Paul Barach, Contributing Author

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As a freelance writer and author, Paul has covered a wide variety of topics from the history of gas attacks in WWI to travel memoirs about hiking a 750 mile Buddhist pilgrimage in Japan. He is also an accomplished storyteller and performer. He produced and hosted a monthly storytelling show in Seattle and his work has been featured on The Moth’s Grandslam, RISK!, Out There, and more. He has also been featured on several travel podcasts, including Backpacker Radio, Armchair Explorer, Zero to Travel, and Deviate with Rolf Potts.

Paul’s entry into the cannabis industry began as a budtender in Denver’s famous “Green Mile.” During that time interacting with all walks of cannabis consumers, he gained an incredible respect for the plant both as an enjoyable pastime as well as a necessary medicine. He also excelled at educating customers into their best options for products, whether first timers or long-timers. His experience gave him a profound insight into cannabis culture that would stick with him for the rest of his life.

After leaving the budtending profession, Paul combined his love of writing and cannabis education. He has written articles, product descriptions, and web copy for PotGuide, Green Flower Media, Cannabest, Liberty Cannabis, and more.

With a writing career that follows his many interests, Paul has become well-versed in many aspects of the industry, including research, education, copywriting, and editorial work. 

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Paul’s experience with cannabis started with the legendary “BC Bud.” As a budtender in Denver, Paul’s breadth and depth of cannabis knowledge expanded from simply enjoying the product to consumer education. He sought to help each customer find the right product that would deliver the experience they wanted, whether for entertainment, activity, or as medicine. He also strove to have each customer walk away a little better informed about cannabis in order to constantly improve their cannabis experience. His curiosity and passion for customer education led him to quickly become the lead budtender of his shop.  

Leaving the industry briefly to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail, Paul returned to begin his career as a cannabis writer. He has also written product descriptions and web copy for Holistic Brand’s line of products. In his six years of cannabis experience, Paul has covered topics as diverse as the history of cannabis prohibition to the differences between purple and green flower to a Guide to Terpenes for customer’s in-store use.   

Paul graduated from Carleton College with a Bachelors of Arts (B.A.) in Political Science. 

When not writing about cannabis, Paul can usually be found outdoors. He has hiked several long trails including Japan’s Shikoku Pilgrimage, the Colorado Trail, and the entire Pacific Crest Trail. He has also bicycled from coast to coast across the United States, taught English in South Korea, and earned a black belt in Kyokushin-style Karate. “Fighting Monks and Burning Mountains: Misadventures on a Buddhist Pilgrimage” is his first book. You can find his hiking photos on Instagram @BarachOutdoors