In this episode of The Free Spirits Podcast, hosts Lars Miller and David Gonzalez sit down with Joanne Caceres, a partner at Dentons and one of the most trusted legal voices in the cannabis industry, to unpack the legal, cultural, and commercial forces shaping the future of functional beverages and hemp legislation.

Joanne has spent years crafting and advising on cannabis policy, from federal proposals to state-level bills. She joins the show to explain why hemp beverages are gaining traction faster than marijuana reform, and what that means for beverage industry founders navigating licensing, regulation, and DTC distribution.

We dig into:

• How the 2018 Farm Bill triggered an explosion of hemp-derived beverages

• Why functional beverages with cannabinoids, mushrooms, and nootropics are pushing regulatory boundaries

• The fragmentation of cannabis laws across all 50 states and what smart operators need to know

• Why Minnesota has become a model for sensible hemp beverage regulation

• How the alcohol industry is influencing cannabis policy — and what that means for brands

• The future of direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales and whether it’s under threat from Capitol Hill

• What federal rescheduling would actually mean for the market — and why it won’t solve everything

• Lessons from Illinois, one of the first non-Western states to pass tightly regulated cannabis laws

• What good-faith regulators actually want to see from cannabis and hemp brands

• Whether we’ll ever see a regulatory framework that includes psychedelics, cannabis, and functional ingredients under one roof

Joanne also shares her behind-the-scenes insights on how cannabis legislation is drafted, who’s influencing the process, and how safety is often used as both a genuine priority and a political lever. If you’re building a beverage brand, advising on cannabis regulation, or trying to stay compliant while scaling your product nationally, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

👉 About Joanne:

Joanne Caceres is a Chicago-based cannabis attorney with a background in advising both private clients and public institutions on everything from hemp policy to multi-state compliance. She’s played a major role in drafting cannabis bills and offers a rare inside look into the legislative process shaping the industry.

💬 Topics include:

• Cannabis vs. hemp: why the divide persists

• The rise of functional beverages and what defines the category

• How the FDA, USDA, and TTB may share responsibilities in future regulation

• The risks of prohibition vs. the promise of smart regulation

• Why DTC is both a risk and a lifeline for hemp beverage brands

• And why a rescheduled cannabis market could bring both clarity and chaos

📌 If you’re serious about the future of cannabis, hemp, and functional beverage innovation, this conversation is a must.

✅ Subscribe to The Free Spirits Podcast for more interviews with founders, policy experts, and innovators redefining the beverage industry.

🎙️ Follow, rate, and review to support the show