Sara Payan and Brit Smith have had a standing monthly phone date for years, and now the rest of us are lucky enough to listen in. Although they live on different coasts, the two have made a point to catch up regularly since they first connected a few years ago. Both women are long-time hosts of their own cannabis podcasts—Planted with Sara Payan and Different Leaf, respectively. When they realized they were sharing so much information in their informal monthly phone calls, the two seasoned podcast hosts decided to team up. “We’re more powerful when we join forces,” says Brit.
Launched in September 2024, Puff Puff Press is the brainchild of five of the leading female canna-journalists in the country. Along with Sara and Brit, the weekly podcast features Jackie Bryant, Rachelle Gordon, Ellen Holland, and the occasional guest, engaged in a lively conversation centered around the plant we all know and love.
We’ve already been approached by some interesting partnerships. If people want to have their message elevated and amplified, they should reach out.
When our podcasting pair decided to collaborate, they immediately tapped mutual friend Ellen Holland, author of the book Weed and former Editor-in-Chief for Cannabis Now and High Times Magazine, to join them. “[Sara and I] first met because Ellen put us in touch,” Brit shares.
Sara and Rachelle established a friendship after Sara interviewed Rachelle on Planted, while separately, Brit met Jackie Bryant by interviewing her for her own podcast. When Sara and Brit started brainstorming Puff Puff Press and who they wanted to collaborate with, they knew they wanted to include Rachelle and Jackie, too.
Sara and Brit alternate hosting the Puff Puff Press conversation each week, but because the group has such great rapport and camaraderie, the conversation flows easily. “There’s never a question of ‘what are we going to talk about this week?’” Sara says. “We always have so much to say to each other, and now we have somewhere to put it.”
All veteran journalists with decades of cannabis industry experience between them, each member of the Puff Puff Press team brings their own areas of interest and expertise. As Vice Chair of the California Cannabis Advisory Committee, Sara has been involved in state policy and education for the past 13 years. Author and former EIC, Ellen is also a policy and history whiz, and San Diego-based journalist and Cannabitch creator Jackie brings a valuable perspective on industry finance and economics. As the editor of GreenState, Rachelle is especially interested in culture and wellness, while former Brit-turned-Bostonian Brit has a distinct interest in international cannabis culture and medical research. “All of us have been following this industry for at least a decade,” says Sara. “We’re always watching laws and trends and how policy is progressing. We bring the wrap-up from the week to listeners who otherwise don’t have a source for that.”
Not all five women knew each other before PPP, but you’d never guess it. Each PPP episode feels like being invited into a friend’s living room and listening in on smart, fun conversations between close friends, which is what they’ve become. “It’s few and far between to find really good women who love what you love and are not in competition with you,” Brit says. “When we all found each other and the vibe was encouraging and uplifting, we knew we found something really special.”
Sara agrees. “There’s a scarcity mindset that causes people to not make these genuine connections,” she says. “It makes me sad when I’ve connected with someone, and it turns out to be more transactional, but with our group, it’s just not like that. Everyone is always willing to lend a hand, connect, or help out. We know that we have each other’s backs. It’s what friendship and professional relationships should be.”
While they support each other, the women of PPP also uplift other women in cannabis. Some of their current favorites are Jane West—specifically the Twenties Collection Bubbler—and Edie Parker, whose Weedie Parker line features cute, feminine accessories and even smell-proof handbags complete with lighter holders. “We love to see women making things,” Brit says, noting that these women-helmed brands have a more elegant, thoughtful aesthetic, a far cry from what you might see in a college frat house.
Even though this project is still new, Puff Puff Press has already been met with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement. “Within the first month, we had 2000 followers who were really engaged, as well as people reaching out wanting to be a part of it,” says Sara.
When asked where they want to see the future of the podcast go, the PPP women all want to connect more deeply with their audience in the real world. In addition to their wishlist of women they’d love to have as guests on the podcast, Brit “would love to have live events and involve the crowd in the conversation,” she says. However, right now, one of their biggest goals is making their educational content accessible, something made especially difficult by AI shadowbanning. “One of our biggest goals is just to reach our people without having our content taken away,” Brit says.
In addition to Brit’s goals, Sara is excited about future collaborations and partnerships. “With our listenership, people are curious about what we’re into and companies that we like, so we are a great amplifier,” she says. “We’ve already been approached by some interesting partnerships. If people want to have their message elevated and amplified, they should reach out.”
