Intro & Wes’s First Dab Experience (00:00)

Tom Ritchie Says: What’s up, everyone? Welcome to another episode of Legacies! I’m your host, Tom Ritchie, joined by Wesley “The Dabber” Bowles. Wes, you broke your dab cherry this week!

Wesley Bowles Says: I did! On the heels of our episode with Alannah Davis from Dabble, I picked up a small glass banger kit and tried my first live rosin dab with Rosin’ The Caps from Grow Up. Within 15 seconds, I had an instant, crystal-clear high without any of the heavy brain fog or lethargy of smoking flower.

Tom Ritchie Says: We’re both clumsy with glass torches and want to avoid sticky messes, so we’re looking forward to having Drew Henson from Toki on in a couple of weeks to check out their electronic vaporizers and Canadian-engineered devices!

Combating Cannabis Stigma (06:46)

Tom Ritchie Says: We need to address something critical regarding industry stigma: seeing creators and influencers posting videos of themselves smoking joints or vaping while driving down the highway.

Wesley Bowles Says: It promotes impaired driving and completely undermines the credibility of everyone working to normalize cannabis. If you wouldn’t post yourself drinking a beer behind the wheel on the 401, don’t do it with cannabis.

Tom Ritchie Says: On a lighter note, The Trades was officially renewed for Season 2! Creator Ryan Lindsay will be back in studio later this year when production kicks off in Hamilton.

Supporting Rick Simpson & RSO History (11:05)

Tom Ritchie Says: We want to send our love and support to Canadian medical cannabis pioneer Rick Simpson, who suffered a stroke in 2018 and whose family recently launched a GoFundMe to assist with ongoing healthcare costs.

Wesley Bowles Says: Craig Preston at Ontario Micro Growers and Greenwell Compassion are also supporting the cause with their Loud Mouth pheno-hunt. Rick’s open-source recipes for Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)—a high-THC, full-spectrum whole-plant extract—laid the groundwork for the modern medical cannabis movement worldwide.

Health Canada Regulatory Consultations & Industry Waste (17:54)

Tom Ritchie Says: Health Canada recently published proposed regulatory changes for public consultation, including allowing multi-pack outer packaging with more than 10mg total THC (while keeping individual units at 10mg), peel-away dual-layer labels, and QR codes.

Wesley Bowles Says: While updates to labeling and multi-packs are positive steps, single-use packaging waste remains out of control across the Canadian cannabis industry.

Tom Ritchie Says: We need sustainable bulk refill frameworks—similar to craft beer growlers and sanitized CVault container programs—to eliminate millions of plastic tubes and pouches from landfills!

Care Package from Loosh Brands (24:57)

Tom Ritchie Says: Huge shoutout to Lee Cohen and Alex Revich over at Loosh Brands for sending over an incredible care package of innovative products.

Wesley Bowles Says: They sent Censored Edibles, Big Pete’s cannabutter cookies, Care By Design vegan gummies, Steep Rock hash rosin hot chocolate Keurig pods, and freeze-dried 10mg live rosin peach rings (*Sour Kane* cultivar) with an airy, crunchy texture that tastes phenomenal!

Father’s Day Swag Giveaway (30:46)

Tom Ritchie Says: Father’s Day is this weekend! Head over to our Instagram to tag your favorite brand partners and enter to win summer apparel and t-shirt bundles.

Tom Ritchie Says: Today on the show, we’re joined by Taylor Giovannini and Dillon Beck of Oceanic Releaf out in Burin, Newfoundland!

Welcoming Taylor Giovannini & Dillon Beck (34:11)

Tom Ritchie Says: Welcome back! We are joined by Taylor Giovannini, CEO and Founder, and Dillon Beck, Director of Cultivation at Oceanic Releaf. Taylor and Dillon, welcome to Legacies!

Taylor Giovannini Says: Thank you so much for having us, guys! We’re thrilled to be here representing Newfoundland.

Tom Ritchie Says: Taylor, you weren’t originally a cannabis consumer. How did the creation of Oceanic Releaf begin as a medical passion project?

Taylor Giovannini Says: I grew up in a traditional Catholic community in St. Lawrence where cannabis carried heavy stigma. But when my husband’s grandfather was crippled by severe arthritis to the point where he couldn’t walk without a cane or heavy prescription opioids, I researched medical cannabis and baked a batch of hash brownies. Within a week, he was walking without his cane and discontinued his Percocets! Seeing that transformation inspired me to launch Oceanic to help aging populations across Newfoundland access clean plant medicine.

Revitalizing Burin & The 63,000 sq ft Fish Plant (44:14)

Tom Ritchie Says: You converted a historic industrial fish processing plant in Burin into a state-of-the-art cannabis facility. What did that mean for the local economy?

Taylor Giovannini Says: In 2012, our local fish processing plant—which once produced Filet-O-Fish patties for McDonald’s—shut down, devastating the community and eliminating 125 jobs. In 2016, we acquired the 63,000 sq ft building. Today, we employ over 85 local residents and are expanding into Phase 2 grow rooms!

Taylor Giovannini Says: My husband Colin also bought and restored dozens of abandoned heritage homes across the island to provide high-quality, affordable housing for our staff. During COVID, Colin and our construction crew built and opened seven retail dispensaries in 22 months, giving us nine stores across Newfoundland.

Canada’s First Cannabis Drive-Thru & Retail Coffee (50:54)

Tom Ritchie Says: You launched Canada’s first-ever licensed cannabis drive-thru and serve fresh local coffee in your stores. How has that shaped your retail experience?

Taylor Giovannini Says: We designed our stores with a coastal Scandinavian aesthetic to dismantle the speakeasy stigma. The drive-thru was created specifically for discretion and accessibility—especially for parents with sleeping children in the car who legally cannot bring minors inside a dispensary.

Taylor Giovannini Says: Our Marystown location opens at 6:00 AM to serve fresh roasted coffee from local roasters. Commuters and seniors come in for their morning coffee, sit down, and engage in one-on-one conversations with our team, creating an open, un-intimidating educational environment.

Three-Tier Brand Architecture & International Partnerships (1:06:45)

Tom Ritchie Says: Walk us through Oceanic’s three distinct house brands and your international brand partnerships.

Taylor Giovannini Says: We structured our portfolio around three consumer segments: Oceanic (premium, craft, wellness-focused flower), Seaweed (fun, vibrant, social lifestyle cannabis), and Booty (our accessible value brand paying homage to Burin’s historic pirate and rum-running smuggling lore).

Taylor Giovannini Says: We also serve as the Canadian Licensed Producer of record for premium U.S. brands, including Higgs (California retro pre-rolls), Method Man’s TICAL, and Gags Edibles (gourmet gummies founded by mature women discovering cannabis post-menopause).

Cultivation Science & Terpenes Over THC (1:09:56)

Tom Ritchie Says: Dillon, how do you manage cultivation in Newfoundland’s harsh coastal climate, and what are your signature cultivars?

Dillon Beck Says: We trialed over 28 genetics to find cultivars that thrive in our indoor climate-controlled rooms. Our two cornerstone cultivars are Black Cookies / Black Lavender and Lemon Diesel, consistently testing at 33% THC and 4% terpenes with smooth, white-ash burns.

Dillon Beck Says: We grow in sustainable coco-coir amended with organic inputs, mix our spent root balls and coffee grinds for local cattle farm feed, and prioritize terpene profiles, cure, and bag appeal over inflated lab THC numbers. Consumers buy with their eyes, nose, and taste—not arbitrary percentages on a label.

Kevin McBride’s Question for Oceanic (1:36:51)

Wesley Bowles Says: Last week, Kevin McBride of Kootenay’s Finest left an anonymous question for you: “Do you care about your cannabis being organic living soil when shopping as a consumer?”

Dillon Beck Says: I respect the dedication required for certified living soil organics, but organic certification alone does not guarantee superior quality. Proper nutrient balance, environmental control, slow cold-curing, and hand trimming are what truly define world-class craft flower.

Taylor Giovannini Says: As a consumer, I appreciate organic practices, but I look at holistic sustainability—from recycled packaging and composting to community revitalization and transparent testing.

Oceanic’s Questions for Next Week & Wrap-Up (1:40:47)

Tom Ritchie Says: What are your anonymous questions for next week’s incoming guest?

Taylor Giovannini Says: “What is your concrete, realistic solution for transitioning illicit market consumers into the regulated framework?”

Dillon Beck Says: “Do you believe the binary marketing distinction between Indica and Sativa is still scientifically valid and meaningful for modern consumers?”

Tom Ritchie Says: Taylor and Dillon, thank you for sharing the incredible story of Oceanic Releaf and showcasing true Maritime grit and innovation! Check out Oceanic, Seaweed, and Booty across Newfoundland and national retail, enter our Father’s Day swag giveaway on Instagram, subscribe on YouTube and Spotify, and tune in next week for Episode 17 of Legacies. Peace!