Cannabis Icons Cheech & Chong

They first met 55 years ago in 1968. By 1971 they had released their first record, ‘Cheech and Chong,’ which introduced the world to the fun side of pot. In 1972, ‘Big Bambu’ became the biggest selling comedy record ever. This year marks the 45th anniversary of their film ‘Up in Smoke.’ Arguably, no other body of work—comedy albums and films—did more to take a counterculture lifestyle into the mainstream.

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THE TRANSFORMATION OF PAX

Leading the cannabis industry forward

For well-established global brands, a key to ongoing success is an emphasis on innovative product development that builds upon a company’s strengths. And such strengths can be compounded by extending a company’s brand recognition into new areas. Last year, PAX started doing just that—and the process has been transformative.

Long recognized for its vaporizers dating back about a decade, PAX’s business mission is to bring exceptional experiences to cannabis consumers everywhere. And last year was really the first concerted effort of designing not only the hardware, but also the actual consumable product itself, so that they are designed to work together in perfect harmony.

“It’s a very exciting time for us,” Steven Jung, chief operating officer, told Cannabis Inc. Magazine on a recent Zoom call. “We’re now one year into a new chapter for the company and also for PAX as a brand.”

Jung elaborated: “What we saw leading up to 2022 was a clear need and a desire by consumers that loved PAX — but also broadly within the cannabis space — to have the marriage of incredibly high-quality devices with incredibly highquality and innovative cannabis products.”

He added: “And those two things, when designed for one another perfectly, is a massive opportunity in the space because nobody else is doing that.”

Jung, who joined PAX in late 2021 after serving as Weedmaps’ president and COO, recalled that a year ago the company had zero cannabis products and had not refreshed its own devices and technology for several years.

By late 2022, much had changed. “We launched four THC products between the vapor line and the flower line. We launched a very innovative product -- the first of its kind in the flower space [infused flower with solventless hash],” Jung said. “And, in addition to that, we also launched four brand new pieces of hardware last year between the PAX devices, which are our flower vaporizer line, and then the Era device, which is our oil vaporizer line.”

PAX also launched a 1G pod, which Jung described as “an incredible step forward for us as a company, and also generally the trend where the format’s going for cannabis consumers broadly in the space.”

Jung, in fact, is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and started his career as a U.S. Army Captain.

“PAX having a veteran in our C-Suite, is pretty rare across the cannabis industry,” Laura Fogelman, VP Communications & Public Affairs, said on the same Zoom call. “But it’s really important given the veteran population’s need to have access to cannabis as medicine as an alternative to some of the more harmful drugs that may be made available.”

PAX FEATURE BY JOE INNACE

PHOTO COURTSEY OF PAX

“When we think about our mission to deliver exceptional cannabis experiences to people, and promoting health and wellness, all of these things come together,” added Jung. “And this year we are setting out to go much deeper.”

The transformation of PAX

About a decade ago, Lauryn Livengood, now senior director of brand marketing at PAX was the 16th person hired by PAX. Today, the company’s number of employees is about 150.

“Ten years ago, the cannabis industry was a completely different world,” Livengood told Cannabis Inc Magazine. “We had this one product, and nobody even knew what a vaporizer was,” she recalled.

Vaporizer was not even a word at that point in the lexicon. “So, just the idea of having something that was this beautiful, magical little thing that you could put in your pocket and actually use for cannabis was a concept that hadn’t quite yet clicked with consumers,” she recalled.

In the early days of PAX, according to Livengood, the biggest challenge was just explaining to people what the product was and what it was for. So, around 2014-2015 PAX intensely focused

INC. MAGAZINE. “WE’RE NOW ONE YEAR INTO A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE COMPANY AND ALSO FOR PAX AS A BRAND.”

on consumer insights by conducting quantitative surveys and consumer focus groups.

“With that, we really started getting a much deeper insightful understanding of the cannabis consumer,” Livengood said. “And what we realized was the cannabis consumer is just like us. They were not some secret sect of people. They were not druggies, and they weren’t out, loud and proud stoners.”

There were some facets of such groups, but by and large, PAX learned that the typical cannabis consumer was just like everyone else. And the people they met were using cannabis for a wide variety of reasons.

“And one of the really interesting parts about what we were learning was that you can be a 65-70 year-old veteran and have the same consumption patterns as a 26-year-old woman living in LA,” Livengood noted. “So from a marketing lens, it was really hard for us to kind of pick a lane

“IT’S A VERY EXCITING TIME FOR US,” STEVEN JUNG, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, TOLD CANNABIS

— steven jung

as far as using people in our imagery and tailoring certain language. So, what we did was we leaned into the product—and that was a magic moment for us.”

Magic, because by leaning into the product and approaching branding from a design lens, PAX avoided any polarization of the groups in the cannabis space. “It made great sense in 2015 because we only had the one product and people were anxious to learn about what it was and what it could do for them,” Livengood said.

From that first vaporizer product, PAX products can now be found in more than 40 U.S. markets and more than 40 countries around the world.

“That’s something no other cannabis brand can say,” Jung added, “and it is just one major signal that gives a sense of how big the opportunity is for PAX as a branded product.”

Leading by example

Heading up all new product innovation across PAX’s hardware and consumables businesses is Chicago-native Brian Witlin, VP of Product Development, who joined the company just over a year ago. Witlin is an award-winning designer with more than 15 years of experience developing, launching and scaling digital and physical products. He holds 10 utility patents, is a classically trained fine artist who leverages AI in his work— and he’s a DJ and also practices Jiu Jitsu.

“We’re looking at PAX as being a long-game type company,” Witlin said, “Not only are we trying to meet the standards of the future, but in many ways, we’re trying to be an example in the industry. That’s really a role we think we can play to help move the entire industry forward.”

Witlin also acknowledges the PAX legacy and how its initial vaporizer was developed originally around finding an alternate way to consume cannabis -- as a safer alternative to just burning it.

“But as we’ve grown, we’ve taken a more user-centered approach and the more opportunities that we can design and develop products that meet the needs of consumers, the better,” he said.

Witlin added: “We were somewhat limited just being a hardware company with other people’s consumables. So, the next logical step was we launched our Era system, which we were able to control a bit more.” The Era system consists of a device and a pod and PAX designed the pods. Multiple iterations and working with partners have led to continuous improvement in terms of quality, safety and more.

Over the last year, that’s been taken another step further.

“In addition to some of those partnerships, we’ve thought about how can we create formulations for these devices that work incredibly well,” Witlin said. “And that’s why we’ve launched

several lines of our own oils that span the California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Ontario-Canada markets.”

Most recently, PAX has been playing around in the flower space, according to Witlin. “And we’ve developed the first of its kind--we’re calling them infused flower pucks--essentially blending the highest quality hash with flower.”

The blends are compressed into a puck shape. “So it’s very easy for people to consume really high quality cannabis without all the mess and complication,” he said.

“And we’re not stopping there,” Witlin stressed. “We’re not limiting ourselves to thinking about one particular category for cannabis. We’re trying to explore all the different possibilities for cannabis consumption and where we can be innovative.”

He pledged: “And this year will be a consistent drumbeat of new releases of things that will be brand new to the world -- or will be formulations that are of higher quality or increasing the health and safety of products for the consumer.”

Witlin points out that PAX is one of the few teams that has toxicologists, pharmacologists, biochemists who are cannabis lovers. “When you have people like that on your team, it’s a really great cross-functional team that allows us to be incredibly innovative and truly be consumer-first,” he said.

He said PAX will continue to push the envelope as a leader in the hardware space as well. “We see opportunities this year where we’ll be launching additional devices that will be meeting the needs of the more sophisticated consumer,” Witlin previewed. “In many ways the original product was ahead of its time as a vaporizer in terms of portability, safety, consistency and other attributes, so we’re building on top of that to kind of invent the future.”

In fact, Witlin is quick to add that PAX has received several accolades from outside of the immediate industry. PAX has been recognized as Fast Company Brands that Matter, mg Magazine Best Place to Work in Cannabis, New York Times Wirecutter Best Portable Vaporizer, and High Times Cannabis Cup People’s Choice Award for one of its oils.

“People really love the products we’re developing,” Witlin beamed. “We also have a constant ear back into the market; it’s not like we’re siloed

into many different organizations. We work super collaboratively, so our product team’s out there in the field.”

Challenges and opportunity

Jung notes that as of today, there are 37 legal states of which 21 are adult-use recreational, pegging total retail revenue estimates somewhere between $25 billion to $30 billion. In the next three to five years, that top line could be north of $50 billion—and that only accounts for the legal license market.

Nonetheless, he acknowledges several challenges and headwinds now confronting the industry. One of the biggest issues centers on taxation, according to Jung.

“Hand-in-hand with cannabis legalization are the taxes [levied by states],” he said. “I think we have to allow the industry to flourish and grow. And with the level of taxation that occurs, it actually ends up artificially constraining the amount of business that can be done.”

Jung says burdensome taxes can have a very adverse effect on the legal cannabis market because the cost of access for consumers can become so prohibitive that they then return to the illicit market. “There is a very clear connection between that tax rate and how much of the illicit market continues to thrive,” he said.

Another hurdle is compliance and regulatory demands, which typically differ from state-to-state. The way licenses are issued is a prime example as that can vary widely.

“If you can standardize and simplify some of these regulatory requirements,” Jung noted, “It would allow for operators to come in and quickly set up shop, create a business that follows the rules, but then also is able to raise enough money very quickly to do good in the communities on a consistent and long-term basis.”

Overall, the future is still bright for the industry, in Jung’s eyes.

“What you see is consistent growth,” he emphasized. “And when you go back several years, you’re still looking at 12% CAGR (compound annual growth rates) overall.”

Jung said: “It is still incredibly early, and I think we as a company and as brand are placed perfectly to win within it.”

For more information, visit www.Pax.com

PEACE BY PAX platform

San Francisco-based PAX is not only driving hard with product innovation, but the global brand is also aiming to have meaningful social impact. In early 2023 it launched the PEACE BY PAX program. The platform is intended to empower PAX to serve the community through a focus on causes related to social reform, safe access and sustainability through cannabis.

“PAX is mission-driven at our core, so we’re thrilled to have PEACE BY PAX in support of the critical work we’re already doing to benefit the broader cannabis community,” said Steven Jung, COO of PAX. “We see these efforts as a business and moral imperative, to build a sustainable industry that is inclusive and creates equitable opportunity.”

PAX is working to destigmatize, legalize, and create equitable access to opportunity through cannabis. This includes partnerships with, and support of, the Cannabis Media Council, to normalize cannabis use across generations; the Marijuana Policy Project, a leading advocacy organization working to change cannabis laws; the Last Prisoner Project, a non-profit dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform; Our Academy, an accelerator for social equity applicants; and more. PAX received a bronze Clio award for The Human Toll: How the War on Drugs Targeted Black America, produced with Last Prisoner Project and Vanity Fair.

PAX has a team of toxicologists, chemists, and engineers conducting research and elevating standards for product safety across the industry, the work of which has been published in peer-reviewed journals

including PLOS One and Toxics. Beyond the company’s leadership on safety, PAX works with organizations including Weed for Warriors, Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives, This is Jane Project, Operation Evac, ReCompass, California NORML and others, to ensure patient access to cannabis and facilitate compassion efforts. In 2022, PAX supported compassion services delivered to thousands of veteran patients across the country.

Sustainability is a priority, according to PAX, which said it is dedicated to the plant and protecting the planet. All products are developed leveraging design principles that include durability and longevity, and nearly all packaging is recyclable, with a significant portion made from Forest Stewardship Council certified materials, ensuring the responsible, renewable sourcing of sustainable materials. Our goal is to have a meaningful, positive environmental impact throughout cannabis and beyond.

“PAX’s name means peace, a concept that is fundamental to our ethos as a brand. It’s a privilege to be part of this industry, and we’re deeply committed to overcoming decades of prohibition and stigma to uplift the people and communities we serve,” said Laura Fogelman, VP, Communications & Public Affairs, who also leads the brand’s social impact work. “We’re thrilled to launch PEACE BY PAX and leverage our platform to give visibility to important causes, and the people, organizations and partners doing critical work on the ground.”

PAX Announces Limited-Edition Collaboration

With Renowned International Artist Stan Birch

Handmade Nike Dunk Low Sneakers by FLOU® Customs Blend Cannabis and Fashion Culture

PAX, a leading global cannabis brand, today announced a limited-edition custom collaboration with international sneaker artist and colorway designer Stan Birch, of flagship brand FLOU® Customs based in the south of France. The collection aims to highlight the intersection of cannabis, design and fashion, drawing from the colors of the brand’s newest line up of PAX Plus flower vaporizer devices. Handmade with custom stitching, lacing and gold stamped foil, the Nike Dunk Low sneaker drop celebrates the contemporary aesthetic of modern cannabis culture.

cover story

by joe innace

Photos Courtesy by Cheech & Chongs Cannabis Co.

TOMMY CHONG CHIEF CANNABIS ICON

CHEECH MARIN CHIEF CANNABIS ICON

Cheech

Chong &

Curated cannabis products from a couple of icons

In the world of cannabis there is not a more iconic duo than Cheech and Chong.

They first met 55 years ago in 1968. By 1971 they had released their first record, ‘Cheech and Chong,’ which introduced the world to the fun side of pot. The next release in 1972, ‘Big Bambu’ became the biggest selling comedy record ever. And the one after that in 1973, ‘Los Cochinos’ won a Grammy Award.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of their film ‘Up in Smoke’, which was the highest grossing comedy of 1978. Written, directed and produced by Tommy and Cheech, Up in Smoke fast became the gold standard of socalled stoner comedies.

Arguably, no other body of work—comedy albums and films— did more to take a counterculture lifestyle into the mainstream.

Through their works, Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong (now 76 and 84, respectively) destigmatized marijuana use and paved the way for its wider acceptance. Today, as legal cannabis markets grow and expand, it’s fitting that the two are now enjoying a renaissance.

For more than 50 years, they say they both dreamed of curating a line of cannabis products that do justice to the plant and the culture. In August of 2022, they came together to launch their first collaborative cannabis product ever in their long-time home state of California.

Since that initial product launch, Cheech and Chong have continued to further their commitment to creating fair access to the plant in each market they participate.

“It’s a trip man! It wasn’t that long ago that I was serving

prison time for selling bongs,” Tommy recently told Cannabis Inc Magazine.

Today, Cheech & Chong’s Cannabis Co. serves consumers directly with a range of products, but others can also apply to become licensees and/or buy wholesale products.

The partners explained that the mission is — and has always been — to provide responsible access to the plant whether that be THC, Delta 9, or non-psychoactive hemp products. They cater to every type of cannabis user and the depth of their product catalog reflects that.

They also seek partners who share that same passion. And they are currently working with a number

of licensees and are active in eight U.S. states with a launch in Germany underway.

So, what’s the plan for other areas and is the New York market in their sights?

“World domination??? Kidding.” Tommy said. “We are a global brand and this is a global company. We have plans to roll out in several states as well as markets in Europe and Asia.”

As far as New York is concerned, he said: “You never know where Cheech and Chong will strike next, but we were recently in NYC to help launch The House of Cannabis and we do love The Big Apple!”

Given that their brand is so engrained in the culture, are

“WORLD DOMINATION??? KIDDING.” TOMMY SAID. “WE ARE A GLOBAL BRAND AND THIS IS A GLOBAL COMPANY.”

knockoffs a threat?

“A threat? No. Annoying? Yes,” said Tommy. “As it always is when you have something as unique and as iconic as Cheech and Chong, bad operators will try to capitalize with cheap knockoffs… especially true with the direct-to-consumer.”

He added that they create high-quality products that their customers love. “That is what we focus on. We leave the rest to the lawyers and encourage all customers to buy directly from us and our partners,” Tommy said.

Among the available product lines are flower and pre-roll products dubbed Love Machine, Ahhberry, StaDankOhhh, Yesca, Drooler and Lowrider. Cosmic is a concentrated THC product offered as a sugar, badder,

Officer; Danny Keith, Chief Revenue Officer/Chairman; Brooke Mangum, Chief Marketing Officer; and Aaron Silverman, Chief Brand Officer.

Bowlmates launches

In late March, Cheech and Chong launched an online cannabis community called Bowlmates, which in a matter of days had thousands of members.

“’Bowlmates’ is a place for people to come, connect, laugh, and explore,” Tommy said. “This community provides members with live events, contests, giveaways, exclusive cannabis and

diamond, sauce and disposable cart. For gummies, there’s Cheech & Chong’s Cruise Chews.

When Tommy mentions ‘we’, he’s not only referencing Cheech. He’s also acknowledging the Cheech & Chong Cannabis Co.’s full team, which happens to include several family members.

Cheech and Chong both serve as CCI (Chief Cannabis Icons). Joey Marin is Chief Product Officer (CPO) and Jasmine Marin is Creative Director. Paris Chong serves as an advisor to the CEO -- Jonathan Black.

“Cheech and Chong has always been a family affair even before we formed the cannabis company,” Tommy explained. “Our kids grew up in and around this business. It is in their DNA.”

He explained that their children have served as tour managers, art directors, graphic designers and in many other roles over the years.

“When we made the decision to reunite for this cannabis company,” Tommy noted, “having our families be an integral part of it was never a question. Their creativity, vision and expertise have been invaluable to this company; plus family members come cheap.”

Rounding out the company’s leadership team are: Jonathan Black, CEO; Jace Bueno, Chief Operating

comedy content, and most importantly, access to the plant.”

The focus is simple and straightforward: “Building a culture of community by spreading joy and sharing love,” he added. “The community is growing rapidly—it’s a very organic process, the way a cannabis community should be.”

“With other social media platforms censoring cannabis posts and content, it was time to build our own community that is inclusive for all cannabis enthusiasts and content without the fear of unwanted and improper censorship,” said CEO Jonathan Black.

A visit to bowlmates.com affords immediate access to exclusive content, livestreams and interaction with the legendary duo across a variety of online activities to be rewarded with virtual tokens. These tokens can then be exchanged on the platform for authorized merchandise, memorabilia, in-person and digital events connecting with Cheech and Chong.

“We have been spreading love and connecting people through our movies, albums and live shows for decades. Creating somewhere online where we can

“CHEECH AND CHONG HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FAMILY AFFAIR EVEN BEFORE WE FORMED THE CANNABIS COMPANY,” TOMMY EXPLAINED. “OUR KIDS GREW UP IN AND AROUND THIS BUSINESS. IT IS IN THEIR DNA.”

—

TOMMY CHONG

continue that mission — it’s been a long time coming, man,” said Tommy.

“It’s true! Finally, a place where we can unite on a deeper level with our Bowlmates from around the world than we ever have before,” added Cheech.

As pioneers of cannabis counterculture, Cheech and Chong have faced their fair share of censorship throughout their careers and with the launch of Bowlmates, they’re breaking free from the constraints of major social media platforms and delivering authentic content.

Brooke Mangum, CMO, added: “Our mission with

Bowlmates is to bring the entire cannabis community together so we can democratize access and align advocacy and action through humor. If it works, federal legalization will be just around the corner.”

As both Cheech and Chong have said: their records and movies weren’t first, but they were different. Today, their cannabis company isn’t the first, but it’s unique.

And as Tommy put it: “To see where we have come, where we are going… and to be a part of that journey has been a great honor.”

For more information, visit: cheechandchong.com or cheechandchongscannabis.com

Reported by L.A. Rivera

Defining the Cannabis Boardroom

Blowback from military airplane transforms the life

JM Balbuena

Johann Marie Balbuena was sure she was going to work as an Aviation Technician that day. It was business as usual for the Navy Veteran.

They call her JM for short, and she remembers walking on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier, USS John C. Stennis, which was deployed to the Middle East. Suddenly she felt a booming gush of wind from an airplane that plunged her into the air. Balbuena’s shirt was literally ripped off her chest as she

hit the flight deck like a rag doll.

The military veteran recalled the incident like it happened yesterday. “We were headed to the Middle East on an aircraft carrier during my first deployment in 2012,” Balbuena told Cannabis Inc. Magazine.

“I was working on the slide deck, doing my usual inspections before and after the planes land.”

She paused to take a deep breath with palpable angst – then she continued.

”And I was walking behind the plane and it went up on power, and

I was blown away by the jet blast.” She paused again.

“I landed 16-feet away from the jet, and pretty much hurt myself.”

Balbuena acknowledged that the military officer who accidentally powered up the engine was her commanding officer: “He happened to be the pilot. He was the one who blew me away from the propeller wind that threw me into the air,” she said.

She also said she suffered a concussion and temporarily lost the ability to speak English. ”For twen-

ty-minutes, I could only communicate in Spanish,” she added.

Eventually, Balbuena was taken off the flight deck and escorted to the medical area where they ran countless tests. She was also shown a video of the accident. “When I saw it, I said, ‘Oh my goodness!’” “And,” she added, “I didn’t break any bones so they sent me home for some rest.”

The accident, however, would soon turn her world upside down. Balbuena began to have problems sleeping and suffered from an

eating disorder, chronic headaches, and back pain. Eventually, these conditions led to anxiety and depression. In the end, the impact of the fall made one of her hips higher than the other. “My back kept on twitching and Veteran Affairs recommended physical therapy and sleep therapy,” she said.

Balbuena is one of many military veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, more commonly referred to as PTSD. According to a US Department of Veteran Affairs study, PTSD is slightly more

common among veterans than civilians. At some point in their life, seven out of every 100 veterans, or 7%, will suffer from the mental health condition.

The study also reported that PTSD is more common among females with 13% of military women receiving the diagnosis compared to 6% of military men.

Over the years, Balbuena has grappled with PTSD, but her gritty determination, and sheer will to overcome the symptoms has made her a mover and shaker in the cannabis industry.

After her tour in the Navy, Balbuena co-founded Palenque Provisions, a food producer of Latino foods with a current estimated value of over $6 million. Later, she authored a book entitled, “The Successful Canna-preneur,” which became an Amazon Book Bestseller.

With time, Balbuena discovered the medicinal benefits of marijuana. She studied cannabis and the business of cannabis, and later treated her symptoms with several strains, as well as mushrooms, to heal various maladies – body aches, headaches, and eventually curing some of the symptoms of PTSD. “For instance, last night I consumed Wedding Cake, it is a heavier indica and helps me sleep,” she said. “But there are some strains that help wake up like a good cup of coffee.”

In fact, she’s acutely aware of the fact that many veterans have been exposed to the odious effects of countless pharmaceutical opioids.

“The military and the Veteran Affairs organizations are very heavy on the prescriptions of drugs,” Balbuena asserted. “You know, most veterans, including myself, have a drawer full of prescription medication.”

The rough-and-tumble entrepre-

Focusing on the pursuit of financial freedom through following their passion for cannabis in the financial market. That’s what I want to impart to entrepreneurs in the corporate world.

neur has virtually transformed her life. After suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI), Balbuena started using cannabis as a medicinal herb to assist her in the healing process.

She has been featured in Black Enterprise Magazine as a leading entrepreneur in the cannabis industry, and L.A. Weekly named her as a rising entrepreneur who’s taking chances and cutting deals in the industry.

One of the major motivations behind writing her best-selling book was to inspire other entrepreneurs who have a strong desire to enter the Cannabis world and become corporate leaders in the business.

“I have a deep desire to create a sustainable cannabis industry for resourceful leaders,” Balbuena said, referring to her uncanny business savvy which has made her a lucrative business owner. “Focusing on the pursuit of financial freedom through following their passion for cannabis in the financial market. That’s what I want to impart to entrepreneurs in the corporate world.”

She argues that “prohibition” can be viewed as an opportunity in many ways. “Number one, prohibition serves as a barrier to entry as it will keep people from entering the space,” Balbuena explained. “Hence, your competition pool will not be as vast as it could be if federal prohibition was not a thing. Number two, it serves as an opportunity for social justice reform and advocacy. By investing in the industry and spending your energy

on seeing it through, you contribute to the bigger picture which is a strong message.”

Today, the Navy veteran said she is constantly working with various veteran organizations, and organizing meet-ups with veterans in other states. “We do veteran walks and talks as well as beach clean-ups, and veterans help other veterans clean up their property. We also do activities such as hiking trips using several of the products at our dispensaries. We provide these products for free to veterans.”

Balbuena occasionally has nightmares about the day she was tossed into the air like a marionette puppet. “I still have dreams about that traumatic incident on the USS John C. Stennis,” her voice cracks as she remains resolute in her pursuit of her real dream of becoming a successful woman Canna-preneur.

A native of Santo Domingo, she remembers her father consoling her and training her young mind for a career in business. In “The “Successful Canna-preneur,” she wrote, “We used to play a game called creating a great business idea – and my father would sit me down and I would create a business idea, and then develop a strategic business plan and budget.”

Perhaps her father saw something in his daughter at a very young age – her ability to create, innovate, and lead. The cannabis industry is fortunate to have her as one of its leading pioneers.

made for you

In a world of fast food and one-size-fits-all sensibilities, how often does something feel made especially for you? The "Made for You" section celebrates those items that are created with such high quality of hand workmanship and degree of customization that they become individual to you. In each issue, our editors will endeavor to bring you special things from anywhere on the globe, choosing them solely on the basis of outstanding quality. Our goal is to give you guidance on the best of everything.

The cannabis industry is newly legal, and as the industry transitions to a more mainstream and normalized environment, it continues to experience unprecedented growth. Building an industry from the ground up takes a village; the cannabis industry attracts entrepreneurs of all areas and levels of experience. THE SUCCESSFUL CANNA-PRENUER

For those in search of perfect flavor delivery matched with powerful flow, the Tommy Chong Vapes Aria is the only answer. This special edition contains limited edition Tommy Chong Accessories like a one of a kind dab tool and flower and concentrate jars, as well as all the original Aria accessories to complete this legendary kit. CHEECHANDCHONG.COM

Discreetly nestled in a lush and serenely secluded fishing village in Little Bay, Coral Cove Wellness Resort is a restful sanctum offering a reimagined approach to holistic wellness and healing that will elevate your island getaway experience in Jamaica. Located only steps away from the ocean, fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves in our custom-designed oceanfront rooms and elegantly rustic cottages. CORAL COVE WELLNESS

This exclusive collection aims to emphasize the convergence of cannabis, design and fashion, inspired by the colors of PAX’s latest lineup of PAX Plus flower vaporizer devices. The handmade Nike Dunk Low sneakers, featuring custom stitching, lacing and goldstamped foil, celebrate the modern aesthetics of contemporary cannabis culture.

The new PAX era is re-engineered to deliver 50% bigger, more potent hits. An intuitive, new anti-clog feature ensures easy, consistent & flavorful draws. Simply pop in a PAX pod for more flowerful experiences. The iconic, pocket-sized PAX Era delivers reliable puffs time after time. Our new anti-clog feature works automatically to break up, and prevent, clogs. Simply pop in your pod & let the device do the rest. PAX.COM

E4P Cannabis Cigars are slow burning and made completely of the cannabis plant. No fillers, No short cuts. From start to finish our cigars provide a smooth clean burn. Focusing on small batch releases with exclusive growers and extractors. Our team of dedicated artists who understand the art of the business. Handcrafted cigars may vary in size depending on strain selection. E4P CANNABIS CIAGRS

1 JM BALBUENA — THE SUCCESSFUL CANNA-PRENUER

2 X VAPE — TOMMY CHONG ARIA DUAL VAPE

3 PAX ERA BLOOD ORANGE

4 CORAL COVE WELLNESS — BEST LUXURY RV

5 PAX PLUS FLOWER — NIKE DUNK LOW

6 E4P CANNABIS CIGARS — INFUSED CANNA CIGAR

THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO BUBBLE HASH 101

The form of bubble hash is an art dating back to the 1980s, when a man by the name of David Paul Watson –aka “skunk man” – a botanist, horticulturist, and cannabis activist popularized the art of hash washing that continues to evolve today.

In this article we’ll discuss some of the simple basics to create a great hash without the headaches. The tools are easy to find or source out. Many hashers look for this information, and with this article we hope to help those in a need.

We will go over each step with detail while keeping it simple! We will discuss the type of material to best use to start and continue through finalizing your product.

Materials

Your material, in this case, is cannabis, and the betterquality bud and the more trichomes the better, and the terpenes add great flavor to the product.

Tools on Table

Container/bucket of your choice to accommodate room for material and ice at a rate of 50/50 and allow room for water and incorporation of mixing.

Optional

Dry ice is best but not always readily available, so good old regular ice gets the job done just fine.

Stirring tool to accommodate size of container being used –we like wood tools for this job.

5 Gallon

200 micron drying pad (easily found online).

NOW, LETS GET TO IT!

Gather all material and lightly break up (if not already), looking for consistency of cannabis. Now to look at bubble bags, the range in micron from 25 up to 220.

220 will consist of our work bag, these bags will allow us to mix all material being used. With the 220 bag we will take our remaining bags and shoe them into each other. Taking our 220 bag and adding smaller micron bags over it so each bag filters through each other collecting the hash left behind in each bag, the smallest micron being the

last to pass through. Let’s add the ice, we are looking again for a 50/50 mix – that being 50% material 50% ice and let’s remember to be sure we have additional room for water and mixing as well.

Okay, so now with your bags in hand and set according to the size you wish to use, place them into your pail or container. Slowly add cold water and start the soft paddling of your mixture, continue with both until you start to get a consistency of weed soup. At this time, we can stop introducing cold water

and continue mixing with much love. Once we are happy with consistency of the batch, we will continue with the removal of our work bag {220}. Set the leftover to the side for doing a second run if wished, second wash will collect the little remanding that sometime lags. Nevertheless, our first run will be our best of quality.

At this point we are ready to finish running any remaining cold water through our bags to help with the filtering, I like to use a spoon for this. I stir while adding recycled used water back

through the bags. Once we have our wet hash material sitting at the bottom of each bag we used, we take a scraper of sort to reach into the bags and retrieve our hash – I like to use a credit card.

As we continue to scrape out every little bit there is, take a piece of cardboard or towel and lay the 200-micron drying pad over the top – this will allow excess water to escape without harming our hash. If we were to put our beautiful wet hash onto paper, it will dry to the paper substance used and start

to infuse into the paper greatly affecting product quality.

So now that our hash has been placed onto our 200-micron drying pad, let it sit in a cool dark room anywhere from 12 to 48 hrs. Drying time always differs depending on temperature and humidity. Nevertheless, it shall dry.

Once dried, we can form or shape it to what we wish. The smallest micron bag, usually 25 microns, will be the purest of them all and be quite dark and sticky to the touch. The remaining other bags will be

less potent. Once we have fully dried our hash, it’s time to cure it for some time in a dark airtight glass jar; we like the brown glass mason jars. While you let it cure and gain taste with the terpenes profile, you will be in for a great buzz. Curing can be from few days to many weeks, depending on what we like. Curing also tends to shy the harshness sometimes found in cannabis.

I hope this will help you in the future to become a master of the art bubble hash.

Truly yours, Christopher Yattaw

By L.A. Rivera

BRANDON CRUZ THE NEXT PADRON IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY

Only time will tell!

Brandon Cruz is an ambitious entrepreneur with a vision of becoming the next Padron in the cigar business.

But there’s one exception: His cigars are embedded with high-grade cannabis which he calls the E4P Cannagar

Cruz has branded a cigar made entirely out of cannabis, wrapped in hemp paper. Inside, he uses the finest weed. The Cannagar was in fact inspired by the “Thai Stick” which is from Thailand and was popular during the 1960s and 1970s in the United States.

The E4P cannabis cigars are manufactured in San Diego with locally grown flowers from expert growers, which are molded into a cigarillo-shaped core and then rolled in a solvent-free extract. The cigar is then wrapped, washed and dried in fresh cannabis leaves and cured for a minimum of 30 days in high quality humidors.

“We have a facility in Southern California. But we’re working out of a New Jersey facility as well. I’m trying to juggle both sides,” Cruz explained from his office in San Diego, adding that he has four associates in California, and another four in N.J. who work full-time. While he sells THC cigars in California, his New Jersey-based business only sells CBD cigars.

The evolution began slowly for E4P Cannabis Cigar. When Cruz was 17-years-old, he started rolling joints with his friends. “It

was a competitive thing. We started rolling really cool little joints,” he said.

The E4P was born out of New Jersey with a bunch of scrappy kids twisting joints and getting stoned out of their minds. Go figure. Back then, Cruz remembers his friends

uncle growing cannabis plants. “But, the bud wasn’t ready,” he said. “So, we turned them into cigars.” Eventually he used Google search to discover how to use wooden sticks to roll cigars. “We made our first cigar, and it smoked really well. We kind of grew from there.”

After he launched his E4P in California and got involved in various pop-up shows, Cruz started another satellite office in New Jersey in 2015.

Although Cruz has a grandiose vision of creating the next cannabis-infused Padron cigar, he knows the marketplace

is steeped with competitive brands, who are frequently nipping at the heels of his E4P Cannagar business.

According to Cannigma – an online research-based informational platform about all things cannabis – the four best Cannagars in 2023 are: The Joya de Vazquez Queen Nzinga from California; the Leira IVXXX Cannabis Cigar based out of Washington State; and finally, the Buddy Homburg Infused Cannagar with CBG from Ontario, Canada. So far, the E4P Cannagar is ranked third by Cannigma.

However, due to tight regulations in the cannabis industry, it’s been a challenging experience for Cruz. “There’s a lot to learn, from the manufacturing side to the retail aspect of the business,” he said. “In California it’s been tough. In New Jersey, it’s been easier because it’s a newer (business model). People are willing to take risks.”

Can this entrepreneur brand the next marijuana-infused Padron cigar?

“I’m pushing for that, keeping the quality-control up there,” Cruz admits. “A lot of guys in the traditional cigar world want to maintain that integrity behind their brand, while continuing to expand and grow. I certainly would like to keep it in the family. I want my cannabis cigars in the lounges. I want it to be the same as the traditional tobacco cigar. But keeping a few secrets in the family. That’s why those guys (like Padron) are winners.”

For more information visit: e4pcannabiscigars.com

“THERE’S A LOT TO LEARN, FROM THE MANUFACTURING SIDE TO THE RETAIL ASPECT OF THE BUSINESS. IN CALIFORNIA IT'S BEEN TOUGH. IN NEW JERSEY, IT’S BEEN EASIER.

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