The Weed Witch

On the pod today: Molly Mathias, the founder of Go Easy—a cannabis lifestyle brand based in Dallas that’s making self-care a little more accessible and a lot less complicated.

We love a good reinvention story, and Molly is truly an inspiration. A former CPA, realtor, and retail business owner, she decided to trade spreadsheets and cubicles for creativity and connection, opening her dream concept during the middle of the pandemic (not exactly easy!). But Go Easy isn’t just about selling super cute bongs and CBD products (and they are cute)—it’s about creating a space where self-care is approachable, judgment-free, and, dare we say, joyful.

While many brands lean into luxury or exclusivity, Go Easy celebrates the everyday. After making her own lifestyle shift during the pandemic, Molly wanted to normalize the joy of slowing down, reconnecting with yourself, and finding beauty in daily rituals. Whether it’s a perfectly designed bong, a gummy that actually tastes good, or just a moment to breathe, her philosophy is simple: self-care doesn’t have to be complicated—just go easy.

Molly’s story is a testament to the Lone Star State spirit: bold, resilient, and unafraid to carve out a space where others might hesitate. We talked about what it’s like to build a business from scratch in an industry that’s still finding its footing—especially in a state like Texas, where cannabis culture toes an unusual line depending on where you are and how “friendly” the locals are about it.

With the recent election and Dallas voters passing measures to decriminalize small amounts of cannabis, Texans are left wondering: what’s next for legalization? Despite its reputation as a conservative state, Texas might just be the perfect place to spark meaningful change.

Whether it’s designing bongs with generous bowls (because yes, Texas does everything bigger) or crafting the best-tasting gummies around, Molly’s work is a love letter to the idea that self-care should be care-free.

Listen, like and share the episode. Follow Go Easy on ⁠Instagram⁠. And make sure to follow ⁠The Weed Witch⁠ on Substack for all of the latest and greatest.

On the pod today: noted cannabis industry O.G. and founder of the eponymous global lifestyle brand, Jane West. Fresh off her guest appearance on the “Is it just weed?” episode of Dr. Phil Primetime addressing marijuana addiction, West shares her perspective as a longtime advocate following the twists and turns of the industry on the challenges, opportunities, and silver linings for creating a socially responsible future cannabis landscape.

Listen, like and share the episode. Follow Jane West on Instagram and browse her stunning glassware over at Flwr.Shop. And make sure to follow The Weed Witch on Substack for all of the latest and greatest.

On the show today: Mary Jane Gibson, a prominent female voice in cannabis media and former culture editor at High Times, who has been tracking the legalization and culture of medical marijuana and adult-use cannabis since 2007. After writing at High Times for over a decade, she now writes at-large at outlets like Rolling Stone and Vox where she covers cannabis culture, psychedelics, arts, entertainment, news, and cutting-edge trends. She is also an award-winning actor and playwright, and a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada.

After penning an article on sexism in the cannabis industry, Gibson predictably received an onslaught of shitty comments from fragile dudes throwing tired “make me a sandwich” jokes. Rather than grin and bear it, she decided to take their advice and do just that: make delicious, nourishing, sandwiches all for herself, while educating the masses about the horrific rollback and daily assault on reproductive rights. Evolving from a clapback into a full-fledged project, “My Sandwich, My Choice” has gained the attention of over 30K followers on Instagram and 14K followers on TikTok as Gibson uses the platform to sling sandwiches with a statement. Most recently, she’s added a Substack (which you should absolutely subscribe to).

On the latest Pipe Dreams podcast, Mary Jane shares her journey from theater kid to High Times editor, reproductive rights activist, and legacy sand-weed-witch. Listen, like and share the episode. Follow Mary Jane on Instagram, TikTok, and Substack. And make sure to follow The Weed Witch for all of the latest and greatest.

There’s nothing like pouring your heart, soul, and wallet into your debut book only launch it during the worst timing possible—be it a travel book during a global lockdown or a book a psychedelic Judaism during the height of the latest iteration of the never-ending Israel-Palestine conflict. At the same time, these are exactly the critical moments when uplifting books that inspire new thinking are the most needed.

On the show today: Madison Margolin, a journalist covering psychedelics and spirituality, and the author of Exile & Ecstasy: Growing Up with Ram Dass & Coming of Age in the Jewish Psychedelic Underground, a memoir-meets-Gonzo journalism endeavor that was just released on November 6. Madison is also the host of Be Here Now Network's Set & Setting Podcast, as well as the co-founder of both DoubleBlind Magazine and the Jewish Psychedelic Summit.

Exile and Ecstasy takes readers on a trippy coming-of-age journey through Margolin’s early years growing up within "HinJew" community surrounding Ram Dass—author of Be Here Now—and in the cannabis legalization movement, laying the groundwork for going inside New York's Jewish counterculture and the Hasidic underground, and somehow coming full-circle to find unexpected intersectionality between the Jewish and psychedelic experience.

Living on the fringe within the Jewish and psychedelic worlds, she uses journalistic reporting to offer practical, yet mystical ways to integrate psychedelic experiences into the everyday to feel connected, grounded, and reconcile “seemingly disparate experiences of spirituality and psychedelics, with traditional religion.”

She joins the podcast to discuss her book, the multitudes of Judaism, the concept of psychedelic lifestyle beyond drugs, and her visit to Ramallah just days before October 7 to meet with Arabs and Jews using psychedelics to resolve ancestral trauma.

Founded by Lana Van Brunt and Hayley Dineen in 2018, New York-based cannabis lifestyle company and multidisciplinary product design and production studio ⁠Sackville & Co.⁠ stood out for its eye-catching accessories ⁠shiny gilded grinder⁠ and ⁠sleek joint carrying case⁠ fit for the stiletto stoner crowd.

Both carrying an impressive pedigree in design and fashion, the move into cannabis lifestyle seemed like a natural fit. Van Brunt, the former Director of Experiential Marketing, Head Talent Buyer and Director of Business Operations at VICE Media, and Dineen, who worked in product design and development for luxury brands through the United Nations ethical fashion program to create programs for Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, and Karen Walker, brought a new vision to cannabis where users no longer needed to sacrifice form for function.

Since then, the company has grown exponentially, exposing cannabis culture to a new generation of consumers thanks to collaborations with Wu-Tang’s GZA and streetwear brands like ⁠Sundae School⁠ and ⁠Carrots Carrots⁠ that sell out almost instantly at each drop—but also a ⁠more mainstream, older demographic⁠ gravitating towards the plant.

While the growing number of beautifully crafted smokeable objets d’art have helped to normalize, destigmatize, and ease consumers’ apprehensions about dipping into world of weed, the road to success hasn’t always been easy. In fact, Van Brunt and Dineen almost lost the company.

Today, they join the podcast to share their insights on the chaotic New York market, the changing face and culture of cannabis, and Sackville’s triumphant comeback story.