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The Gardener Who Got Cannabis Moms To Breathe: A Q&A With Stephanie ‘thegardentok’ Trenkamp

For a lot of people, cannabis content starts as a joke, a trend, a way to chase numbers. For Stephanie Trenkamp, it started as survival. She was a mom in her garage, lighting up after bedtime, trying to hold it together while figuring out how to help support her family without disappearing from her kids’ lives.

Online, she tried everything. Beauty. Lifestyle. Whatever the algorithm seemed to want that week. None of it felt honest. Behind the scenes, she was using cannabis every day, yet the internet version of herself looked like everyone else’s feed. The disconnect turned into burnout, then into a decision: stop performing and show people who she really is.

When she finally posted a video of herself smoking in the lake, the response was instant. The comments came from moms, parents, people who had been hiding the same ritual for years. They were not asking for perfect content; they were asking to feel less alone. Out of that moment came @thegardentok, a platform, a podcast and a growing community of what she calls high-functioning gardeners who use cannabis to stay present, not checked out.

Since then, Trenkamp has ridden the full rollercoaster of being a cannabis creator online: viral spikes, suspended accounts, stores shut down, and platforms changing the rules overnight. Through it all, she keeps posting, keeps talking, keeps reminding people that cannabis users can be good parents, good partners, good leaders.

I sat down with Stephanie to talk about the moment she said “screw it,” how she balances marriage and motherhood with a public cannabis routine, and why making people feel seen will always matter more than going viral.

Your aesthetic and vibe online are instantly recognizable. How intentional is your brand identity, and how much of it is simply who you are at your core?

Honestly, my entire brand started as me just being me. I didn’t sit down one day and say let me create an aesthetic. I was literally a mom in my garage, lighting up after bedtime, trying to figure out my life. The vibe people see now, the bold, the humor, the smoke, the spiritual delusion, the GO ALL IN ONE YOU energy, that is who I have always been at my core. The intentional part came later. I used to hate social media. I never saw the point of it until I became a mom and suddenly needed an outlet, a place where I could still be myself while trying to build something that did not pull me away from my kids. Posting started as a way to feel less alone, like maybe there were other people out there who understood me. And then it clicked. I can literally monetize my entire life just by showing up as who I already am. Once I realized that, everything changed. I did not create a brand. I leaned into the version of me I had been hiding from this whole time.

You’ve built a calming, grounded presence in a fast-moving space. Where do you think that energy originally comes from?

My energy comes from finally getting to a place where I genuinely do not care what anyone thinks. That confidence reads as calm to people, but it is really just freedom. Cannabis was the first thing that ever helped me tune out the noise and tune into myself. It quieted the pressure, the opinions, the expectations, especially coming from a family full of law enforcement, where cannabis was never seen as normal. For me, it became the thing that helped me feel secure in who I am instead of trying to fit into a version of myself that never felt real. So that grounded vibe people pick up on really comes from being bold enough to be exactly who I am. I am willing to be polarizing. I am willing to be honest. I am willing to show up fully myself. Cannabis helped me get comfortable in my own skin and now my energy reflects that. I am unapologetically myself and people feel that.

What was your life like before cannabis content, and what parts of your background shaped the person we see today?

Before cannabis content, my life looked like every other mom trying to hold it together while figuring out how to make money for my family and still be present. I was posting online, but none of it felt like me. I was mimicking what I thought the internet wanted because I was still trying to figure out how people were actually building something real on social media. Meanwhile, I was using cannabis behind the scenes every day. But no one saw that part. I have always been someone who just goes for it. My senior year of high school, I was voted most likely to get what I want, not because I had it all together, but because I always had this belief that there will always be someone prettier, better, faster, but there will only ever be one of me. I learned early on that you have to be your own biggest fan in your own head if you want to be successful at anything. People will doubt you. People will misunderstand you. People will try to stop you. I have never let that keep me from trying and doing what I want to do.

My background shaped so much of who I am today. I worked in the beauty industry for years, which taught me how to talk to people, how to turn it on, how to connect, how to sell, how to be charismatic. I have always been creative. I studied graphic design. I have always had that mindset of if something does not work, keep going. I was never the person who quit. I was the person who kept failing forward until something finally clicked. Then one day, I saw creators posting cannabis content online and something in me finally said screw it. I posted a video and within an hour, it passed a million views. Moms were commenting that they felt so seen. And for the first time in my entire journey, I thought, “This is it. This is what I am meant to be doing.” I stopped trying to be what I thought the internet wanted and started being who I actually am. I have been a cannabis user for over a decade. I always wanted to be part of this space, but I just did not know how to fit into it until that first post. Once I went all in, everything aligned and everything exploded. And looking back, it makes perfect sense. Every job, every skill set, every risk, every moment of failing forward built the person people see today. Which is really just the same person I have always been: me.

Everyone has a turning point. What was the defining moment that pushed you toward becoming a cannabis creator?

The real turning point for me was burnout. I was creating content that looked like everyone else’s because I was still trying to figure out what my place was online. Nothing felt authentic. Nothing felt fun. It was like I was performing instead of actually showing up as myself. At the same time, I kept seeing cannabis creators getting this massive response. People were relating. People were talking openly. People were finally being honest about something I had been doing behind the scenes for years. And something in me finally said, “That is who I really am. That is what I actually love. That is a conversation that needs to be louder, especially for moms and parents who feel like they have to hide this part of their life.” So one day, I just hit that mental point of screw it. Why am I hiding this? Why am I pretending to be someone else when the real me is right here? I picked up my phone, filmed a video of me smoking a joint while floating in the lake, and posted it with zero expectations. That moment of saying screw it changed everything. It was the first time I chose to show the world the part of myself I had been afraid to share. And that decision is what started everything that came after.

When you first started posting, did you ever imagine your platform would grow into what it is now?

When I first started posting, I was not thinking about going viral or building a huge platform. I just wanted to finally show the world who I really was and see if anyone out there felt like me. But I will also say this: a part of me did expect it. I mean, at the end of the day, I had already built up a large following from posting about something I didn’t really love. So I knew if I could do it once, I could do it again. Because desire without expectation is just wishful thinking, and I have always had the desire to be in this space. Every time I tried something new online, I could feel that pull, that knowing that there was something more for me, and I just had not found it yet. When I started posting cannabis content, it was the first time in my life that something did not feel like work and I could still make a living doing it. I love creating it. I love talking about it. I love the people it brought into my world. And the messages—thousands of them. Comments, DMs, shares. Moms, dads, and grandparents saying I feel so seen. People saying you are me. Can we be friends? I have never felt this understood. I love you for saying what I cannot say out loud. You’re my favorite account on Instagram. That was when I realized it was bigger than me. It was not just content. It was connection. It was community. It was giving people a safe place to breathe and be themselves in a world that tells them to hide. It was about being honest and unapologetic about something society has judged for so long. So yes, part of me always expected something big to happen because I believed it would. But I never imagined it looking like this. I never imagined it would turn into a movement of people who finally feel seen. I am so grateful that this is my life and that I get to make people feel understood in places where they may not feel understood at home or in their community. That means more to me than a large following. Making people feel seen is the whole point.

How do you balance marriage, motherhood, and your personal cannabis routine in a way that keeps your home life strong and grounded?

Honestly, balance is a myth. I do not think anyone is perfectly balancing marriage, motherhood, building a business, and having any sort of routine. I think you just learn how to be self-aware enough to know what you need and when you need it. Cannabis is part of that for me. It keeps me regulated, present, patient, and grounded. It helps me show up as the mom and partner I actually want to be instead of the stressed-out version of myself that used to run the show. In my marriage, I am very open about it. There is no sneaking around, no shame, no pretending. My husband knows cannabis is part of who I am and part of what helps me stay centered. When I feel good, my home feels good. And when the energy in the house is off, everyone feels it. So for me, cannabis is not an escape. It is a tool. It is something that brings me back to myself so I can show up for the people I love without losing my sanity. So I do not balance everything. I just allow myself to be human. I let myself take space. I let myself use the tools that support me. And cannabis is one of those tools. It keeps me grounded in a life that could easily feel chaotic if I let it. It helps me show up with love instead of overwhelm. That is what keeps my home strong.

How did your husband respond to your content journey early on, and what role does he play in the life you’re building today?

My husband has always supported me in every single thing I have ever done, and I know how rare that is. Especially because he is a retired police officer who comes from a world where cannabis is not just stigmatized but completely frowned upon. So to have someone like that stand behind me, even when he did not fully understand what I was doing, is something I do not take lightly. Before cannabis content, I was a stay-at-home mom, and he supported that fully, but I still felt this deep pull to contribute in my own way. When you have kids and your partner works in a dangerous line of work, you start thinking about stability and protection in a different way. That is what pushed me to start posting online in the first place. I wanted to build something that could take care of my family if life ever forced me to. In the beginning, he supported me even though he did not get it. And I do not blame him. Most people do not understand the online world until they see results. I think it was not until I started making a substantial amount of money that he had that “holy-crap” moment. That was when everything clicked for him.

When I shifted into cannabis content, I think he was skeptical at first, and honestly, it made sense. He came from a world where this could cost someone their career. But the one thing about my husband is that he will never try to hold me back from who I am or what I want to do. He trusted me. He trusted my vision. And now I think he is incredibly proud of what I have been able to build in such a short amount of time. I am sure he doubted it at moments. I am sure my family doubted it. A lot of people did. But I never did. I always knew this would become something real, and I never put a timeline on it. I did not need instant results. I just believed it would happen because I was willing to show up for it every day. That detachment from the timeline is what made this grow as fast as it did. His support mattered. Not everyone gets that. And I know how lucky I am to have someone who believed in me even when the vision was not clear yet. Now he sees what I always saw, and we get to build this life together.

Your audience feels a real emotional connection to you. What do you think people are truly coming to your page for?

People are not coming to my page for perfect content. They are coming because they finally feel like they can breathe. They feel seen. They feel understood. They feel less alone in a world that expects them to pretend all day long. My audience is full of people who have been hiding parts of themselves for years. Moms who feel guilty for needing a break. Women who have been holding their families together with zero support. Creators who feel lost. People who love cannabis but have never had a safe place to say it out loud. They come to my page because I talk about the things they whisper about in private.

I think people connect with me because I do not show up as a highlight reel. I show up as a real human. I show up messy, spiritual, sarcastic, emotional, growing, learning, healing, failing forward, figuring it out, being bold, being loud, being myself. And that gives people permission to be themselves, too. People are coming to my page for honesty. For comfort. For humor. For a break from the pressure to be perfect. For a sense of community that feels safe and nonjudgmental. For someone who is not afraid to say the things they are afraid to say. At the end of the day, they are not coming for me. They are coming for how they feel when they are here: seen, validated, free. And that is the whole point of everything I post.

Cannabis affects everyone differently. How would you describe the version of yourself that emerges when you consume?

The version of me that comes out when I consume is the version of me that finally feels safe to exist. Cannabis quiets the noise in my mind and brings me back into my body. It softens the edges. It pulls me out of survival mode. It slows the world down just enough so I can actually hear myself think.

And honestly, I have never been good with alcohol. It never made me feel like myself. It never grounded me. Cannabis was always the thing that made me feel better, calmer, more centered, and more connected. It supports me instead of throwing me off balance.

When I consume, I become more patient, more present, and more playful. I am a better mom because I am not operating from stress. I am a better partner because I can listen instead of react. I am a better creator because my ideas flow without overthinking. I feel regulated instead of overwhelmed.

Cannabis enhances the parts of myself that I love the most. My creativity. My humor. My intuition. My ability to slow down and actually enjoy my life. It reminds me that I am allowed to feel good. I am allowed to take up space. I am allowed to show up exactly as I am. And that is the version of me I choose every time.

What part of your real life influences your content the most: your relationships, your routines, your mindset, or something else?

My real life influences everything I create because my content is literally my life. I am not performing. I am documenting. If I had to choose the part that influences me the most, it would be my mindset. Mindset is the reason I show up the way I do. It is the reason I am able to turn my everyday chaos into something relatable and funny. It is the reason I can take the most stressful parts of motherhood or marriage or running a business and turn them into content that makes people feel understood. My relationships and my routines definitely shape my content, too, but they shape it because they keep me accountable to who I want to be. My marriage keeps me grounded. My kids keep me honest. My routines keep me sane. But my mindset is what helps me navigate all of it and still show up online with clarity and confidence.

I think people connect with me because I create from real life, not a highlight reel. I talk openly about the mess, the overwhelm, the self-doubt, the mom guilt, the cannabis shame that so many people still feel, and the work it takes to grow out of that. My content is influenced by the version of me who refuses to shrink, who refuses to hide, and who knows that being honest about my life gives other people permission to be honest about theirs. So yes, my relationships and my routines matter, but my mindset is what drives all of it. It is what keeps me anchored in the middle of motherhood, marriage, business, and everything else. It is the reason my content feels like a safe space for people. And it is the reason I show up the way I do every single day.

Social media is unpredictable and demanding. How do you stay authentic in a world obsessed with trends and virality?

Honestly, staying authentic is easy for me now because I have already lived the phase of trying to be what the internet wanted. I chased trends, I copied what everyone else was doing, and none of it felt good. The second I started creating from who I am instead of what was popular, everything shifted. I do think trends can help. If a trend feels good and it fits who you are, do it. It can boost growth. But it is not the end-all-be-all of building something real online. Most of my viral posts are the ones I spent the least amount of time on anyway. That is why I always tell people to throw spaghetti at the wall in the beginning. Try everything, test everything, and when you find what works, double down on it.

A lot of people start posting for themselves first, which is understandable, but if you want real growth, you have to create content for other people first. The goal is to make someone feel seen, heard, understood, less alone. And the magic is that once you do that, you end up creating for yourself too, because the content still has to feel good and aligned or people know instantly. Repetition kills all doubt. The more you post, the better you get. The more you post, the more analytics you have, and the easier it becomes to see patterns and understand what people truly respond to. But there is also something powerful about creating a piece of content simply because it feels like you, regardless of whether you think it will go viral. I have a good balance of both. You have to trust that your content will reach the right people, even if you do not see results right away. The internet will tell you very quickly what it likes and what it does not. That is why trying a bunch of different things matters so much. You need the information. You need the data. You need the feedback.

But at the end of the day, the content has to feel good to you or it will never be sustainable. I stay authentic because I only create what feels aligned, what feels fun, and what feels true to who I am. That is the balance. That is the secret. And that is why my audience connects the way they do.

What has cannabis taught you about yourself that you may not have learned otherwise?

Cannabis has taught me more about myself than anything else ever has. It taught me how to slow down. It taught me how to listen to myself instead of reacting to everything around me. It taught me how to get out of survival mode and actually be present in my life. I think the biggest thing it taught me is that I do not have to be the strong one all the time. I do not always have to push through everything. I do not always have to carry everything alone. Cannabis showed me that I am allowed to take up space, breathe deeper, feel good, and exist without guilt. It also taught me how creative I really am. It unlocked parts of my mind I never gave myself permission to explore. It showed me that I can build a life, a business, a community, simply by being myself. I do not think I would have learned that without cannabis. And honestly, it taught me acceptance. It taught me to accept who I am instead of trying to fit into what society or even my own family expected from me. Growing up around law enforcement, there was always this unspoken pressure to be a certain way. Cannabis helped me break that mold. It helped me realize that I am allowed to choose my own path and I am allowed to build a life that makes sense to me, even if it looks nothing like what I was raised around.

If you weren’t creating cannabis content, what other path or passion do you think you naturally would have followed?

If I were not creating cannabis content, I would still be creating something. I have always had that drive in me. I have always been creative, always been entrepreneurial, always been the type of person who cannot sit still and just accept a life that does not light me up. I also have a background in beauty and graphic design, so I know I would have still been creating. But honestly, I think I would have found my way into the online world no matter what. I have always been drawn to creating, building, connecting, and making people feel understood. Cannabis just gave me the clarity, the confidence, and the community I had been searching for all along. So even if the path would have looked different, the mission would have been the same. Helping people feel seen, helping them feel less alone, and building a space where they can show up exactly as they are.

You’ve built a loyal community. What values matter most to you when it comes to nurturing that connection?

I think the biggest value in my community is that I am simply myself. I am not afraid to speak my mind. People come to me because I am honest about my experiences and I am not here to sell them on anything. I am here to tell the truth, or really my truth. And I always remind people that they should never take my advice as absolute. What works for me might not work for them. Everyone has their own path. Everyone has their own timing. I think people feel connected to me because I give them permission to be themselves. I show them that it is okay to have a different opinion. It is okay to go against the norm. It is okay to live your life in a way that other people might not understand. The real work is having that confidence in yourself and trusting that you are doing what is right for you.

I am big on coaching yourself through life. Parenting yourself. Being your biggest fan. Reminding yourself that everything is working out for you, maybe not in the way you expected, but always in the way it is meant to. To me, faith is believing in something you have never seen but choosing to believe in it anyway. That is how I built this. That is how I kept going even when no one understood what I was doing. I think that is also why my community feels so loyal. People can feel my authenticity, but they also feel the freedom to form their own opinions. I never force anything on anyone. I share my life and they take what resonates. That is the value I care most about. Creating a space where people feel safe, where they feel seen, and where they feel empowered to believe in themselves, too.

Every creator has moments of doubt. What keeps you centered when the pressure of visibility becomes overwhelming?

I have moments of doubt just like everyone else, but for me, the doubt usually shows up when the platforms take something away that I worked so hard to build. Cannabis is still a huge gray area online. So when you create something beautiful, when you grow a big community, when you pour your heart into it, and then your account gets suspended or restricted or deleted, it is a real gut punch. It makes you question everything. Is this a sign? Am I supposed to be doing this? Is it worth it? But that is also the moment you either give up or you lean in.

And every time it has happened to me, I chose to lean in. My account has been suspended three times. I got kicked out of Stan Store as an ambassador for my cannabis content. I have had content flagged for absolutely no reason. I have had every odd stacked against me in this space, like so many of us have. But I never let that stop me. If anything, it made me push harder. That is why I built so many outlets outside of one platform. My Skool community, the Garden Tok podcast, multiple Instagram accounts, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube. I learned very early on that in the cannabis space, you have to cast a wide net because visibility is never guaranteed. And when you already know that is part of the journey, the hits still hurt, but they do not knock you down the same way.

What keeps me centered is remembering why I started. I did not do this to be perfect or to go viral. I did this to help people feel seen. I did this to give a voice to people who feel like they cannot speak openly. I did this to create a space where people can be themselves without shame. So when things get overwhelming, I ground myself in that truth. This work is bigger than me. It is about the community. It is about the people who feel seen because I showed up. And as long as that stays my focus, no suspension, no algorithm, and no platform can take away what this truly is.

What do you think is the most misunderstood part of being a woman in the cannabis space?

I think the most misunderstood part of being a woman in the cannabis space is that people still assume we are lazy, unmotivated, unsuccessful, uneducated, unattractive, or sitting around in pajamas all day doing nothing with our lives. There is this stereotype that if a woman consumes cannabis, she must be a bad mom, a bad partner, or someone who does not have her life together. So when people see a normal woman or an educated woman or an attractive woman or a successful woman who also consumes, it shocks them. It challenges everything they thought they knew. They do not expect a woman who handles her home, her family, her business, her mental health, and her life to also be someone who tokes. And I think that is exactly why this space needs more women speaking up.

I have all sides to me. I am a mom, a wife, a business owner, a creator, someone who showers, someone who gets ready, someone who takes pride in her life, someone who loves cannabis, and someone who is successful because of who she is, not in spite of it. Showing all of those sides is empowering because it forces people to question the outdated version of what a cannabis consumer looks like. To me, the most misunderstood part is that women who consume are somehow less than. And it could not be further from the truth. We are smart, driven, ambitious, attractive, educated, loving, present, and powerful. We just also happen to love cannabis. And that does not diminish us. It amplifies us.

As your platform grows, how do you maintain balance between public persona and private identity?

The way I stay balanced between my public persona and my private identity is by remembering that I get to choose what I share. People think I put my whole life on the internet, but the truth is, I only share what I want to share. I let people see the parts of me that feel aligned, honest, real, and helpful. The rest stays with me, my family, and my home. I also remind myself that my online self and my real self are not two different people. I do not play a character. What you see online is who I am in real life. I think that is what makes balance easier. When you are not performing, you do not have to manage two identities. I am the same person whether I am on camera or off. I am just more selective with what I allow the world to witness. Setting boundaries has been huge for me. My marriage is sacred. My kids are sacred. Certain parts of my daily life are sacred. The internet does not get access to all of that, and it never will. People see what I give them, not everything that exists. And that is what keeps me grounded.

I also think cannabis helps me stay connected to myself. It keeps me present. It keeps me regulated. It helps me hear my own thoughts instead of everyone else’s opinions. That makes it easier to show up online without losing myself in the noise. At the end of the day, I know who I am when the camera is off. I know my values. I know my intentions. I know my worth. And as long as I stay rooted in that, I can show up publicly without ever feeling like my private identity is at risk. The key for me is simple. Share honestly, but not everything. Protect what matters. And never let the internet define who you are.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in the cannabis world, and how did you push through them?

The biggest challenges in the cannabis world have always been the restrictions and the stigma. My content gets taken down for no reason. My accounts get suspended. I get shadowbanned. I have had my store shut down. I have had platforms delete things I worked months on. And the frustrating part is that people posting the same thing never get touched. It feels like the rules are constantly shifting and women especially get hit the hardest. The other challenge has been the assumptions people make. The judgment. The idea that moms who consume cannot also be great moms or successful businesswomen. I have had to fight that stereotype the entire time I have been in this space. But honestly, it only made me louder. I knew that the only way to break the stigma was to exist publicly as a normal woman who loves cannabis and is still a phenomenal mom, wife, and entrepreneur.

I pushed through all of it by refusing to give up. Every time a platform took something from me, I built something new. When Instagram suspended me, I started growing on TikTok. When TikTok slowed, I built my Skool community. When Stan Store kicked me out, I turned to other platforms and made them work. I learned very fast that in the cannabis space, you cannot rely on one outlet. You have to cast a wide net. You have to build a real community that lives beyond just one app.

What kept me going was knowing that this is bigger than me. It is not just about my content. It is about the people who tell me they feel less alone because I show up. It is about giving a voice to people who feel like they cannot speak openly. When I remember that, I do not break under the pressure. I adapt. I push harder. I innovate. Every challenge taught me something important. Even if the platforms try to silence us, the community keeps growing. As long as I stay rooted in why I started, nothing can stop me.

For people who want to follow in your footsteps, what advice would you give to aspiring cannabis influencers who are just starting their journey?

My first piece of advice is to just start. Do not wait to feel ready. Do not wait for the perfect lighting, the perfect background, the perfect confidence. You only get better by doing. Repetition kills all doubt. The more you post, the better you get. The more you post, the more data you have. And the more data you have, the easier it is to see what works and what does not. You also have to be honest. People can feel when you are performing. People can feel when you are chasing attention. People can feel when you are hiding parts of yourself because you are scared of judgment. If you want to grow in the cannabis space, you have to be willing to show up as who you really are. Not the polished version. Not the version you think the internet wants. The real you. Try everything in the beginning. Do humor. Do educational content. Do storytelling. Do day in the life. Do mindset. Do whatever feels good. The internet will tell you very quickly what people connect with. And when you find the thing that works, double down on it. Protect your mindset. This space is not easy. Your content may get taken down. Your account might get flagged or suspended. Brands might be hesitant. People may judge you. And you will question yourself at some point. Expect that. Know that it is part of the process. When it happens, do not quit. Lean in. Build across multiple platforms. Build a community that exists outside of one app.

Create content for other people first. Make them feel seen, heard, understood, safe. When you create from connection instead of ego, your growth will be faster and more meaningful. But at the same time, make sure the content also feels good to you. If it does not feel aligned, you will burn out. And lastly, have faith. Real faith. The kind where you believe in something you have not seen yet. Believe in yourself when no one else does. Believe in your path even when it makes no sense. Believe that everything is working out for you, even when it feels like things are falling apart. If you keep going, keep posting, keep learning, keep adjusting, and keep trusting yourself, you will be shocked at how fast your life can change. The world needs more people who are not afraid to be themselves. Be that person.

When you think about everything you’ve created so far, what do you want people to feel or understand after reading this interview?

What I want people to feel after reading this interview is possibility. I want them to understand that I did not build any of this because I had the perfect plan or the perfect confidence. I built it because I finally stopped hiding who I was. I leaned into the parts of myself I was taught to quiet. And I trusted that there were people out there who needed exactly that version of me. I want people to understand that you do not have to fit a mold to deserve a good life. You do not have to be perfect to be successful. You do not have to wait for permission to be yourself. You can be a mom, a wife, a creator, a leader, a cannabis user, a spiritual person, a messy person, a growing person, all at the same time, and still build something you are proud of.

I want people to know that their voice matters. Their story matters. Their truth matters. Even if it scares them. Even if the world misunderstands them. Even if the odds feel stacked against them. I want them to walk away knowing that the moment you stop performing and start being who you actually are, everything in your life starts to align. And most of all, I want them to feel seen. Because that is the whole reason I started. I want people to know they are not alone. I want them to know there is nothing wrong with them. I want them to know that cannabis does not make them less than. It does not make them a bad parent or a bad partner or a bad person. It is simply part of who they are, and they deserve to feel safe in that truth. If someone leaves this interview believing in themselves a little more, trusting their path a little more, or feeling a little less alone, then I did exactly what I came here to do.

This article is from an external, unpaid contributor. It does not represent High Times’ reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

Photos courtesy of Stephanie Trenkamp

<p>The post The Gardener Who Got Cannabis Moms To Breathe: A Q&A With Stephanie ‘thegardentok’ Trenkamp first appeared on High Times.</p>

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Tezla OG Feminized Grow Report

We’re detailing our experience with Tezla OG Feminized. This 70% indica is a blend of Hash Plant, Shiva Skunk, and SFV OG and is one of the most “typical” strains we’ve come across. While it won’t blow anyone away with its size or yield, Tezla OG is a simple no-nonsense strain that’s sure to be a hit with growers of any experience level.

The post Tezla OG Feminized Grow Report appeared first on Sensi Seeds.

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M State expands online cannabis career options – InForum

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Watch: Havoc (Mobb Deep) Talks OG Kush, Ounce-A-Day Sessions, ‘No Blunt Babysitting,’ Snoop The Godfather

Mobb Deep legend Havoc drops into a rapid-fire smoke session with High Times and gives it straight: strong indica only, “no blunt babysitting,” and Snoop is still the Godfather. The conversation spans favorite strains, sesh etiquette, opening The Bridge in Queens, and the kind of daily consumption that makes even heavy smokers blink.

Interview by Shirley Ju for High Times. Presented by Slapwoods.

Full video:

Asked to pick between brushing teeth or lighting up first thing, Havoc doesn’t hesitate: “Smoke. I smoke. I got to smoke… I’m about to dirty my teeth… Smoke and then brush.”

How much in a day? “About an ounce… We go crazy at the crib,” he says, noting that’s with the homies. His “no blunt babysitting” rule is non-negotiable: “Pass that. Swing that thing back.”

Strain preference stays classic. “OG Kush… I like that strong indica… all day long,” he says, adding he’s got his own “OG Havoc.” Favorite munchies? “Crunchy Cheetos. Regular. Not the Flamin’ Hot.”

His most memorable session is a familiar name in this series. “Snoop… he could go forever… he got that dank… For real,” Havoc says, and admits even he can’t keep up: “Nah… he the Godfather.”

On the business side, Havoc is opening The Bridge in Astoria, Queens. “It’s like opening up a store… You retrofit it… Do it according to regulation and you got a store… It wasn’t even that bad,” he says, teasing 2,500 square feet and access to OG Havoc on the shelves.

Music talk sneaks in too: favorite smoking song is “I Get High,” favorite stoner movie is Half Baked, and he celebrates accolades “with some good bomb weed.”

More Havoc highlights:

• Threshold to re-up: “When we get down to the last five L’s, I gotta re-up.”
• Rolling policy: “I roll it up myself… I don’t let nobody roll my [stuff].”
• Wraps talk turns to Slapwoods: “Where have these been all my life?”

Watch the full interview above for the full run of rules, stories, and Queens plans.

And watch other episodes below:

G HERBO CAUGHT SNOOP DOGG SMOKING HIS BLUNT He Didn’t Mind

DAVE EAST DOESN’T SHARE HIS BLUNTS “MAYBE YOU DIDN’T BRUSH YOUR TEETH” | KARMA 4, SNOOP & WIZ

<p>The post Watch: Havoc (Mobb Deep) Talks OG Kush, Ounce-A-Day Sessions, ‘No Blunt Babysitting,’ Snoop The Godfather first appeared on High Times.</p>

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Rescheduling Cannabis is Sending the Wrong Message to the Kids? – A Hard Look at Government Hypocrisy

A group of lawmakers recently sent Trump a letter urging him not to reschedule cannabis because it would send “the wrong message to the kids.” You know what? I actually agree that cannabis shouldn’t be rescheduled—but not for their reasons. Cannabis should be completely descheduled, removed from the Controlled Substances Act entirely, because it’s not a “substance” in the pharmaceutical sense. It’s a plant.

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Examining hidden risks of cannabis use among older adults

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The Tech Mogul Who Never Wants to Die Is Now Macrodosing Mushrooms

Original publication date: Nov 13. Update: Dec 10.

If there’s one ancient thing in this world, it’s the fear of death. Hundreds of practices (more or less grounded in reality) have developed throughout all civilizations to delay our final breath, countless myths and legends from around the world describe heroes cheating the Grim Reaper, not to mention the hypotheses about what comes after, a staple of any religion. But today, the old religions are dying, giving way to another cult: technology. What stays the same is the fear.

That’s where Bryan Johnson comes in: a multimillionaire CEO and founder of several tech companies, who made his mark in the public eye with his outlandish anti-aging and biohacking initiatives. How outlandish, you ask? We’re talking about blood plasma transfusions courtesy of his teenage son (which ultimately didn’t work as intended, but grossed sizable publicity), dozens of pills a day (some sources claim over 100), strict diets, and a highly controlled and monitored lifestyle. When we say “highly monitored,” we don’t mean that lightly: the tycoon has said he analyzes his own feces and nocturnal erections daily, among other variables. Currently, Johnson is placing his bets on artificial intelligence that records everything he says, hoping that, as AI evolves, it might one day translate into immortality.

Of course, Johnson doesn’t keep all his practices to himself: he shares his lifestyle on social media and sells supplements through his company, Blueprint. It should be noted that the effectiveness and benefits of such supplements have been questioned on several occasions. He has also starred in his own Netflix documentary, where he recounts how he spent millions of dollars to reverse aging and claims to have “reversed his biological age by 5.1 years.” Thus, the tycoon has described himself as “the healthiest person on the planet.” The validity of such a bold claim depends on each person’s definition of “health.” For now, several health professionals have spoken out to contradict him.

And what is the goal of such gargantuan efforts? Johnson not only says it, he puts it on a t-shirt he wears all the time: DON’T DIE. Simple. The catchphrase appears constantly: on his socials, his website, his products. It’s even the title of his documentary. The billionaire is apparently convinced that death is not only controllable and avoidable, but also voluntary. The “where there’s a will, there’s a way” ideology taken to the max.

After years of measuring every measurable variable in the human body, of performing invasive and painful procedures (such as electric shocks and Botox injections in the penis to “improve” erections, which he readily recommends), many of which are not widely studied or validated in mainstream medical research, Bryan Johnson has decided to add another factor to his controversial equation for staying young: magic mushrooms.

Inside Bryan Johnson’s Experiment with Magic Mushrooms

First things first: true to his background as a Silicon Valley tech mogul, Bryan Johnson is no stranger to the wonderful world of psychedelics. The tycoon and former Mormon has shared his positive experiences with substances like LSD, ketamine, and 5-MeO-DMT on several occasions. What’s more, he’s even tattooed the molecular structure of the latter on his arm. Therefore, it’s not at all surprising that he’s chosen psilocybin as the subject of his latest experiments.

This time, the influencer shared his intentions on social media, detailing that he planned to take nearly 5 grams of psilocybin mushrooms once a month for three months. Of course, the journey would be accompanied by measuring every variable under the sun, including (but not limited to!) 249 independent biomarkers, with analyses of DNA, brain waves, urine, feces, saliva, semen, hormones, microbiota, metabolism, various organ functions, cellular aging… The list is extensive. He also clarified the safety conditions of his journey: under professional medical supervision and within a legal framework.

His goal? To explore the effects of psilocybin, the active component of magic mushrooms, on longevity.

It’s worth noting that 5 grams of magic mushrooms is generally considered a strong dose, aptly named “heroic dose” due to its intensity. So, how did Bryan Johnson fare taking a heroic dose of magic mushrooms?

Last November, he shared the details of his first trip in a series of tweets. Many of those were written by Kate Tolo, co-founder of Blueprint, as Johnson was in no condition to use a phone or write any kind of sentence. Tolo described the entrepreneur’s behavior after the dose, noting that he was calm and emphasizing that he was “having a REALLY lovely time,” amidst laughter, visual hallucinations, and bursts of empathy. He also spoke about “the universe and how we’re all one”: indeed, the feeling of oneness, of being one with everything, is among the most typical experiences during mushroom trips.

After the trip, Brian Johnson’s first tweet read: “I’m just so happy to be alive.” In subsequent tweets, he stated that the experience had changed him, and that he felt changes in his mind and emotions.

Later, more recovered, the biohacker poured his thoughts and analysis into another series of tweets, in great detail. He emphasized that the experience was positive, highly sensory, and rejuvenating. He also related it to his particular philosophy regarding death and the future of humanity, reflecting that “we are about to start waking up from a slumber that has hypnotized us into accepting death”.

Later, Johnson shared the potential benefits that psilocybin could have on longevity, inflammation, fertility, neuroplasticity, and the gut microbiota. His intention seems to be to experience these benefits firsthand, measuring every possible variable in the name of science. We’ll have to wait for the next two doses he has planned to draw any conclusions, but for now, the CEO’s ambitions seem to be going full steam ahead.

For his second attempt, which took place almost a month later, the billionaire decided to broadcast the entire experience live via a five-and-a-half-hour livestream that has garnered over a million views. Another new element: in addition to Tolo and the medical team, several people joined the cast, including his son, various colleagues from his team, like-minded CEOs, journalists, and Grimes herself, who provided the music for the evening. Interestingly, the promotional material advertised the participation of YouTuber Mr. Beast, but he didn’t show.

Days later, Johnson again shared his biomarkers and more technical aspects of the psilocybin’s effects on his body through a series of tweets. He also described the experience as “one of the best days of his life,” expressing his deep gratitude to everyone who joined him. And she shared a reflection quite in line with the empathetic mood that mushrooms can generate, not very different from her thoughts after the first dose: “Life is very hard and everyone is trying their best. We also make life so much harder on ourselves and each her than is necessary. I have hope that a new era of human existence is just around the corner and we might just be able to wrestle our most destructive instincts and amplify the splendor.”

Editor’s note: It is important to note that psilocybin is not FDA-approved for longevity, and any potential health effects, positive or negative, remain the subject of preliminary research.

Mushrooms and the Illusion of Control

Brian Johnson says he isn’t afraid of death. That he has reconciled himself with it. Such a statement is bound to raise some eyebrows, considering not only all the superhuman efforts this man makes to avoid aging and dying, but also how he refers to death. Phrases like “people use death to shield from the disappointment of not experiencing the potential of life without the limitations of death” don’t exactly sound like someone who has found peace with their own mortality. Some observers have suggested that a desire for control might be a recurring theme in Johnson’s public persona, based on how he describes his routines and goals.

Some critics have interpreted Johnson’s intense self-monitoring as part of a broader pattern of seeking control; however, this interpretation is based on how his public statements and routines are portrayed in the media, not on any verified insight into his private relationships.

His public image is closely tied to his business ventures, and its management has been the subject of media coverage.
According to a New York Times investigation, several former employees said they were required to sign lengthy confidentiality agreements specifying what they could and could not disclose. The Times reported that these employees also said they were asked to affirm that they were comfortable with Johnson’s behavior—including clothing choices and personal discussions—and to agree in advance that such behavior was not “unwelcome, offensive, humiliating, hostile, triggering, unprofessional or abusive.”

The Times further reported that some employees felt declining these terms could jeopardize their jobs, and that several described feeling intimidated or pressured.

But why are we bringing all this up? Because one of the most interesting effects of entheogens, and mushrooms in particular, is the loosening of rigid mental mechanisms. Letting go of the ego, control, and one’s own beliefs is one of the most explored aspects by people who use mushrooms for personal growth and exploration. Many who consciously cultivate this practice feel their behavior soften, how harmful and rigid internal attitudes transform into more loving, empathetic, and flexible ones.

We do not know Bryan Johnson; we can only perceive a portrait based on newspaper articles and his own narrative, a fictional construct created around his persona. His profile is complex, like that of every person. But we dare suggest that taking entheogenic mushrooms might, in theory, help soften rigid control tendencies, from the possible (like his sleep schedule and calorie intake) to the impossible (the certainty that we will all die someday).

“Sometimes I think they’re right, that this has all gotten out of control and I need to calm down,” he says in one of his latest tweets. Could this be a sign of a profound change, the beginning of a softer, less rigid disposition? Only time, and perhaps the mushrooms, will tell.

Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information, such as ​​Bryan Johnson’s public declarations, and journalistic investigations, including The New York Times. This article is for informational purposes and does not make factual claims beyond those sources, nor intend to pass judgment on the businessman’s personal life.

Cover photo by Katriece Ray for Kernel, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (edited)

<p>The post The Tech Mogul Who Never Wants to Die Is Now Macrodosing Mushrooms first appeared on High Times.</p>

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John Connor Indica Strain Feminized Seeds

Strain Description

This indica strain produces dense, classic Indica flowers. The aroma and flavor are a luxurious and complex mix, featuring prominent notes of frozen gelato, jasmine tea, and rich coffee cake, with a subtle finish of peppermint candy canes and a hint of spice.

As a full indica, it delivers a powerfully intoxicating, heavily sedating, and tranquil experience, often described as a body-anesthetizing “dark high.” Its primary effect is deep, long-lasting relaxation that quickly leads to sleepiness. With high THC levels (often reported between 28% and 30%), this strain is specifically best for unwinding after a long day or preparing for sleep, and is primarily recommended for experienced nighttime users.

The post John Connor Indica Strain Feminized Seeds appeared first on Crop King Seeds.

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2025 Last Minute Stocking Stuffer Guide – Cannabis & Tech Today

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