The Hotbox with Dustin Hoxworth isn’t your polished PR interview. It’s me getting stoned and asking people the questions they probably aren’t ready for. These aren’t cold reads or copy-paste Q&As; I sit with my guests, usually multiple times, and I’ve likely met them in person, which gives me a window to learn who they really are before I ever send the questions. By the time the words hit the page, it’s smoke-thick honesty, not surface-level bullshit. These are cannabis conversations that showcase the voices, stories, and truths that won’t show up in the boardroom.
The Hotbox with Megan Dobro
This week in The Hotbox, we sit down with Megan Dobro, the Founder and CEO of SafeTiva Labs in Westfield, Massachusetts. Megan is a fascinating mix of strength and love, fierceness and care, professionalism and approachability. She is also a little bit of a nerd and a little bit of an adventurer with a spirit that feels Burning Man in its energy and openness.
Her path into cannabis was not the typical entrepreneur’s journey. Megan holds a PhD in molecular biology from Caltech and a BS in molecular biology from Bridgewater State University. She was a tenured biology professor at Hampshire College before taking a leap and opening a cannabis testing lab. SafeTiva was built with a mission to raise the bar on scientific integrity, customer service, and turnaround times while never losing sight of humanity and social justice. She has pushed for diversity in science and business, making sure SafeTiva reflects not just excellence but also equity.
Megan’s presence in this industry is proof that cannabis science does not have to be cold, bureaucratic, or disconnected from people. She embodies the idea that leadership can be fierce, compassionate, and rooted in both technical rigor and community values
Hotbox Q&A: 5 Questions with Megan Dobro
You went from being a tenured biology professor to running a cannabis testing lab. What was the moment that convinced you to step into this industry and create SafeTiva?
Leaving academia was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but I could see the writing on the wall. Liberal arts programs were shrinking, and even though I loved teaching, it was clear that higher education was struggling. Around the same time, some friends of mine in California pulled me into the cannabis world. Working with them lit a spark, and I realized this industry needed solid science and that I had the skills to help build it.
At first, it was a slow burn. I spent time learning, testing the waters, and imagining what a lab could look like. But when things started moving too slowly with the group I was working alongside, I decided to take the leap and do it myself. The real “all in” moment was when I found the perfect location for what would become SafeTiva. Suddenly, the idea was not just theoretical anymore; it was happening. That leap of faith felt risky, but also exactly right.
Testing is one of the most critical, and sometimes controversial, pieces of the cannabis supply chain. What do you see as the biggest flaws or risks in current testing practices across the industry and how can they be fixed?
It’s a boring answer because it’s obvious, but the biggest flaw in cannabis testing right now is the lack of consistency across labs. You can send the same sample to three different labs and get three very different results. That kind of variability hurts everyone: operators do not know which results to trust, consumers lose confidence in what is on the label, and regulators struggle to keep the playing field fair.
The solution is not complicated, but it does require leadership. We need clear, science-based standards for how samples are collected, how tests are run, and how results are reported. Once everyone is held to the same expectations, we need oversight and enforcement to hold labs and cultivators accountable to do the right thing.
As a woman leader in both science and cannabis, how do you navigate the challenges of bias, representation, and leadership in spaces that are still often dominated by men? And do you see that as an issue in the industry overall or just in the scientific arena specifically? How do we address the issue to make things better moving forward?
This is not just a cannabis issue or a science issue; it is a societal one. Many people carry assumptions about what a business owner, scientist, or professional is “supposed” to look like, and I do not always fit that picture. I am often the only woman in the room at meetings, and that can feel isolating. I also run up against people who do not take me seriously right away, and I often feel like I have to prove my worth more than my male colleagues do.
Because this is a broader societal issue, the way we deal with it in cannabis is the same as anywhere else. Representation matters. The more women and diverse leaders we see in visible positions, the easier it becomes for others to imagine themselves in those roles. Mentorship is also powerful, both in creating pathways for new leaders and in giving people the confidence to step into spaces where they may feel outnumbered. And allyship matters too. When men and others in positions of power actively support and uplift their colleagues who are underrepresented, it changes the dynamic for everyone.
If we want to make things better, it takes intention. That means creating opportunities, giving people a platform, and valuing different perspectives at the decision-making table. Every conference needs to make sure they have diverse speakers and panelists. The cannabis industry has the chance to build something more equitable from the ground up, and I believe we all benefit when leadership looks more like the communities we serve.
The political climate in this country feels endless in its chaos and division. How does the current state of politics affect your work, your team, and your vision for cannabis science?
The current political climate has affected us in so many ways. Not knowing where the feds are taking this makes it difficult to plan for the future. The political chaos has caused so much stress for our employees and their personal lives. But as a business, the biggest impact has been from the general attack on science. Science is about data and truth while politics is about perception and agendas. The two should remain completely separate. Science should be a fundamental pillar of humanity, not something that shifts depending on political winds.
Too often I hear people second-guessing test results or insisting they know better than the scientists who dedicate their lives to this work. Certainly, mistakes can be made, and healthy skepticism is part of science, but outright dismissal erodes trust in the system we all rely on. The labs are treated like an inconvenient and expensive hurdle to jump over, not a valuable source of data to inform production practices.
My team and I navigate this by doubling down on transparency and integrity. We cannot control the political climate, but we can make sure our work is unimpeachable. In an industry that sometimes feels unstable, science should be the anchor. If we keep reminding people that data and evidence are what keep consumers safe and the industry credible, then I think we can weather the noise of politics and keep moving forward.
How do you balance the demands of data and compliance with the values of compassion and equity in your day-to-day leadership?
Running a cannabis lab means living in a world of data, regulations, and precision. Every number matters, and we take that responsibility seriously. But I have always believed that compassion and equity have to sit alongside the science. The data tells us what is true, but compassion reminds us why it matters.
Balancing the two starts with how we treat people. My team knows that accuracy is non-negotiable, but so is kindness. If I have to deliver tough news, I do it with the mindset that I am on their side and want them to succeed. Inside the lab, we try to create an environment where everyone feels supported and seen, not just managed.
Compliance keeps us credible, but compassion keeps us human. In an industry that is still finding its footing, I think we need both.
Megan Dobro brings a rare kind of leadership to cannabis science. She’s built SafeTiva Labs to deliver precision and accountability while keeping people and values at the center. Her work pushes the industry to confront uncomfortable truths about testing, equity, and integrity, and she does it with both scientific rigor and human care.
In an industry that pushes people to the edge, challenges ethics and morality, but also creates space for growth, healing, and change, Megan is finding her way and weaving herself through the chaos with clarity, resilience, and purpose.
