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JANUARY 2017

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THE DOPEST ISSUE

DEFENDING OUR PLANT EVERYWHERE

FEATURE DOPEST PEOPLE 2017 TRAVEL CANNABIS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

NEWS BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AS PESTICIDE ALTERNATIVE

The political landscape of cannabis

JANUARY 2017 | THE DOPEST ISSUE

It’s only fitting that we welcome each new year with the DOPEst Issue. With optimism and fresh faced determination, DOPE Magazine leapt into 2017 and said goodbye to 2016—a year that challenged our thinking and opened up our eyes to the growth of this industry. Our success is predicated on the success of those in this industry who diligently and authentically fight day in and day out for the normalization of cannabis.

This issue pays tribute to those who continually aspire to be the best versions of themselves, live by solution-based ideologies and believe whole heartedly that two minds are better than one. The DOPE LIFE, which stands for Dedication, Optimism, Professionalism, Energy, Leadership, Integrity, Focus and Education is a way of life. It’s about knowing who you are and what you stand for.

2017 will be a year dedicated to forming lifelong relationships, cultivating optimistic thinking and building a brand that you can come to time and time again as a trusted resource. In lieu of a New Year’s Resolution, we challenge you to wake up each morning with renewed energy and the desire to be the best version of yourself. Stay DOPE!

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DOPE MAGAZINE is a free monthly publication dedicated to providing an informative and wellness-minded voice to the cannabis movement. While our foundation is the medical cannabis industry, it is our intent to provide ethical and research-based articles that address the many facets of the war on drugs, from politics to lifestyle and beyond. We believe that through education and honest discourse, accurate policy and understanding can emerge. DOPE MAGAZINE is focused on defending both our patients and our plant, and to being an unceasing force for revolutionary change.

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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S JANUARY 2017

THE DOPEST ISSUE THE DOPEST PEOPLE OF 2017 32 18

CANNA BRANDING Burnwell

22

P O L I T I C A L F E AT U R E Politics On A Misson

24

E D I TO R S C H O I C E Aubox

28

NEWS Biological Control : A True Pesticide Alternative

52

NEWS #END420SHAME

56

P R O D U C TS W E LOV E

58

NEWS Investing in Cannabis Stocks

62

NEWS Cannabis Incubators

64

NEWS

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SOCIAL MEDIA @DOPEMAGAZINE

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DIA RECAP

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Cannabis Patents

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FEATURE

TRAVEL

GROW

OBAMA & TRUMP

CANNABIS IN THE UK

BACK TO BASICS

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The Political Landscape

of cannabis WRITER / MEGAN RUBIO

HOW TRUMP’S NOMINATIONS COULD IMPACT LEGITIMATE BUSINESSES

M

any have been left wondering what the cannabis industry will look like under a Trump presidency.

While president-elect Donald J. Trump himself has previously expressed flexibility on his stance, some of the individuals he’s nominated for his administration have a consistent record of opposing marijuana legislation.

The future of legitimate cannabis businesses could be under threat with Trump’s recent nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) for U.S. Attorney General and Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

In the last eight years, numerous states have passed medical and recreational laws pertaining to cannabis. Three years ago, the Office of the Deputy Attorney General stated that, due to the increase in state-enacted laws, federal agencies would be refocusing their enforcement priorities, even though congress had determined “marijuana is a dangerous drug,” according to a memorandum sent to all U.S. Attorneys. But as a new administration takes office, those Trump nominees will have the power to refocus the federal government’s agenda regarding marijuana policy.

In a March MSNBC town hall, Trump was asked for his opinion on drug legalization. His response was that in terms of medical marijuana—he’s “basically for that”—however he claimed to have heard some “very negative reports coming out of Colorado as to what’s happening,” according to MSNBC. It is unclear what reports Trump was referring to. Trump has also made comments in the past indicating that he believes marijuana should be handled at the state level, according to The Washington Post.

While Trump’s positions are far from disheartening, it’s Sessions, his nomination for the Office of the Attorney General, that has many in the cannabis industry worried.

“We need grown-ups in charge in Washington to say marijuana is not the kind of thing that ought to be legalized, it ought not to be minimized, that it’s in fact a very real danger,” Sessions said in a Senate drug hearing in April 2016. “Good people don’t smoke marijuana.”

Sessions has a long history adamantly opposing legalization in any form. He was an ardent supporter of the “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign spearheaded by former First Lady Nancy Reagan. Similarly, he has long been an advocate for the War on Drugs and highly critical of President

Barack Obama’s hands-off approach to state legalization.

Sessions could completely throw out the Obama administration’s policy of noninterference, but, as was noted in that 2013 memo from the Deputy Attorney General’s office, the federal government often relies on state and local law enforcement to enforce drug laws. Were Sessions to do away with the current noninterference policy, there could be conflict between state and federal agencies if those state and local agencies become beholden to federal law.

Although Trump has stated his own support for medical marijuana, that could have little impact on Session’s actions. What will truly determine Session’s role in addressing marijuana legalization is whether he chooses to act as an independent attorney general or to follow advice and direction of the president. Ultimately, Sessions would have the power to direct the Justice Department and federal law enforcement agencies in whatever direction he sees fit.

More recently, Trump nominated Price, an avid critic of the Affordable Care Act, as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. The position may not hold as much power as the attorney general, but it might be able to undermine the medical marijuana industry. Were Price to step into the role, he could encourage the agency to penalize doctors and sellers who work with medical marijuana since it remains illegal under federal law, according to The Washington Post.

Price’s past and current stances on marijuana indicate that he might be willing to take such actions. Unlike Sessions, Price does not appear to be an outspoken opponent of marijuana. Price’s voting record, however, speaks for itself. The Washington Post called him “one of the most consistently anti-marijuana members of Congress voting against a number of marijuana proposals before the House in recent years.”

Though Trump has expressed his support of medical marijuana in the past, his nominations indicate that his words and actions are not in accordance with each other. He has already nominated two staunch opponents to marijuana reform and still has other positions to fill. Only time will tell if a President Trump will truly be supportive of medical marijuana or if he’ll let members of his administration stonewall cannabis businesses.

“GOOD PEOPLE DON’T SMOKE MARIJUANA.” — JEFF SESSIONS

A ONE MAN MISSION TO AFFECT CHANGE

P

resident Barack Obama has taken unprecedented actions to address the failures of the criminal justice system throughout his tenure. The President has granted a record number of commutations for inmates serving both life sentences as well as those serving an excessive amount of time for what many would now categorize as minor offenses.

Many agree that drug reform should be a social issue, not a criminal one, yet often times the legal process is slow to catch up. So far, President Obama has granted clemency to 944 inmates. That far exceeds the number of commutations granted by the last nine presidents. But for the president, 944 lives changed is still not enough.

He plans to review cases up until his time in office ends.

Even though the president has taken rare and unparalleled actions, the commutations do not represent full pardons. For many individuals, a commutation means a shortened prison sentence. A pardon represents full legal forgiveness of a crime, with no other consequences going forward. While a commutation does shorten the sentence, it leaves other consequences intact, such as probation and restrictions on the ownership of firearms.

Two-thousand-and-sixteen has been record setting in many ways.

By early November, the president had granted over 700 commutations, surpassing the record for most commutations granted by a president in a single year. In early August, President Obama commutated the sentences of 214 federal inmates, the most commutations to be granted in our nation’s history on a single day.

Despite the record-setting numbers, there have been criticisms from reform advocates that change is occurring too slowly. Instead of commending the president for his actions, he is hounded by reform groups to do more. What we really need to acknowledge is the amount of time that President Obama does spend reviewing cases. While only 944 inmates have been granted clemency so far, the president has gone through thousands of case records aside from those who are on the receiving end of his beneficence.

Obama is choosing to take a personal interest in drug sentencing reform. In his campaign to become president, he spoke openly about his past drug use, his fortune in not getting caught and the personal growth he experienced while in college. His past experiences shaped who he became as a politician, an activist and voice for our country.

He described how in his high school years, he was set to fit the “fatal role of the young would-be black man,” according to NBC. But he turned his life around with the hope of being able to affect future change.

Many of the policies enacted under Obama could be changed in the next presidency. But one part of Obama’s legacy that will persist is his use of executive power to allow offenders the opportunity to have a second chance at life. As an individual who, given different circumstances, could have ended up in the same situation, Obama is using his position to not only advocate for sentencing reform, but to take action on an issue which he can personally relate. Even after he has left office, many argue that Obama will continue to advocate in favor of criminal justice reform.

IN AUGUST 2016, OBAMA COMMUTATED THE SENTENCES OF 214 FEDERAL INMATES, THE MOST TO BE GRANTED IN THE NATION’S HISTORY IN A SINGLE DAY.

CANNA BRANDING

B UR NW ELL I N T E RV I E W E D BY / BRANDON PALMA/8THDAYCREATE P H OTO S / COURTESEY OF BURNWELLCO

Q

DOPE MAGAZINE: What is your inspiration behind your brand?

A

BURNWELL: Simply put, Burnwell was inspired by the compromises we faced as we looked to enter the recreational cannabis marketplace.

We are not big fans of compromise.

The ethics of our founders did not allow us to follow the current market and the unsustainable practices.

The compromises we faced were both on the back end of cannabis growing and on the front end of product packaging.

When we started Burnwell, the growing options were to either grow world class cannabis using traditional indoor methods and in the process continue the ever increasing carbon footprint of this industry, or offset our carbon footprint by using traditional outdoor methods, but in the process compromise quality. We set out to find a better way.

We wanted to combine the complete environmental controls of indoor growing with the sustainability and scientific benefits of outdoor.

From a packaging perspective, the options were either plastic containers, Mylar bags, or glass which included plastic lids. We all know that the world does not need more plastic. We had to find a way to maintain our ethical standards all the way to the final product.

These two areas of our business became our focus long before we were even granted our license to grow. Marrying quality and sustainability became our mantra.

Our vision of the end of compromise in the cannabis market was the birth of Burnwell.

Q

A

What message do you want to portray with your branding?

Unlike most companies, our brand is not just a logo. Our brand guides everything we do. It is a reflection of our culture.

When people say “BURNWELL”, they are directly conveying positivity and quality. We’ve built an emotional experience into our company name intentionally.

We want the cannabis community to understand that they now have a choice. There is now an option to have world class cannabis without negatively impacting the planet. Our marketing tone directly speaks to our commitment to the planet and to the community, and especially to our love of the Northwest lifestyle.

Q

Are there any special meaning to the colors or references in your branding and packaging, if so please explain?

A

When we set out to define our packaging approach we knew that retail execution would determine if we become another failed cannabis company or a successful one. We had to find a solution that would work for our packaging team, our retail partners, and for the end customer. Meeting all three needs was a challenge.

Being retail cannabis customers ourselves, we immediately identified areas of improvement in how cannabis was being presented in retail today.

For example, in addition to the overuse of non-renewable packaging like Mylar bags, we also become concerned by the over-labeling of products. Too many products on the shelf today do not allow the natural beauty of cannabis to be seen by the customer.

When you grow top shelf cannabis, you don’t need a lot of fancy labels or catchy strain names for people to see the value.

We chose to take our own path. We combine high quality glass using a cork lid with a hang tag for the product information.

The label-free glass gives customer full visibility of the cannabis inside, and our hang tags are all printed in Seattle on recycled paper. Our packaging can be reused or recycled with ease.

It’s obviously a much more expensive approach, but we have absorbed the cost to ensure the customer doesn’t have to pay more.

All of the artwork we use on our hang tag comes from Burnwell employees or family members. We convey the experience each strain will give you through the hang tag art.

Q

How do you feel your brand and identity reflect the cannabis industry?

A

At Burnwell we believe our brand reflects the unmet needs of the cannabis customer. Those unmet needs relate to the compromises mentioned – quality vs. sustainability.

We see how customers truly light up with joy when they first see our products, or even our marketing tone. Customers feel our commitment to quality and sustainability before they even become aware of our full story.

We believe all cannabis customers have a passion for “planet over profit” products and companies. Burnwell aspires to channel that passion, and we hope other companies join us in that effort.

“WHEN YOU GROW TOP SHELF CANNABIS, YOU DON’T NEED A LOT OF FANCY LABELS OR CATCHY STRAIN NAMES FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THE VALUE.” BURNWELLCO.COM INSTAGRAM @BURNWELLCO

Q

How are you making your brand distinguishable throughout the ever growing cannabis industry?

A

We had to take a completely unique approach. We had to build a brand identity which would develop alongside the market and alongside the community. This was a serious undertaking.

Thankfully, a trusted advisor connected us with Rival Creative (werival.com/ BurnwellCo).

The team at Rival quickly grasped the challenge we faced and took a personal interest in overcoming the challenge with us. Rival has a Burnwell showcase explaining the journey at werival.com/ burnwell/. After rounds and rounds of creative workshops we landed on the Burnwell “B”. The Burnwell “B” is simple and playful. The simplicity allows us to creatively tie all aspects of our company philosophy to our logo as needed.

For example, we can dial up the cannabis tone or dial up our focus on sustainability without our logo being out of place. We also are able to partner with the artist community or companies outside of the cannabis market with ease thanks to the simplicity of our mark. We are already working with a few artists on collaborations for our spring strains announcements. Stay tuned!

Each month, we feature a brand that is shaping the modern image of cannabis through smart design and quality production.

We’re always on the lookout and welcome submissions! Email brandon@dopemagazine.com and let us know about your Canna Brand!

POLITICS

ON A MISSION REPR E S E NTAT IV E J E R E M Y FA I S O N TO I N T RO D U C E M M J LEG IS LAT I ON TO B I B L E B E LT H O M E STAT E WRITER / MEGAN CAMPBELL

O

nce Rep. Jeremy Faison “found out the truth about the plant” he had to act.

This month, Faison plans to introduce legislation in his home state of Tennessee similar to the medical marijuana initiative that passed in Florida this past election cycle.

This is not the first pro-cannabis move Faison’s taken in recent years, though, his actions came after a lot of research on why the plant was initially “demonized.”

Faison is a Christian, conservative, Trump supporting, NRA-endorsed republican. Before a few years ago, he “just accepted the same old lies we’ve all been told here in America” about marijuana, he said. “I thought it was for potheads.”

He did not know about its medicinal properties. He did not know about the difference between pot and its counterpart non-psychoactive hemp. He did not know there were people even in his home state who would’ve chosen cannabis to treat their conditions but were forced to turn to pharmaceuticals, forced to deal with those dangerous and deadly side effects, forced to deal with the massive costs—until he started to meet them.

Most recently, Faison traveled to Colorado to meet families who use cannabis to treat their ailments. He documented their stories on his public Facebook page.

“I went out to interview the people who left my state,” he said.

Some of these people had been on Medicare, spending tens of thousands of dollars a month on prescription drugs—drugs approved by the Federal Drug Administration—and not getting the relief they needed. And then, now that they’re in Colorado using cannabis therapeutically, they spend less than $100 a month and they are doing much better, he said. “ That’s massive,” Faison said.

When Faison talks about cannabis, he talks about the people.

He interjects, “she’s okay now, by the way,” because for him it’s not just about bringing some research and common sense legislation to his home state. It’s about putting in place a system that can help the residents of Tennessee.

“I want these people to come out of the shadows,” he said. “I’m hoping people will see the validity of this.”

EDITORS CHOICE

AUBOX

E L E G A N T, D I S C R E E T, D E L I V E R E D WRITER / MEGAN CAMPBELL PHOTO / MARK COFFIN

A Prices range from a one-time purchase of $150 to a 12-month subscription at $1,188. For more information, visit www.theaubox.com.

t the end of the month, a sleek black box with the periodic symbol for gold printed on top, arrives at your house. Inside, you find San Francisco’s “absolute best” THC- and CBD-rich products.This is the AuBox. “We choose only the most effective and delicious, the most beautifully packaged and elegantly presented cannabis products you won’t want to hide,” AuBox CEO and Co-founder Jessica VerStegg wrote.

“It’s all part of our mission to elevate the plant for its power and potential—and remove its stigma.”

It’s deluxe. It’s discreet—and it’s delivered. The company is based in San Francisco and, as of January 1, delivers to any medical marijuana

patient living within the state of California. They plan to deliver to nonmedical patients by 2018.

AuBox is run on a subscription-based model that allows people to purchase boxes that suit their lifestyle. After setting up an account, customers choose from a selection of themes.

Customers can change their box theme from month to month or stick with the same box each time, and AuBox will curate the items to be delivered. The customer picks the delivery day that works best for them and then AuBox delivers—so kick back, Californians. VerStegg and her Co-founder Rusty Deatherage are ready to cater to needs and quality expectations.

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NEWS

BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS: A TRUE PESTICIDE ALTERNATIVE

IT ’S A BUG EAT BUG WO R LD

WRITER / JENN LAUDER

PHOTO / SHANE YOUNG

T

he Amblyseius andersoni, a tan-colored predatory mite, crawls out from a cup suspended below the canopy of cannabis plants and makes its way up the nearest stalk.

Hunting for prey, it heads for an infested leaf and easily locates a group of russet mites. It gets to work, devouring the microscopic pests and quickly eradicating every unsavory mite – be it russet, broad, or spider – that plagues the plants.

These tiny predators and others like them could be the key to eliminating the cannabis industry’s pesticide problem.

It’s no secret that possibly dangerous chemical pesticides are used in cannabis cultivation.

Every legal state has endured recalls and controversy over pesticide residue on marijuana, and regulators have scrambled to patch up guidelines and enforce limits. These concerns are not new. While the problem has received a great deal of attention recently, labs are still finding pesticides in pot. For at least the past seven years we’ve been plagued with this issue including California’s medical market.

The implementation of stricter testing regulations in places like Oregon, which currently has the narrowest criteria in the country, has cast more light on the issue. Steep Hill, a cannabis testing and analysis firm, recently reported that 84 percent of samples in its Berkeley lab would not meet Oregon’s rigorous standards.

Some have gone so far as to say that Oregon’s cannabis is safer than the state’s food supply.

And that’s probably a good thing! Studies show that “pesticide recovery,” or the consumption of pesticide residue, occurs at higher concentrations when inhaled. To worsen things, there are component chemicals such as myclobutanil that transforms into the extremely toxic substance cyanide upon combustion.

Still, many argue that these pesticide regu-

lations are too stringent. But Shane Young disagrees. “This is what we need to do,” he contends. “It has to be strict because of the unknown of how it affects your body. Until there is enough federal money to document the effects of these pesticides, we must adhere to these guidelines.”

In fact, Young believes there are better ways to manage pests than with chemicals.

This premise guides his work at Natural Enemies, the chemical free pest management company Young founded in early 2014. After spending eight years leading plant health and crop management programs for a major ornamental nursery and watching the aggressive and indiscriminate use of pesticides, Young started investigating alternatives to chemical applications.

His experiments with biological control – a method of managing pests using other organisms such as beneficial insects and parasites – led him to launch Natural Enemies. He quickly saw a need for his critters in the cannabis industry.

People have been using beneficial insects for decades, honing the craft through trial and error. Biological control requires significantly more subtlety, patience, and monitoring than chemical pesticides. Because predatory mites are typically prey-specific, it is imperative to first determine the exact problem with the crop. For this endeavor, Young provides free consultations, guidance, and resources.

The first step often involves bringing in an entomologist, a scientist who studies insects. “Pest identification is key,” says Young. “You need to know what we’re treating for. I might recommend a certain microscope or magnification so they can determine if the problem is pest or disease related. The last thing you want to do is treat a broad range without pinpointing the real issue.” Then growers can meticulously introduce appropriate types, quantities, and combinations

of predator mites to either prevent or control a pest infestation.

The benefits of biological controls are vast.

Besides destroying pests that could wreak havoc on crops, these methods typically produce bigger, stronger, healthier plants and larger yields.

When chemicals, and even natural oils, are applied to cannabis, the plants’ somata become clogged, sending it into a brief state of hibernation, which halts growth. Additionally, biological controls do not release toxic chemicals into the environment, the soil, or the water supply.

Despite the apparent upsides, some people are still skeptical about the efficacy of beneficial insects, and some people are simply creeped out. “They ask me, why would I buy mites if I’m trying to get rid of mites?” Young laughs. “But beneficial insects have absolutely no negative impact on your plants.” He sees his role as that of educator, to inform and provide resources for cultivators so they can understand the impact of their choices on their plants and on consumers – and hopefully, opt for the safest processes and materials they can.

While the focus of pesticide regulations is the safety of consumers, chemical-free pest management is good for cultivators too. According to Young: “The business minded growers and companies are focused on putting good product on the market. The upswing is that it needs to be a clean product. In Oregon it’s pretty critical, and other states are going to follow. Growers tell me that beneficial insects have completely driven their stress level down because they don’t have to worry about failing a pesticide test.”

Certainly consumers appreciate the peace of mind that comes from knowing that their cannabis was not touched by chemicals, just a few friendly bugs.

GROWERS, YOU ASKED for more security.

WE LISTENED.

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THE DOPEST PEOPLE

2017 WRITER / MEGAN CAMPBELL

DOP E LIFE DEDICATION OPTIMISM PROF ESSIONALISM ENERGY LEADERSHIP INTEGRITY FOCUS EDUCATION

T

he cannabis industry is still emerging, still forming. It’s a battleground not easily traversed and not for the faint of heart, yet there are those who choose to walk this field, consistently powering through one stride at a time.

There are those who do it with a certain grace and optimism, those who have approached the industry with such integrity and professionalism that DOPE Magazine had to recognize them in our feature of the 2017 DOPEst People.

The next seven pages unfold to reveal individuals who are living and breathing the DOPE LIFE. Each person represented has in one way or another built up the cannabis community in an undeniable fashion. Through Dedication, Optimism, Professionalism, Energy, Leadership, Integrity, Focus and Education, the DOPEst People of 2017 will be worth keeping your eye on this year. The list is a compilation of people from across the United States and Canada who continually carry with them the traits and characteristics of a true cannabis advocate.

The list includes Dabstars’ Jonah Tacoma, whose social media presence just reached more than 2 million followers on Facebook organically; Green Flower’s Max Simon, who wants to bring cannabis into the mainstream with his media company; former Vancouver Canada Women Grow chairperson Danielle Jackson, who aims to bring community together around the love of the plant; “Berner,” a marijuana entrepreneur; billionaire activist Sean Parker, who donated millions to California’s Proposition 64; psychologist Zach Walsh who wrote a study that shows the benefits of cannabis for mental health; and Jennifer Gilbert-Jenkins, who is part of New York’s hemp pilot program.

Each one of them is a cannabis activist dedicated to their cause. All of them maintain an energetic air of optimism and when they get to talking their excitement is electric and instantly palpable. Their success is a product of focus and dedication and we’re ecstatic to share each of their stories with you.

Dabstars, a cannabis lifestyle and marketing brand, evolved from a sticker.

Founder Jonah Tacoma was volunteering at the World-Famous Cannabis Farmers Market in 2013 where he would take his stickers around and photograph popular people from within the cannabis industry holding them. He’d then write a baseball card-like bio about what they’re doing and why it’s cool, and he’d post it on Facebook.

“And it just started to go nuts,” he said. “I had to quantify it somehow.”

Flash forward and you get the modern day Dabstars, a media source with more than 2.2 million Facebook followers.

Beyond that, Tacoma’s Dabstars had more than 15 million impressions on Facebook in November 2016, he said.

“We thought we were going to hit a ceiling and it just hasn’t stopped,” Tacoma said. “They’re just engaging in a way other people aren’t.”

What’s crazier is that it’s all organic since Facebook will shut down pages that boost marijuana-related posts, however mundane.

Each week it’s growing on Facebook by about 25,000-35,000 people a week, he said. And this doesn’t include his other social media presences.

Truly, these numbers are a testament to Dabstars’ engaging content and an audience’s craving for this niche market. Tacoma’s own story is one of sweat equity and reveals his dedication to the plant.

Ultimately, he said, Dabstars is about the people, the products and the businesses: “It isn’t about us.”

Looking ahead, Tacoma wants to continue to focus on promoting quality products out of Oregon and Washington. Other than that, he wants to “just watch it grow.”

“This marketplace is coming of age,” believes Tacoma. “All of us are suddenly businessmen.”

And with that comes a serious responsibility, “we’re changing the stereotypes and pushing the social norms,” he said.

To follow Dabstars on Facebook, visit https:// www.facebook.com/Dabstars/.

JONAH TACOMA THE SOCIAL MEDIA GURU

PHOTO / SLY VEGAS

ZACH WALSH THE MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE Zach Walsh has always been interested in cannabis. He’s a clinical psychologist, a cannabis researcher and an assistant professor at University of British Columbia. Most recently, Walsh coauthored a 2016 study, “Medical cannabis and mental health: A guided systematic review.”

“Until we have clinical trials we have to share what we know—that’s what inspired us to do the review,” Walsh said.

Walsh and his team reviewed studies on medical cannabis cases dating back to 1960, which related to substance use, anxiety, psychotic disorders, cognitive functioning and violence.

Regarding substance use, the study challenges he idea that cannabis is a “gateway” drug and instead suggests that it should be viewed as an “exit drug.” Walsh said it’s “pretty clear” that marijuana is a solid substitute for potentially more dangerous substances like alcohol and opiates.

Cannabis plays a “harm-reducing role” when used this way, according to the study.

It’s not a question of preventing people from taking drugs but a matter of finding the least harmful one, Walsh said.

“You can’t not treat people’s pain; you have to offer something,” he said.

And cannabis is proving to be the least harmful solution.

Cannabis also has the potential to treat PTSD. Though this research is still in its infancy, one observational study of combat veterans who use cannabis reported a 75 percent reduction in PTSD symptoms after use.

This year, Walsh plans to conduct a study on the therapeutic use of cannabis for those suffering from PTSD. This is among a few other cannabisrelated projects he has lined up for the year.

The study also found that, among psychotic diorders, cannabis may be potentially negative for those with bipolar disorder, as it could prolong or worsen mania. However, those with depression often suffer from chronic pain and using cannabis therapeutically would enable them to not have to take multiple pain pills on top of anti-depressants.

Overall, more research is needed on the study of cannabis, but one thing is clear: mental health conditions are among the “prominent” reasons for therapeutic cannabis use.

MAX SIMON THE ENTREPRENEUR PHOTO / THE 2016 CANNABIS HEALTH SUMMIT Max Simon is ready to bring cannabis into the mainstream.

And as the CEO and founder of Green Flower Media, he is in the position to do it.

The media company produces online courses, videos and articles. Currently, hour long videos stream online twice a week for free so anyone can watch.

“They can tune in. They can watch and they can learn,” Simon said. “It’s making cannabis education available for everyone.”

In December 2016, these free videos reached 70,000 “students,” as Simon calls them.

Simon founded the company one year ago with the intention of aggregating various types of cannabis materials for educational purposes—he wanted people to have access to this material without having to travel to conferences, without having to spend hundreds of dollars in travels expenses and entry fees.

He just wanted people to have access to information.

So, he assembled a team and got to work: “We work so hard, and we’re so focused,” he said.

But working in this industry is not without its struggles. Investors have pulled out at the last minute or bank accounts have been shut down.

“It’s tough to build something great, but it’s even harder when there’s so much fear and misconceptions,” he said. “I have never been challenged or beaten up as I have been in this space.”

But Simon perseveres and remains dedicated to his mission, which is why he has his eyes on a new goal: In the next five years, he aspires to reach 10 million students.

“We very much believe we’re serving an ever-growing tribe,” he said.

Nothing the company does is sponsored, which Simon said helps the legitimacy and integrity of the educational content. For full access to the library, which will only continue to grow, anyone can pay an $18 per month subscription fee.

For more information, visit www.learngreenflower.com

“MAKING CANNABIS EDUCATION AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE.”

“LET ME TELL YOU WHY HEMP IS SO EXCITING, BECAUSE IT’S REALLY EXCITING.” Jennifer Gilbert-Jenkins is going back to the basics—she has to with this crop.

That’s because she’s growing hemp, well, she’s partnering with JD Farms to grow the crop as part of New York’s hemp pilot program. As a professor at Morrisville State College in New York, Gilbert-Jenkins had the opportunity to apply for one of 10 research licenses.

It’s the first hemp crop to be grown in the state in about 80 years.

And, since it’s not like corn or wheat, which humans have been growing and perfecting for decades, there’s really nothing out there that can tell her exactly what the plant’s nutrient needs are. We’re talking exact percentage of nitrogen kind of needs. The closest suggestion Gilbert-Jenkins could find was

winter wheat.

“I don’t want to treat it like winter wheat. I want to treat it like hemp,” she said. “We need to do all those basic research studies.”

So that’s what she’s doing at Morrisville in conjunction with JD Farms. This year they grew the crop using three different types of manure supplied at the same rate. Gilbert-Jenkins’ students will develop a growth curve in response to the yield. Over the next year they will reduce the amount of manure and continue to compile data.

“We’re having fun,” she said.

When speaking to Gilbert-Jenkins it’s easy to be swept up in her enthusiasm for the plant—she so easily draws you into the wonders of hemp, which is used for agricultural purposes. “Let me tell you why hemp is so ex-

citing, because it’s really exciting,” she said.

“There are so many things you can sell and harvest from this plant—that’s what I get excited about.” It’s extremely strong and can be used for building materials, it can be used in textiles and it can be used for food.

Another proud point, she said, is how she’s been able to generate interest from students.

“They’re getting exposure to a crop that even their parents weren’t exposed to,” she said.

“They get it.”

But it’s been a tough go getting people to see the wonders of hemp, since society is still pretty hung up on pot as it’s traditionally seen: for stoners. She said she’s had to educate people regularly. “People just don’t know there’s a difference,” she said.

JENNIFER GILBERT-JENKINS THE GROWER

SEAN PARKER THE HEAVY HITTER

Cannabis won big in the most recent election— and while it takes a village, sometimes it can come down to the financial heavy hitters in the background. One of those, who we’d like to recognize, is former Facebook president and Napster cofounder Sean Parker.

Parker donated nearly $8.9 million toward California’s recreational marijuana bill, according to state records. Forbes called him the “biggest individual donor to the committee.”

Especially in a time when money is so influential, it’s nice to have someone on cannabis’ side. And we’re choosing to believe it paid off, as voters approved Proposition 64 by 57 percent in November 2016.

As of December 2016, Forbes ranked Parker the ninth richest entrepreneur under 40 in America.

Apart from his donations to the California campaign, last year he pledged $250 million toward a cancer immunotherapy research initiative which will fund various academic institutions, according to Forbes. The Parker Foundation is expected to supply the funding.

DOPE Magazine was not able to reach Parker for comment for this story, but he appears to have stayed quiet on the issue, save an initial statement published in The Sacramento Bee. “It’s very encouraging to see a vibrant community of activists, many of whom have dedicated their lives to this issue, coming together around a sensible reform based measure that protects children, gives law enforcement additional resources and establishes a strong regulatory framework for responsible adult use of marijuana–one that will yield economic benefits for all Californians,” he said.

We’re not sure what Parker is up to in 2017, but if his record as an investor in cannabis and other life sciences says anything—and it definitely does—he’s one to keep an eye on.

DANIELLE JACKSON THE COMMUNITY BUILDER

PHOTO / MARYBETH LAFFERTY Danielle Jackson started smoking cannabis when she was 12. Born into poverty during the ‘70s, she grew up in Canada during prohibition. During the 1990s she worked in cruise liners and the casino gaming industry until she got sick and ultimately “lost everything.”

Coming back to the mainland, she struggled—until she recognized she already had the answer. She was treating her affliction with cannabis. “I heard the rumors and then I looked at what I was already using,” she said.

This new perspective was the beginning of a career in cannabis advocacy, as she feels it’s the onus of those within the industry to give back. She began to do this first by sharing her own story.

It began “underground” in the early 2000s in her own neighborhood. She had started her own hypnotherapy business where people felt comfortable approaching her with

their questions. “People were curious,” she said. “You’re always so happy but you’re always so sick,” she remembers them saying.

It was in this space that she began to educate people about the medical properties of cannabis, always attributing her healing and happiness to the plant.

The process was introspective for Jackson, too. “Sharing my own experience made me look at my own life,” she said.

She also felt a great need to do research on cannabis because she “didn’t want to steer them wrong.” Over the years, she created educational videos, made cannabis-infused health products and, most recently, she signed on with InvestmentPitch.com, an Internet-based media company, to host “The Plant,” which will produce short educational videos centered around cannabis.

Though it hasn’t always been easy, Jack-

son has consistently stuck with her mission to educate and unite people. She’s a successful business woman and the former chairperson of Women Grow for the Vancouver, Canada, chapter.

When speaking with Jackson, it’s almost impossible not to be swept up by her enthusiasm for life and the plant. She’s dedicated to connecting the community through their singular love of cannabis.

Building on that, she and her reggae band are planning a Green Pride Tour around Canada in 2017. This, she said, is her main focus for the new year.

“The one thing we have in common is we all love the plant,” she said. “I’m just trying to bring us all together.”

Above all, it’s Jackson’s mission to build community wherever she goes. “We can do together what I cannot do alone,” she said.

Berner wakes up and starts working.

He manages about eight different companies, so there’s always something to do first thing in the morning. But then it’s off to the next thing: posting videos, recording music, checking in on his various stores and products.

“It’s about 16 to 18 hours per day,” he said. “I do everything hands on.”

And that’s the way he likes it, that’s what he knows, since he’s started every business from the ground up. Without that touch, “it wouldn’t be me anymore,” he said. Plus, staying involved is what makes a business successful.

“Berner,” as he’s known on social media, is a weed enthusiast, a rapper and a businessman.

And he started from nothing. He grew up selling weed and making music because he enjoyed it.

Then, about seven years ago, when his mom died from cancer, his mindset shifted and he realized that “life is not guaranteed.”

“It made me step up my game,” he said. “I better figure it out.” After that his businesses took off—Cookies, the branded sativa-dominant hybrid strain and now Berner’s clothing and accessory brand; Hemp20, an herbal, vitamin beverage that contains hemp-seed extract; and his music, to name a few.

Berner’s driven by a desire for his projects to succeed, but also a need for them to. He said his main goal is to work hard now so he can retire young and spend his life with his family.

In the new year, he’s focused on four key things.

Of those, one of them is a new brand, called Exotikz, which he describes as the “Nike for weed.”

Partnering with Jungle Boys, they are bringing in new breeders and putting them under one roof so new strains have a platform to be seen and to be branded. “Everybody knows the best part about weed is new weed,” he said. “People are juiced about it.”

Above all, despite his dedication, his focus and the energy he’s put into the lifestyle he’s amassing, he said that “nothing would be possible” without the people who have supported him along the way.

BERNER TH E LIF ESTYL E

PHOTO / FARID

T R AV E L

CANNABIS IN THE UK LON D ON & B RIGH TO N WRITER / SESHATA

O

ver the last few months, the UK has experienced a great deal of social, economic and political turbulence, including a Brexit referendum and a change in Prime Minister. After David Cameron’s undignified exit from 10 Downing Street, former Home Secretary Theresa May is now at the helm – and her aggressive stance towards cannabis is legendary in activist circles.

The UK’s cannabis scene is full of potential, yet change is slow to come about. There are millions of cannabis users throughout the country and a strong activist network has developed over time – but laws remain harsh, conservative social attitudes persist, and overall progress is inconsistent.

I’ve come to visit some key activists on the UK scene, to find out what life is like for cannabis users and patients here. I’m a UK native, but I’ve been living abroad for over 10 years – so I want to know how things have changed, and what the recent political events might mean for the future.

My first stop is in London. I’m keen to

know what the situation is like “on the ground” in my old hometown, so I get in touch with a local friend-of-a-friend to see what’s on offer. This is where I discover that mediocre, unflushed herb still costs as much as £15 ($18.50) per gram around North London, and that the going price for an ounce of the same is about £200 ($250).

With more time to shop around, I could have found excellent product for reasonable prices, but that’s far from what the average consumer has regular access to. Options are still limited – there are one or two “secret coffee shops” here and there in London, and I first visited one several years ago. But the average consumer doesn’t know where they are, and by all accounts they are currently selling Californian imports for up to £40 ($50) per gram! This is prohibitive pricing even for domestically-grown product.

For medicinal users, the situation is worse. The only legal form of medicinal THC is Sativex, a sublingual spray produced by the UK’s own GW Pharmaceuticals. They proudly possess

the nation’s only existing license to produce high-THC cannabis. Shamefully it’s only available in a handful of postcodes around the country, and it’s only prescribed for a couple of conditions.

While I’m in London, I drop by the offices of a new cannabis organization, Volteface (in French, volte-face means an about-turn or reversal of attitude). The team, with their offices in swanky Fitzrovia, West London, aims to act as an impartial, non-partisan lobby group and information channel – with the ultimate goal of achieving a volte-face in UK cannabis policy.

Content Editor Calum Armstrong tells me that by publicizing the work of prominent activist groups including the UK Cannabis Social Clubs (UKCSC) and the United Patients Alliance (UPA), as well as writing public policy papers recommending legislative changes, Volteface can help bring about change in wider public opinion by, “bringing the issue out into the open and out of the echo chamber.”

“At this stage, we believe that the global tide towards legalization of cannabis is unstoppable – and far from making us retreat.

The political shift towards the right that we

are currently seeing is simply increasing our motivation to fight,” Armstrong continues.

The Cannabis Social Club movement is going from strength to strength here, and its parent organization the UKCSC is guiding the whole process. The UKSCS has been running for five years now, and held its first annual general meeting in early November – a resounding success by all accounts.

To find out more, I’ve come to the Gatwick Airport area between London and Brighton to talk with the Chairman of the UKCSC, Greg de Hoedt. A Crohn’s sufferer himself, de Hoedt has spent the last half-decade driving around the country helping local social club chapters to get off the ground, and he’s done it without salary and at some personal cost.

Now, it’s time to start figuring out how to consolidate the structure. There are 80 clubs registered in the UK, but they vary greatly in the extent to which they serve members’ needs. Thus, the UKCSC has established a code of practice; clubs that follow it generally appear to be more developed. These clubs typically supply cannabis, edibles and medicinal products to members through “collectives” of affiliated local producers.

“THE GLOBAL TIDE TOWARDS LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS IS UNSTOPPABLE...”

- CALUM ARMSTRONG

Recently registered as a non-profit company, the next step at the UKSCS is to define a membership fee structure, according to de Hoedt. As well as essential running costs, the membership fees will go towards a legal fund for personal growers, and establish a “medicinal defense” for patients persecuted for growing.

As de Hoedt puts it: “We have seen the need for patients to access fair-trade grade, so we have developed a nine Plant Collective model – to reduce the impact of the law if caught, not as a get-outof-jail-free card.”

According to UK sentencing guidelines, this qualifies as a “lesser amount” and is punishable by fines and community service orders rather than imprisonment.

De Hoedt continues: “If the police were to raid a property they would be confronted upon entry with documents on the wall and a phone number to call us at the UKCSC. It is at this point we act to support the Collective.”

After my time with Greg, I make my final stop in Brighton, a seaside city an hour south of London.

Here, the scene is far more relaxed; Brighton is a deeply progressive, liberal city, and cannabis use is remarkably open and widespread. Police have apparently placed cannabis prosecutions at a very low priority, and acceptance of cannabis in society is exceptionally high.

For example: a Brighton local tells me that when he negotiated the lease for his new apartment, the landlord took pains to inform him that smoking

tobacco was forbidden in the property—but that it was totally fine to smoke cannabis.

Brighton Cannabis Club is one of the more active and developed communities around today. The city is also home to cannabis activist Clark French, founder of the prominent and vocal United Patients Alliance, who was recently featured in the award-winning documentary Grassroots: The Cannabis Revolution.

I’ve come to talk to him to find out more about the situation for medical users in the UK. According to French, “Most patients find it incredibly difficult to source quality medicine at reasonable prices, so in my experience a lot of patients decide to take matters into their own hands. Currently, many patients find that the best method is to grow their own small crops of nine plants or less.”

As the right to grow is such an important and contentious topic, the UPA has pushed hard for it to be included in a recent policy paper urging the government to rethink its drug policy. Time will tell whether the traditionally dismissive establishment will pay mind.

Clearly, the scene in the UK is developing rapidly, but it is greatly inconsistent throughout the country, and medical and recreational patients alike are continuing to suffer under the law. Visitors to the country will usually have to take their chances on the black market, but now at least there is the possibility of finding a local cannabis social club. The more support the movement has, the faster it can grow.

PHOTO BY: MARK COFFIN

T H E L I M I T E D E D I T I O N O X B LO O D D O P E N GET YOURS AT WEWANTDOPE.COM

GROW

TOO MUCH TECH? BAC K TO THE B A SI CS WRITER / DAVID BAILEY

O

ver the years, the cannabis industry, largescale and at home, has been consumed by new inventions and adaptations. The claims of the product being more potent now than it was in the ‘70s isn’t inaccurate. We’ve just gotten substantially better at growing this plant! All the progress we’ve made in developing these advancements has certainly changed the mindset or even the culture of the grower, for the better and worse.

Back in the day, a grower was truly a gardener in the respect that it was done very organically, typically outside seasonally and realistically on a small budget. Nowadays growers have had to become hybrid beasts of microenvironment specialist alongside nutrient blenders and horticultural experts. This is not an easy task, and because most of us don’t spend years studying before we design and attempt our first grow, we cut a few corners by trusting the grow shop, friends and misleading online threads. This unfortunately has become the ‘horcrux’ of many of our pocket books and led many growers to never grow again. But this is avoidable.

You don’t have to go all out on the first go. In fact, you don’t have to go all out at all and can still grow phenomenal cup-winning product. When you get into the early parts of almost any grow instruction, you begin to understand the science behind nutrient uptake and all the ideal environmental components. Who doesn’t want to have a science lab of a grow room in their house? The problem is that most of these tutorials are funded, branded or even made by the producers of these products. The same could be said for many grow books.

So then how do you know what to get?

Hydroponics, including aeroponics, is not a new science, and it certainly isn’t specific to cannabis. While there are definitely advantages to buying some products specifically made for cannabis, like autotrimmers and structural adaptations, most grow products are cheap rebrands of already existing horticultural goods. The best way to not get sold is to look at what commercial hydroponic food producers do. Many of our foods in the grocery store are actually grown hydroponically in greenhouses using the exact methods we see replicated in grow shops. Knowing how cheap your lettuce and tomatoes are, imagine if you could grow cannabis at the same cost!

Ebb and Flow hydroponics, also known as flood and drain, and Nutrient Film Technique or NFT, have been the cornerstone of hydroponic production worldwide for over 40 years. Why? With simple sturdy designs, they provide consistent results with minimal mechanical upkeep or potential for failure. This is key because unlike soil, your plant is completely at the will of its environment. Forget to water one day with soil and you’ll have a wilted plant; if an airline disconnects or a pump fails in hydroponics, the plants are dead within hours.

Flood and drain systems do exactly what their names suggest, flood the basin or container with nutrient rich oxygenated water while pushing stale air out and subsequently draining back into the reservoir leaving behind nutrient solution and pulling fresh air back into the rootzone. NFT, on the other hand, constantly circulates nutrient-rich oxygenated water through the root zone while maintaining active airflow through the other portion of the rootzone. The easiest way to think of these systems is the way we do plumbing, using gravity and simple design. Both systems operate needing only an air pump and a water pump and have simple design to prevent flooding, leaking or overall failure.

If you work full-time, live with anyone including your pets and want to have a home hydroponic garden, don’t overcomplicate things.

Managing life is enough to keep busy, so don’t let a home garden turn into a second job. Select a design that’s easy to manage so you can have fun growing at home and instead put your energy into your nutrients and plant health and master engineering another day.

Happy growing.

NEWS

#END420SHAME LEGAL WEED: A M USI C I A N ’S CAN N A-CO MEB AC K WRITER / KELLY VO

“FOR SEVEN YEARS, I BARELY LEFT THE ROOM I WAS RENTING UNLESS IT WAS NECESSARY. I LOST TRACK OF THE DAYS.”

Mark Ward can be found speaking and teaching at cannabis events and rallies across the East Coast. He recently attended the Boston Freedom Rally and the Deschedule 420 Rally in Washington D.C., where activists openly lit up in civil disobedience at the White House.

If you’ve been following our #End420Shame series for the past year, you’re no stranger to the healing and restorative power of cannabis.

Still, even after interviewing dozens of individuals and talking to hundreds more, many stories still surprise me. That’s definitely the case with Mark Ward.

Mark doesn’t have the usual story of struggling with a disease or disorder and finding freedom through cannabis. Instead, his story of redemption is thanks to cannabis advocacy and it starts at the age of six.

“I’m no stranger to trauma,” shared Mark.

“My mother left when I was very young, and my father was murdered in the city before I reached my sixth birthday.” Worse yet, Mark lived in a city full of socioeconomic turmoil, and he was alone. And while he tried to put on a good face and fake it until he made it, inside he was broken. “I posed as a popular and well-rounded social chameleon, floating seamlessly from clique to clique,” he remembered. “But, inside, I had developed several anxiety orders, social and otherwise.”

Unfortunately for Mark, things only got worse his senior year. He was a bulky kid and that made him a target for assault and regular altercations at school. As he was walking home one night, after staying out late to visit a friend, things took a turn for the worse.

“I was rushed from behind by a mob of gang members and held against a fence while they took turns beating me and rummaging through my pockets,” Mark said. “If it wasn’t for a friend who witnessed everything and rescued me with his car, I wouldn’t have survived. Then, a little while later, word got around that the gang planned on finishing what they started. Those were the last days I spent in Lowell before moving to Rhode Island to finish high school.”

For a short while, things were better in Rhode Island. Mark discovered music and performing as a healthy form of self-expression, and he became the lead vocalist of the metal band

Sully of Souls. Singing became his passion and he played at every venue possible from bars to clubs, festivals and music halls. He finally felt like he belonged, but life has a way of getting in the way of happiness.

Not long after graduation, Mark started training and working at a marketing agency when suddenly it seemed like all the trauma and pressure he’d overcome from his past caught up with him. Everything collided at once and, at twenty, he went from being able to sing in front of hundreds of people to not being able to leave his home.

“I suffered from anxiety disorder and depression, which quickly spiraled into Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Agoraphobia,” Mark remembered. “Agoraphobia, for those that don’t know, is a crippling fear of leaving one’s home or safe environment. From what I can only attribute to nerves and pharmaceutical medication, I also developed agonizing digestive disorders such as GERD and diverticulitis.”

Mark felt like he’d reached the very bottom.

He was only in his young twenties but his illnesses took everything. He lost friends and loved ones because they couldn’t understand what he was going through, and, at one point, he was even hospitalized.

“For seven years, I barely left the room I was renting unless it was necessary. I lost track of the days,” shared Mark. “And the pills that my doctors said would make me better, instead were followed immediately by what could only be described as a mild state of catatonia.”

When he could, Mark pretended like he was still a functional part of society by promoting bands, events and causes via a social media group he’d created called Local Noise Entertainment, but it wasn’t reality. He was hurting and stuck inside of his own mind.

Then, one random day, everything changed.

He received a call from Corey Agin, the Executive Director of Rhode Island’s National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws

(NORML). It was his saving grace.

Corey thought Mark’s marketing background would be a perfect fit for NORML, and it was an opportunity Mark couldn’t refuse. Suddenly, it was as if a new world had opened up. Mark learned everything he could about cannabis and cannabis laws. “Corey taught me all about the ideal ways to use medical cannabis, and it wasn’t long before I started to grasp how to use the plant for desired therapeutic and remedial purposes,” he said.

Tragically and unexpectedly, Corey passed away a few short years later but his mentorship and lessons on cannabis stayed with Mark.

When he moved to Massachusetts, Mark continued the fight for cannabis legalization and even became more actively involved by rallying and writing articles about reform. He started volunteering at MassCann NORML and attending events as an educator.

Mark’s life had taken a complete 180-turn.

Suddenly, thanks to cannabis and his fight for legalization, he had the physical health and emotional confidence to once again try out for a band and perform in concert. Something he’d long given up as a lost cause.

Now, once again, Mark is the lead singer for a metal band, Synthetic Mindset, and has been performing at packed concert halls all over New England. And it’s cannabis that Mark credits for his new chance at life.

“It was cannabis that saved my life, not teams of doctors, their hospitals and their barrage of addictive pharmaceuticals,” shared Mark. “For too long, I felt as if I was a prisoner of my own mind—destined for isolation because of my own solitary confinement. Cannabis was nothing less than a new beginning, an indication of now unbridled possibilities. And as my long missed musical outlet has now been made possible once again, I feel as if I’m rising through the ashes of despair that once was.”

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Shine Renowned as the originator of 24k Gold Rolling Papers, Shine has branched into all areas of your smoking needs. If joints aren’t your thing, their full line of premium cigar wraps, cones and woven blunts ensure you get the cleanest draw and the fullest flavor every time. shinepapers.com

CannaRelief Ever gotten too high? Felt like you were never coming down? Not anymore, CannaRelief comes to your aid with a fast-acting proprietary blend of vitamins and hemp- derived CBD designed specifically to reduce anxiety and sickness associated with being ‘too high.’ cannasafety.com // $14.99

Prometheus Want to smoke your glass on the go but don’t want to risk it breaking? Fear no more. Pyptek just changed the game with an Aircraft-grade aluminum housed glass pipe that can be fully disassembled and cleaned. With all the accessories included, these sleek pipes come in five colors. pyptek.com // Starting at $50

CauseMedic Our appearance and our health are two of the most important things we maintain daily.

CAUSE+MEDIC has combined the effectiveness of active botanicals with the healing properties of cannabis to create an entire line of premier cosmetics. From moisturizing and anti-aging serums to tattoo and lip balms, every item is created with sustainability and health in mind. causemedicated.com // $8-$75

NEWS

INVESTING IN CANNABIS STOCKS W HAT I S T H E OTC MA R K ET P LACE? WRITER / SCOTT PEARSE

T

here is a lot of hype surrounding cannabis and medical marijuana stocks right now. An industry projected to be worth $20 billion dollars is taking shape and the time to get in is now. It is difficult for those of us involved in the industry to not see the sense in these claims. It does feel as though we are on the cusp of something momentous for the industry. However, when there is hype, there are those that will look to use investor enthusiasm to enrich themselves. These are dangerous times. Many of the cannabis and medical marijuana stocks investors can currently purchase have arrived via the over-the-counter markets, also known as OTC markets.

The general public is familiar with the acronyms of stock markets like NYSE (New York Stock Exchange), and Nasdaq (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations). These are national, regulated markets and exchanges. You can visit them at Wall Street. They are the big boys, the cathedrals of commerce, hallowed turf where serious business is done. They are places where the onus of investor vigilance is shared by the investor and the market. The market’s value is connected to an investor’s confidence that what she’s buying is worth the money she’s handing over, so the large markets have an active interest in trading only legitimate companies on their market to maintain investor confidence.

By contrast, few often hear of the OTC market. The over-the-counter market is decentralized. It has no physical location you can visit. It essentially functions like a bookie would at a horse track: dealers publish prices they will purchase or sell a security or currency at. However, once in conversation with your dealer the actual purchase or sell price doesn’t need be disclosed to the market. Compared with well-known markets, the OTC market is less regulated and transparent. When DOPE asked financial analysts at Nanalyze to comment on the OTC Market they said, “Remember when someone would tell you he could get good dank green buds for $50 a bag and then the guy would show up with some Mexican brick weed instead? Investing in over-the-counter stocks is kind of like that.”

CANNABIS COMPANIES REJECTED The OTC market, for now, is important to cannabis investors because established markets are finding reasons to exclude cannabis companies, even those that don’t, “touch the plant” as the saying goes. Denver-based social startup MassRoots was the first company to have their trading application rejected by Nasdaq who, “determined that listing the company could have been seen as aiding the distribution of an illegal substance,” MassRoots told CNN. Cannabis investments cover a range of fields, companies operating in pharmaceutical and real estate industries are already seeing some success in listing on major markets, but it seems that for companies that are directly involved in growing and selling cannabis, their market future is less certain.

WHAT GOES ON AT OTC Should investors be wary of this little-known market? Well, yes. Overthe-counter markets are the playground of pump and dump stocks.

This is a phenomena where traders hoping to ride off into the sunset with your hard earned cash relentlessly promote a stock by promising a huge upside, the pump, and then once the stock is suitably inflated they sell, the dump, leaving unknowing investors holding onto worthless stock. This tactic is particularly effective in an over-hyped market, for example, the currently emerging cannabis market. “The majority of OTC companies are scams. That’s just how it happens to be in the investing world,” according to Nanalyze. The majority of the major financial analysts are still very skeptical of the emerging cannabis market. But that isn’t to say there are no good investments, it just takes an astute investor armed with the right information to find well managed companies with potential. In an effort to help investors navigate their offerings, OTC markets list companies on a three-tiered system where the level of information provided to the market determines where the company is listed. OTCQX is considered the “Best Market,” OTCQB is named the “Venture Market,” and OTCPink is considered the “Open Market.” That OTC’s “Best Market” is color coded green should be reassuring to cannabis investors. The examples are few, but companies can make the transition from OTC to large markets. Given the barrier of working in a federally illegal industry, it is possible that companies hamstrung by regulation will succeed if barriers are lifted.

Nearly all OTC companies state an aim to up-list to a larger market, that so few do is evidence of the empty claims companies are able to make. It is important to verify your research using multiple sources, including information gathered from the company you are looking to invest your money in, after all, you’re the one most affected.

LIFESTYLE

REFINING THE INDUSTRY ACCELERATORS PROVIDE ST RU C T U RE & CO MM UN IT Y WRITER / MEGAN CAMPBELL

THE STORY It starts with a good story. In Will Gaudet’s case, it goes back to a familiar beach in Seattle, Washington, where he would watch people gather, forming little communities around bonfires. It was this quiet place that sparked the name behind Gaudet’s Campfire app, which aims to connect cannabis users with each other and homegrown marijuana. “It’s more like an Etsy, but local,” Gaudet said, “and more like a marketplace than a network.” Gaudet, 25, is passionate about providing a platform where people can share with others—all they’ll need is a smartphone.

“We want to empower people,” he said. This platform is largely built off Gaudet’s desire to right a system that he said isolates low-income communities. He’s a “‘using business to leverage activism’ type of guy.” “Cannabis is inclusive by nature,” Gaudet said.

“There’s no bars, no clubs, no lounges. Where do people go to smoke weed?” Bringing people together is at the heart of the app. And while he doesn’t facilitate the interactions, Gaudet hopes it will bring rise to the mom and pops of the industry, which, depending on the state, don’t currently have a viable policy to operate by for sale and trade. “The policy needs to shift,” he said. “I hope people use this when access is being denied.”

The app is expected to launch in early 2017. Gaudet graduated from Canopy, a 13-week cannabis accelerator in December 2016, calling it the “best educational experience of my life.” He also received financial support here. While Gaudet’s story, passion and product landed him in the program, he said the daily process “110 percent” tempered his enthusiasm—for the good of his company.

THE MATCHMAKER “I had to tone it down,” he said. “I had to check my activism at the door.” That’s because business accelerators are trying to get these cannabis companies ready for the mainstream world with a healthy dose of reality, said Steven Kirsh, a mentor at the California accelerator Gateway. Accelerators, much like the traditional business incubator but on a fast-track, help entrepreneurs crystalize their business plans and help them formulate and flesh out their ideas in order to make them attainable. Kirsh, 51, said he totally relates to the energetic entrepreneurs entering the industry. “I’m trying to drill that down a bit,” he said. Kirsh is also the founder and managing partner of KindKhameleon, a matchmaking company, that’s based in Oakland, California, which launched in 2016. “We’re kind of the extension of the business development efforts,” Kirsh said. Kirsh describes himself as a connector. He’s been “hustling” his whole life. “It isn’t the size of the rolodex—it’s how you use it,” he said. “I like bringing people together. That’s why I do this.” He said accelerators are looking for smart, savvy business people who really understand the cannabis culture. “Fresh companies come in and think they think they need to have it all figured out. Incubators are just looking for solid teams,” Kirsh said. “It really is going to be about how you’re going to execute.” As the market develops, more and more companies continue to emerge. Accelerators help entrepreneurs refine their approach for their target audiences through branding, which helps each company stand out visually. More importantly, cannabis accelerators keep companies connected within the industry. “There’s a lot of cross pollination that happens,” he said. “A lot of times young people don’t know what the questions are. Having those people around you to help counsel and elevate you is great. Your odds of success definitely grow exponentially.” That’s where this idea of an “ecosystem” comes in.

THE ECOSYSTEM Sammy Trujillo is the cofounder of one such ecosystem, CANaccelerate which launched at the end of 2016. CANaccelerate, specifically for the state of California where voters just legalized marijuana recreationally, provides a “one stop shop solution center for the industry,” Trujillo said. It’s built off a shared-space model that holds resources for cannabis entrepreneurs looking to ensure their business is compliant with state laws, along with those looking to create business plans, media kits and animated videos. “It’s nothing more than a directory,” Trujillo said. There’s also a social media element to this, which holds everyone accountable, Trujillo said. Entrepreneurs can leave comments and feedback on their experiences on the various service providers, but “it goes both ways,” Trujillo said. “It makes the customers accountable, too.” It’s free for the customers to sign up and gain access to CANaccelerate’s educational webcasts. It costs service providers $499 to advertise their services on the site. Trujillo, 41, has been in the industry a long time: “When I first got into this, I fell flat on my face.” He’s gone over speedbumps and experienced pitfalls and it’s all fallen apart before “because of the government”—so, he feels like he must teach the new people coming into the industry what he’s learned so they don’t repeat his mistakes. “You need to have a business plan,” he said. “I built this out to offer this to the rest of the cannabis community because I know they need it.” Looking to the future, Trujillo says it’s all in branding, just look at the wine industry. “There’s two buck chuck and $400 wine. It’s all about the story,” he said. “It’s all about the rhetoric. It’s all applies to cannabis like it never has before.” In the end, it’s the story that sets you apart.

NEWS

PLANT PATENTS A LOVE- HATE REL AT IO NS HIP WRITER / KELLY VO

Y

ou know that strain you love? The one that a breeder managed to hone perfectly over the years? We are at a point in the industry where that strain that you love could be locked up by big business. The theft of a clone or tissue, biopiracy, could destroy decades of hard work with no mention of where it came from.

Why? Big business is knocking on the door of the cannabis industry, bringing with them the specter of plant patents.

There have already been a few U.S. patents related to cannabis over the years. The one that caught the attention of everyone in the cannabis business came in the form of U.S. patent 9,095,554, a 145-page utility patent filed in August 2015 by the BioTech Institute in Westlake, California on the breeding, production, processing and use of specialty cannabis.

The document lists dizzying details of the chemical structures of both CBD and THC, their uses, planting and harvesting for cannabis, along with dozens of charts only a scientist could understand.

It’s being hailed as the first-ever patent for a plant containing significant amounts of THC.

BioTech has filed the first patent on a broad range of cannabis, with various forms and concentrations of CBD and/or THC, and just about every form of cannabis including extracts and edibles.

It’s a shot across the bow in a multi-billion-dollar industry blissfully unaware—or unaccepting—that the cannabis business is moving into big agriculture territory. Big money attracts big players. Those big players want to own, protect and have recourse to take legal action against any other big company challenging the breeding, growing and selling of their product.

For cannabis business owners, it’s becoming clear that it’s time to circle the wagons and find out what needs to be done to protect the intellectual property represented by their plant and processes. All while carefully eyeing the moves of big agriculture.

It’s time to add patent lawyer fees and filing fees to the list of costs for running a cannabis business.

The hard reality is, for most breeders and growers, it’s already too late. If they’ve sold a strain a year or longer ago, it’s now in the public domain and therefore can’t be patented.

“Patents are not a threat,” says Dale Hunt, a patent attorney working in biotechnology. “In this young industry, patents are viewed that way. They are only a threat if they are in the hands of a big agri-

cultural company. But they are also a shield. A patent can actually be a sword and a shield.”

If Monsanto gets into the cannabis business—an unconfirmed but common fear if federal legalization occurs—they will definitely have patents on the plant. “People need to realize that, ‘OK, if we can’t stop them from getting into it, we can’t stop them from patenting, do we figure out how to engage, how to defend ourselves using the same tools?’”

Hunt expressed.

“We have found out that a lot of people are terrified about big agriculture when it comes to patents,” Mowgli Holmes, Co-Founder and CSO for Phylos Bioscience, added. “But even little breeders want to patent too. We thought that patents on cannabis were bad altogether, but once you start talking to breeders, you realize that they want and need protection.” Phylos is an agricultural genomics company based in Portland, Oregon focusing on cannabis studies.

Hunt explained that some in the industry just want it to be a kind of “patent-free” zone. “And that is just not an option.”

There are a couple of ways to patent a new strain. For example, one can be obtained on an in-

dividual strain with a simple plant patent, available through the USPTO. This offers a narrow form of protection against a direct copying of that strain.

“Plant patents cost about $5,000 to file and might cost $5,000 in lawyer fees,” Holmes shared. “So they are affordable.”

The utility patent, like the one granted to BioTech, is a patent where an applicant persuaded the examiner that the certain combinations of biochemical and genetic properties were new, and provided various strains that have those properties.

“What is important to understand about that utility patent is that it is not limited to any particular strain,” Hunt explained. “It’s limited to only that combination of properties. And that patent is valid only if that combination of properties never really existed before. A big part of the challenge is: Who knows? Where is the prior art? There is a great and unusual vacuum of knowledge of what is really out there. It may well be that what is before the examiner is not new at all.”

That utility patent could, in effect, end the development of other, more diverse strains if they exhibit the same combination of properties as listed in that patent. “Our position now is that utility patents are being granted, and it’s pretty damn clear that those are not good for the industry,” Holmes said.

“They are innovation killing, destructive patents.

TRYING TO GET A SIMPLE PLANT PATENT? To be patentable in the United States, a plant needs to meet a stringent list of eight requirements provided by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. For specific information, visit: uspto.gov

And if the industry wants to survive, they need to fight them.”

Sadly, there are only more patents coming, “I think they already granted the second one for the same group, and I think that they have several others in the pipeline,” Holmes recounted.

To fight cannabis plant patenting, the Open Cannabis Project was created recently to build a prior art database. The database lists the DNA sequence of thousands of strains that are already out in the public domain and, by doing that, making those particular strains unavailable to be patented by any one person or corporation.

Both Hunt and Holmes are working on that project now. “That is important because it’s the only possible way to fight a patent on a specific plant,” Holmes said. “We need to get a lot of testing labs to donate their testing data, because that chemical data and what chemical compounds are in the plant is what that 2015 utility patent rested on. If we had done that a year earlier—if we provided that prior art data—I don’t think they could have gotten that patent.”

What could happen now? Hunt gives an example of a mom-and-pop breeder that develops a great strain. “As the industry gets bigger and more lucrative, how are they going to protect that strain from someone grabbing it, and propagating it as their strain?” he concluded. “The mindset that patents are bad is not one that will serve people well in this burgeoning industry.”

A new study from Steep Hill Labs found that 83 percent of the weed in California wouldn’t pass Oregon’s testing standards. An industry report adds that Oregon’s strict regulations are crushing the state industry. Willamette Week reports that business conditions are pushing some entrepreneurs back to the underground market. A representative of Iron Labs in Eugene, said the testing company “hasn’t heard from many medical customers that we worked with last year.”

WEED WEEK WRITER / ALEX HALPERIN ILLUSTRATOR / JOSH BOULET

Warehouse rents are climbing in legal states as the industry tries to reserve enough space for grows. But the much anticipated New York Stock Exchange debut of the cannabis real estate trust Innovative Industrial Properties went nowhere, following the Sessions nomination. Despite growing uncertainty in the United States, the industry is advancing in other countries like Canada where Canopy Growth Corp. will acquire Mettrum Health for C$430 creating the country’s largest MED producer.

On Election Day, four of the five states voting on REC approved legalizing it, including California which is expected to become the world’s largest legal market. Marijuana Business Daily called it an $8 billion night based on projected annual sales in the new states. There are now eight more Senators and 68 more members of the House representing REC states, and six more Senators and 33 more members representing MED states.

President-elect Donald Trump nominated anti-pot hardliner Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama (R) for Attorney General. At a Senate hearing in April 2016, Sessions said that “we need grown-ups in charge in Washington to say marijuana is not the kind of thing that ought to be legalized, it ought not to be minimized, that it’s in fact a very real danger.” Lawmakers, he said, have to “send that message with clarity that good people don’t smoke marijuana.” Industry leaders are nervous.

Sessions has also been widely criticized for what Reason calls his “aversion to civil rights” and gay rights. The U.S. Senate declined to confirm him for a federal judgeship in 1986, amid allegations of what late Senator Ted Kennedy called “racial insensitivity” and “lack of commitment to equal justice under the law.” The New York Times editorialized that the Sessions AG nomination is an “insult to justice.” At press time it appeared that all Senate Republicans would vote for his confirmation.

Rob Sands, CEO of Constellation Brands, whose portfolio includes Svedka Vodka and Robert Mondavi wine, said the company is interested in entering the cannabis industry. “There are going to be alcoholic beverages that will also contain cannabis,” he said. Despite some assertions to the contrary, MarketWatch said there’s no evidence that legalization is cutting into beer sales. The wine industry is asking similar questions about competition and collaboration as well.

SOCIAL MEDIA

@DOPEMAGAZINE

2

017 is upon us. We pulled together lifestyle images, out of this world artistic renditions and snapshots of frost-laden buds just in time for winter. We continue to be awed by this industry’s creativity and dedication. A special thanks to all of our inspiring contributors! Don’t forget to tag @dopemagazine in your next canna-inspired photo and include #dopemagazine!

@rogue_raven_farms

@secondgenerationgenetics

@thirteenshots

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@apotheker_agro_consulting_

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P R E S E N T E D BY

The Fourth Annual DOPE Industry Awards Washington, presented by IONIC, was the red carpet event-of-the-year for the evergrowing Washington State Cannabis Industry. The event was hosted for a second consecutive year by the charismatic Kitty Kitty Bang Bang who brought down the house with her rendition of “Let it Grow.”

DOPE Magazine honored over 100 Washington cannabis businesses and industry professionals by hosting them to a “White Winterland” themed night that awarded 25 different categories ranging from “Activist of the Year” to “Cannabis Store of the Year” by a public vote that took place over the course of 30 days. The annual “Emery Award”, a recognition of someone in the industry who has dedicated their life’s work to furthering the cannabis movement, was given to none other than Vivian McPeak - the co-founder of Seattle Hempfest who just celebrated its 25th anniversary.

The night could not have happened without the support from the DIA’s Title Sponsor, Ionic and Supporting Sponsors, Bare Naked by Suspended Brands, CannaCon, Evergreen Market, Greenside Recreational and Wikileaf. Additionally, the awards show presenters, performers, nominees and award winners all added to a night that won’t soon be forgotten., and it’s already

given us an advantage.”

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BEST TOPICAL/SUBLINGUAL COMPANY ETHOS BEST TESTING FACILITY CONFIDENCE ANALYTICS BEST GLASS STORE PIECE OF MIND BEST GLASS BLOWER SCOTT DEPPE BEST NUTRIENT COMPANY EMERALD HARVEST

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STRAIN

AFGOOEY #1

THE ‘H’ IS SILENT

WRITER / JESSE PERRY

PHOTO / BEN GARCIA

A

fgooey #1 is a straight indica and is not to be confused with its hybrid cousin, Afghooey, where the ‘H’ stands for Hybrid. Originally descended from Afghani Indica and crossed with Maui Haze, this strain is a hard-hitting favorite among connoisseurs. The buds themselves are long and triangular with a heavy density. The beautiful dark green and rich orange hairs are layered with heavily encrusted resin.

Catching a few crystals here and there, the bud glitters under the light like magic. This pungent strain is known for its deep, earthy notes, but I can smell a little sweet and sour creeping through from its Maui Haze lineage. Although the buds were dense, they broke down easily, but left my fingers sticky. I would recommend a grinder for this strain for sure. Its rich piney flavor mixed with a mild sweetness made for a unique profile, much like a rich, sweet black tea. The first hit was aggressive to say the least, so I adjusted my style and sipped on it for a bit. This made it easier to control my wind down after a long day and like a true indica, Afgooey was a creeper that stuck me to the couch.

Let’s just say, I’m glad I went slow to start. This a great strain for night time, nap time, or whenever you simply need to relax. One thing’s for sure, I’ll be seeing this strain in my rotation a lot more often.

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C O N C E N T R AT E

DURBAN POISON

DON ’ T LET THE NA M E DEC E I V E YO U WRITER / JESSE PERRY

PHOTO / BEN GARCIA

D

urban Poison is a pure sativa that is popular around the world and commonly known for its deliciously sweet smell and uplifting effects. This concentrate has a subtle hint of green behind its amber hue, making it a bit darker in color, but still a stand out in the display case.

It shimmered like a piece a freshly made candy and smelled just as enticing. The piney, citrus sweetness blends to create a slightly spicy and highly unique scent that lets you know exactly what you’re getting, right off the nose. The first rip is a solid and quick transition to a delightfully heady high that

had me swimming for a moment, before leaving me safely planted on a beach of smiles and sunshine. It tasted like all the smells of the forest had been whipped in to a pillow of sweet cotton candy with kisses of cherry and lemon peel.

Straight up delicious. The end of the session left me ready to start my day. I was feeling upbeat, energetic and focused while my body felt relaxed and stress free. I would expect nothing less from a time-tested strain and the great work from the team at Nature’s AZ Meds.

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PIECE

KYLE RICH GLASS Fun ct i onal Ar t WRITER & PHOTO / WIND HOME

After over twenty years experience, Kyle Rich has made his name in fine art but the lucky consumer can occasionally find some of his functional art locally.

Contact him directly @ kajaglass on Instagram and Facebook. $1500

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his old school piece made by skateboarder turned glass artist Kyle Rich was made in 2003.

It has multiple layers of silver and gold fume.

Although Kyle had done plenty of fume work, this was the first time he did all of the work on the surface of the glass. There are a total of 16 individually and

intricately worked sections to this piece. He also did what is called a penetration. This is where the glass penetrates itself resembling a donut hole. Very technical, very fun and an uncommon style for its time.

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TOKIN’ WOMEN

REVIEW

A 40 0 0 -Y E AR HE RSTORY OF WOMEN A ND MA RIJUA N A WRITER / SHASTA NELSON

PHOTO / MARK COFFIN LEAF DESIGN BY JEAN HANAMOTO

W

omen are more visible than ever in the cannabis industry. Groups like Women Grow and the many female-owned businesses are gaining more and more momentum. Even here at DOPE Magazine we have a high concentration of female contributors. And it’s no wonder: cannabis consumption by women is neither new nor unusual, and the presence of increasingly more female professionals in the cannabis industry is a testament to that. That’s why I was stoked to find Tokin Women: A 4000-year Herstory of Women and Marijuana by Nola Evangelista aka Ellen Komp of CalNORML. Tokin Women.

125 pages dedicated to influential women who have played historical and present-day roles in the cannabis space. Tokin’ Women highlights over 50 women, including the well-known influencers Josephine Baker, Billie Holiday and Whoopi Goldberg. This book highlights each woman’s lifetime accomplishments in the cannabis space accompanied by a photo. Every woman’s section stands alone so you can read about whomever you want, in no particular order. I learned so much so fast!

The effects of marijuana were spoken of lovingly by many of the women in this book, and

I feel a kinship with this love. These incredible women and I have shared the same experience, the same infatuation with cannabis. Maya Angelou describes how marijuana made her job as a waitress bearable, and how her outlook on life changed drastically when she began to smoke pot. “For the first time, life amused me…” she said, and I know exactly what she meant.

Smoking marijuana helped me through the worst jobs, the longest days and the dullest moments. To know some of the women I truly admire have used cannabis to elevate themselves creatively and spiritually is inspiring.

Not only does Tokin’ Women give exposure to women who have been in support of cannabis, it also broadened my own idea of how women of certain time periods used the plant.

Throughout the decades, women have used cannabis to heal, to laugh and to live. This book opened my eyes to its presence throughout history. Being exposed to the history that is so often glossed over in our culture led me to pursue a deeper understanding of women and cannabis on my own. I would recommend Tokin’ Women to anyone looking for a cannabis herstory to add to their bookcase or keep on their coffee table next to the dab rig.

LIFESTYLE

LAURIE & MARY JANE: SM OKED B EEF CH I L I

8 SERVINGS 1 tablespoon cooking oil (canola, coconut, olive) 1 tablespoon canna-cooking oil 2 slices bacon, chopped 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 lb. ground beef ½ lb. bulk Italian sausage 3 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 4 cups beef broth 1 bottle (12 ounces) dark beer, the darker the better 2 cans (15 ounces each) light red kidney beans, not drained 2 cans (10 ounces each) diced tomatoes with green chilis not drained 1 can (15 ounces) refried beans 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice Optional garnishes: chunky-style salsa, cubed avocado, fresh cilantro leaves, sliced jalapeño, red onion 1. In a large soup pot heat the oils. Add the bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add the beef and sausage and cook until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. Add the spices and sauté for 4-5 minutes.

2. Add the broth, beer, kidney beans, tomatoes and refried beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 40-45 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.

3. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with your choice of ingredients.

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have found the DOPEst bong on the planet! David Goldstein, known in some circles as ‘The Bongfather’, is the inventor of the Rooster Apparatus. His work has had a huge impact on my smoking experience which until now I was completely unaware of! Goldstein’s trade in glass blowing has deep roots. Goldstein’s mentor, a technical glassblower at the University of Maryland, developed his craft among instrumental scientists who played a large role in strengthening U.S. sonar and radar capabilities during World War II. Goldstein learned all of the finer points of glass blowing from this U.S. Navy veteran.

David is thought by many to be one of the most prolific designers in the history of glass smoking accessories. From his humble beginning in 1976 developing what he says was the first ash catcher, Goldstein went on to fabricate a percolator in ‘79 as well. More recently, in 2010, Goldstein began noticing a lot of bongs incorporating high-end glass seals and thought, “why try and make a bong look like it belongs in a laboratory? Why not take a laboratory apparatus and turn it into a bong?” This realization led him to introduce the use of a fritted disk, previously used to wash gases with a liquid in a laboratory setting. After he assembled his first fritted disk bong in April of 2011, he knew he was on to something.

Feeling as though he nailed the design, Goldstein sent his patent application in for his fritted disk-fitted smoking apparatus. Goldstein knew that he had created something unique – a smoking experience smoother than anything he had been exposed to before. The Rooster Apparatus, although not federally legal to use as a means of smoking cannabis, received its patent approval in 2015. A Portland-based laboratory, MEI-Charlton, conducted tests on the device which suggest that it effectively filters cancer-causing carcinogens from tobacco smoke. The benefits of this filter are hard to deny.

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BUSINESS

CALIFORNIA’S BEST INNOVATORS: CAN OPY AND EAZE WRITER / KELLY VO

PHOTO / COURTESY OF EAZE AND CANOPY

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he cannabis industry is ripe for opportunity. In fact, 8 out of 10 Americans support the legalization of cannabis for medical use, according to NORML. It’s new; it’s growing (ArcView projects a 30 percent annual growth over the next 3-5 years); and it’s endlessly fascinating.

And, in California, ArcView estimates cannabis to be worth $6.5 billion by 2020. As for innovation, no other industry is as cutting edge as cannabis. Just take a look at Canopy and Eaze: two companies that are changing the game. It’s no doubt that no matter where the cannabis industry ends up over the next few years, both Eaze and Canopy are well equipped to ride the high.

CANOPY Canopy is a business accelerator, and while that isn’t necessarily innovative in and of itself, their focus is. They’re one of the first startup accelerators 100 percent focused on cannabis. Their goal is to find the most innovative, up-and-coming canna-businesses and to help them get off the ground with funding, advice, and training. “We offer a 16-week intensive mentorship-driven programs for our portfolio of companies along with seed funding and space to work for 4-5 months,” explained Jack Scatizzi the Managing Director of Canopy San Diego.

Think of their 16-week course like a mini-MBA program for cannabis entrepreneurs. They take the best and make them even better.

Cannabis startups enter the program, receive between $20,000 and $30,000 in seed money, gain office space, and receive access to dozens of industry mentors. From 208E accounting practices and state and federal taxes to cultivation and operation plans, each company leaves the program with a full understanding of the entire legal cannabis market. What truly makes Canopy standout are the companies within their cohort. Each company is developing a product that could potentially transform the cannabis industry, and they’re getting that chance at success thanks to Canopy.

A few of our favorites include:

Loose Leaf Technologies develops software specifically for the medical marijuana market that will allow patients to track their consumption and symptoms. Think Fitbit meets an electronic health record system.

Icarus RT is creating an “add-on” for solar panels that will drastically increase their efficiency.

For Canopy, being a canna-business accelerator at this time in the industry is like striking gold on the cusp of the gold rush. “Most accelerators fail because they can’t get good companies,” explained Jack. “It’s different for us. We’re one of only a handful of accelerators in the nation working in the cannabis industry, and there’s an endless market as the industry continues to grow.”

EAZE Hitting up Uber to go to the dispensary? Try Eaze to bring it to you instead. Eaze is a San Francisco-based, cannabis delivery app that is all about using technology to provide on-demand consumer services. Their service guarantee is safe and effective delivery of quality cannabis products at competitive prices in around fifteen minutes.

“Cannabis is a natural fit for on-demand technology,” said Eaze founder and CEO Keith McCarty. “On-demand consumer services need to have a high frequency of use, be agile, and be naturally social in order to be successful. Cannabis fits all of that, and it has the added struggle of being fragmented, which requires a horizontal layer—such as on-demand delivery—that makes cannabis accessible and safe to all consumers.” There’s no doubt that Eaze is successful.

Since launching in 2014, the company has raised $25 million in funding—more than any other cannabis company. Plus, they’re already in 100 locations across California with the ability to easily replicate in all states medically and recreationally. “The pace at which Eaze is growing is unprecedented,” Keith said. “We’re now firing on all cylinders and hitting an inflection point in the industry that is unprecedented. We’re really excited.” But it’s not just about funding or explosive growth, Eaze works because it is data-driven technology. “Data drives us,” explained Keith. “In the cannabis industry, it’s very difficult to get consumer data unless your technology enabled. We capture data on every sort of consumer behavior in real-time. Then, we pull it all into dashboards to help dispensaries, product developers, and anyone else in the industry make the most agile and informed business decisions based on consumption behavior.” As for Eaze’s secret sauce?

It’s about putting the consumer first. “Eaze is not just an on-demand delivery technology,” Keith said. “We’re a team player that uses data to educate, simplify, and streamline the entire cannabis industry for the best possible patient experience.”

“CURRENTLY, A NUMBER OF BARRIERS TO ENTRY ARE CREATING A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR STARTUPS TO GAIN EARLY TRACTION IN CANNABIS BEFORE THE LARGER COMPANIES LOOK TO ENTER THE MARKET.”

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