Renowned cannabis journalist and documentarian Veronica “Vee” Castillo has published the first part of her series. The Cannabis Travel Writer’s Guide to America’s Hidden Gems. Part 1 of the series, dubbed The view from 30,000 feetis an impressive collection of notes from the road that brings together more than six years of field reporting from across the United States and highlights voices, businesses and cultural movements often overlooked by mainstream media coverage.

Castillo has built a reputation as one of the most trusted storytellers in cannabis media. Through 200+ articles published in more than 20 publications, she has documented the cannabis movement not from behind a desk, but face-to-face with artisan growers, venture capitalists, reform advocates, and herbal medicine practitioners operating within the legacy of prohibition. From small farming towns to inner city collectives, Castillo’s work places community and lived experience at the center of the cannabis narrative.

About the Book

Part memoir, part documentary journalism and part social history, The view from 30,000 feet researches:

• The origin of a journey — Castillo’s decision to leave her home in Ohio in 2018 and travel the country to learn about herbal medicine after cannabis helped her overcome debilitating migraines.
• Women Shaping Cannabis Innovation — Sharp profiles of women—mostly Black, Brown and Latina entrepreneurs—building purpose-driven brands in a system that wasn’t built for them.
• Culture and connection — A rare look at the cultural roots of cannabis across Puerto Rico, Florida, Chicago and beyond, where food, music, tradition and herbal medicine intersect.
• Advocacy on tour — Behind-the-scenes documentation of educational, business, and policy tours that connected grassroots operators and advanced capital conversations around the country.
• Survival economy — An honest examination of taxes, regulations and the true cost of building a fair cannabis industry under ongoing systemic pressure.

A record of the progress of cannabis, as shared by the people in it

With state-level drug policy reforms sweeping the country and consolidation reshaping the cannabis business landscape, Castillo believes it is urgent to preserve the legacy of the movement before it is distorted.

“Corporate cannabis did not build this industry,” Castillo writes. “Communities did. Healers did. Freedom fighters did. Farmers did. People damaged by the War on Drugs did. These are their stories and they deserve to stand.”

In contrast to most analyzes of the cannabis industry available in book form, Castillo’s work is lived, personal and remarkably human. She brings readers to farms, family kitchens, hemp palaces, trap-adjacent clinics, country tour vans and policy meetings. The view from 30,000 feet is a historical archive in motion and a call for equality-centered cannabis growth.

Availability

The view from 30,000 feet is now available on Kindle. For media inquiries, partnership opportunities and speaking engagements, please contact: Veetravelingvegcannawriter@gmail.com