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Welcome to the Cannabis Media Spotlight Series! We created this Q&A series to celebrate the incredible work that reporters, editors, and podcast hosts do to shed light on the cannabis industry. Their insights and stories play a vital role in shaping how this space is understood and appreciated by the world.
Our goal is to highlight their journey, their expertise, and the meaningful impact of their work.
First up is Kate Lavin, Editorial Director of MJBizDaily. Kate is a career journalist with more than 20 years of full-time experience in newspapers, magazines and digital storytelling. In addition to assigning, editing and writing, she enjoys conceptualizing features and managing production.
Let's get into it.
What inspired you to start covering the cannabis industry, and how has your perspective evolved since you began?
After living in California for 14 years, I was looking to move back home to Colorado, when I was lucky to be offered a job as the editor of MJBizMagazine, headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado. What started as another editorial job has turned into a real passion for social equity and doing right by people harmed by the war on drugs.
What does a typical day look like for you as a journalist/editor/podcast host in the cannabis space?
Busy! Each morning I read up on what our competition has covered, see if there is any news that hasn't yet been reported and get started reading briefs about business and policy developments in the regulated marijuana and hemp spaces. I do weekly 1:1 meetings with MJBizDaily reporters and editors, assign and edit well-researched, multiple-source feature stories and work with the events team to cover new show activations, suggest educational conference sessions and speakers ahead of MJBizCon.
What are some of the most compelling trends, stories, or issues in the cannabis industry right now that you think deserve more attention?
Intoxicating hemp is going gangbusters across much of the U.S., especially in states where lawmakers have rejected efforts to legalize medical and adult-use marijuana. Ironically, the stance of prohibition has backfired because now there is a largely unregulated market for sales of (news flash!) the exact same plant.
What advice would you give to cannabis businesses or PR professionals hoping to connect with you or pitch their stories effectively?
Try to time your pitches ahead of major events, when possible. For example, if Florida has an adult-use ballot measure in November, we will certainly be in need of Florida-based operators to call upon as sources.
What’s been one of the most memorable stories or moments in your career covering cannabis so far?
Scrapping our plan for the May-June 2020 issue of MJBizMagazine and pivoting to cover how marijuana operators were adjusting their business practices in light of the coronavirus pandemic. We were all working 100% remotely for the first time, and the resulting cover package, "Pandemic Pivot," won a few awards. When you do long-form journalism that goes to the printer five weeks ahead of when the magazine arrives in mailboxes, there isn't a ton of room for breaking news, so this will always stick out in my mind.
Thank you, Kate!