Videos

In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk sits down with cannabis research scientist Ben Cleary to unpack groundbreaking research published in Scientific Reports examining THC variability in cannabis flower and what it means for consumers, cultivators, laboratories, and regulators. If you've ever wondered why the same strain…

As cannabis moves toward Schedule III, another question is emerging... Who will control cannabis genetics? In this episode, I explore how patents could shape the future of cannabis breeding, innovation, and access. Watch the full BIOACTIVE PODCAST episode wherever you get your podcasts. #CannabisScience #CannabisPolicy #CannabisGenetics #BioactivePodcast

What if one sentence in a bill changed the future of cannabis? In this episode, I explain why protecting cannabis seeds deserves just as much attention as the conversations around hemp drinks and gummies. Watch the full BIOACTIVE PODCAST episode wherever you get your podcasts. #CannabisPolicy #CannabisSeeds #HempIndustry #BioactivePodcast

The future of hemp could depend on decisions being made right now. In this episode, I explain why proposed seed restrictions could affect small businesses, innovation, and the U.S.'s position in the global hemp industry. Watch the full BIOACTIVE PODCAST episode to learn what's at stake. #CannabisPolicy #HempIndustry #CannabisNews #BioactivePodcast

What happens when governments start regulating cannabis genetics? In this episode, I explore why many believe cannabis seeds should be treated like other agricultural seeds, and how Minnesota has already created a practical model. Watch the full BIOACTIVE PODCAST episode to learn more. #CannabisPolicy #CannabisSeeds #MedicalCannabis #BioactivePodcast

Was this cannabis policy intentional... or just a mistake? In this episode, I explore how certain cannabis regulations can end up in legislation without strong support from the very people connected to them. Sometimes the hardest part isn't fighting opposition, it's getting Congress to revisit an issue once it's already…

Medical cannabis is becoming less restricted... but the seeds used to grow it could become more restricted. In this episode, I explain why that contradiction matters and how it could affect patients, growers, and the hemp industry. Watch the full BIOACTIVE PODCAST episode wherever you get your podcasts. #CannabisNews #CannabisPolicy…

Cannabis seed laws are changing, and the consequences could reshape home grow, hemp, cannabis breeding, and the future of plant genetics in the United States. In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk sits down with longtime organic farmer, seed breeder, and policy advocate Jim Riddle to explain…

Every time a mother plant experiences stress, disease, or environmental damage, it carries that history forward. Over time, the plant loses vigor—and every clone taken from it inherits that decline. That's one of the biggest reasons tissue culture has become such a powerful tool in modern cultivation. The latest episode…

Imagine spending years developing the perfect cannabis cultivar... only for the mother plant to become diseased. Is everything lost? Not necessarily. In the latest Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Nathan Johnson explains how tissue culture allows growers to rescue valuable genetics by isolating healthy stem cells and rebuilding the plant from scratch—even…

Killing mold isn't always the same as removing the problem. In the latest Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk and Dr. Nathan Johnson unpack one of the cannabis industry's biggest debates: remediation. If harmful microbes are eliminated, what happens to the toxins they may have already produced? And can remediation truly…

One of the biggest myths in cannabis? That the highest THC percentage automatically means the best experience. The reality is far more nuanced. In the latest Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Nathan Johnson explains why THC percentage is a poor measure of quality, how it can create the wrong incentives across the…

Ever wondered how scientists can grow an entire cannabis plant from just a tiny piece of tissue? It all starts with stem cells, carefully controlled nutrients, and the right signals to tell the plant when to grow shoots, roots, and stems. It's one of the most fascinating — and misunderstood…

Cannabis tissue culture, plant genetics, micropropagation, and pathogen testing are transforming modern cultivation. In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk is joined by Dr. Nathan Johnson, President & CEO of Verne Bio, for a fascinating deep dive into one of the most powerful—and misunderstood—tools in cannabis cultivation.…

How do you know the "Blue Dream" you're buying today is the same Blue Dream you bought last month? The truth is, in cannabis, strain names don't always tell the full story. In the latest episode of Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Anna Schwabe (@anna.the.cannabis.geneticist) explains how genetic verification could change everything…

We usually think of cannabis (and similar products) as something to “analyze” — THC percentages, terpene charts, lab breakdowns. But what if your most accurate data source isn’t on paper at all… it’s your sense of smell? In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast with @anna.the.cannabis.geneticist, we touched on something…

Dr. Riley Kirk welcomes Dr. Anna Schwabe to the Bioactive Podcast for a deep dive into cannabis genetics, cultivar identity, plant chemistry, and the challenges of making sense of cannabis in a rapidly evolving industry. As two cannabis scientists get thoroughly nerdy, they explore the relationship between genetics and chemical…

How many things are you doing simply because "that's how it's always been done"? One of the biggest takeaways from the latest episode of Bioactive Podcast is the seeming complexity of cannabis cultivation… Many growers spend years adding more products, more inputs, more supplements, and more moving parts, believing that…

One of the biggest takeaways from the latest Bioactive Podcast episode is that healthy plants aren't just fed by nutrients — they're supported by entire biological networks working behind the scenes. The microbes in your soil are constantly producing compounds, interacting with roots, cycling nutrients, and influencing how plants grow…

The latest episode of Bioactive Podcast is packed with insights that will completely change the way you think about plants, growing, and what's happening beneath the soil surface. So many soil secrets. So many "I never knew that!" moments. What if the reason your plants aren't thriving has less to…