Smoke with Me
How Much Do I Smoke in a Day? Find Out This & Much More with Hosts DJ Infamous and the Wolf of Weedstreet….Asking The Hard Hitting Questions!
DJ Infamous: It’s your boy DJ Infamous. talk to me–nah, smoke with me!
I'm here with my partner, The Wolf of Weedstreet.
So without further ado, Cannabis Cutie is in the building.
Wolf: Good to have you on the show. Our first female guest on the show, which is a good milestone for us.
Let's get into it. First question I have for you is the name. How'd you come up with that name?
Tammy: So the name is twofold–cannabis and cutie.
I was educating people about cannabis for well over a decade. But I kept it a secret. It was not something that you knew about me unless you were in the inner circle or knew somebody from my inner circle.
And then the ‘Cutie’ part was that, as a woman, you're allowed to accept a compliment. People are allowed to tell you that you're beautiful.
As a woman, you can be pretty, but you are not allowed to make that statement. You are not allowed to claim that. Because then you're cocky.
So I was always very insecure. And so finally I thought, “You know what, I smoke a lot of weed, and I'm cute. And I'm going to embrace that.”
So I created a platform where I just made videos in my car about weed education. And people accepted that I am an attractive person who can be open about their appearance without being cocky.
DJ: Let's take it back. Because I want to see how you get to what you just said. Where are you from?
Tammy: So, I mostly grew up in Oklahoma City on the south side.
DJ: When did you start? When did you first start smoking?
Wolf: Yeah. When was the first time you smoked? Do you remember what you smoked?
Tammy: I was in college. I was at Oklahoma State University. I lived on a coed dorm floor for my first year.
And this kid Justin–he used to smell like a pound. And we all judged him. Justin was cool, but he was always high.
So the semester comes to an end and he gets his grades. He made the honor roll. I got a 0.8 GPA and was sober. It landed me on academic probation.
So I was like, “Oh, the dare program lied to me!”
Wolf: That's another myth that I want to debunk, too. I feel like people think you can't consume cannabis and be intelligent. Or you can't consume cannabis and perform physical activity.
So if you guys didn't catch what she just said, I’ll repeat. She said the guy who was walking around campus smelling like a pound of weed got a 4.0.
Tammy: Not a 4.0. He got above a 3.5.
Wolf: And you were sober and your GPA was…
Tammy: In the trash. I didn't even know you could get on academic probation. My mom couldn't be mad. She didn't go to college. And she asked how I got such a low average, and I didn’t know.
I was a smart kid. But what happened was I went from an inner city and a diverse area to an agriculture school located in a small town. I didn’t handle the transition well.
So that's what happened. Culture shock. So when I came back, Justin offered me weed. And when I did it, my life began to change. This chip on my shoulder went away. The anger that I had was gone. All of a sudden, I was able to see things from different perspectives. I was growing spiritually.
So that's when I that's when the journey began. And I have not been able to shut up since then.
Wolf: Do you think that when you first started smoking, the plant opened up different relationships for you? Maybe you might not have spoken to someone, but because of the plant now they're in your circle of friends?
Tammy: Yeah, weed is the great unifier. Again, I went to a place where I believe the black student and Latino student population was under 10%.
I wasn’t used to that. So this plant gave me something to do with others. I had something in common with somebody.
And with weed, you're typically not meeting them in an aggravated state or a violent state, like you might with drinks.
So I'm smoking with people from different parts of the campus and different types of majors from different parts of the world.
DJ: Okay, so when did the journey to advocacy start? What made you even want to get into that?
Tammy: Grad school. I was in a program whose academic calendar worked around the NFL schedule.
It was a program for athletes and spouses. I did every single project and assignment that I could on cannabis. I was sitting in a classroom with a lot of retired men who have headaches, irritability, and sleep problems.
They're dealing with all kinds of issues. And they're asking me questions because they're dealing with a lot and they don't know what else to do. So I'm pushing a lot of retired men to actually try cannabis.
My professors at the University of Miami started asking me questions and got really curious. So that’s how I knew that I was going to be in this industry.
But then when I graduated, I didn't know how. So I figured I would educate myself further. I looked at studies, learned the science, and then that's when it was like, “Oh my gosh, everybody needs to know about the science. Why isn't anybody talking about this?”
I get on Instagram and there's no education. So I was like, “Okay, I'm gonna start this education.”
Wolf: Especially in our community. There's not a voice like you, you know what I mean? Not enough to really educate people.
Tammy: For sure. So, I took to Instagram and started being very loud. And for a long time, there were no other educators making education their core content.
And now today, there's hundreds of creators and that's exactly what I was hoping to see. So there's somebody for everybody now, and we can really push forward the proper education to get better legislation and bring down the prohibitive mindset.
Wolf: So I do have one question that came from the listeners. All the listeners want to know: is Cannabis Cutie single? Like, really listeners?
Tammy: Wow. You know, I typically keep my private life private, private.
DJ: I know the answer. I'm gonna keep it private.
But so that's another thing, when you’re looking at your social media, you have traction like a motherfucker.
So I'm looking at your page and your content is consistent. Back then, it's like you saw into the future because now you can be open about it.
Wolf: So, I know how difficult it is to be in the cannabis industry. We have a cultivation dispensary and a couple of brands. I know the obstacles that we've had to overcome as a company and as black men in the cannabis space.
Can you share with our listeners any of the obstacles that you've had, just being a black woman in the cannabis space, getting into the industry, and pushing your platform?
Tammy: Oh, gosh, there's so many obstacles. One is, as a woman, my role was underground. A lot of the cultivation and bigger activities were done by men. So it's hard for women to get respect.
But you know, my perspective is that this is a feminine plant. This is a female plant that we're dealing with. So to tell a woman that she doesn't know what she's doing in this industry is insane.
And then just being a black woman, the disrespect that you get sometimes is a lot. Brands will pay white creators and then gift you products and expect content. And you are supposed to be okay with that.
But there's definitely a lot of sexism and misogyny within the cannabis industry. But you just have to know what you're up against.
And you have to go out there with that mindset. And you have to be better than the best. That's just kind of how you have to move.
Wolf: I like that. Do you have any recommendations for women who are trying to enter the cannabis space? Or any kind of cheat codes you can give them?
Tammy: Oh, cheat codes? Ok. What are you good at? Are you good at selling? Marketing? Researching? Data collection?
Whatever you can do, bring that to the industry because it's not being done in a professional, maybe not necessarily professional, but legit way.
Again, this was underground. There's no accounting, there's no proper marketing, there's none of that.
If you can do that very well and you have experience doing that with other products, you can do that in the cannabis industry so long as you understand the plant.
So entrepreneurship is on the rise. Baby boomers are retiring and these companies are replacing those baby boomers at not the same pay, and we don't want to work for peanuts.
So start your own business in cannabis. It's a brand new industry. It's in its infancy and the rules are being written now.
So if you're looking for a way to monetize your skills, this might be an industry for you.
DJ: Right, I was gonna ask you, where do you see the industry going? Like, from California on?
Tammy: Cali is a tough one. The law, prop 64, is so terrible, probably one of the worst ones in the world. So, who knows what's going to happen? California is a mess.
Trying to enter the market is so difficult. It's extremely costly. So I see corporate cannabis potentially coming in and just swallowing it whole. The taxes are way too high for anybody.
The winners are the government. They're the ones who are winning. And you know, people think, “Oh, there's so much money in cannabis.”
But again, the legacy market didn't have insurance, they didn't have taxes, they didn't have security, they didn't have overhead. That’s why it was lucrative.
And because it was illegal, there was scarcity, so the prices are always going to stay around a certain point or higher. Now that we know what's in the market, we can properly price according to supply and demand.
And then you have all these additional expenses. You have a dispensary, you have a business that's listed on a website, you have to have cash, you have to have armed guards, you have to have a big, expensive safe.
Wolf: It's definitely a tough market out here. But like I tell everybody, if you can brand yourself in California, you can take that presence and brand awareness to other states because California is one where you really have to prove yourself. The rest of the market follows California.
So what do you think about the social equity programs that are in place in California? It's actually a two part question….
So I'm asking you about California, and then I'm asking you about how other states are trying to mimic or improve its model.
Tammy: I mean, is there social equity in California? You know, I think the Bay Area's probably the one that's getting it right in comparison to LA.
But from what I remember, social equity was a mess there. You had people of color holding on to leases, but there were no licenses coming out. So they're just paying for these leases and not operating.
And people don't just have that kind of money sitting around, especially black people. I mean, look at our median household income–it's not something that they can manage.
And then you saw a lot of predatory activity. You saw VCs going after licenses. You saw people signing their company over and not realizing they're about to be an employee with a social equity license.
So there's a lot of corruption. I haven't looked into it because I know that there's still delays in rolling it out properly.
Wolf: They’re basically using social equity as window dressing. You have a lot of cases where you have these big corporations coming in and chomping us off with deals. So definitely a lot of predatory actions that have been going on.
How do you feel about the social equity programs that New York is trying to put in place?
Tammy: I have not looked into those but the last time I looked, I remember that the people were not willing to pass any legislation unless social equity was included because reparations after the fact never worked in this nation.
So New York is an exciting market. There's so much happening right now.
Wolf: New York is definitely going to be one of the biggest markets.
Tammy: I mean, they have the most cannabis smokers in the world. The city population is four times that of LA or something like that.
It's a very exciting market, and I hope they get it right. I know there's some crazy stuff happening right now. That has some skepticism brewing, but we'll see what happens.
DJ: Let me ask you, why blunts over papers?
Tammy: So, I like hemp blunts, specifically. I try to stay away from tobacco. I do have asthma and tobacco irritates my lungs.
And then papers–I just don't like the taste of burnt paper. I don't know what it is. But it's just not good anymore. So with hemp, I mean, I'm consuming 100% cannabis.
Wolf: We had Wonder Boy roll you up one of his famous joints here. And I'm gonna let you try it a little bit
Tammy: Okay. Do you set your intention before you consume? Do you ever set your intention?
DJ: You mean, like, I'm not gonna do this or I gotta smoke first?
Tammy: No, like, why are you smoking?
DJ: At this moment, I smoke because it keeps me relaxed, keeps me focused, keeps me feeling good. That's why, over the years, I've smoked more.
Wolf: So I was watching one of your videos and you did a breakdown on terps and terpenes that I really liked. I think it's a part of the plant that a lot of consumers don't really know about.
Can you break down that video you did? For our listeners, just a little bit of information on Terps?
Tammy: Okay, a lot of people have this idea that THC percentage, Sativa, or Indica is going to give them information on what kind of high they're going to have—which is just not true!
Sure, to a point, obviously something with 4% THC and something with 15% THC are gonna differ. But you hit a point where it doesn't matter anymore.
When you look at the cannabis plant, there's so much in it. And when you're just focusing on the THC, which we could just call the tuba player, that tuba player is not going to give you the sound of the entire orchestra.
You want to hear the strings. You want to hear percussion. You want to hear it all.
And so when you have a string, you want to smell it and you want to feel it. Is it dry? Is it a new harvest? What does it smell like?
For anybody who ever DMs me and says, “Oh my gosh, I smoked something. It made my heart race.” I always ask, “Did it smell like oranges?” And 9 times out of 10 it did.
For some of us, we have a weird reaction to oranges in cannabis. So it's important to know what it is that you have.
DJ: Like citrus?
Tammy: Yeah. It makes my heart race. So terpenes are going to be the smell that indicates what type of experience you’ll have.
If it smells like candy, I'm going to sleep. I'm going straight to bed. If it smells like strawberries or anything that's fruity, which is typically labeled Sativa, it's gonna make me tired.
But if it smells like gas and OG, which is considered heavy Indica, I'm awake. I'm creative. I'm relaxed.
Wolf: What are some of the favorite strains you like smoking?
Tammy: I really like OGs. So, OG does do citrus, but it's not the main smell. It’s earthy with a slight lemon smell.
But if it smells like gas, that's what I love. And then I love OGs. Or Gelatos that lean towards the OG smell.
Wolf: That's funny because a lot of the younger palates right now are leaning toward candy strains.
Tammy: Right. Yeah, that's poppin.
But honestly, it's your body. For some people, they smoke an OG and they're going straight to bed.
And then for me and a lot of other people I know who have ADHD, it just evens them out. And then there's people for whom oranges really give them energy.
So you just have to have a good relationship with the plant and honor the entirety of it.
DJ: Two questions. Do you work out?
Tammy: Yes.
DJ: Do you smoke before the gym and after?
Tammy: Yes. Before a tennis match, I’d smoke. I'm not competitive right now, but pre-COVID I was. And I would have my vape pen on the sidelines and in between sets if I was in my head too much.
DJ: Okay. If you know you're gonna eat a good meal, are you smoking before that?
Tammy: I am probably eating an edible, yes. An hour before.
DJ: So, you wouldn't smoke a joint? Like, if you go into a restaurant?
Tammy: Oh yeah, we're smoking on the way there. Maybe outside or in between the dinner. Like there's places in LA where you can step outside.
DJ: You need an edible before you've got dinner?
Tammy: Yeah.
Wolf: The edibles bring the flavor out. I taste all of the flavor in the food when I have an edible before.
DJ: This is the first time I'm hearing this. I've never tried that before. I've always thought that if I'm going to eat something good, I'm smoking. And then I'm going to go eat.
Tammy: But I'm gonna also smoke. Like, while I wait.
DJ: Another one. Before you go to sleep, do you smoke?
Tammy: Yeah, for sure.
DJ: When you wake up in the morning, do you smoke?
Tammy: Sometimes, not always. It depends on my day. Like today, I knew I was coming to smoke. So, on days like this, I have to wake up and smoke. I had to get my body primed.
DJ: How many blunts a day?
Tammy: On a day where I have nothing to do? I'll do an eighth that day. But there's days where it's one blunt.
Wolf: I like the way you express yourself on your platform. Can you please tell us–why podcasting?
Tammy: Ah, gosh. My gift is an ability to make complex things really easy to understand. My gift is speaking.
So, for me, I feel like I'm doing work that I'm called to do. I was never fully conscious that this is what I was supposed to be doing. But when it did become conscious, I just allowed it to happen.
And even when I do have to speak on this plant, I always want to honor her, if we can personify the plant having a spirit properly. So I allow myself to be a vessel and do the work.
And she wants to help. She has been on this planet much longer than we have. And we have receptors in our body to receive this plant.
But if you do not give her direction, she is going to go inside you and expand whatever it is that you're thinking about.
So when people are like, “Oh, it made me anxious,” it's because you were probably pretty anxious or thinking about that job or that relationship or that thing when you sparked up.
And guess what she did? She just blew it up for you. Which is why I say your intention is so important. if it's just sitting here in the ashtray and you're like, “Oh, let me pick that up and smoke it,” you need to be careful because she's very powerful.
And you need to give her direction so that she can help you.
Wolf: So, another thing that I found out about is that you have the education. You're educating everybody about the plant and about the procedures and processes.
But what was surprising to me is that I didn't see any products from you yet. I don't see any Cannabis Cutie flower edibles or tinctures. What’s going on with that?
Tammy: Gosh, you know, the opportunities are on the table. It's just all about wanting to come out correctly. Making sure it's right.
In California, it's a difficult market. We've seen real stoners come out with products and the market does not care for the stoner.
And the shelves have so many brands. New brands are out every couple of months. How do you get the consumer to lock in and be loyal when there’s so much happening?
Wolf: Because you're the Cannabis Cutie. They’re gonna lock in.
Tammy: But I also want to make sure that when I do come out with products that it's quality and it's proper.
And also, I'm a mom of two. I'm not moving at the speed that I would like, but at some point, I will have a bigger team that can handle things.
DJ: How old are your kids?
Tammy: 7 and 11.
DJ: How do your kids feel about weed?
Tammy: Oh man, so supportive. I taught them during COVID about the plant. We were growing tons of different things in the backyard, including cannabis. They learned the difference between the different types of cannabis.
Outside of the fact that they couldn't touch it, there was no difference. Water, sunlight, and nutrients, it was all there.
So I just explained that there would be a police officer that would come to school and tell you otherwise. You cannot argue with him. Just let him say what he needs to say. But understand what this plant can do.
And they have eczema. For their skin, we use hemp oil, which is a cannabis plant. It clears up your eczema and does it without all the steroids.
So, they have proper education. They also know the risks and that there is a downside. So they're super supportive. They help pack orders for the Cannabis Cutie merch and they love it.
So, I don't smoke around them in the house, but I will step on the balcony.
And I used to hide myself until one day my kids ran into the backyard. I had a glass of champagne and a joint.
I hid the joint and this is the thing–that in the other hand there is something that's gonna fuck you. It is gonna hurt your liver, your brain, your stomach, your mood, your appetite, your health. Why am I hiding a joint and not the wine?
So that's when I decided I wasn't going to hide it. Because parents drink in front of their children all the time.
Parents will take their kids to a restaurant and have a couple of drinks and then drive their kids home.
Wolf: So what else are you working on right now? Where can they catch you on your next speaking engagement? Where can they follow the Cannabis Cutie?
Tammy: Yeah. So, with my next speaking gig, I'll be in Las Vegas at MJ Biz Con.
I will be speaking by myself, with a moderator named Lindsey Bartlett. She's a cannabis writer. We'll be talking about social media. I have been deactivated 10 times on my main Instagram page, once on my backup. So a total 11 deactivations.
I will definitely come out with another merch launch this fall. And I'm getting ready to do a sports podcast that I was supposed to have executed so long ago, but you know what, life kind of got crazy.
DJ: Are you sports heavy?
Tammy: Who, me? I played tennis. I mean, I played sports my whole life. I come from a sports family. I've worked for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
I majored in sports in undergrad and went to a sports program for grad school. I was married to an athlete. My business partners are athletes. My kids are athletes. My twin brother was a college athlete. It’s just a part of me.
And part of my advocacy was, you know, my experience as an athlete’s wife and seeing what happens to the brains of football players and what happens when they retire.
That conversation is not being talked about. And these are not typical brains. These are, you know, traumatic brain injury, CTE, and PTSD brains. Why are we throwing chemicals at them?
So there's a whole lot more of me that I'm getting ready to share. And so that's a really vulnerable spot for me, but I have really dope people that have already said yes to the podcast.
Wolf: Congratulations. Tell the listeners the name of it.
Tammy: Higher Goals with Tammy Pettigrew.
DJ: I got a high question. Where's the craziest place you've smoked?
Tammy: I’ve been high in so many cities, but I would say one of my favorite places to smoke is at Wood Tavern in Wynwood. It’s 90s R&B on Wednesdays and Fridays. I always go around 8:30 or 9.
Once it starts cracking, I leave and go to the food truck Park and Uber home.
DJ: What did you think about Joe Biden’s announcement?
Tammy: You know, I feel like we have hit as a society this ‘let's shit on the president.’ Literally any president could have done anything and they would’ve made history.
And that's what Joe Biden did. He did the least amount.
But people have to understand that, yes, it was a political move for the midterms. This is what they do every cycle. Why are we shocked? Yes, it's a political play.
This is also where we're going to start hearing BS about all these politicians and all their dirt coming out. This is all a political game. They do it every cycle.
What he did was strategic offensively and defensively. What he did was look at the cannabis community and say, “I'm making good on some of my promises.”
And what he also did was play defense because Republicans can't say he released 1000s of criminals into the streets because nobody got released.
So he played offense and defense. I think it was pretty brilliant. Because when you look at the people who are in the political center, those are the people that he's appealing to. They are really, really harsh when it comes to criminal stuff.
So if they saw that he was being soft on crime, they’d swing right. So he's holding them in the center, or at least moving them a little bit to the left.
Politically, I think it was pretty good. I don't think it was enough. But again, he made history because he literally did something.
Wolf: Well, cool. Before we get you out of here, is there anything you'd like to share with the listeners as far as anything else you have going on? Maybe leave the women in the industry with a little nugget of advice?
Tammy: Once you make that decision to get into the industry, stand on it and go full force. It can be scary, especially if you're stepping into this industry and you come from a family or a place where it's not socially acceptable.
Being the first is never easy, but know that you're being a pioneer and a visionary. And that takes courage and it's okay to be scared.
But, you know, go after it anyway. You're probably on the right path if you're scared.
Wolf: Definitely was a pleasure having you on the show. I love what you're doing for the community. It is much needed.
Tammy: Well, I want to say that I have a cannabis focused book club called The Higher Learning Book Club. We meet weekly on Zoom.
Then I also have a free advocacy guide. If you want to be an advocate in this industry, this is for you. There's tons of videos to go with it.
I also have a Cannabinoids Ebook, Courses, and things of that nature. So, that's what I have going on right now.
DJ: Thanks for being on.
Tammy: Thanks for having me!
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