In Smoke & Bridges episode 7, Jimi Devine sits down with Emerald Cup competition director Victoria Shea. The pair wax poetic about how far the storied cannabis contest has come, the roller coaster of compliance, and what’s on deck for the Cup’s upcoming 20th-anniversary celebration. As a long-time judge himself, Jimi and Victoria reminisce about Cups’ past and look forward to the future.

Victoria Shea has led the contest portion of The Emerald Cup for eight years. In that time, she has seen the storied California cannabis competition evolve in multiple ways. From the introduction of METRC compliance to a stint in Hollywood, The Emerald Cup has come a long way since its humble harvest season beginnings in Mendocino. On deck? The storied event’s 20th iteration at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts in Oakland on May 4th & 5th. Featuring top-shelf musical performances, expert panels, an open-air farmer’s market, and the iconic Emerald Cup Awards themselves, the two-day soiree promises to be a weekend no one will ever forget.

Show credits:

Smoke & Bridges is hosted by Jimi Devine. Special thanks to producer Gary Niederhoff.

This episode was sponsored by Lotus Entheogenic Church and Lift Tickets Cannabis.

Jimi Devine has been involved in cannabis reform since 2005 and has worked in the Berkeley cannabis industry since 2009 when he moved to California from Lynn, Massachusetts. Currently serving as Cannabis Columnist and Critic for L.A. Weekly, you can also find his writings on cannabis products and policy in the San Francisco Chronicle, The Village Voice, The Boston Globe, The Hill, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Cannabis Now, Marijuana.com, High Times, Irvine Weekly, Weedmaps News, 7×7 Magazine, The East Bay Express, Leafly, Civilized, Thrillist and Ed Rosenthal’s book This Bud’s for You. Jimi is one of the main journalists in the world covering the top shelf flower market. Jimi has a BA in Journalism and Media Studies from Franklin Pierce University. Be sure to follow him on Twitter! @JimiDevine