sidelines is not going to help anybody.
1391
00:57:31.254 --> 00:57:33.034
Right, you got to play the game. I see.
1392
00:57:33.094 --> 00:57:33.394
Yeah.
1393
00:57:33.534 --> 00:57:36.894
Yeah. Yeah, I see. Well, we'd love to have you back, man.
1394
00:57:37.014 --> 00:57:38.154
We appreciate your support.
1395
00:57:38.554 --> 00:57:39.674
Hell yeah. Go marijuana.
1396
00:57:39.854 --> 00:57:40.654
Go marijuana.

1397
00:57:40.734 --> 00:57:41.594
Blaze it up.
1398
00:57:41.634 --> 00:57:45.594
Blaze it up. Hopkins Dispensary, right off County Road Seven, right
1399
00:57:45.634 --> 00:57:45.894

next to-
1400

00:57:45.954 --> 00:57:46.614
Highway Seven.
1401
00:57:46.684 --> 00:57:46.684
Highway Seven.
1402
00:57:46.854 --> 00:57:49.034
County Road, they say that if they're not from there.
1403
00:57:49.294 --> 00:57:49.614
That's right.
1404
00:57:49.654 --> 00:57:51.794
But Highway Seven and Hopkins Crossroads.
1405
00:57:52.054 --> 00:57:53.414
Hwy Seven.
1406
00:57:54.814 --> 00:57:55.054
All right.
1407
00:57:55.834 --> 00:57:58.124
Travis Cullen, thank you for being on "The Cannaconnects" show.
1408
00:57:58.174 --> 00:57:58.814
All right, man. Awesome. Good job.
1409
00:57:58.974 --> 00:57:59.474
Appreciate it.