First Smoke of The Day

Countless guests who come on our show ask about the landscape of the South American 🍃industry and market, but seldom do we have international interviewees who can actually talk about it firsthand. Not to mention, make a whole documentary on the topic and compare it to the state of 🍃culture and legislation across the world.

Blackleaf is joined in the FSOTD studio by Luis Navarro and Pedro, the driving forces behind Ver de Perto, an upcoming documentary focusing on the state of 🍃legislation across Brazil and South America, highlighting the deep historical connection Brazilians have to the plant and the need for change, featuring interviews from across the world. In another podcast first—this is a collaborative episode—with pieces of the interview you’re viewing eventually ending up in the guests’ upcoming documentary, Ver de Perto.

Luis and Pedro dive deep into countless burning questions Blackleaf rails off, such as what it’s like picking up herb on the street across Brazil, the legal implications of sparking up, importing, and exporting herb around South America, why “pressed weed” is still a common occurrence if you’re a lower-income citizen trying to pick up. We also get into Luis’ Afro-Brazilian roots and how seeds were originally smuggled into Brazil, and how he fell into the leading role in a Brazilian TV series titled “Joint Venture,” which changed his entire perspective on Mary Jane.

Luis Navarro played Biriba, a former drug dealer navigating the (fictional) newly legalized industry in São Paulo on the Brazilian series Joint Venture (originally titled Pico da Neblina), which premiered in August 2019 on HBO Brazil. In the series, Navarro actively adapts to the shifting legal landscape by leveraging his street‑smart background to launch a legitimate 🍃 business. His current focus for the near future is the completion of this documentary, along with a few small stage performances in Brazil.

Pedro is one of the most well-traveled international guests we’ve had on in a minute with deep cultivation experience, and he drops some seriously bold claims throughout the pod, as well. Things like the entire European industry (in terms of cultivation, quality, hash production, etc) are currently being led by Italians and ex-pat Brazilians. We also discuss Mary Jane Berlin 2025 and how the European market has made a major shift to Germany. Throughout the pod, Luis and Pedro also discuss how the documentary came about and the community effort that’s been driving it forward.

This has to be one of the most interesting episodes we’ve ever had in terms of guests’ knowledge and experiences in life with the plant outside the US. These guys are still living in a country of pure prohibition, but with innovators and disrupters actively pushing the traditional market forward. Learn how Luis has become one of the biggest faces of the movement in Brazil for legalization, as well as the immense knowledge and experience growing industrial hemp and herb across South America and Europe that Pedro drops throughout by tuning in for the entire pod.

And of course, be on the lookout for their groundbreaking documentary, Ver De Perto, by following their IG page, @verdeperto.doc!

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