ICBC: 6 Days in Berlin

April 27, 2026
By Dustin Hoxworth

Fire, Hustle, and Finding Our Place in the Global Cannabis Community

Six days at ICBC in Berlin and all I came back with was proof that a kid raised in fear, chaos, and uncertainty can still find his way into rooms full of love and truth, surrounded by people who actually give a damn…all because of the most diverse and beautiful plant on the planet.

From what I can tell, Berlin is a city built with layers and layers of history, culture, and this palpable, gritty underbelly, where politics, art, science, and raw human expression collide in real time. It represents my exact picture of what a true melting pot would be–and somehow, I found myself standing right in the middle of it. If you would have told that scrawny, awkward, scared, dirt-poor little kid from the inner city of St. Louis that one day he’d be smoking fat doinks in the same city that once represented the worst of the worst human tragedies of all time, with like-minded people from all over the world, sharing ideas, and actually feeling like he belonged–there’s no fucking way I would’ve believed you. But here we are.

The whole experience hit me straight in the chest, shook me out of the rinse-and-repeat grind of Q1 2026, and reminded me exactly why I chose this path in the first place. That’s what the International Cannabis Business Conference delivered this year.

ICBC Held the Pulse of the Global Cannabis Community

Derrall Peach and I landed camera-ready, minds open, and no expectations beyond showing up, doing the work, and seeing what the week had to offer. What we walked into was something way bigger than a conference. It felt like a global pulse point for cannabis. A collision of cultures, ideas, ambition, and community that stretched way beyond the walls of the expo floor.

Every aisle had something going on. Brands from every corner of the world showing up with their best work, best people, and their best stories. You could feel positive energy everywhere. Everyone that I talked to had nothing but glowing reviews of the vibe, the number of people, and the excitement around the European markets. On the expo floor, deals were being talked through and partnerships were forming. Outside, people passed joints like handshakes, dab rigs like old friends, and laughed like they’d known each other for years. And those are the kinds of things that happen when people actually believe in what they’re building.

ICBC was about understanding where you are and why it matters. Between meetings, interviews, and events, we walked the city, stood in front of the Berlin Wall, moved through the grounds near the former SS Headquarters, hit Checkpoint Charlie, and let that history sit for a minute. I learned that you don’t walk through Berlin without feeling it because of the very real and raw lessons and reminders of what happens when power goes unchecked and people lose connection to each other.

And then you step back into a cannabis conference filled with people from all over the world, sharing space, ideas, and culture, and you realize how powerful this moment really is. This plant brings people together in ways that most industries can’t even begin to understand or touch. And ICBC leaned all the way into that.

The People, Moments & Magic at ICBC

One of the standout moments of the week came from the Grasslands dinner party. Ricardo Baca opened the door, and what happened inside that room was something special. There were tables full of people who care deeply about this industry, sitting down over amazing Italian food and having real conversations. I found myself surrounded by names that mean something to me: Bill and Jeff Levers, Luna Stower, Marianne Cursetjee, Rachel Wright, and many others. People who have been shaping this space in meaningful ways for years. The conversations were fun, easy, open, and thoughtful. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Meanwhile, Derrall was doing what Derrall does. Opening night turned into an impromptu photo shoot that we didn’t plan, script or overthink. It was just raw instinct and execution. Some of the most powerful images we’ve ever captured came out of that moment. That’s what happens when you put one of the best photographers in the industry in the middle of a room full of energy and let him work.

And then there was Heidi Whitman. Straight up, the MVP of the week. She should have been wearing a hard hat because of the bridges she was actively building. Heidi relentlessly set up introductions that mattered. She invited Derrall and me everywhere, which ended up opening new doors for us. We made connections that we’ll carry far beyond Berlin. The industry needs more people like her. People who understand that this space grows stronger when we lift each other up.

The Work, The Signal & What Comes Next

On the ground, the work didn’t slow down. At our shared booth with Canopy HR, we went all in. Twenty-four on-camera interviews in two days. No shortcuts or BS, just conversation after conversation with people who are actively shaping the future of cannabis. From new plasma lighting to terpene science to understanding regulations in Europe, the work we did felt meaningful and important to us. And Canopy HR helped make that possible. They didn’t just show up for themselves. They showed up for the plant and storytelling, helping us give some voice to the voiceless in our industry.

Joel Pearson, the Division President at Canopy HR, and his team stepped up in a big way, and it didn’t go unnoticed. Our shared booth became a hub, a place where people came to talk and be seen. Somewhere in the middle of all that, I stepped onto the marketing panel that was moderated by Brian Applegarth and included John Shute, Elizaveta Zharikova, Jack Hill, and Simon Pablo Espinosa.

This was a stage of sharp minds, different perspectives, and different backgrounds, all circling around the same question: how do we build a better industry using marketing that actually works for cannabis? Being able to bring my lived experience into that global conversation is something I don’t take lightly. A massive shoutout to Jamie Pearson, the President and Founder of the New Holland Group, for making that panel possible for someone like me. Without her support and confidence, I would never have had that opportunity.

By the time the week started winding down, one thing was clear. Alex Rogers didn’t just put together a conference, he built an experience. It was one of the most exciting, useful, productive, and genuinely fun cannabis business weeks I’ve ever been a part of. ICBC tapped into something global that I hadn’t seen before. And unless I’m mistaken, it’s only going to get stronger as legalization continues to evolve across Europe.

Europeans love this plant just as much as Americans do, and they’re ready for the business, culture, and community that comes with it. There’s an energy building overseas that feels familiar but different at the same time. Maybe it’s less jaded and more open and curious about what this industry can become. And that creates opportunity for collaboration, expansion, and storytelling that crosses borders and changes hearts and minds. Fat Nugs Magazine is paying attention. We’re not just looking at the international space; we’re stepping into it. Because what happened in Berlin wasn’t a one-off, it was a signal, and if you were there, you felt it.