XZIBIT: Welcome to another episode of the Lasagna Ganja Podcast. I’m X to the Z, XZIBIT.

Tammy: And I’m Tammy, a.k.a. The Cannabis Cutie.

XZIBIT: We always have wonderful episodes. We are here today with Mieko Perez.

Tammy: She is an advocate in the cannabis space, specifically for children with autism and their families.

She works with medical professionals in the cannabis space and she is notorious for being one of the first mothers to come out in public and say “I give my kid weed.”

XZIBIT: Wow, that is dope to be able to get that perspective.

We are going to be able to speak with her soon. She has some exciting stuff coming out in the market.

On top of that, the stuff that is going on in cannabis is just wild. We’re going to talk about some of the headlines right now before we bring on our guest.

What are some of the headlines that you think stand out the most?

Tammy: A headline that has been really big for 2023 is the recommendation that cannabis go from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3.

Anything on drug Schedule 1 means it has no accepted medical use and high potential for abuse.

Cannabis is on Schedule 1 even though there are so many states that have legislation making cannabis a medicine.

So the recommendation is that we move it to Schedule 3. And a lot of people think this is progress.

But it’s not progress. In fact, it’s something that we don’t want to touch with a 10 foot pole.

XZIBIT: Ok so tell us about that. What is something classified as Schedule 3?

Tammy: So on Schedule 1, cannabis use is federally illegal. But states can do whatever they want.

If cannabis moves to Schedule 3, it becomes the FDA’s business. Everything done with cannabis has to get approved by the FDA and once it is approved, you have to get a prescription from a doctor for it.

So it changes the entire industry. And let’s say the FDA just drags its feet and does nothing?

XZIBIT: Or gives contracts to their home boys.

Tammy: Exactly! And the industry will move completely away from the people who kept it alive and are now trying to survive in the new legal market. And so big business benefits.

Or the FDA does what it did in the past with the Marijuana Tax Stamp, which is where they do absolutely nothing. “Oh, we’ll get to it when we get to it.”

So there are so many really bad outcomes. Could there be some positives?

XZIBIT: What are some of the positives?

Tammy: I don’t even know. The government and cannabis? There are no positives.

Joe Biden, just last year, announced a pardon for Federal cannabis offenses, but that was for simple possession and nobody was in jail for that.

XZIBIT: Well they could do distribution. They got those COVID shots out there like a motherfucker.

Tammy: Speaking of distribution, if we want to change anything, let’s deschedule, not reschedule.

XZIBIT: For our listeners, what is the difference there?

Tammy: Descheduling is just taking it off the schedule entirely.

Cannabis was only supposed to be placed on Schedule 1 temporarily.

And then Nixon commissioned the Shafer Report which actually said that cannabis is benign and positive and it needs to be descheduled.

And the government basically threw that report away and kept cannabis on Schedule 1 because pharmaceutical companies didn’t want the competition.

So essentially scheduling just became a firewall.

XZIBIT: When did they announce rescheduling?

Tammy: I believe it was announced in September.

XZIBIT: I don’t know how to feel about it yet. From what you’re saying, it sounds like a nightmare scenario. I don’t want to have to go to a doctor every time I want to get an 8th.

Tammy: And what if it’s not good cannabis?

XZIBIT: Well that train has already left the station.

Tammy: Well do we go back to the time before when cannabis was illegal and everyone was getting arrested?

XZIBIT: Well they would like that.

Tammy: I think so because I think now that cannabis is getting legalized, they don’t have enough bodies to put in prison.

XZIBIT: There’s tons of shit to arrest people for.

Tammy: Yeah, abortion is a big one.

XZIBIT: Woo! Her revolver is smoking today.

Tammy: Bang bang! They’ve got to replace the prison population.

XZIBIT: Do you think there is a scheme to depopulate the Earth?

Tammy: No. But I do think the Earth is fed up with us and might want to kill us.

XZIBIT: Really? So you don’t think it’s us killing us. It’s the planet that’s killing us.

Tammy: I don’t really get into whether or not there is a depopulation plan. I know there are too many of us right now and not enough resources. That’s what I do know.

XZIBIT: Do you think they’re controlling the weather? These are HIGH questions.

Tammy: Maybe? I don’t know.

XZIBIT: Ok. Well, we are here now with…Mieko Perez!

Mieko: Thank you for having me.

This is such a unique opportunity.

XZIBIT: There’s a lot to unpack. Just take us from the beginning–how did you get started?

Mieko: My son was diagnosed with autism at 18 months. I was a young mother. I didn’t really understand autism or the journey.

Tammy: And what year was this?

Mieko: This was in early 2000. I placed him on prescribed medication. By the time he was 9 years old, he was 42 pounds.

At the time, I was dealing with behavior issues. We had a crisis unit in our home most of the time.

He had to be cleared for surgery. I walked into the doctor’s office. He’s 42 pounds. You can see the bones in his chest. And I said, “Something is wrong here.”

My initial thought was Cheech and Chong. How do I get my son to eat?

At the time, I was a legal researcher and my son ended up being one of my biggest cases.

I had uncovered a document that had been written by Bernard Rimland, the founder of the Autism Society of America.

He wrote a paper on cannabis as a viable treatment option for children on the autism spectrum.

Like any case, I had a very big file. I walked into the doctor’s office with his medical team and said, “We’re doing this.”

XZIBIT: So cannabis wasn’t a part of your everyday life? You weren’t consuming yourself?

Mieko: No. I come from a law enforcement and religious family. This was completely out of my character to have found cannabis as a treatment option.

I was married at the time. My ex-husband was a stoner. I’m walking into the house with Joey and I told him that we’re using cannabis as a treatment option.

My ex-husband looked at me and said, “Are you kidding me?”

And I said, “I’m going to be able to do this.”

And so day 1, I reached out to a couple of growers. One of them ended up being Kyle Kushman.

And these guys are still my brothers today. These are the guys who came and put me under their wing. And the ride has not stopped.

XZIBIT: What did you end up deciding is the best method?

Mieko: Joey loved chocolate. I’m not a pastry chef, but I started making brownies.

I can tell you that in the first three months, I was amazed.

At first I thought it would just give him a little bit of weight, but I was not expecting him to smile. I was not expecting for my dad to walk into the room and for Joey to acknowledge him. I was not expecting Joey to start making sounds.

And I believe I did one interview for Channel 7 and the next day I was being flown to New York for Good Morning America.

And from that day on my entire life changed.

I knew that if I was going to go public, I made sure there was an attorney next to me. I made sure there was a medical team in-line.

Because as a woman of color, I knew what I was up against.

XZIBIT: It’s so dope to hear that you had the foresight to have these pieces in place.

Did you have any pushback? And how did you respond to it?

Mieko: As an autism parent, I really take everyone’s opinion with a grain of salt. It really doesn’t matter.

Until you’ve walked in my shoes, you’ll never understand what I’ve gone through.

I knew that I needed to have the right paperwork in order. Everyone else just had an opinion.

XZIBIT: Did Social Services get involved?

Mieko: So they did get involved. Thankfully, I had legal counsel that could intervene.

After going on Fox News, no one really wanted to go against me.

And that’s when I realized that we are at the forefront of this.

Throughout the 16 year journey, I really haven’t changed. I’m the same mom. But now I have an army, and I use that army to help others.

Tammy: How do you help others?

Mieko: I feel like I’m the autism whisperer. When families contact me, it’s really helping them navigate through the process. It’s about just providing the most appropriate starting point.

When Joey was diagnosed in 2011 with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, I had no idea I was killing two birds with one stone.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy just attacks your muscles and cannabis is a muscular protectant.

I started working in terminal illness. I started working in palliative care.

And I had no idea of my son’s purpose and how it was shaping what the next phase of my life would be.

I always get parents who say I’m different from other advocates who sell you a product. And I tell them it’s because I’m not selling a product, I’m selling navigation through the rules, guidelines, and what to look for.

XZIBIT: Just to be clear, cannabis is not the cure for autism.

Mieko: It’s the assist, not the cure.

XZIBIT: It’s really dope to hear about your journey to be an advocate even though you don’t smoke yourself. It’s really admirable with the families you help.

We already see the perception and even misconception of the regular cannabis user as a hippie or what not. And we know the negative press they’ve given cannabis over the years.

So it’s an uphill battle. You’re fighting in the court of public opinion for yourself and for the plant, and you’re only trying to help your child.

And there are lots of people out there who need help. It really opens up the levels of communication about how cannabis can be more than just recreational.

Mieko: I truly believe cannabis and autism is the reason I am who I am today. I guess I would be one of those types of people who are square and never look outside the box if it wasn’t for this journey.

I don’t just protect families but also cultivators. Without cultivators, my son would not have lived as long as he did.

It’s important that we not take the final product for granted. And the cultivator behind that end product needs to be equally praised because he’s the reason why we are seeing progress with our children.

Tammy: You mentioned Joey living as long as he did. How long were they expecting him to live prior to cannabis?

Mieko: With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, most boys pass away in their late teens. Joey passed away at the age of 19 years old.

It’s kind of weird. I talk to him every day. But I am very grateful for cannabis. For autism. For the journey.

But I certainly think that whatever happens, I know that I am not done yet because the families still contact me.

I think I’m still needed.

I’m definitely bringing perspectives that may not be apparent–the consumer, the parent, the manufacturer, the cultivator.

So I have transitioned over and am working in NASCAR.

XZIBIT: Tell us about NASCAR.

Mieko: I think about two years ago, NASCAR decided to let CBD companies sponsor drivers.

XZIBIT: Oh I can’t wait ‘til they let us promote on their cars.

I’m going to blast that shit!

Mieko: Well I’m working with Curry MotorSports, which is EMSA, so we can definitely do THC.

I was working with a driver. He’s the third African American NASCAR driver. He’s been publicly diagnosed with autism. His name is Armani Williams.

And they said they needed an expert, so I said, “Here we go.” I went to a couple of races and said I was in.

XZIBIT: So he drives professionally?

Mieko: Professionally. And to be able to work with Armani has been a blessing.

XZIBIT: Where on the spectrum is he?

Mieko: He’s on the higher end of the spectrum. He’s in college. He’s 23 years old. He’s exceptional.

He’s the hope that all families need. Could you imagine sitting in Pennsylvania with a child on the spectrum and you see Armani pop up? And he’s a professional NASCAR driver.

XZIBIT: I’m going to check Armani out.

Mieko: Check him out. And we’ll take you over to EMSA and get your whole car taken care of.

XZIBIT: Hey, cannabis is not allowed in a lot of places.

Mieko: With this podcast and more exposure, we’re changing the narrative. I never thought I’d be sitting here with X and Cannabis Cutie talking about autism.

Tammy: Shout out to Joey for setting you on your life path.

Mieko: And it comes full circle. The first time Joey actually responded to music was a Snoop Dogg song.

Tammy: Which one?

Mieko: “I Wanna Rock Right Now.”

He’s rocking back and forth and I’m crying. He’s nonverbal. The only word he’s ever said was ‘Mom.’

And it’s so surprising. Snoop Dogg? A brownie? Cannabis? And when I sit down with families, they get it. The cannabis industry has no idea how many people are behind cannabis.

XZIBIT: What would you say to people who are actively trying to deconstruct or break down the ability to get this medicine out into the world?

Mieko: You can’t stop us. We are 1 out of every 17 households in America. We are a voting block that will stand behind cannabis any day.

My attorneys would say that I breeze through Fox News. I say it’s because I was talking about pro-life.

People forget that cannabis is pro-life.

Tammy: That’s beautiful.

XZIBIT: We call this podcast the Lasagna Ganja podcast and we do that because there’s layers.

We dedicated this podcast to finding these layers. It’s not just about recreational use or the plant. It’s about the families. It’s about something that’s being treated like a commodity when it’s a medicine.

Mieko: It’s not only given cultivators a way of connecting with their families, it’s also giving us, as families of color, a way to connect.

I remember walking out of court one day and this guy ran up to me and said, “You’re the reason I talked to my mom about cannabis.”

We really have influenced a generation.

Now I’m having a lot more fun, though. It’s taken me a while. Joey’s been gone for five years, and I’m finally coming out of my shell.

XZIBIT: Thank you for sharing this information with us. By all means, keep going. I just want to thank you.

Tammy: Now Mieko you’re doing something in the United States that we’re not seeing a lot of, which is the discussion around cannabis and autism.

And in places like Israel, where they’ve done years and years of research, we know that there is a positive correlation between cannabis use for people who are living on the autism spectrum.

So bringing attention to that is so important. And for advocates, this is not our lane. When it comes to these kinds of things, I’m going to send people to experts.

You’re always going to be one that I send people to when they have questions about what to give their children. I have no advice.

Mieko: It’s a doozy. When a mother says to you that she wants to use this treatment option and three people hear it, Child Protective Services is knocking at your door.

XZIBIT: What if people are in a state where it’s not legal on any level but they have a child on the spectrum that may need this medicine? How do they go about getting it?

Mieko: Look, X, I cannot answer that question legally.

Tammy: Well, there is one way we can answer it legally. It’s called ‘medical refugees.’ You better hope that your family can afford to pick up and move.

There is a girl who had an epileptic disorder and her family had to move her from Texas to Colorado because the only way she could live is with the medicine.

She was having 100s of seizures a day and they were going to take out a piece of her brain. Or she could use cannabis and they’d stop.

But her family had to uproot her entirely. She was taking CBD and was seizure free for 30 days.

After those 30 days, she had a seizure. They added THC and she has not had a seizure since. It’s been years now.

If you can’t go to another state because you can’t afford it, you’re risking your life, your children, and everything.

Mieko: I’m very grateful. Our story was not only in Copenhagen, Denmark, but we’ve been able to be in quite a few books telling our story.

One of the reasons that I do go public is because I do not want to put any more families in the line of fire.

What families do not realize is that even though autism might be in a legislative bill, state laws have not changed.

You still have state negligence laws on the books. You still have physicians that have to report THC in a child’s system.

We haven’t solved the problem yet.

So until federal laws are passed, you can contact me and have a confidential call.

And I always tell families that it’s great that people can recommend a product, but you call me if you want to be successful.

XZIBIT: If people want to get in touch with you, how do they do so?

Mieko: So obviously through social media. It’s Mieko Perez. And my blog, miekosblog.com, which has all of my credentials.

XZIBIT: Are there organizations that you align with?

Mieko: There are organizations I’m aligned with that may not want to be named here. But if you contact me, I’ll put you in front of these organizations.

Each family is very different, each goal is very different. But the good thing about it is that these organizations know I mean business.

XZIBIT: You’ve also done products of your own?

Mieko: Yeah. So this is Arbor Hemp. This is a product that has a very unique ingredient called Nitro V.

Nitro V is like a super cannabinoid. It’s 33mg. I’ve seen a lot of products and I work with a lot of medical directors. I listen to their input.

So I try to move away from using certain delivery methods for very specific reasons. There’s a lot of senior citizens who are going into the emergency room right now because they are taking tinctures and edibles.

And there’s no definitive dose.

So with all these companies throwing products at me, I knew I’d find a company that would be suited for me.

I tried the Arbor product a little bit before my hysterectomy. I took the product for 90 days and then contacted them and said I wanted it.

There’s no product that bears any woman of color, so I knew I was about to set the trend. And I started losing weight and getting better sleep.

But the doctors were having problems because they couldn’t figure out dosage for patients.

People would come in and say they ate a bite but no one had any idea how much cannabis was actually consumed.

And now they’ll know it's 33mg.

XZIBIT: Can I get this in stores?

Mieko: Yes, you can. Right now it’s in Union Square Travel Agency in Manhattan, as well as a couple stores in Michigan and California.

It’s something I can be proud of.

Tammy: Congratulations on the product. It’s still a goal of mine to get you to smoke weed before you die.

Mieko: I’m working on it! I’ve got the contact high down, though.

XZIBIT: Mieko, thank you for being on the Lasagna Ganja Podcast. Thank you for sharing.

This is X to the Z XZIBIT!

Tammy: And I’m Tammy, a.k.a. The Cannabis Cutie.

XZIBIT: We’ll see you next time.