Today, we’re diving into a truly inspiring story with our guest, Beth Jasinski, who’s found an unexpected ally in her fitness journey: cannabis. Join us as we explore how this unconventional tool has transformed her wellness routine and how it might just do the same for you.
In this episode, meet Beth Jasinski, a remarkable woman who has found a unique way to manage bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression while simultaneously enhancing her quality of life.
After discovering the benefits of cannabis in 2017, Beth has incorporated it into her daily routine.
Her cannabis journey goes beyond relief, and she believes it has made her more mindful and in tune with her body, allowing her to control cravings and eat intuitively.
She believes that mindfulness is the key to successful fitness and wellness journeys. As a bonus, she recommends cannabis as a lower-calorie alternative to alcohol.
If you’re looking to elevate your fitness journey, tune in to learn more about Beth’s inspiring story and how cannabis might be the unexpected ally you’ve been searching for.
Full Transcript
Beth: Exactly. And I think it could be life-changing for people. Now more than ever, we’re torn in many different directions, and I see people struggle so much with so many different things. Unfortunately, that’s where we are in society. I really believe that mindfulness and cannabis can change lives.
Announcer: Welcome to the Well With Cannabis Podcast, a show dedicated to telling the life-changing stories of those who live well with cannabis all while teaching you how to do the same. Meet your host, Emily Kyle, a registered dietitian nutritionist turned certified holistic cannabis practitioner. Emily changed her life for the better with the help of the cannabis plant, and now she’s committed to helping others do the same.
Tune in each week to hear heartwarming stories and gain the knowledge you need to feel connected, inspired, and supported on your own cannabis journey. Whether you’re a new cannabis consumer or a lifetime lover, you’ll benefit from these uplifting tales of real-life journeys that will show you how you, too, can live your best life well with cannabis.
Disclaimer: Hi there. Before we jump into today’s episode, I wanted to share a note on potentially sensitive content. The episodes on the Well With Cannabis Podcast are created for adult audiences only. We will, at times, cover sensitive topics, including but not limited to suicide, abuse, mental illness, sex, drugs, alcohol, psychedelics, and the obvious use of plant medicine. Explicit language may be used occasionally. Please refrain from watching or listening to the show if you’re likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.
The information on this show is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. If any of the content on this podcast has brought up anything for you, please reach out or speak to a professional or someone you trust.
Emily: Hello, everybody, and welcome back to another episode of the Well With Cannabis podcast. I am so excited to meet our next guest today. We have Beth Skinner Jasinski, and I am so excited to talk about her journey with cannabis. We’re talking about anxiety, depression, and Bipolar Disorder, but this beautiful thing has come out of it, and I really want to talk about intuition and mindfulness. Beth, welcome to the show. Thank you so much for coming here today.
Beth: Oh, thank you. Thanks for having me.
Emily: Tell us a little bit about your backstory and what led you to cannabis.
Beth: I experienced cannabis for the first time when I was about 39 years old, so around 17 years ago. I was a fitness instructor for a long time. I was teaching a class, and we were talking about an upcoming family vacation to Disney World with my husband and his son. Having kids was new to me, and I didn’t know what I would do at Disney World.
Beth: I’m not one to pop a Xanax every time I get anxious, and I’ve dealt with anxiety and depression my entire life. It’s hereditary. I’ve always been anxious and never really had an outlet for it. I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder many years ago and am on medication. The medication takes the edge off, but that doesn’t mean you’re cured of anxiety; there is no cure for anxiety.
Beth: One of my students in that class introduced me to cannabis, and it really changed how I felt mentally. It took the edge off my anxiety, and I had a fabulous experience on vacation. So, I decided to look into it and do some research. I found your site and your recipes, and then I found a local store and started experimenting with THC and CBD. I use a combination of both.
Beth: Now, I use CBD daily to manage the daily anxiety, and I use THC for more major events, as well as relaxation and mindfulness. Both CBD and THC work great for mindfulness. It’s changed my life, mood, outlook, and happiness level. It’s amazing.
Emily: I’m so excited for you. I’m always interested in people’s first time. Do you remember trying it for the first time at Disney World? What was it like? I need to know
Beth: That’s so funny. I tried it on the plane.
Emily: You’re so brave on the plane! How did it go?
Beth: I tried on the plane. I fell asleep, so it was great.
Emily: Perfect. Were you hooked after that first time? Did you feel like you had to have more of it?
Beth: Yes. I’m very empathic, so traveling for me is full of anxiety. I feel everyone else’s anxiety at the airport, which fuels my anxiety, so I’m very sensitive. All the worrying about takeoff, landing, and the other people around me disappeared. It was a fantastic thing.
Emily: We all end up jumping down the cannabis rabbit hole. What did the research process look like for you? Because a lot of people don’t know where to start.
Beth: Yeah, exactly. I didn’t know where to start. I relied on my friend, a client then, for the product, and I was doing internet research. I was starting to find people like you that actually had really good information. There is a lot of not-so-good information out there. I found a local store that sold just CBD at the time since THC hadn’t been legalized here in New York yet. The people at the store asked me about my symptoms and what I needed help with and then recommended different products. I found your recipes on your site and learned how to make oil and use cannabis in baking and cooking. It’s been really helpful.
Emily: That’s so exciting. So what does life look like now with cannabis in your life? Tell us a little bit about the benefits you experience.
Beth: The benefits have been tremendous. I use CBD for daily anxiety and call it my “daytime CBD”. I was able to start my own business during COVID. I’ve been able to take all of these leaps of faith without getting stuck in my own anxiety. In the past, between my anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, and depression, I was actually bedridden for some time. Now that I have CBD, if something triggers my anxiety, I can help medicate myself. My daily CBD alone gets me over the hurdle to take steps that I wouldn’t have been able to take otherwise.
Emily: I relate to that so much. I feel like cannabis gives me confidence so that, in a way, I can trust myself to make the right decision, and I totally connect with you on that.
Beth: I’ve been starting to teach mindfulness, fitness, and nutrition and have noticed over the years that CBD and THC help. It’s almost like they slow down my brain. I can make better decisions, even when it comes to eating more intuitively. People ask if I get the munchies, and I really don’t because I’m more aware of how I’m feeling, how my stomach feels, and all of that.
Emily: I’m so glad you said that because there’s just this misconception that cannabis consumption is going to make you lazy, sit on the couch, and have the munchies. I’ve talked with so many people who say that cannabis fuels a healthy lifestyle, especially healthcare professionals. Many people have a difficult time understanding how that can be. For me, personally, cannabis was like a missing piece of the puzzle. It made healthy eating and exercise more enjoyable, and mindfulness come more naturally. Have you experienced the same?
Beth: Absolutely. It increases my motivation and my willpower, as well.
Emily: Absolutely. I deal with fitness a lot. Fitness isn’t my favorite, but since I’ve incorporated cannabis into my fitness routine, I’ve been able to remain consistent with what I’ve been doing for over a year now. Cannabis helps with everything!
Beth: It does. It really does. I know. So, how do you incorporate it into your routine?
Emily: I prefer to actually smoke immediately before I work out, and then I like to do heavy weight lifting with loud music. For so long, I thought I should do cardio, but when I took time to reflect on what I like to do, I realized that when I got into my cardio workout, I was constantly asking myself when it would be over. Now, I feel strong and good. It’s been a really enjoyable journey.
Beth: That’s awesome. I find that the more focused we are on our workouts, the more we get out of it, especially now that more people work out at home. When we’re into it, we’re not constantly thinking about what else we have to do; we can focus on feeling our muscles and the good things our bodies are doing.
Emily: I don’t know if it’s just me getting older and wiser, or if it’s the cannabis consumption, or maybe both, but for me, fitness is so much more about seeing how strong my body can be versus being motivated to look a certain way. I don’t care if it’s cannabis or old age; I’m so happy to be in that space. That’s difficult for many people to find.
Beth: It is, and it’s a game-changer. That tells me that you’re very mindful of what you’re doing and paying attention to your body, which cannabis helps with.
Emily: Yes. Since you have some expertise in mindfulness, I’d love you to give our audience an overview of mindfulness and how you incorporate it into your everyday life.
Beth: Yeah, absolutely. I like to say that mindfulness is simply paying attention to our body. I like to say that it’s super simple, but we don’t do it. We often think about multiple things at once. We’re especially mindless when it comes to eating. If we’re eating in front of the TV, it’s just hand-to-mouth without thought.
Beth: I like to teach people that mindfulness is the opposite of that. It’s paying attention and realizing what you’re putting into your body. Pay attention when you’re eating something like chips, and realize how much you’re eating. It’s an awareness of what you’re doing, and it goes deeper than that. It’s an awareness of what you’re feeling physically. Is your stomach full? When you’re working out, are you feeling your muscles contract and stretch? Are you feeling your strength? It’s also emotional, being aware of how you’re feeling and of what you’re saying to yourself.
Emily: Absolutely. Hopefully, mindfulness is one of the next big wellness trends. I know it’s here, and many people are talking about it and preaching it, but I find that a lot of people still grasp and understand the concept.
Emily: I also think that it’s a great idea to incorporate cannabis into mindfulness because of its potential to be abused or used inappropriately. When you are mindful about your consumption, you can center yourself and remember why you’re consuming cannabis. I know it can be easy to consume for the sake of consuming, but for many people, it’s important to be mindful of the wellness aspect of it rather than the recreational.
Beth: Yeah, it really is. There are many misconceptions about it, that people are getting high and stuck on the couch and things like that. While you could act like that, you can do so much more with it. I’m able to ask myself why I need it right now and what else I can do to serve my emotional or physical needs, which is amazing. It’s such a game-changer.
Emily: So now, are you shouting CBD and cannabis from the rooftops with your clients, people you work with, friends, and family? How are you navigating this newfound excitement?
Beth: It’s funny. I do talk about it most of the time, but I still try to get a sense from people. It’s just like any other topic, like religion or politics, that you need to be careful about discussing. Since I’ve opened up to it, I’ve found that there are more people using it for different things than I thought. I especially like to discuss the benefits of CBD and recommend the stores that I know to be knowledgeable. I don’t know much of the science behind it and don’t want to overstep my bounds, but I can share how I use it.
Emily: Definitely. When you share with friends and family, do you feel the stigma, that traditional stereotype, or do you find that it’s going away?
Beth: Yes, slowly. I find that it seems to be generational, but anecdotally, once I start mentioning it, people of all ages will tell me their stories and how it’s helped them, too. I feel like it’s becoming more acceptable, and there’s less stigma. There is more publicity about it now that it’s legalized here in New York, so I think we’re starting to turn the page a little bit.
Emily: Thankfully, finally, we’ve been waiting for so long. I am in New York as well. It’s been very painful to watch how slow the rollout has been, but I’m thankful for what we have because I know that we could be a whole lot worse off than we are. I do feel like we have a lot of freedom here in New York when it comes to cannabis, but it is still slowly rolling out, and I want federal legalization already so that it’s accessible for everybody. I keep reminding myself of all of the progress we’ve made in the last ten years, and we should be patient and see what the next ten years have to bring.
Beth: We have to be patient. Exactly. We can take the proof that people see and feel the benefits of cannabis to our lawmakers.
Emily: Absolutely. And that’s why I’m so glad you’re here sharing your story, we do these interviews here because people need to see the regular everyday people who are living better quality lives because of cannabis.
Beth: Exactly. I don’t think I would be here today doing what I’m doing if I didn’t have that. I really don’t think I would have gotten this far.
Emily: Did you say you’re starting a new business as well? Is it cannabis-focused? What’s in the future for you?
Beth: I am! Mindfulness is my jam, and I’ve been able to build a course that helps people manage or lose weight using mindfulness. They can basically stay in shape and be in control. I think I need to start emphasizing cannabis now that it’s becoming more acceptable because that’s a huge piece of having control over your actions.
Emily: I find the people who will be drawn to you will probably be so excited to find someone who’s cannabis-open and includes it in what they’re doing. I feel like not many people in the mindfulness space are even considering cannabis as a tool for mindfulness, so you’re capitalizing on the perfect time in the market to tell people that these two things go together perfectly.
Beth: Yeah, they really do.
Emily: That mindfulness piece is so important for ourselves and for each other as we’re trying to be better humans. I feel like we’re in this state where we need more compassion, empathy, and kindness towards ourselves and other people. Cannabis and mindfulness together are perfect wellness, like puzzle pieces.
Beth: Exactly. And I think it could be life-changing for people now more than ever. We’re torn in many different directions, and I’ve seen people struggle so much with so many different things. Unfortunately, that’s just where we are in society. I believe that mindfulness and cannabis can change lives. It really can.
Emily: It’s so exciting to think about. I can’t wait to see what you do in the future. Send me a link to that course so I can share that with everybody listening. For anybody interested in more mindfulness, I would love to share that with you because I truly think this is a perfect combination of both practices, and it really can impact your life. It’s simple when you think about it. You don’t have to be rich or be in shape to be mindful.
Beth: Thank you. Yeah, that’d be great.
Emily: I feel like cannabis consumers who have fixed or improved something want to turn around and help others do the same. It’s a beautiful cycle for everybody.
Beth: Yeah.
Emily: Are you ready for the four questions I ask all of my guests?
Beth: I think so.
Emily: Perfect. This is my favorite part. The first question. What are you most proud of in your life to date?
Beth: Honestly, I think that getting to where I am and overcoming anxiety, depression, and Bipolar Disorder is my biggest accomplishment. It’s been a lifelong struggle, so it’s amazing to be able to say here that it’s not holding me back. I never thought I’d be able to say that.
Emily: I’m so happy for you. That goes with our next question. What do you think your life would look like without cannabis?
Beth: That’s a scary question.
Emily: It’s everybody’s least favorite question.
Beth: Yeah, that’s scary because I don’t know without it. I’d be 18 steps behind, and I’m not really sure where that is.
Emily: I’m so happy that girl brought you that gummy once; just that little thing can make such a difference. It’s crazy.
Beth: I know.
Emily: If you could go back 10, 20, or even 30 years ago, give yourself a piece of advice, cannabis-related or not, what would it be?
Beth: Oh, wow. That’s a great question. I guess I would tell myself to be more open. It’s hard to be open when you have anxiety because you’re basically scared of everything that could happen. I would tell myself to find a way to be more open to things.
Emily: That’s perfect. Last question. If you could be remembered for just one thing in the cannabis space, what would it be?
Beth: Oh, that’s another great, that’s a really good question. You have great questions. I think this is a turning point for me. I would love to be able to be known for using cannabis to be the healthiest, fittest person I can be. I want to put that together because you don’t hear about cannabis and fitness very often – it’s not the stereotype.
Emily: That’s why I’m so glad you’re here showing us that it’s absolutely possible to live your best, healthiest life and be happy and joyful with cannabis. I’m so happy that you shared that with us.
Beth: Yeah, thank you. I’m happy to share. When you’re in the fitness and wellness space, people assume you have a strict diet, work out daily, and have no problem managing your weight. None of that is true. We’re humans, just like everyone else. I struggle with all of that, but cannabis helps me get through it, which almost makes me feel superhuman. Why wouldn’t we all want to try that?
Emily: Absolutely. Where can people go to learn more about your mindfulness course?
Emily: Mindfulness and cannabis go so well together for those of you who are interested. Please visit Beth if you want to learn more. It could absolutely change your life. She is a cannabis-friendly practitioner, so you can enjoy cannabis and mindfulness together! Beth, thank you so much for coming here and sharing this with us. I had a great time with you today.
Beth: You’re welcome. Thank you for inviting me.
Emily: Of course.
Announcer: Congratulations, you’ve finished another episode of the Well With Cannabis Podcast and are one step closer to discovering how you, too, can live well with cannabis.
Thank you for listening in today. We hope this episode has been a helpful and informative one. Please visit emilykylenutrition.com for more information on today’s show, show notes, guest information, recipes, and other resources.
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President Donald Trump confirmed earlier this week that he is weighing rescheduling marijuana—that is, moving the drug to a less-restrictive classification under federal law. State-legal marijuana companies have salivated at the possibility and are pouring millions of dollars into efforts to convince Trump to go along with this Biden-era idea. While the president is personally uncomfortable with legal weed, the Wall Street Journalreports, he also believes that making this change on marijuana would put him on the right side of an 80/20 issue.
But the president can move in a popular direction on pot without rescheduling, a change that would be disastrous for public health and orderliness. He need only take a series of steps to expand medical research into pot. This would give him a political victory while preventing the messy consequences of rescheduling.
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Shifting marijuana from its current position on Schedule I to Schedule III of the federal list of controlled substances would designate the drug as having lesser potential for abuse and assert that it has accepted medical uses. In its waning days, the Biden administration initiated efforts to reschedule but failed to complete the change before Trump took office.
The state-legal companies pushing for rescheduling are doing so because they stand to gain the most. A move to Schedule III would let them deduct business expenses on their federal taxes—a benefit that the U.S. tax code prohibits for trafficking in substances listed in Schedules I and II.
Advocates of rescheduling usually downplay this pecuniary motive. Instead, they claim that rescheduling will make it easier to do medical research on pot. That’s a persuasive pitch—labeling marijuana as “medical” makes it seem more benign. While about 70 percent of Americans favor legalizing marijuana, roughly a third choose only medical legalization when given the option.
It’s not obvious that rescheduling would make research easier, though. Schedule I substances are subject to strict research controls, including onerous registration processes and on-site storage rules. Schedule III substances face lower barriers. Yet as the Congressional Research Service explained last year, “medical researchers and drug sponsors of marijuana or CBD containing drugs would not benefit from these looser restrictions associated with rescheduling without congressional action.”
That’s because of the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act (MMCREA), a 2022 law that created separate rules for marijuana to reduce the burdens of doing research on the drug. Rescheduling would not affect this separate track. The result, legalization advocate and lawyer Shane Pennington has argued, is that the effects of rescheduling and de-scheduling are now much harder to achieve than before the law meant to make research easier was passed.
But even if rescheduling won’t make research easier, the political insight of its advocates—that people want to support medical marijuana research—is a good one. That’s why the Trump administration, rather than rescheduling, should push as hard as possible into actually expediting medical marijuana research. Doing so would give Trump the political victory he wants, without making pot more accessible and incurring any of the associated consequences.
Trump could take several unilateral actions to speed medical marijuana research. Start with recommitting his administration to implementing the MMCREA—which members of Congress complained the Biden administration was dragging its feet on.
The MMCREA has a number of provisions, many of which Trump could bolster with executive action. For example, the act requires that the Drug Enforcement Administration reply to registration applications by researchers and manufacturers within 60 days. Because these decisions are made unilaterally by an executive agency, Trump could impose what amounts to a “shall issue” standard, mandating that applications be automatically approved after 60 days absent a denial.
The MMCREA also requires the administration to ensure an “adequate and uninterrupted” supply of marijuana for research purposes. Previously, only the University of Mississippi was authorized to grow pot for medical research. A spate of new approvals and deregulation, including under the last Trump administration, has somewhat increased the number of approved growers. Trump could mandate that the Drug Enforcement Administration move to grow further the number of “bulk suppliers” through new approvals. He could also have the DEA issue more permits for importing marijuana under 21 CFR 1312. Most aggressively, he could use the DEA’s waiver authority to let pharmacies dispense marijuana for research purposes directly.
The Trump administration could build on this effort in other ways. For example, federal research funding could be earmarked to provide compliance infrastructure (like the secure storage needed for Schedule I substances) for researchers deterred by the costs. The administration could direct the National Institute on Drug Abuse to prioritize funding on medical marijuana’s applications, with a mandate to both NIDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to consider all ways to expedite the research review and approval process.
Lastly, the Biden administration’s decision to reschedule was based on a flawed HHS report, which ejected the traditional “five-factor” test for commonly accepted medical use and relied on low-quality evidence to arrive at the desired result. Trump could seek a new analysis from HHS, which should provide not only a review of the currently available evidence under the conventional standard but also clarity on what research would be needed to ascertain marijuana’s appropriate scheduling status—including a possible move to Schedule II, which would make it medically available but ineligible for the tax deductions allowed for trade in Schedule III substances.
Of course, it’s possible that plant cannabis—as distinct from the isolated chemical compounds CBD and THC, already used in several medications—has no real medical value. But that doesn’t mean more research is bad. As an ardent critic of marijuana legalization, I’d be happy to find good evidence that cannabis can be used as a medicine.
Regardless, a big push on marijuana research would help Trump cut the Gordian Knot of the rescheduling debate. It would give him credit with the public without further enabling the spread of an addictive substance that a majority of Americans now see as harmful. That’s a win-win for both the president and America.
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SUNFLOWER COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – Two men were arrested at a Mississippi airport for trafficking marijuana, authorities said. Agents with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics (MBN), with assist…
