2022 Wrapped: The Most Popular Episodes of the Year

Ellen Scanlon (00:00):

This podcast discusses cannabis and is intended for audiences 21 and over.

Cynthia Lessard (00:06):

How to Do the Pot. This is my go-to podcast to learn more about cannabis. It’s just great to hear from so many women how they’ve used cannabis to effectively improve their lives naturally. I think Ellen and her team are just so knowledgeable and it is great to learn more about it from a person who just really knows.

Ellen Scanlon (00:29):

Welcome to How To Do The Pot, a podcast helping you feel confident about cannabis for health, wellbeing, and for fun. I’m Ellen Scanlon.

(00:42):

You just heard some very kind words from New York based SEO strategist Cynthia Lessard, and hearing nice listener feedback has been a great source of joy for me. Thanks so much to all of you for your support in helping us grow. Whether you told a friend about the show, reposted a new episode on social media, signed up for our newsletter or just listened consistently, thank you.

(01:09):

As we all embark on a new year, I want to take a moment to reflect on some of the inspiring voices that we’ve heard over the past 12 months. So many amazing women very generously shared their stories with us last year. So before we dive into 2023, let’s revisit some of our most captivating and popular episodes of 2022.

(01:39):

When I started the podcast, it was because I was learning so much about cannabis that I knew would help other women. I wanted to make it discreet, easy and fun to learn about this amazing plant, because even in 2023, where three out of four women live in a state with legal cannabis, there is still stigma and a complicated history around people who consume it. Cannabis has transformed my life from bringing relief to symptoms of endometriosis, to lowering stress, to helping me sleep better, and I share all these tips with my friends and I hope that all our episodes help you feel more confident whenever you’re ready to bring cannabis into your life for health, for wellbeing, or for fun.

(02:27):

Now, let’s start with the topic I’m asked about most, sleep. It kind of feels like everyone I talk to has issues with sleep, whether it’s falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up feeling rested. This snippet is from the first episode of our series, episode 131, which is called Sleep 101: Why Better Sleep Starts With Cannabis? You’ll hear from New York based Dr. June Chin, who is one of our favorite physicians and an expert in cannabis.

Dr. June Chin (02:56):

CBD, interestingly enough, reduces the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, but it doesn’t disrupt REM sleep. So combining both THC and CBD in the right dosage and ratio can be very effective in helping chronic sleep sufferers.

Ellen Scanlon (03:12):

If you have more questions on sleep, head to our Sleep 101 series.

(03:17):

Next are a group of very moving stories. I feel lucky to have had them shared with me. The first episode is 146, called Treating Crohn’s Disease with Cannabis, and we hear from California based Timeka Drew, the founder of cannabis brand Biko Flower, who for years dealt with debilitating symptoms associated with Crohn’s disease.

Timeka Drew (03:39):

Even the strongest cannabis was never as strong as my pain pills, or as my pills that I was being given for depression, or my pills that I was being given to help with my insomnia or my headaches, and putting those pills together, which I was totally prescribed to do was just… I was definitely experiencing using drugs on a level that I never could if I was using just the very strongest of all the cannabis products that are out in the world right now. So that also helped to make it just easier for me to buy into cannabis once I found out like, “Whoa, I’m getting higher than I could ever get from cannabis off of these pills right now.”

Ellen Scanlon (04:25):

The improvements in Timeka’s health since her initial diagnosis are remarkable and her story is a must-listen for anyone who’s been thinking about talking to their doctor about cannabis as a treatment option.

(04:44):

Next we hear from California based Christine De La Rosa, founder of The People’s Ecosystem, who was at the end of her rope dealing with the autoimmune disease lupus before she found cannabis. This is episode 147, called 90% of Lupus Patients are Women and Finding Relief with Cannabis. In addition to hearing Christine’s really incredible story, I share tips like how to navigate finding a doctor who is open to cannabis as medicine.

Christine De La Rosa (05:12):

The first and foremost thing for any woman is to understand that the doctors work for you. We are constantly, as women, being told that our instincts, how our bodies are feeling is not really what’s going on, and we’re told that a lot of times by doctors. And what I’ve really learned in this process for myself… and I used to be that person, like if my doctor said, “You need to put these fentanyl patches on,” I was like, “All right, let me put these fentanyl patches on even though I can’t function,” because a doctor said it.

Ellen Scanlon (05:45):

I hear stories like Christine’s all the time, and it’s a great reminder of how important it is to speak up and advocate for ourselves, particularly when it comes to health. I hope hearing how other women navigated this tricky situation helps you feel more confident about talking with your doctor about cannabis as an alternative or a supplement or a support to traditional medicine.

(06:14):

A lot of people think they have to know a lot about cannabis before going to a dispensary for the first time. The visit will be easier if you have cash and you must bring your government issued ID, but these days it’s pretty similar to other shopping experiences. If you’ve listened to any episodes of our series The First Time I Bought Legal Weed, you’ll hear women from all over the country reflect on their first time experience so that you can get a clear idea of what to expect. Listening to this support system of women who’ve been in your shoes really will help you have a smooth and fun first visit whenever you’re ready.

(06:55):

In episode 130, California based Felicia Carbajal, a community organizer and star of the documentary Lady Buds, bought cannabis legally for the first time after getting off parole. Felicia’s story is powerful for a lot of reasons, including learning how cannabis helped her wean herself off of prescription medications for anxiety.

Felicia Carbajal (07:17):

The first time that I legally purchased any cannabis as a medical patient was in 2008. I had been off of parole for a couple of years and not afraid of exercising one of my rights as a patient. I remember going into a San Fernando Valley store that still currently exists and told them that I have PTSD and horrible anxiety, and while I figured out what to use for pain that I had, I really wanted to be able to get off a Valium and Xanax. And so they showed me an array of options and I remember thinking, “Oh my God, I’m going to spray some weed under my tongue and it’s going to help my anxiety go away.” And lo and behold, my go-to get off of Valium and Xanax was utilizing a 24 to one ratio. I have been Valium and Xanax free since about 2008.

Ellen Scanlon (08:30):

In The First Time I Bought Legal Weed series, we hear stories like Felicia that remind us of the life-changing effects of weed, and there are also tons of first time stories that are just simply fun. This was the case for Louisiana based Helen Lewis, the marketing coordinator at Crescent Canna, who makes one of my favorite CBD topicals, the freeze roll on, and they’re offering 25% off to our listeners with the promo code Do the Pot. I’ll link to it in the show notes. In episode 149, Helen tells us about going straight from the airport in Boston, Massachusetts to a dispensary to get some goodies for her summer vacation.

Helen Lewis (09:11):

Unfortunately, it was like July 4th weekend, so they were sold out of most things that I wanted, but the budtender said they did have an indica strain. I’m not normally an indica girl, but she highly recommended it. So I got it and it was Cornbread, and I swear to God, I still think about this strain. I’m not a strain snob, but Cornbread rocked my world. It was soothing, amazing, perfect for the beach town I was at for the next couple weeks. Really incredible.

Ellen Scanlon (09:45):

I can’t wait to share more first time stories with you this year, and we would love to hear about buying legal weed in some of the newer states, like are you in Arizona, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York? I really am dying to hear all about it, so please send us your story.

(10:05):

Next up is everyone’s favorite topic, sex, and we cover five questions about sex in episode 123 called Cannabis for Better Sex. You’re about to hear from California based Sandra Guynes, also known as the Kush Nurse.

Sandra Guynes (10:21):

If I were to describe myself prior to cannabis, I would say I had a head with a body attached, but I didn’t really care what was happening down in this body. I was like, “Yeah, whatever.” And cannabis made me more aware and it made me more connected to my body and I started feeling things I hadn’t felt before and enjoying sex in a different way because I was much more aroused and aware and open and present.

Ellen Scanlon (10:47):

If you liked this teaser, just wait until you hear the whole episode, and if you want to learn more about cannabis and sex, I’m excited to share that in 2023, we are coming out with another series about sex with new experts and many more tips about bringing cannabis into the bedroom for more pleasure, fun, and a spicier sex life.

(11:11):

The last episode I’ll feature today asks a classic question, What is Good Weed? In episode 154, I talk to women we really trust in the cannabis industry to help us answer it. Here’s the Washington State-based founder of the Organic Cannabis Farm, Raven, Nicole Graf.

Nichole Graf (11:30):

By and large, something we’ve found that feels very earth medicine, holistically minded, is if your body reacts strongly with attraction when you smell a joint opening a jar, that’s usually a good sign that there’s something in that substance that is jiving with your body chemistry, and you should try it and see what happens. If it makes you feel good, it’s good weed. If it is something you find yourself coming back to or missing the experience of and wanting to recreate that, that’s good weed for you.

Ellen Scanlon (12:02):

If you want more tips to figure out what good weed is for you, definitely check out this episode. And what were your favorite episodes of 2022? Let us know. We love to hear from you.

(12:17):

Thank you for listening to How to Do The Pot. For lots more information and past episodes, visit dothepot.com. And are you one of the thousands of women who love our newsletter, which comes out twice a month? If not, please sign up at dothepot.com. And if you like How to Do the Pot, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts because it really helps more people find the show. Thank you to our copywriter, Kate Friedman, and our producers, Madi Fair and Nick Patri. I’m Ellen Scanlon, and stay tuned for more of How to Do the Pot.