Christopher Deaney of Christopher's Organic Botanicals joins Diana to unpack the complexities of activism. He paints a picture of what it feels like to meet legislators and have them actually listen, and how rewarding it can be to break through the barriers of skepticism. But meeting those legislators can be draining, especially when you have a chronic pain and other disabilities, and Christopher gets honest about the challenges while also reinforcing his commitment to making kratom accessible to everyone.

Sabrina Thomas, AKA Mary Jane of Mary Jane N Munchies, joins Diana to talk about how her journey with plant medicine began as a child. Her family has a history of using plants for wellness, but it wasn't until her teen years that a doctor's suggestion resulted in cannabis experimentation.

Her cohost shares a culinary passion, which is one of the reasons their podcast focuses on the savory and sweet sides of cannabis consumption, focusing on balancing flavors and cannabinoids. Education, paired with advocacy and accessibility, also drives their messaging. Thomas talks about how representation matters for disabled and Black women, and how MJNM tries to be that media illustration.

She also gives Diana advice on how to make the best infused butter, which is an important tool in the wellness belt for those who can't smoke.

Check out the MJNM new merch line: www.mjnmstash.store

Hosts Diana Krach and Christopher Deaney (of Christopher's Organic Botanicals) discuss the complexities of kratom leaf colors, clarifying the effects beyond the simple adage "red for bed, white for flight, green for in between". The conversation explains that red strains are generally more relaxing due to lower mitragynine, while green and white offer more energy, but the final effect is highly dependent on individual physiology and dosage (less for energy, more for relaxation).

They reveal that strain colors are often determined by the drying and curing processes, blending, and supplier naming (e.g., Maeng Da) rather than the original leaf vein color. Christopher Deaney stresses the importance of high-quality, mature, wild-harvested kratom and offers advice for new users, including starting with red, mixing different colors for balance, and rotating strains weekly to prevent dependency. The episode concludes with a call to action for users to speak up and share their stories to fight local kratom bans.

Important links:

Christopher's Organic Botanicals