Featuring Tammy Pettigrew | Interviewed & Written By: Jai Morzaria

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• X
• Link

There’s a rhythm to transformation. In tennis, it’s the rally—measured, relentless, intentional. In cannabis, it’s the slow burn of education, advocacy, and cultural shift. Standing at that intersection, racquet in one hand and purpose in the other, is Tammy Pettigrew.

She doesn’t just participate in the conversation—she shapes it. Across platforms, across borders, across industries, Pettigrew has emerged as one of the most recognizable and respected voices pushing cannabis into a new era. One grounded in truth, driven by science, and fueled by lived experience.

Athlete. Academic. Advocate. Architect of culture.

With a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management and Marketing from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from the University of Miami Herbert Business School, Pettigrew built her foundation with intention.

As the face behind The Cannabis Cutie, host of The Cannabis Cutie Show on Snoop Dog TV, and now a leading voice on Hustle & Medicate, she has spent the better part of a decade simplifying complex cannabis science for everyday consumers. At a time when cannabis education was inaccessible and overly technical, Pettigrew became the bridge. With a growing wave of scientists and educators entering the space, her early groundwork stands as proof of impact. She didn’t follow the movement—she helped build it.

This week,  we step onto the court with Tammy Pettigrew—exploring the mindset, the movement, and the mission behind one of cannabis culture’s most influential figures.

Jai Morzaria:

Tammy, it’s been a powerful run for you—when you look back at 2025, what were the defining milestones that shifted your trajectory personally and professionally?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“2025 has been one of the hardest years of my life… I had to re-see the world. I had a heavy grieving process starting at the end of 2024 and all through 2025. Personally and professionally, I had to refocus and decide what the most important thing is, and why I was doing it… 2025 showed me that I have to become extremely intentional about everything I do, and whatever I take on, it has to make me happy.…”

JM:

“The Cannabis Cutie” has become more than a name—it’s a movement. How has your voice and platform evolved over the past year, and what impact are you most proud of?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“The evolution of The Cannabis Cutie has grown through education. When I first started my platform, there wasn’t much digestible educational content from cannabis scientists. At the time, it was difficult to understand them because they’re so high-level. I loved being the bridge to the science gap.

Today, we’re seeing these incredible scientists create great content and explain their research so anyone can follow along and learn about the plant and all it has to offer… It’s allowed me to branch into other areas like law, breaking new stories and hosting shows to change cannabis culture… As a pioneer, it’s amazing to see the next generation of cannabis scientists create powerful educational content…”

JM:

What are you actively building right now—whether it’s content, partnerships, or business ventures?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“I’m focused on community, and creating programming for everyone… I’m an avid tennis player. The tennis community reminds me of the cannabis community, very passionate and always involved. Marrying these two communities, which I love so much, is the next part of my career… Tennis is something I use to keep my mental health in check, and it’s a great way to hit something respectably (chuckles)… Honestly, it’s just a fun way to let loose on the court. Tennis has helped me like cannabis helps me get through my autoimmune issues. 

In 2026, I want to bring the two worlds together, and I know tennis and pickleball are also having a moment. We’re creating a wellness event where you’re safe to consume, brands can activate, participants can take lessons, and if you already know how to play, there’s going to be all kinds of games, competitions and prizes.

It’s our way of marrying the two things that I love because when I play tennis, I always sesh after with my friends. So now we’re just going to do it on a big scale here in Southern California…”

JM:

You’re officially joining Hustle & Medicate with Sports Cannabis—what does that platform mean to you, and how do you plan to show up for the audience?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“The sports cannabis platform means a lot to me, especially considering that I went to college and got sports degrees. Both of my degree programs were sports-based. Being able to partner with sports cannabis is quite literally a dream come true. I’m excited that sports cannabis can help me further my mission and we can change the narrative together globally…”

JM:

“Hustle & Medicate” is more than a phrase—it’s a lifestyle. What does it personally mean to you, and how has cannabis played a role in your ability to perform, recover, and stay balanced?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“Hustle and Medicate is absolutely a lifestyle. To me, it means we’re still going out, being active, working and using plant medicine. It’s an intentional lifestyle, and every day we’re going to get up, we’re going to take on our day. If I have to use cannabis, I’m going to make sure that I’m doing it in a way that’s going to help me achieve my goals instead of hindering them.

Cannabis has played a huge role in my recovery and balance because I have Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), which can be quite painful, especially when I wake up, and it’s helped with stress and anxiety, naturally. It’s a part of my recovery after sports and after a long day. There are different strains for different reasons. For me, it always comes down to intention, and how I want to incorporate it into my life at that moment…”

JM:

What’s your favourite strain and why?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“I’m always going to be a lover of the OG category. It’s just something about the smell, the nose knows. When I inhale an OG, there’s just happiness that my body feels. Usually, when I consume it, my body feels happy…”

JM:

What’s your preferred mode of consumption and why?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“My preferred mode of consumption is first going to be hemp blunts. I can’t tolerate tobacco because I have asthma, and it makes my asthma feel worse. Cannabis, on the other hand, is considered a bronchodilator, which means it opens up the airways, and so with the hemp blunt also being part of the cannabis plant, I feel like I have way less inflammation, and I’m able to consume without any issues…”

JM:

As a former athlete, how do you see the relationship between cannabis and sports evolving—especially with more leagues and athletes pushing for policy change?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“It appears to be evolving in the right direction… I can see cannabis being one of the top medications used for athletes simply for its anti-inflammatory abilities. It has so many benefits without the addictive properties that it could lead the charge into changing the way we approach athletic health and wellbeing…”

JM:

Recently, the WNBA made headlines, pushing for cannabis removal in the latest CBA proposal. Is it about time?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“It’s beyond time, and I love seeing a woman’s league being a leader in this. We know that cannabis is not what we were taught through government propaganda for decades. These women put their lives on the court. They would be great candidates to receive the plant medicine and deserve to be able to use it without the fear of losing their livelihood…”

JM:

We’re seeing momentum globally around cannabis reform, but also inconsistencies. Where do you think the industry still needs to step up—especially when it comes to education, access, and transparency?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“I think we need to do a better job at marketing education, which matches the actual science. I still see a lot of products being packaged for relaxation, for energy, and it’s just not the proper way to go about it. Something that could give you energy might make me very sleepy. So I’d love to see companies start to educate people on teaching them how to find the right cannabis for them specifically.

It’s just like wine. Not everybody is going to like red wine. Some people love red wine. It’s all personal preference. At the end of the day, it’s a complex plant. So I think if the marketing could start to match the actual research, then we would be yards ahead of where we are now.”

JM:

With 4/20 week approaching, what does that moment represent to you today—and how should the culture evolve beyond celebration into something more meaningful?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“The week of 420 is always Christmas for the cannabis industry. I’d love to see 4/20 be a global day of education. I get it, we’re all getting together to consume, but let’s look at how cannabis has changed the world. Let’s look at the history of the plant, remember the wars that were fought, so we can truly give back to the plant and all that it’s given us. 

I’d like to see 420 beyond just a day where we all consume and party. I want it to be a day where we give our thanks and gratitude to the plant as well.”

JM:

You’ve built relationships across the industry—who are some of the most iconic or impactful people you’ve shared a session with, and who’s still on your list?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“The number one would be Snoop Dogg. He is the biggest stoner of my lifetime, and it’s been pretty cool to be able to sesh with him. I lost count over the last five years of how many times, but every time, it’s a surreal experience. I would love to sesh with Cheech and Chong, and if there’s one person that I could consume with, I don’t know if he smokes, but it would absolutely be Barack Obama.”

JM:

Looking ahead, what does breaking the stigma and normalizing the conversation look like to you?

Tammy Pettigrew:

“Breaking the stigma and normalizing the conversation means actually representing what the plant is and not what we think it is. For the longest time, this plant has been blamed for the collapse of societies, the breaking up of families, and the loss of people’s rights, when this plant is absolutely not responsible for any of those things. It’s the humans who have been regulating it. And if we can remove those biases, those lies, those extremes, then we can actually see the beauty that this plant holds…”

Every era has its disruptors. The ones who challenge systems, rewrite narratives, and leave the game different from how they found it.

Tammy Pettigrew is one of them.

From classrooms to courts, from content to culture, she has built more than a platform—she’s built a pathway. One where athletes feel seen, consumers feel informed, and cannabis is understood. Her movement isn’t slowing down. It’s evolving. Expanding into new arenas, new communities, and new conversations that push beyond stigma into clarity.

The rally continues. And Pettigrew isn’t just keeping pace—she’s setting it.