The Media Narrative Turning Against Cannabis?
In the latest Trade To Black podcast presented by Flowhub, hosts Shadd Dales and Anthony Varrell challenge the conventional media narrative around the cannabis industry. Most people believe cannabis struggles because of regulation, oversupply, and price compression. But what if those aren’t the root causes? What if the real constraint holding the industry back is capital structure and liquidity timing? Adam Stettner, CEO of FundCanna, and Kevin McKernan join the show to discuss the issues and news this week.
Adam Stettner, CEO of FundCanna, returned to the podcast to discuss a challenge he sees across the cannabis supply chain: the timing of cash. We explore why more cannabis companies are turning to structured financing, why POS platforms haven’t fully embedded finance solutions, and whether liquidity is the missing infrastructure piece preventing scalable growth.
Stettner emphasized that most cannabis companies are not facing insolvency but rather a mismatch between when money goes out and when revenue comes in. Without access to traditional financial tools like lines of credit or bridge financing, operators experience what he called “dead money” periods that stifle growth and predictability. He noted that FundCanna clients who take on revolving capital see top-line growth exceeding 50 percent on average, and that he has begun meeting with state regulators to discuss how market structures can be improved to reduce these inefficiencies.
The conversation touched on concerns surrounding Attorney General Pam Bondi and the pace of federal cannabis rescheduling. Stettner and the hosts acknowledged that the administration faces numerous competing priorities but stressed that rescheduling remains a critical first step for the industry. A notable data point emerged: the CBD pilot program for Medicare reportedly had its regulations finalized two weeks prior, though questions remain about the order of operations for implementation.
Kevin McKernan of Medicinal Genomics joined to challenge the recent wave of anti-cannabis messaging in mainstream media narrative, including a New York Times op-ed linking marijuana to psychosis. McKernan argued that claims about cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome and psychosis lack rigorous scientific backing, pointing to published research showing no population-wide increase in psychosis during the legalization era. He also highlighted his company’s ongoing work on Fusarium detection, plant sex testing for hermaphroditism, and emerging research into minor cannabinoids like cannabichromene, which he said could unlock new therapeutic applications once production challenges are resolved.
This and more when you tune in.
