DOPE MAGAZINE CO ISSUE #9 OCTOBER 2015 "THE HEALTH ISSUE"

COLORADO | OCTOBER 2015 | ISSUE #9 | THE HEALTH ISSUE | FREE

STRAINS ACDC & CHARLOTTE’S WEB

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EDIBLES MOUNTAIN HIGH SUCKERS

MEDICAL STORE KIND PAIN MANAGEMENT

BRANDING BUD

Consumerization of Cannabis

VENICE BEACH

Embracing Cannabis Culture

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TABLE OF CONTENTS OCTOBER 2015 THE HEALTH ISSUE

ISSUE 09

“Herb is the healing of the nation, alcohol is the destruction” -Robert Nesta Marley Re-read the quote above. Read it one more time.

Now speak it and learn it. It’s easy to dismiss the words as those of cannabis induced psychosis perpetrated by a radical mind. It’s a bit more difficult to recognize the unconcealed truth put across in no uncertain terms.

10 STRAIN O.T.M. AC/DC

12 EDIBLES

CANNA-NEWS GREEN D.C. MEETUPS

24 THE ESSENCE OF BRAND

40 GROW

THE HERBAL CURE

KIND PAIN MANAGEMENT

26

BRANDING BUD HEALTH

36 GARDEN

MEDICAL STORE

MOUNTAIN HIGH SUCKERS AND LOZENGES

20

GROWING W/ PURPOSE

16

CANNA-NEWS

JOSH STANLEY

PIECE

CJ BULLOCK

32 BIG DATA GOES GREEN

44

56 68 CONCENTRATE SFV PHO WAX

The booze-blanket is thick, heavy and difficult to get out from under. The comfort it provides is legendary but its devastations are ignored. The proliferation of alcohol abuse across all social and economic classes has created institutional public health and safety issues for which the nation and our lawmakers cannot see through their beer goggles.

Domestic and sexual violence against women are inextricably linked to alcohol abuse but are chalked up to “boys being boys”. At the highest levels of power, the daft ignorance expelled by people who compare alcohol and cannabis use is laughable. In the face of logic, empirical evidence, good taste and compassion, knuckleheads keep lumping cannabis enthusiasts and drunks together.

The anonymous world of those who no longer consume alcohol is not enlightened. There, sobriety does not maintain a rapport with cannabis. It’s considered herba non grata. Lacking the courage to entertain the idea that cannabis can be used to rise above the influence of alcohol has no doubt kept far too many off the wagon.

Spreading misinformation and disinformation regarding cannabis has been standard operating procedure by our public heath administrators for too long and “BS” is finally being called!

I’m no teetotaler. I owe no debt to the Temperance Movement. I’m not straight edge. I just know the truth. I know that cannabis can be used to treat nausea, anxiety, depression and panic attacks associated with alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

I know that it can rewire the human brain and spirit to get up from the bar, get on with life and to pursue and realize success. I know it saves lives; that is a fact!

60 ROAD TRIP VENICE BEACH

Enter the Marijuana Maintenance Program.

72 CANNA-NEWS BUSINESS INCREDIBOWL INDUSTRIES

52 FEATURE

MELISSA ETHERIDGE

76 CANNA-NEWS BRANDING

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While the debate rages on as to whether cannabis has medicinal properties, alcohol consumption causes the loss of lives, physiques and cellphones.

It destroys neighborhoods and relationships. It’s a brutal substance.

ISSUE 09 THE HEALTH ISSUE dopemagazine.com

It’s quite basic in it’s premise yet takes tremendous will power and commitment to pursue. Stop drinking alcohol and start using cannabis, that’s it! The choice to replace addiction to alcohol, opiates, cocaine or any other life ruining substance with cannabis initially may come off as counterintuitive; that’s just the years of D.A.R.E programing replaying in your now developed and rational mind.

There is no quick fix to professional or personal wreckages caused by alcohol abuse and learning to live again without booze is more terrifying than imaginable. The clarity in mind and health in body achieved by supplanting alcohol with cannabis can’t be overlooked or understated. Goals become achievable and dreams can be a reality.

This methodology won’t work for everyone. But then again, it might.

Stay DOPE, Emmett H.W. Nelson Colorado State Director

MEDICAL STRAIN OF THE MONTH

PRESIDENT

WRITER •FIRST LAST

PHOTOS • FIRST LAST

SALES MANAGER

EVAN CARTER

SHANON MELICK

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SALES EXECUTIVE

JAMES ZACHODNI

GRIFFIN W. SMITH

STATE DIRECTOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

EMMETT H.W. NELSON

ANTHONY DIMEO DAVE HODES

ART DIRECTOR

SHARON LETTS

BRANDON PALMA

JOSH KRAUS

GRAPHIC DESIGNER CHARM DOMACENA ASSISTANT GRAPHIC DESIGNER NARISSA-CAMILLE PHETHEAN LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER ALLIE BECKETT AD DESIGN DOPE DESIGN AGENCY

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS JAMIE KRAUS JENA SCHLOSSER ALEXIS EMBREY SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

DOPE is a free publication dedicated to providing an informative and wellnessminded 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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DOPE Magazine and the entire contents of this magazine are copyright 2015 DOPE MAGAZINE LLC, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or part without the written permission from Dope Magazine LLC

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STRAIN OF THE MONTH

WRITER •JOSH KRAUS

PHOTOS • JAMIE KRAUS

aCDC

FOUND AT: • Pink House • Good Chemistry, • Organic Alternatives

GENETICS

LOOKS Moss-green colas are trimmed and manicured into snug, tear-dropped shaped nugs. Dark purple splotches (a sign of high CBD levels) and dark orange pistils make the occasional cameo, and of course, crystalline trichomes, sprinkled throughout. ACDC is more crispy than sticky, and crumbles with ease.

You probably don’t need to break out your grinder for this one.

The sativa-dominant ACDC is a phenotype of Cannatonic, one of the first cannabis strains to achieve a 1:1 ratio of THC and CBD. ACDC, however, trumps its predecessor with an incredible 1:20 ratio. With the THC count in the decimals and the CBD in the stratosphere, this unique strain offers high medicinal potential with little to no psychoactive side effects.

AROMA It may be low in THC, but ACDC is high in terpenes, the plant’s resident fragrance artist. Wisps of fresh pine and cool mint delight the senses, conjuring images of cotton ferns, snowcapped mountain peaks, and a refreshing northerly wind. Swap out a few nugs of ACDC for a spa candle and it’s doubtful anyone would notice.

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FLAVOR ACDC’s flavor profile doesn’t fall far from its aromatic tree. The prevailing taste is dense and earthy, but a deep inhale introduces small bursts of tropical citrus and sweet berry. A hint of petrol skunkiness closes out the proceedings, but it’s not strong enough to ruin the fun.

ISSUE 09 THE HEALTH ISSUE dopemagazine.com

MEDICAL BENEFITS

Strains with high CBD content are consistently said to improve a wide range of medical conditions, and ACDC continues the tradition. Many patients swear by it for treatment of multiple sclerosis, arthritis, inflammation, and seizures. It’s also been used to reduce the negative effects of chemotherapy, and it’s an ideal choice for stress and anxiety relief.

EFFECT The raucous energy of AC/DC, the band, serves as a perfect counterpoint to the calming touch of ACDC, the strain. A few good hits can also provide focus and clarity, and with the scales tipped so far in CBD’s favor, sensitive smokers worried about paranoia, anxiety, and other unwanted sideeffects will find solace in ACDC’s clearheaded effects.

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

WRITER •JOSH KRAUS

PHOTOS • JAMIE KRAUS

cHARLOTTE’S wEB

FOUND AT: • Pink House

LOOKS This strain’s name just as easily could’ve borrowed inspiration from the thick webs of trichomes covering its tight, compact nugs.

This beautiful stuff glistens like snow in the moonlight, and its bright green leaves and little dots of purple highlight these perfectly manicured nuggets that make for one pretty site.

GENETICS Charlotte’s Web is a point of pride within the cannabis community, and the strain, nurtured by the Stanley brothers for Charlotte, a young girl with epilepsy, is famous for its use by patients with seizure disorders. CW is said to be the result of crossbreeding between an unknown strain and industrial hemp; it’s now produced by the Realm of Caring Foundation.

EFFECT

AROMA

The relative absence of psychoactive effects tends to result in a clear-headed, long-lasting experience, commonly said to leave patients functional and focused. Anxiety, paranoia, and couch-lock are off the table, but anyone seeking to balance out with some THC might consider combining CW with a THC-rich strain like a nice OG.

FLAVOR Many smokers don’t particularly enjoy the taste of high-CBD strains, but there’s a lovely woodland flavor to Charlotte’s Web that manages to balance an earthy sweet succulence with a spicy bite. The flavor as a whole is fairly mild, a fitting complement to its mellow physiological effects, and the smoke goes down clean and smooth.

Scents can trigger specific memories, and while those memories differ from person to person, Charlotte’s Web reminds me of a sprawling greenhouse. Whiff after whiff doused me in a heady perfume of herbs, flowers, cut grass, and new soil; so close your eyes and take a scent safari.

THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS

With towering CBD levels and a marginal percentage of THC, Charlotte’s Web displays astonishing therapeutic potential while keeping psychoactive effects to a bare minimum. While it’s best known for its potential for treating seizures, many report a reduction in stress and anxiety as well as relief from painful conditions like back pain, multiple sclerosis, and migraines.

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EDIBLE OF THE MONTH

WRITER •ANTHONY DIMEO

PHOTOS • ALEXIS EMBREY

mOUNTAIN hIGH sUCKERS MEDICATE CHEERFULLY

s a pioneer in the ever-expanding world of CBD products, Mountain High has been producing their brand of handmade lollipops and lozenges for over six years, having now established themselves as bona fide dispensary staples all over the state of Colorado.

Sublingual ingestion provides swift dosing and Mountain High Suckers are a simple and delicious delivery mechanism for just that. After a few, short minutes of ingesting several lozenges or one of the savory flavors of pops, a desire for more beckons because the taste is just that good. These suckers can contain up to 30mg of THC and they’re enriched with plenty of CBD to ensure a considerable dose each time, despite that inevitable desire for more flavor. Mountain High utilizes their own whole-plant extraction process of ethanol cannabis oil for their products, at a 3:1 ratio of THC to CBD, which they believe can be effective in “coping with a litany of ailments and neurological pains.”

Once the word got out about Mountain High Suckers a few years ago and the possibilities that CBD-infused products could held, an important new market was established. In speaking with the company’s founder Chad Tribble, he remarked that as the first edible company in Colorado to offer CBD-infused edibles, “he’s proud that legitimate attention is now being paid to the effects of CBD and how they may be able to help countless patients possibly achieve a better quality of life.” Tribble also hopes to see his products in Nevada and California sometime after 2016.

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“The effects of CBD… may be able to help countless patients possibly achieve a better quality of life.”

TM

TM

TM

CANNA-NEWS

a

TRIMMER’S gUIDE

for Self-Maintenance

RIMMING CANNABIS flowers is ar-

guably the most tedious and meticulous step in the production process. Trimmers provide the final touch and can make or break the outcome of a product, but with great responsibility comes great reward and trim rooms can be a magical place. A place where camaraderie forms and lasting relationships are made.

Trimming can also take quite a toll on the body mentally and physically. Manicuring is tedious, repetitive work whether the techniques used are hand trimming or working with a machine, and therefore taking care of body and mind is critical.

Trimming typically requires a lot of sitting, and most health care professionals recommend standing and stretching every two hours to keep blood flowing at a healthy rate. If a work environment is conducive to a 5-10 minute walk, great! If not, some yoga stretches for that amount of time will also work. The best stretches for sitting long periods of time are forward folds, lunges, and spinal twists, and wrist stretches as well, especially if trimming by hand.

Trim work is traditionally paid by weight, and this approach may encourage trimmers to skip breaks throughout the workday. If one desires to make trimming a full time gig, and NOT suffer from physical discomfort down the road, then skipping breaks is simply not an option.

A great way to care for the body in between trimming sessions is to book a massage. Many trimmers neglect their bodies and end up with irrevocable damage. Wrist issues and back pain are especially no fun, since they can affect almost everything in daily life. Some may see the expense of a massage as frivolous, but it’s necessary. Many therapists are flexible and will work with clients financially, so make sure to ask. Some insurance companies will even

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cover part of the expense, and wrists and shoulders will be thankful!

Nourish the body with healthy foods. It’s easy to fall into the trap of eating junk food while trimming. Sweets and energy drinks can feel like they help by giving an initial jolt, but in the end the crash and feel terrible. Consuming high amounts of stimulating food without moving too much throughout the day will cause brain fog. Guaranteed, a trimmer will feel much better at the end of a strenuous workday if the sugar intake is kept low and the veggies high.

Trimming can also take a toll on the mind. Staring at those beautiful cannabis flowers for hours on end can actually lose its magic when eyes start crossing and your brain turns to mush. Some trimmers like to binge on TV and movies, and visual entertainment can be fun but includes some downsides. First off, anything visual can be distracting to the task at hand. Even if someone feels they can watch and work at the same time, chances are your bosses don’t think so. Music is great, but audio books and podcasts can be a mentally nourishing alternative. Check out podcasts on interesting subjects perhaps never studied because the time was never available. How about trying out a new language? The possibilities are endless for keeping the mind sharp while working a repetitive job.

Audio books can also be fun in a group setting as well, as great stories tend to spark intellectual conversations.

Trimming is incredibly rewarding when done right, and trim rooms tend to be filled with adventurous types which can make for great conversation. The task can also be a great focus for meditation, and many find the act very therapeutic, so protecting the body can help folks stay part of the fun for the long haul.

WRITER •ABIGAIL ROSS

“Trimming is incredibly rewarding when done right, and trim rooms tend to be filled with adventurous types which can make for great conversation.”

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MEDICAL STORE

kIND pAIN ANAGEMENT- l AKEWOOD m Genuine Compassion & Medical Reliability

W

ELL WORTH the trip and easier to find than expected, Kind Pain Management in the Applewood section of Lakewood, right off of I-70 immediately made us feel at home.

Getting to know a genuinely friendly staff they treats everybody like regulars, just like walking into an episode of Cheers-the place where everybody knows your name.

A strong foundation with their neighboring community and customer base has always been at the center of what they do, and they regularly go well beyond the average. Patients in need have appreciated the individual care and attention afforded them here since 2009, many becoming regulars after finding KPM along their quest for quality therapy.

A massive selection of CBD products includes just about everything offered by Mary’s Medicinals, or give one of this reviewer’s new loves a try, individually wrapped caramel Canna-Chews with 35 mg of affordable and fast acting CBD. At KPI have it your way. Browse between several meticulously clean grow rooms, all tended by their internationally experienced growers using differing grow methods ranging from age-old organics to new millennium nutrients. Harvest occurs predictably every two weeks, resulting in a constant rotation of core strains like Hell’s Angel OG and the High Times fave StarDawg.

The later strains being in such high demand, they disappear quicker than a puff of smoke.

A concentrate lover’s dream, there’s a rotating variety available in every conceivable form, all made by the best companies in the game. Most of these manufacturers are regularly pursuing Kind Pain Management for flower and trim for their extraction due to its excellent quality.

A stress-free eclectic vibe resonates here as a much welcomed funky alternative to the sterile, Apple store stylings that pervade too many dispensaries. Feel enlivened by a staff that lives up to its kind namesake with true compassion and the best therapeutic options.

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WRITER •ANTHONY DIMEO

PHOTOS • JENA SCHLOSSER

2636 YOUNGFIELD ST, LAKEWOOD, CO 80215 (303) 237-5463 MON-SAT 9AM-6:45AM SUN 9AM -5PM WWW.KINDPAINMANAGEMENT.COM

“A stress-free eclectic vibe resonates here as a much welcomed funky alternative to the sterile, Apple store stylings that pervade too many dispensaries” dopemagazine.com ISSUE 09 THE HEALTH ISSUE

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CANNA-NEWS EAST COAST

WRITER •DAVE HODES

Cannabis Arrives on DC Social Scene

C

ANNABIS IS legal in D.C., the seat of the federal government. That’s huge - but there are trap doors everywhere. To consume it on federal land is prohibitted, which is about 21% of the ten square miles of the district, and includes such likely light-up spots as Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park near the Adams Morgan district.

To consume it as a federal employee still makes one subject to urine analysis, especially federal employees with security clearance.

Consuming publicly is the usual no, but also is buying it legally if you are not a medical patient. No one can say when this will change, and as time goes on more and more people are determined to sort through this mess in this wound-tight city full of uber-discrete keepers of national and international secrets.

If the DC city council has their way, advocates say buy-

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ing it legally and smoking it at a café attached to your local bar won’t happen until 2017 or later.

That delay is the result of an emergency measure passed just five days after cannabis went legal in the district on February 26th. The measure is now up for renewal or expiration; if renewed, it will become a permanent law and the subject of yet another advocacy fight with city leaders.

Adam Eidinger, the guy who led the legalization effort in the district, says that they are seeking to reenergize their movement around this new issue. “The deal is they will pass a law that will keep Washington D.C. from turning into Amsterdam; that is literally the way that the politicians are talking about it to each other,” he says.

Bar patrons in the district regularly report the smell of cannabis hanging over bar on weekend nights at restaurant hotspots in and around Georgetown, DuPont Circle and Adams Morgan.

The fear of arrest factor has clearly diminished here, but there are people who want clarity on the issue; they’re moving the discussion to a more common sense understanding of what this plant is, what it does, and how it can and will fit into the mainstream of life in D.C. There are eight DC based cannabis-related meetup groups now with memberships steadily growing, three of which are organized by independent lobbyist Evan Bergwall. In March, the DC Marijuana and Cannabis has its meetup with 208 members, DC Marijuana and Cannabis Events meetup gathers with 172 members, and the Washington Marijuana Cannabis Policy holds a meetup with 53 members.

Bergwall worked on the hill for seven years as a lobbyist then moved into government consulting work. He now lobbies on tax, banking, and commerce issues related to cannabis.

etables. An event as American as apple pie, it recently added a best bud competition for the first time in its five year history. “When cannabis was legalized in the district earlier this year, I said right off the bat ‘we have to have a competition of some kind at the fair this year,’” explains Mark Perry, a compost grower and the coordinator of the competition.

The event quickly filled up to capacity, with 47 registered contestants. Judges will touch, smell and examine buds with microscopes in their decision-making process; no cannabis will be consumed.

At the meetup, Phillips says she thinks people still view cannabis people as stoners zoning out for hours, “But if you look around this room today a majority of us just came from our nine to five jobs,” she says. “We are absolutely a group of professionals, with different interests and skills, and I think DC is going to be one of the communities that really drives the future for this industry.”

Expecting to launch the first meetup in October, Bergwall explains “I’ve had alot of requests for meetups and people trying to do event things.” He explains that it’s really about finding good venues to host in, where cannabis can be consumed. “[Cannabis smokers] can’t be outdoors in public spaces. They can’t be at bars and restaurants.

They can’t really be at offices unless they own the whole building. So what they are left with is a bunch of people invited into a home.”

One of the goals of his meetups is to show legislators how cannabis is being woven into the social fabric of the city, and he’s hoping to change perceptions. “One of my biggest objectives is to make the cannabis case and talk about it and work through the halls of Congress,” he says. “Members of Congress have to feel safe from a political standpoint, and they have to know the industry is viable.”

The social cannabis pioneers here are handling mainstreaming with kid gloves, taking things one step at a time, while presenting it first as the huge business opportunity it is.

One DC meetup in early September, the DC chapter of the Denverbased Women Grow, showcases the cannabis grow products of Brielle Pettinelli, a biologist and agriculturist, to a group of thirty interested cannabis entrepreneurs at a U street restaurant. Sponsoring the meetup is DC based Canna Party, LLC, and its founder Chris Steinke. Canna Party is a cannabis catering service that provides everything for your cannabis party – except the cannabis.

The event organizer and event strategist, Caroline Phillips, with a background in politics and human rights work, says that the important thing to remember is the activism spirit in D.C. “I think that part of the social fabric in D.C. really is grounded in advocacy groups,” she says. “Before marijuana was legal in D.C. it was the advocacy groups, like the Marijuana Policy Project, that were able to bring people that didn’t know each other together,” she says.

Another small step forward: The D.C. State Fair on September 12, a festival featuring competitions for home-growers of produce and veg-

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Aroma and Resin Enricher

BRANDING BUD

BRANDING BUD The Consumerization of Cannabis

S BOB Marley the next Marlboro Man? Will there be a ‘Cannabis Section’ at Whole Foods in the near future? Will Aveda® or Dr. Bronners® create a line of “relaxing” THC infused body lotions?

Branding and marketing expert David Paleschuck will take a critical look at the current state of legal US cannabis products, packaging and positioning with a new regular column on branding, packaging & the positioning of cannabis products in the marketplace.

discover what fuels their inspiration and makes their products recognizable; we’ll also look at what amplifies their differentiation, and what makes their big ideas and concepts meaningful and accessible. A focus on a brand’s disparate elements can illuminate how it unifies them into whole systems. We’ll also assess the disciplined process used to build brand awareness and extend customer loyalty, improve image and perception, create preference for products or services, and increase participation and market share.

Who exactly is “the cannabis consumer”?

What’s their lifestyle(s)? What brands speak to them, and is there just one type of cannabis consumer? Are the images of Cheech & Chong; Harold & Kumar; Willy Nelson & Snoop Dog stereotyping cannabis smokers? And to push even further, is “smoking” itself a stereotype of cannabis consumption?

Further, we’ll seek to examine the multitude of brand tenets and pillars - a company’s ideals - which should hold true whether the brand is launching, creating a new product or service, repositioning, or creating a retail presence.

Other areas to be explored are vision, meaning, authenticity, differentiation, sustainability, coherence, flexibility, commitment, and value.

Designed to examine this new product segment, ‘Branding Bud’ will examine the multitude of emerging brands, their creative assets and the strategies behind them. We’ll also focus on a multitude of branding, packaging & positioning aspects affecting cannabis and non-cannabis consumers, cannabis manufacturers, cannabis retailers, and the general public.

Lastly, we’ll put this information into context by making it relevant for both consumers & those watching the industry develop across the national landscape.

From sustainability to childproof, protective packaging, we’ll cover current branding trends and packaging requirements as they change and evolve.

The column will review the leading cannabis branded products - and the latest technologies being utilized to package them. We’ll critique brands and their identities, and in doing so,

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It is the author’s hope and objective to help those using cannabis-based products to better understand the inspiration behind them, meet the manufacturers & designers that make them, and see the processes that are in motion in creating these products.

Upcoming ‘Branding Bud’ column topics include, “Canna-Brands Most Often Used Color”; “Sustainable Cannabis Design”; Packaging Differences: Stateby-State; “Back To The Future: Creating Nostalgic Brands”; among others.

WRITER • DAVID PALESCHUCK, MBA, CLS

GRAPHICS • CHARM DOMACENA

“ From sustainability to childproof, protective packaging, we’ll cover current branding trends and packaging requirements as they change and evolve.”

“ Need Pull Quote”

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HEALTH

WRITER •DAVID HODES

PHOTO • LESTER MILLMAN

In Focus: Josh Stanley

“Things are changing… due to a certain level of civil disobedience on the part of the citizens of the world because they are saying, “Wait a second, this therapeutic cannabis works for me, this works for my child.

Why can’t I use it?”

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T

HE FOUNDER of Citiva Medical, an ongoing medical marijuana research organization and provider of cannabinoid medicine, Josh Stanley continues to be one of the driving forces pushing for advances in the medical marijuana business. Stanley is co-credited with creating “Charlotte’s Web”, and with breeding a nonpsychoactive strain of the cannabis plant with low THC and high CBD. In 2010, he assisted in the drafting of Colorado House Bill 1284, the first bill of its kind to further define and establish Colorado’s medicinal cannabis state regulatory structure through the Colorado Department of Revenue.

The following year he co-authored the research and development portion of Colorado House Bill 1043.

Stanley also sat on the rules and regulations board of the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division, as well as that organization’s rules and regulations board for research and development.

More recently, Stanley decided to pursue new ventures in the global cannabis industry and, in 2014, founded Strains of Hope, a non-profit dedicated to assisting global principalities in the implementation of responsible regulations for local medicinal cannabis industries and funding of further research. Needless to say, we were extremely lucky to catch up with him recently and get his current take on things…

Dope: How do you expect the acceptance and growth of the industry to play out in terms of therapeutic cannabis and cannabis in general being treated as another agriculture commodity?

JS: What I do and what my company does is work with governments around the world. I am focusing on developing nations, because at the heart of these developing nations is agriculture. What they are lacking right now are new agricultural commodities. The demand for cannabinoid replacement therapy, or CRT, is going to help move cannabis into large scale, good agricultural practice using organic farming techniques, and make no mistake about it – that is the future.

Dope: You have stated in presentations that what people are calling medical marijuana is not really medical marijuana. Can you explain that?

Josh Stanley: It’s an incorrect term. It’s really therapeutic cannabis. In order to call something medical, it has to be able to be standardized, and if you can’t measure something, how are you going to study it? If you can’t standardize it, how in the hell are you going to brand it?

Dope: I have seen some pharmaceutical company representation at cannabis trade shows, but nothing to indicate that those companies are doing anything now but sitting on the sidelines. What’s your take on that?

JS: Big Pharma is the largest lobby in the world. They are bigger than oil. So you’re damn right that they are involved in the cannabis business. What they are looking at is how to standardize this and take this into the medicinal realm.

The days of single compound isolate synthetic medications that they make are coming to an end. Pharmaceutical companies are scared of multi-compound drugs like cannabis because it’s very difficult to patent them; it’s very difficult to own them, but these are brands that people in the cannabis industry can begin to own and begin to bring to market.

Dope: Why do pharmaceutical companies develop single compound isolate synthetics?

JS: They create one drug so that they can create two drugs to counteract the side effect of that one drug. It becomes a profit-care industry and not a health-care industry. Those times are changing, and they are changing due to a certain level of civil disobedience on the part of the citizens of the world because they are saying, “Wait a second, this therapeutic cannabis works for me, this works for my child.

Why can’t I use it?”

Dope: What do you see as the potential future of cannabis for medical use over the next two to three years?

JS: I am following clinical study protocols and we are going to release some clinical studies that are going to blow the world away. So once this information is out there, there is going to be a race about how fast we can grow and produce this plant. Then in five years you are going to see CRT in just about everyone’s medicine cabinet as a preventative medicine. It’s going to really be something.

Dope: When do you think these treatments using cannabis might become more widely accepted, possibly becoming mainstream medicine?

JS: We in this country have a huge responsibility to the general public to do no harm. Not only to do no harm but to do what is right. We as a country haven’t done that for decades and decades upon decades. Now we have the opportunity to do what’s right, and so the very fact that our government and these agencies like the DEA have fought the efficacy in this and brought out the– well, let’s call it what it is- lies – they’ve created their own problem. You wouldn’t have this medical cannabis issue now involved in so many political elections, but they created this monster.

Now they are asking it to go away..

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GROW

TERPENES AND H EALTH More Than Just Tantalizing to the Senses

A

N EXCITING time in the field of cannabis phar-

macology finally arrives! It was not too many years ago that many of us within the cannabis community assumed that particular sesquiterpenes, called cannabinoids, were the only psychoactive constituent found in Cannabis sativa L. What is being discovered recently however, is that terpenes (the essential oils responsible for delightfully attractive olfactory hues) are believed to be psychoactive in many ways and contain unique healing properties.

With new research emerging almost daily regarding the curative properties of cannabinoids (THC, THC-A, CBD, CBG, etc.), many people have been under a false assumption that these compounds are the only components of pharmacological interest. Thanks to an increase in laboratory testing and standards, full terpenoid profiles have become common, leading to a terpene revolution of sorts.

Perhaps one of the most interesting facets of the terpene efficacy discussion is all endogenous cannabis terpenes have been evaluated for their safety by the FDA as individual components. Compounds deemed safe by the FDA are given the designation GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) and can then be lawfully distributed and used in consumable products. Since these compounds have been so heavily scrutinized by experts, much has been discovered about their pharmacological activity in the process.

Another fascinating tidbit is that cannabinoids and terpenes interact synergistically – phenomena referred to as the “Entourage Effect”. Put simply: The healing potential of cannabinoids and terpenes together is greater than the sum of its individual components.

What health benefits can be expected from terpene consumption? Let’s examine some of the most commonly encountered cannabis terpenes and the efficacy of their consumption.

Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg, with over 400 compounds discovered thus far in cannabis, a plethora are known to be terpenoid.

As analytical testing becomes an ever increasingly “the norm,” and legal barriers preventing research are finally being lifted, we can all look forward to a better understanding very soon regarding this wonderful polypharmaceutical that is cannabis.

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α-Pinene Another excellent anti-inflammatory terpenoid found in cannabis. The mode of anti-inflammatory action is through activation of the prostaglandin-E1 pathway.

Quite an interesting feature of α-Pinene is that it can boost memory – a feature contrary to popular beliefs regarding cannabis. The method by which this occurs is through acetylcholinesterase inhibition, a pharmacokinetic action heavily researched in understanding and treating Alzheimer’s disease. Who would have thought cannabis could actually improve memory?

β-Caryophyllene A sesquiterpene, it exhibits quite interesting activity in that it has been shown to act selectively as a full agonist on the CB2 receptor subtype – much like the other popular sesquiterpenes we all know and love; cannabinoids! The action on CB2 receptor subtypes is believed to be directly responsible for the peripheral nervous and immune system response. In addition to this, activation of the prostaglandin-E1 pathway is observed with administration, serving as an excellent anti-inflammatory.

Because of prostaglandin-E1 synthesis, gastric mucus secretions increase, acting as a superb gastric cytoprotective and working in similar fashion to many prescription medications in protecting the stomach from ulcers and irritation (misoprostol, sucralfate, etc.)

Myrcene This terpene is also of high pharmacological interest, particularly for its analgesic effects. Since many therapeutic cannabis patients utilize the polypharmaceutical that is cannabis for pain-related ailments, myrcene is perhaps one of the most beneficial terpenes, providing non-toxic relief from pain and particularly useful for those unable or unwilling to take hepatoxic analgesic agents. Inflammation is also greatly reduced by myrcene through activation of the prostaglandin-E2 pathway.

WRITER •DUTCH MASTERS

GRAPHICS • NARISSA CAMILLE-PHETHEAN

D-Limonene This has peculiar 5-HT1a (a serotonin receptor exploited by powerful antidepressants and psychedelics) activity, which has been shown to greatly reduce depression and anxiety.

In addition to this, D-Limonene has also been shown to greatly improve pulmonary uptake and even cause breast cancer cells to undergo apoptosis!

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WORLD NEWS

WRITER •R.Z. HUGHES

Political In-Fighting As Cannabis Takes The Floor

Mexico Seeking Censorship on Canna-Zine

A fellow cannabis publication is under fire in Mexico after officials deemed it illicit and contrary to upstanding national customs.

Cáñamo, based out of Barcelona for 18 years, has a wide following throughout the Spanishspeaking world with a Chilean edition that has been in print for over a decade. It seems disingenuous that the Mexican government, while combatting dangerous cartels and rampant political corruption, is concerned about the possible negative side-effects of a culture magazine. If anything, Cáñamo should be welcomed as a beacon of understanding and education for a public that has seen firsthand the brutal violence that can occur in the black market drug trade.

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The party rhetoric is heating up in the UK, where cannabis legalization has been a popular topic of conversation. A public petition that recently received over 200,000 signatures was supposed to force a parliamentary debate, however, the Tory-dominated government quashed it before it came up for discussion.

This happened just days after a group of MPs, including the former heads of MI-5 and the Met Police, released a report calling private drug use a human right. They argue that personal consumption, cultivation, and possession of cannabis are indelible rights protected as “private and family life” as long as others aren’t harmed or injured.

Russia’s Ridiculous Internet Police The heavy hand of the Kremlin, with its characteristic lack of joy, humor, or common sense, briefly banned two major websites for references to ‘drugs’. The first target in Moscow’s recent cyber-cleansing was a thread on Reddit, discussing the proper ways to cultivate hallucinogenic mushrooms. They were just getting started, as a couple weeks later, Wikipedia found itself unwelcome due to an article detailing the ways that charas (a traditionally hand-made hashish) is produced.

While both sites are currently back up and running, the unreasonable response – blocking an entire population from the endless knowledge of Wikipedia because of a single article – has been widely criticized as immature and overzealous.

Huge Haul for Cambodian Police Caught Hash-Handed In Cairo Customs A diplomat from Qatar, the Persian Gulf nation well-known for its impossibly oil-rich monarchy and awkward World Cup stadiums, found his trip to Cairo significantly shortened after being busted by airport authorities with nine grams of hash. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Hajri was arrested upon arrival in Egypt; a country known for its harsh sentencing for ‘drug traffickers’ against whom the death penalty is always an option. Luckily for alHajri, working in government has its perks, and he was expelled from Egypt with only a slap on the wrist and his tail between his legs. It’s worth noting that hash has become increasingly commonplace in the country since the Arab Spring and the ouster of longtime president, Hosni Mubarak.

Estimated to be valued at over $7,000,000, police in the capital city of Phnom Penh staged their biggest cannabis bust in the fifteen years cannabis has been illegal in the country.

A story of international intrigue, 1.5 tons of herb alongside more than a liter of hash oil originated in Laos and was smuggled into the country in bags of a popular brand of Laotian coffee. Once in Cambodia it was slated for delivery to “western markets” where it could fetch higher prices. The mysterious mastermind that bankrolled this operation has not been caught but is suspected to be a well-heeled westerner with friends in high places – no pun intended.

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CANNA BUSINESS

WRITER •MELANIE BIGALKE

Big Data Goes Green Streamlining Through Analytics

L

EAFLY - the largest strain and dispensary database in the world, with over 300,000 reviews on a site that attracts 31 million page views per month—was sold to Seattle-based cannabis investment firm Privateer in 2011. While spending the last few years developing and supporting the team that will move forward with Leafly, co-founders Cy Scott, Scott Vickers, and Brian Wansolich have also prepared to launch a new venture in the fall.

The new startup, Headset, is aimed at making business decisions easier for cannabis businesses through comprehensive, accessible analytics and market intelligence. As Cy Scott told me, “If current businesses are more successful, the industry will be successful and if the industry is successful, legalization will continue state by state. If the industry struggles or flounders, then we are all in trouble.

We really want to see the whole industry succeed. That’s our whole motivation. A world where cannabis is very accessible no matter what state you live in, and in order to get there we need these businesses that are operating currently to be successful. That’s what Headset is trying to do.”

Headset is collecting industry data in a variety of ways. They are receive sell-through data from the point of sale systems and are working with POS companies on integrations. From their variety of data sources, they apply statistical modeling and machine learning algo-

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rithms to generate market insights. Headset has already successfully completed their first round of financing, partnering with Poseidon Asset Management and Anslinger Captial, among others. Anthony Davis, co-founder of Anslinger Capital, describes, “Headset is a platform that provides a comprehensive suite of tools to help make cannabis businesses successful. There are five categories: market intelligence, category management, retailer insights, product manufacture insights and third-party data analytics. Headset will help answer tough questions that business owners face in today’s ever-expanding cannabis market.”

Headset will target retailers, product manufacturers and growers, and their insights will be available to others who are forwarding the industry (like journalists). Reliable data is difficult to find, and “most of the current data about the industry is survey based,” said Scott. “If you ask any data scientist… they will say that once that’s published it’s out of date. Headset will offer real time data.” In a market that shifts as constantly as cannabis, this will make a huge difference for business owners and the end user. Scott continues, “This means that dispensaries are stocking, positioning and selling the things that [consumers] are asking for and the things that they are buying.”

Anslinger Capital is clear on the impact that Headset is poised to make in the industry. As Davis says, “when Anslinger invests, we in-

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vest in people, people, people, product, and market. When we look at Headset, we see a management team that can show us the scars of building Leafly—the fastest-growing tech play in cannabis. We see a management team that we completely trust.”

Anslinger is on a roll. In the past three months, they have made six investments, and are now poised to become the fastest growing cannabis fund in the US. Co-founder Davis said, “Venture Capital allows me to see the jobs that are created. I can see the benefits that are being caused; I get to have a significant impact on my investments. We are much more like partners than we are just capital,” he continued, “obviously, the partnership that we bring starts with the check that we write, but once we write you that check, We become business development people for you.

We become salespeople for you; We become management advisors for you. We build sales and technology strategies for our portfolio companies. Maybe we should have called it Anslinger Partners,” he says with a laugh.

Headset is projected to launch in November, and it’s definitely a launch for cannapreneurs to get excited about.

As Scott says, “A lot of platforms give good data but require you to glean the insights. We want to turn that around. We’ll give you your insights, give you your next steps, and then we’ll back that up with data.”

Reliable data is difficult to find, and “most of the current data about the industry is survey based,” said Scott. “If you ask any data scientist… they will say that once that’s published it’s out of date. Headset will offer real time data.”

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GARDEN OF THE MONTH

WRITER •JOSH KRAUS

tHE hERBAL cURE

HONEST AND EFFICIENT CANNABIS SCIENTISTS

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PHOTOS • JENA SCHLOSSER

985 S. LOGAN ST. DENVER, CO 80209 www.theherbalcure.net

T

HERE ARE four rows of plants in Flower Room 6, and travelling between rows can be tricky.

For one thing, the vegetation is hearty and sprawling, buffeting passersby like car wash brushes. What’s more: the gap between the wall and the end of each row is very slim; rather than squeeze through it, Konstantin Grabak, the head grower, prefers to roll under each row.

This setup may seem unusual, but it’s all done in the name of efficiency, The Herbal Cure’s prime directive. Grabak sees potential in every square inch of his garden, and he’s committed to maximizing all available space. Sure, he could shorten the rows by a foot and allow a little breathing room, but that would mean less plants, less yield, and less product.

“We try to utilize all of the space we can as efficiently as possible,” Grobak says. “We don’t have any empty spaces.”

Over 80 strains are packed into the flower rooms, including the impossibly sweet-smelling Panama Punch, the fan favorite Purple Cheddar, and the minty fresh Bali Hai. To get the most out of these strains, Grobak, along with his two garden techs Riley Shields and Taylor Thorne, leverage their intimate knowledge of cannabis science.

Temperature, for instance, can have an enormous impact on the quality of the final product, which is why the flower rooms are set a few degrees warmer than the industry average. The extra warmth allows for more CO2 uptake, and more CO2 uptake leads to bigger buds. Toward the end of the grow cycle the plants are transferred to a cooler room, which helps to bring out the flowers’ colors while helping to preserve trichomes.

The Herbal Cure harvests its plants in nine week cycles, ensuring a continual harvest year-round.

Then the flowers go through a onemonth curing process. This ex-

tended curing time allows chlorophyll – the chemical that can contribute to cannabis smoke burning your throat – to degrade, resulting in a cleaner, smoother smoking experience.

In the midst of an industry that’s chock full of trade secrets, Grabak may seem uncharacteristically open about the garden’s procedures, but that’s because Grabak is proud of his product and his operation, and he puts a lot of stock in transparency. “[Many] head growers will keep secrets because they want the company to rely on them,” says Grobak, who makes sure his workforce knows everything he does. “If anything happens to me, if I disappear for two weeks, this place is still going to be able to run itself.”

“We don’t have any empty spaces.”

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GROW

gwROWING ITH

pURPOSE

RESPONSIBILITY IN CANNABIS PRODUCTION ECREATIONAL is spreading across the United States with ever-increasing popularity including the medical front, which continues to press forward in many states that choose to decriminalize the plant. To me, the most beneficial outcome of all the hard-fought cannabis legalization battle has been the increased efficacy of cannabis as a medicine.

With several states allocating money for formal research in universities, we are discovering new pathways being formed to help more patients every day. As the movement pushes forward, and brings easier access to more and more people nationwide, the methods for growing need to be the right ones for both patients and planet.

The methods by which we grow our plants directly impacts the quality of our final product. This includes not only what we fertilize with or whether we do or don’t use pesticides, but how we prune, nurture and harvest the plant. All these play heavily on the end quality; to be more specific, techniques can be chosen with their end use in mind.

To attack the elephant in the room, let’s discuss fertilizers and pesticides first. There are all types of economic and environmental opinions that surround the use of chemical fertilizers, but when it comes to making therapeutic remedies for those with various illness, there is not much room for argument. Science has shown that vegetables grown with chemical fertilizers, though equivalent in macronutrients, substantially lack the quantity of terpenes and antioxidants produced in organically grown vegetables. The same holds true for cannabis. For example, the benefits of juicing cannabis are largely in the amount of antioxidants present. Juicing with chemically fertilized plants would produce substantially lower qualitative values. Similarly, creating a low-heat RSO (Rich Simpson Oil) from organic cannabis will substantially increase the amount of other cancer fighting chemicals in the final product.

Pesticides are a whole other beast, with a large selection available for growers on the market. The number of chemicals allowed on foods seems increasingly out of control. How do we know which ones to safely use?

If consuming the plant, or smoking it for that matter is the ultimate goal, stick to only the natural ingredients or byproducts, such as neem oil, pyrethrins (from Chrysanthemum flowers), and circumstantially spinosad. What many people don’t realize is there’s an entire marketplace dedicated to biological controls, and these can completely eliminate the need for pesticides.

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Ladybugs are the first to come to mind but they are only the tip of the iceberg. For mites, there are several species of predatory mites (the good guys) that can completely control a grow space. Predator nematodes are an especially helpful biological control that eliminate any soil dwelling insects. Phylloxera, fungus gnats, thrips and aphids all start their life cycles in the soil. Using biological controls is substantially cheaper than continually reapplying pesticides, and its often more successful when done right.

When it comes to how we groom our plants, little actions can make a big difference, and the best thing one can do is be intentional. If growing to juice the plant, treat it differently than if growing to produce RSO. When juicing or blending cannabis, all the minerals, vitamins, nutrients and any chemicals present at harvest are consumed. This makes it optimal to harvest and fresh freeze the plant around week 6 or 7 when it has maximized its nutritional production. Just the same, removing healthy fan leaves from a plant to be juiced is only reducing the overall yield; the fan leaves are just as important!

RSO is produced in many different ways but one thing everyone will agree on is the need for quality product to start with. Because RSO uses a solvent to strip the chemicals from the plant matter, makers will need to know everything that is about to be stripped down into the final product.

For RSO many prefer to start with pesticide-free organic dried flower only. It may be more costly to produce, but when treating cancer, costs can be relative.

The love of growing plants is what introduced me to the cannabis world. I believe that how we grow our product and ultimately how we choose to use it is what will define our culture. While the War on Drugs era stumbles to an ignorant end, we are now harnessing the opportunity to redefine our image. No longer will we be seen as ‘lazy stoners’, but as innovative pioneers encompassing business and care for humanity in one.

WRITER •DAVID BAILEY

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PIECE

WRITER •JOSH KRAUS

PHOTOS • JAMIE KRAUS

gLASS BY cJBULLOCK MANY TECHNIQUES, ONE UNIQUE PRODUCT

C

J BULLOCK never knew pipes

could be art until he walked into his first proper headshop.

“I saw this incredible, fully worked, double bubbler sitting on the shelf and my view of glass changed forever.”

That moment set CJ on a path that would lead to him to create his very own line of smokeware products, Glass by CJ Bullock. Rather than confine himself to a specific style, CJ’s creations incorporate a range of techniques such as sandblasted grail work, fuming, air traps, and line work. His shaping, however, is consistent from piece to piece, as evidenced by the Push Bowl Bubbler, a lovely item he created specifically for this article in DOPE. Like much of CJ’s work, the Push Bowl Bubbler is a richly-colored figure of borosilicate glass that’s been finessed into vaguely mammalian formations. The body is a cobalt base with a pure silver fume airtrap, and the bowl and mouth piece feature matching-colored honeycombs. There is a donut hole connecting the stem and can, and the body flaunts three Gilson opals and an airtrapped sculpted feather.

“It’s an old school shape that works with dry flower the best,” CJ says, “and the water filtration makes for a nice, smooth, relaxing hit.”

CJ’s unique style makes his work easily recognizable, a major boon when trying to stand out in such a crowded industry. When one of his pieces shares shelf space with another artist’s work, CJ says that his customers can always single his work out from the rest.

CJ’s work caters to the everyday smoker, but lately he’s been garnering increased interest from collectors.

This is encouraging him to create bigger, more intricate pieces.

FACTS • CJ had a brief apprenticeship under LaceFace Glass.

• CJ’s wife, Kendall Bullock, introduced him to Jamie “Hillbilly” Hunter of HillBilly Glass.

• CJ’s first gig was making spoons and hitters for HillBilly Glass.

$400-$450 www.instagram.com/djayseej/

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WRITER •ANTHONY DIMEO

PHOTOS • ALEXIS EMBREY

sILVER sURFER wAVE rIDER VAPING WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH

RETAIL PRICE: $365

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Innovations are the norm for these guys, and they’re the first company to use spherical, ceramic-encased heating elements that radiate heat more efficiently and never oxidize. Feel safe leaving the unit on during breaks in the action with its extremely reliable construction.

Dial in the right temp with the stylish glass design on the knob, and the perfect angle of this handmade machine provides a fantastic, steady vapor output. Use this with any favorite cannabis flower or concentrates, with a custom diffuser now available for essential oils.

Featuring extra components like specialty wands by expert glassblowers, Customized Wave Riders also offers the option of custom images on the housing, but that doesn’t mean submitting a jpeg of Tony Danza fan-art would be a good choice, because odds are he’s going to be hanging out for a long time. The original SSV, made over 8 years ago, is still prominently displayed in 7th Floor’s own head shop, Higher Elevation Masterpiece Productions where it still maintains solid, everyday use; now that’s durability.

IMED AT providing the most effective and customizable vaporizers on the planet, 7th Floor Vapes in Colorado Springs, might have just created the ideal vaping machine with the Silver Surfer Wave Rider. After several years of research and development, this device has been molded into one of the most durable desktop vapes available.

AVAILABLE AT: www.7thfloorvapes.com or Higher Elevation Masterpiece Productions -CO Springs

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All 7th Floor Vapes are handmade with care and manufactured in Colorado Springs. The use of all original parts, like the aluminum housing, ensures quality is never compromised.

-Their unique heating elements allow for no metal oxidation to occur, maximizing the lifetime all Silver Surfer Vapes.

-Visit www.7thfloorvapes.com to see just how many different options of Silver Surfers and Wave Runners are available, or customize one courtesy of easy dropdown menus that are ripe with a multitude of options.

A safe and innovative way to enjoy concentrates, the Essential Oil Kit with SSV helps minimize potentially dangerous torch use. A titanium e-nail comes with a custom globe heater cover and ground glass wand for outrageous dabbing capabilities.

CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH

WRITER •JOSH KRAUS

PHOTOS • JAMIE KRAUS

sfvPHO WAX

EFFECT

For those seeking versatility in their concentrates, SFV is your winning ticket. The wax has a dual capacity for a light daytime buzz or a full on heavy-hitting nighttime body melt. Smaller dabs typically generate a pleasantly uplifting sativa high that leave many feeling social and energetic. Larger dabs, however, could induce a powerful indica-like slumber.

AROMA

They say small men can cast big shadows.

Well small concentrates sometimes generate big scents, and SFV’s delicate appearance and fair-haired coloring belie its one-two punch of pungent petrol and sour citrus.

It’s surprisingly refreshing, bringing back childhood memories of a crowded summer swimming pool.

THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS

The SFV strain is often used to treat tension, stress, and chronic pain, a benefit only amplified when in concentrated form. Patients wary of unwanted chemicals should note that Craft 710’s propane extraction process improves upon butane extraction by more efficiently purging residual solvents. This leads to a cleaner, healthier dabbing experience.

FLAVOR

With its OG roots and high terpene count, SFV retains a funky flavor profile that hits hard and takes its sweet time to dissipate.

A fuely relish barges into the mouth like it owns the place, but things get a little more interesting when pangs of sugary grape and tangy lemon join the festivities. Then it’s all rounded out with a sweet earthy finish.

PROVIDED BY CRAFT 710

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LOOKS

Craft 710’s unique extraction method doesn’t just preserve the integrity of the cannabinoids, it also preserves the concentrate’s color. Generally speaking, lighter-colored concentrates are higher in quality, and the SFV wax is endowed with a light yellow sheen. Craft 710 cuts their wax into symmetrical square wafers that are pliable, but not too sticky.

GENETICS

SFV is short for San Fernando Valley, the temperate Californian biome where this strain originated. After SFV found its way to sunny Colorado, Craft 710 saw an opportunity to turn the elite OG clone into a premium-grade concentrate. SFV wax is processed in-house via propane extraction of flower they grow themselves.

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FEATURE

USICIAN MELISSA Etheridge dodged the bullet of hardcore drug use during the 1970s and 80s. While fellow artists were grappling with addiction, Melissa was coming to terms with her sexuality in an industry dominated by homophobic men.

“I’ve always felt issues with the gay rights movement and the cannabis movements are so similar,” she says from her home in the hills outside of Los Angeles proper. “Both movements are based on stereotyping, fear, and misinformation, and people need to come out from both closets and talk about it.”

The path Melissa took to advocacy may not have always been a choice, but it was paved with inspiration and knowledge from her father who taught constitutional law to high school seniors.

“He really helped me to understand at a very young age what our government is about,” she shared. “Our founding fathers based the constitution on the way the existing tribal

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A VOICE FOR PEOPLE, PATIENTS, AND THE PLANT.

nations resolved conflict – how they made peace between the tribes in the new world. The way it’s all set up with checks and balances works, it really does.”

In January of 2014 Melissa released the single, “Uprising of Love,” in response to Russia’s tough anti-gay laws and the LGBT community’s request to boycott the 2014 Olympics in Russia. The song is a call to arms for brothers and sisters around the world still drowning in disrespect, while American gays are gaining ground.

My eyes are wide-open recognizing change It feeds the fires of the fear Where human love seems strange I’m gonna rise above I believe that love is love I’m gonna raise my hands With every woman, child and man I’m gonna start an uprising of love

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WRITER •SHARON LETTS

Proceeds from the song named after the Russian advocacy group by the same name were donated to the “Russia Freedom Fund,” aiding the cause on Russian soil.

Melissa said she was confident the democratic process in America would allow gay marriage in time. Cannabis, on the other hand, has been the harder stigma to squash.

“Both the gay rights movement and the movements to end cannabis prohibition are based on misinformation and fear,” she said.

“Children are being taken away from their parents for being cannabis patients, and children in extreme gender conflict are being thrown out of their homes by their own families.”

The contrasts are startling, with performer Miley Cyrus’ non-profit “Happy Hippie Foundation” siting 16 million youth are made homeless each year, with 40 percent identifying as LGBT and family rejection at the top of the list for reasons why (Laganja Estranja, Dope Magazine, Sept. 2015).

With or without Child Protective Services ever getting involved, families continue to discriminate against their pot-smoking, cannabis ingesting family members, with rhetoric rivaling that of a national political campaign.

In 2004 Melissa was diagnosed with breast cancer and began the grueling traditional treatments of surgery and chemotherapy, successfully putting the cancer into remission.

As widely reported, she also endured great physical and emotional suffering, causing her to up her cannabis use during the process with great success.

“Medicating with cannabis saved my life,” Melissa explained. “The side effects of chemotherapy are horrible. Going through treatment was the most eye-opening experience I’ve been through. The medications you must take during and after the treatments have awful side effects and really damage your body. I had no energy whatsoever, could not eat – and cannabis helped with all of it.”

Melissa says cannabis made such a huge difference to her wellbeing, both emotionally and physically and that she ended her traditional treatments early. Once the cancer was gone, she didn’t like the way the medications made her feel.

As discovered through work done with AIDS patients in California, the beneficial effects of simply cannabis for pain and nausea while undergoing chemotherapy or radiation has been shown to be widely effective.

PHOTOS • SHARON LETTS

Dr. Donald Abrams gained approval and recognition for his clinical trials with AIDS patients in San Francisco between 2003 and 2005, documenting a 30% reduction in pain by combining cannabis with prescribed pain killers.

Other studies show secondary cancers and other serious ailments such as stroke and heart attacks directly linked to the use of chemotherapy, chemo drugs, and radiation (Dope Magazine, Tommy Chong; August 2014).

Due to the damaging side effects of conventional therapies, Melissa says she won’t go the traditional route if or when her cancer comes back.

“I’ll definitely ingest the cannabis oil if I need to,” she shares. “I’m a firm believer in its benefits, and was sorely disappointed when Angelina Jolie made the decision to get a double mastectomy out of fear.”

Melissa said out of all the highly debatable subjects she’s been involved with, from gay rights to enlisting David Crosby as a surrogate father to her babies, her speaking out against surgery as prevention for cancer brought on some of her harshest criticism.

“People can do whatever they want with their bodies – your body is yours,” she explains.

“Me l issa expl ains canna b is m a de s u c h a hu ge diffe re n c e t o he r w e llb eing , b oth emotion a lly a n d p hys ic a lly, t ha t s he e n d e d h e r tra di ti on al tr eatments earl y. O n ce t he c a n c e r w a s go n e , s he d id n ’ t l i k e the way th e me d ic a t io n s m a de he r fe e l. ” dopemagazine.com ISSUE 09 THE HEALTH ISSUE

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Compassionate Relief of Santa Cruz in California to create a variety of infused products to include a delicious hot, sweet mustard, honey sticks in three varieties (sunny, funny, and honey – representing sativa, hybrid, and indica), Balmz Away, a topical salve, and small batch wine in association with Coup’ Vineyards in Santa Cruz.

Her “No Label Private Reserve” branded bottle is literally label-free, with the varietal and her name written in gold ink along the base of the bottle. Each bottle is valued at a humorously denoted $420 each.

“If you fear something so much you decide to cut healthy tissue off, by all means, go ahead, but don’t present it to the public as if it’s a courageous act, when it’s based solely on fear.”

Those in the cannabis community are always shaken when hearing of anyone in a high profile position choosing traditional therapies. Its seen by many as a change to get educated about cannabis and pass that on to make a difference for many. That said, cannabis activists are also painfully aware they are ahead of their time when it comes to knowledge of the plant – specifically when putting cancer and serious ailments into remission is concerned.

The recipe for making “Rick Simpson Oil” or “RSO” is actually an old recipe re-created by Canadian Rick Simpson more than 15 years ago, after he was told there was nothing more to be done for a terminal case of skin cancer.

Since his success, the recipe and protocol has been shared via word of mouth only ( helped by social media), and involves ingesting oil orally, or delivery via suppositories. 60 grams of the strong oil in 90 days, with some of the most invasive cancers reported gone in less time (Rick Simpson, Dope Magazine, July 2015).

While Mellissa admitted she doesn’t enjoy ingesting, she said she’s open to learning more about it – especially where cancer prevention is concerned. She’s working with a former Iron Chef and teaming up with Greenway

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“We are infusing wine with cannabis in a cold process that doesn’t activate the THC,” she shared. “The feeling is a warm, full body high.

People who don’t want to smoke or have issues with the psychoactive properties of THC like this option – especially if they already enjoy wine.”

Markets to distribute her developed products are to include the legal state of Colorado, where she’ll be teaming up with Starbuds dispensaries in Denver, giving her an edge on the Rocky Mountain High state.

“We are still working out the legalities of production with alcohol, distribution across state lines, and testing to be in accordance with each city, county, and state ordinance out there,” she advised. “That’s something I’d really like to get involved with – helping to implement smarter ordinances locally in cities and counties. The main thing is, it’s all truly medicine and California is about to go recreational. We need to keep the state at the forefront of cannabis as medicine, where it’s always been.”

With the Department of Agriculture’s change of heart, giving cannabis products measuring in at less than 0.03 percent THC a “Hemp” moniker, she may be able to ship the wine across state lines soon. This writer would not mind being in a “bottle of the month club” with that brand, as alcohol infusion is one of my own personal favorite ways to enjoy the plant.

On another note, the rock star is currently using her voice and her notoriety to support the project of her life, helping to integrate cannabis as medicine with traditional therapies, in negotiations now with a national cancer

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treatment center chain.

“I’ve joined forces with actual oncologists who know, at the very least, that this plant is good medicine,” says Ethridge. “We will be creating places where cannabis will be integrated into traditional treatments.”

While Medicine Man of Denver hints at a relationship with a pharmaceutical chain, and President Obama’s nod to the potential future occurrence of actual research on US soil, the plant is continuing to gain ground with more ways to reach the masses that suffer with real illnesses and disorders that plague our country and world today.

“As I see illnesses are getting worse and the medical community is up against a wall for options on how to treat everything” she surmised. “Then you see documentaries, like Sanjay Gupta’s ‘Weed’ on CNN - because he gets it. Doctors are starting to realize something is not right, that this plant may be a viable option. The future is about health and truly understanding a more holistic approach for each of us. We are responsible for our own bodies. We need to know we have a health system that is poisoned and taking one pill won’t fix it. That’s the next big paradigm shift that needs to happen.”

PRODUCT

Stovetop Apothecary Infusing for Tinctures, Tonics and more

S

IMPLY SAID, an infusion is what any tea drinker does daily – steeping plant material in a compound of liquid to extract flavorful oils from a plant, creating a drinkable or ingestible plant concentrate.

The tea drinker not only gets the flavor of the plant via its essential oils, they also receive therapeutic benefits from the plant, as that’s where the medicinal compounds of the plant are found.

Beneficial plants draw us to them via their scent, luring us into the garden for our own good, literally. We falter if we are going there just when we are sick, for if we keep good plant-based concentrates in our systems on a regular basis we won’t get sick in the first place. That’s how it works. Keeping a steady flow of pungent herbs and spices in diet has

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long been thought to lower instances of disease and illness, as its all truly medicine.

When Peter Rabbit binged on Farmer MacGregor’s garden in Beatrix Potter’s classic tale of the same name, his mother steeped a cup of chamomile tea for the little bunny. She knew the medicinal properties of the flower would calm his digestive system and alleviate the inflammation causing him pain. She also knew it would calm his anxiety, allowing him lay down for a good night’s sleep after the trauma of running for his life. All this came from the little, daisy-like flower grown in her backyard kitchen garden, as was the norm of the day.

Humans have been extracting plant-based essential oils for thousands of years. According to the European Herbal Infusion Association (EHIA), the first records of infusion techniques appeared in the Chinese Pharmacopeia attributed to the Chinese Emperor Shenong sometime around 3,000 BC.

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During the 1st century AD, the Greek physician and pharmacologist Pedanius Dioscorides describes 600 medicinal plants and minerals used for the preparation of infusions in his book De Material Medica (meaning medicines), with cannabis listed as “Kannabis” in the mix.

Chinese surgeon Hua Tuo (c. 140-208) is said to be the first physician to use cannabis as an anesthetic by first making a powder and mixing it with wine, delivering it orally prior to surgery. The Chinese term for anesthesia (mazui) literally means “cannabis intoxication.”

An infusion is a simple process and herbalists and stovetop medicine makers have been practicing it with cannabis since the beginning of time. Though the topic is still being debated and studied, many believe the Holy Anointing Oil from the Bible was made with cannabis via an infusion process.

Ganja Goodness Tincture • 1 large bottle of Rum (1.5 liters) • 1 ounce ground trim (leaf, stem, smalls, crystal leaf) • 1 small bottle of almond extract or vanilla (optional) Add trim to alcohol and let sit in a cool, dark place for two weeks Shake to blend every couple of days Strain with cheesecloth and keep in a glass Can be used in a cocktail, a tonic, or an under the tongue tincture Note: this recipe can also be used with apple cider vinegar or glycerin. As with alcohol, vinegar and glycerin break down the plant material without heat, so there are no psychoactive effects.

Liquids used for infusing plant-based compounds are water, oil, vinegar, glycerin or alcohol, with French presses, tea bags, or cheese cloth used to strain the material from the liquid.

heat. While this wouldn’t be a concern when steeping chamomile, there are many patients who are not comfortable with the effects of THC, and prefer a non-psychoactive option.

Healthy.net states alcohol as an infusing liquid is second only to water for making medicine, and though many regard alcohol as a recreational substance, its properties help break down plant material while offering excellent absorption into the body. Once a tincture or tonic is made using alcohol, its properties naturally preserve the medicine, inhibiting further fermentation that may occur with water or glycerin-based methods. In other words, alcohol infusing gives a longer shelf life.

The irony of the stigma attached to THC is the fact that humans altered the plant’s evolution by breeding higher THC varieties over the last fourty years. The good news is farmers are now hybridizing the plant back to its original state, giving us a cannabinoid (CBD) only option while doing away with the head high some would rather do without.

Where cannabis is concerned, the temperature of the extraction method absolutely defines the psycho-activity of the product made, as Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is activated with

That’s not meant to say we don’t need the THC. It’s needed as par tof the mix for a myriad of ailment including neurological disorders. It has also been reported by many patients that it helps put cancer into remission. Personally, this writer has never had a time without “medicating” with cannabis;

it’s my Ritalin and has been since I was 16.

In fact, even the most adamant self described ‘stoner,’ insisting they are just getting high by burning flower, may actually be decreasing their chance of stroke, heart disease, emotional issues, anxiety, digestive issues, and more. If smoking tobacco along with cannabis, research is now suggesting a lower instance of lung cancer. It’s also becoming suggested that those who vape instead of burning carbon, could actually be healing their lungs of many bronchial maladies, including COPD. Take away the industrial revolution and all you have are humans, critters, and plants put here for our use and benefit. So, the next time you are outside and get a whiff of something sweet, stop and smell the flowers.

If you’d like to see what all the fuss is about, steep that bud in a bit of rum and call it a tincture. Your body will thank you.

“ Where cannabis is concerned, the temperature of the extraction method absolutely defines the psycho-activity of the product made, as Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is activated with heat.” dopemagazine.com ISSUE 09 THE HEALTH ISSUE

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ROAD TRIP

WRITER •SHARON LETTS

PHOTOS • SHARON LETTS

Road Trip: Venice Beach, California Buds & Beach in So Cal

I

T’S COMMON knowledge in Los Angeles, if you want to get a medical “marijuana” card quick and cheap you go to the Venice Beach Boardwalk and lay down forty bucks in one of its many tiny storefront operations.

California was the first state in the country to legalize cannabis as medicine in 1996 with Proposition 215 voted in and the Compassionate Care Act was added to its Health and Safety Code, giving Californians safe access to cannabis for real illness. Being a more liberal town, Venice Beach has embraced the cannabis culture with exuberance and both arms outstretched.

Venice Beach began in 1905 as “Venice of America” with tobacco millionaire Abbot Kinney originally creating a 16 mile neighborhood of canals as homage to Venice Italy along the Pacific Ocean, with Marina Del Rey to the south and Santa Monica to the north.

Kinney, who had won the parcel in a literal coin flip, proceeded to develop the area as a tourist spot, and it remains a popular town within the City of Los Angeles for artists, musicians, and performers who line Ocean Front Walk on the beach sharing space with flame eaters, chain saw jugglers, and the occasional MMJ card mill.

In the 1950s Beatniks gathered in coffee houses. By the 1960s artists and musicians converged here and lived on the cheap. In the 1970s actor and former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, could be found pumping iron on a part of the walk dubbed, “Muscle Beach.” After signing a law decriminalizing small amounts of cannabis in the state, he made the infamous comment “You can just inhale, and you live off everyone else,” acknowledging the aroma of cannabis in the area. At least we know he definitely inhaled.

Today the canals are lined with fancy upgraded mini-mansions with price tags only Hollywood industry-types can afford. There are just a few original cottages remaining, but the shops and stalls that line the beach are still fabulously funky.

The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and surfers were floating out on the sea as I made my way through the circus-like atmosphere. As a crowd gathered, a man broke bottles on a tarp preparing to walk on them barefoot for tips; while a woman read palms for $10 a pop, and an electric guitarist on roller skates played Hendrix, just a typical weekday in Venice Beach.

According to its website The Green Doctor’s office is “located next door to Jodi Maroni’s Sausage - No appointment necessary,” which is the norm at the storefront MMJ card shops; so I popped in to have a chat with one of the good doctors - sans the sausage.

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As was expected, the young doctor had little knowledge of the many benefits of the plant, or the many people that are saying they are using cannabis oil to cure myriad ailments.

No matter, I adjusted my proverbial Florence Nightingale cap and shared my story. “He was more than a little surprised, now follows me on social media, and hopefully he’ll be better informed to help those that only see the recreational aspects of the plant, instead of it’s capacity as a therapeutic treatment for real illness.

Venice also hosts some of the more enlightened dispensaries in the city, with The Green Goddess located near the pier, easy walking distance from Ocean Front Walk. After posting a photo of the pier in social media, Annie Nelson (Willie’s wife) left me a comment encouraging me to visit the shop. With that kind of recommendation, it was a no-brainer.

The facility was clean and staff was friendly, with security just outside the door. I was most impressed with the selection of cannabis medicines available, including a large amount of CBD only oils, tinctures of varied strengths, cannabis caps by Hashman for easy predictable dosing, and a variety of edibles – all tested and plainly marked in professional packaging.

Of the many products lining the tidy shelves were several from The Venice Cookie Company, including organic, vegan, agave sweetened “Not Guilty” medicated cookies, and “The 420 Bar,” sporting the motto “The only bars we’re behind.” Its web site boasts that the thoughtful company creates everything from “teas to tinctures,” with its fruity drink “Cannabis Quenchers” a 2013 High Times Cannabis Cup “Best Beverage” winner.

The shop also carries Mary’s Medicinals’ CBD Transdermal Patches, a woman owned company with origins in Colorado, and Naturally Mystic Organics tinctures and topicals – a personal favorite product line – offering a wide array of doses, combinations of THC, CBD, CBN, daytime and nighttime doses, using additional beneficial herbs synergistically with cannabis.

The most unusual product I’ve seen to date was a little box of infused toothpicks made by Twig, packing a whopping 300 mg of activated THC in each tiny stick.

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The collective also carries Altai Brands, “Artisanal edibles thoughtfully crafted for well-being and enjoyment,” with each beautiful chocolate morsel seemingly hand painted in gold and silver. The company waxes poetic on its creations, stating, “Altai seeks to redefine the use of cannabis in our modern culture by placing it within a centuries-old context of human use.”

Members of the California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA), Altai produces its products in a 15,000 square foot food processing facility with comprehensive food safety tracking systems and raw ingredient batch identification from seed to sale – something already happening in wellorganized Colorado.

The Green Goddess Collective announced it has teamed up with Colorado-based Baker, a software development company with its own online ordering app available for iPhone or Android. The inviteonly app can’t be accessed via the app store, only via its website, TryBaker.com, and allows patients to shorten their wait time in the shop by preordering online.

As for myself, I purchased a sativa dominant hybrid refill for my vape pen, with which I immediately strolled happily to the end of the pier.

Visiting city dispensaries in culturally diverse towns always offers up a great experience. As a California patient I’m grateful for the many producers of good medicine in this favorite LA town, where it’s still cool to take a walk, witness art, music and good food in the California sunshine.

“As for myself, I purchased a sativa dominant hybrid refill for my vape pen, with which I immediately strolled happily to the end of the pier.”

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ISSUE 09 THE HEALTH ISSUE dopemagazine.com

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CANNA NEWS HEALTH

Living With Disability Forest Bathing

T

HIS PAST summer, my

childhood best friend and I decided to plan a different type of getaway. We were feeling burnt out: he with his roundthe-clock startup management, and me with my health problems, which didn’t let up for the summer at all. My lovely lady was feeling pretty stressed as well with the ups and downs of retail. Living in the city, surrounded by the constant glow of digital media, we don’t even get a break from the stream of information at home. We decided to rent a cabin through AirBnB on the Olympic Peninsula, near Quilcene, to immerse ourselves in the wild; out of cell range, and out of touch.

A number of studies show that excessive screen time can impact quality of sleep as well as depression and stress levels. Perhaps you have woken up in the middle of the night and decided to check out your smart phone; you may know how hard it is to fall back asleep after looking at that bright little screen for five minutes. While technology has done wonderful things for us in so many ways, we must realize that we are soft human beings, and that we might need down time, to rebalance ourselves outside of the cyber sphere.

In Japan, walking in the forest and opening up one’s senses constitutes a practice known as shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. This is not nude sunbathing under the trees, but a therapeutic

“Patient access points scramble to stay open as some patients report they are “Scared for first time - all over again” from the limited time remaining for their legal existence, and local governmental authorities are quick to send out hundreds of cease and desist letters.”

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WRITER •JOHNNY HALFHAND

practice to relax deeply, unwind from stress, and rejuvenate through seeking joy and wonder in the forest. Numerous studies in Japan prove even fifteen minutes spent walking or sitting in a quiet, natural setting can reduce physiological signs of stress and anxiety in a pronounced way. They’ve even found that exposure to natural woodlands enhances the immune system’s production of cancer-killing cells.

Disability leaves people housebound, lagging behind the rest of society, and from this perspective the human world can be alienating. Delving into the natural world, whether it is a local park or vast protected backcountry, operates on its own plane as well, a wild plane. Alan Watts once said that the human world is very rigid, built with straight lines and boxes, while the natural world is fluid and squiggly. Living at the grace and will of one’s health feels like a primal struggle - going into the forest and exploring the wonders of the wild is not only relaxing but helps one learn valuable lessons to take back to the human world.

On our last day out on the Peninsula, we drove down to a campground called Hamma Hamma, and found beautiful old-growth forest. Even though walking is difficult for me, I just had to explore; curiosity compels you in such beauty. We followed the sound of babbling water and found the crystal clear mountain waters of the Hamma Hamma River,

PHOTO • JOHNNY HALFHAND

with Mount Skokomish towering in the distance. Putting our feet in the water, we made little dams and eddies, and picked out our favorite old trees in the surrounding glades. When we got back in the car to drive back to Seattle, and back to our workday lives, we felt deeply refreshed, perhaps even on a spiritual level. My pain levels felt reset in a way, and feeling whole again, I was ready to take a crack at my writing projects once more.

The United States has a wonderful national park system, which preserves many different types of woodlands. From the Olympics and Denali to the Redwoods and the Everglades, anyone can go see them and revel and recharge in their beauty. Forest bathing opportunities are everywhere, and the rise of ecotourism also contributes to an alternative tourism which now trades glamor for nature. There are also small local parks, equally delightful for their convenience.

When feeling overwhelmed, taxed and depleted, perhaps you are due for some forest bathing. The autumn is a wonderful time to casually explore the forest, alone or with friends. Take in the many colors, breathe deeply, and listen to the birds singing in the rustling leaves. We come from nature, and it always feels good to be settling in back at home, if even for 15 minutes.

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CANNA-NEWS PESTICIDES

WRITER •JESSICA ZIMMER

Growing It Safe

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Encouraging Best Practices Through Pesticide Regulation HE STATES where cannabis is most heavily farmed and utilized – California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington – are taking steps to encourage safe growing practices and curb the use of dangerous pesticides. Colorado is leading the effort in regulation and enforcement of health and safety standards.

CURRENT GOVERNMENT EFFORTS

John Scott, manager of pesticide programs at the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), said his agency does not advocate the use of any pesticide that is “not according to the label.” Since cannabis is illegal under federal law, chemical manufacturers that develop U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-mandated labels for their products do not list how the products may affect cultivators or consumers. In addition, according to the Organic Foods Production Act, marijuana cannot earn the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) certification of “organic.”

“None of the pesticides have gone through risk assessments for marijuana. No scientific testing (for effectiveness and potential harm) has been conducted specific to marijuana,” said Scott. The CDA and the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) are currently working collaboratively and are in discussions with the EPA about listing certain chemicals as safe to use on cannabis. The process is called special local need (SLN) registration, and each state has produced its own extensive list. Scott said the CDA is collaborating with the WSDA to determine what tests should be conducted to determine whether a

WHY SOLUTIONS ARE NEEDED

Cultivators and state officers agree that state regulation and enforcement can preserve the health of cultivators, consumers, and the environment. Hezekiah Allen, chair and executive director of the Emerald Growers Association, a California-based group of cannabis cultivators, business owners, activists and supporters says pesticide runoff from outdoor grows has the potential to affect “anything that lives in or depends on the water.” He recalls episodes in 2008 and 2009 during which pesticides from cannabis grows found their way into water tanks and rivers in northern California, and was

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pesticide is safe. The products attracting the most negative attention are fungicides that kill mites and have myclobutanil as an active ingredient: Avid, Eagle 20EW, and Floramite.

There have been no formal scientific studies regarding the effects on these pesticides on cultivators or consumers. There are numerous reports on Internet forums from consumers who believe that they experienced episodes of dizziness and respiratory problems after using marijuana grown with the above-mentioned pesticides.

“We’re working with industry in ensuring their compliance regarding worker protection standards. Our goal is to contact each of those (cultivation) facilities,” said Scott. He says the CDA has increased its number of inspections by three times its pre-legalization amount.

The money for additional full time employees comes from general funds generated through cannabis tax dollars.

Jodi Davidson, marijuana examiner program supervisor of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB), said medical marijuana is not yet regulated in the state. The agency was not required by Initiative 502 (I502), the 2012 legislation that legalized cannabis, to test product.

shown to negatively affected salmon populations. In 2010, Allen began having “significant and ongoing conversations with fisheries.” The talks have led to inter-industry cooperation to encourage best management practices for cultivators.

Allen supports a new bill meant to address the problems caused by pesticide runoff: Assembly Bill 243, the Marijuana Watershed Protection Act. This legislation currently being considered by the California legislature would place a $50 fee on each legal plant. The money would go to enhance law enforcement, environmental mitigation and restoration.

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Davidson says, “We are now in the midst of drafting rules for [testing] medical marijuana.”

Mikhail Carpenter, spokesperson for the WSLCB, says the agency will have the power to regulate therapeutic cannabis in July 2016.

Steve Fuller, policy assistant to the director of the WSDA, said the WSDA is currently doing some sanitary inspections of edibles processors under a contract with the WSLCB. Oregon requires therapeutic cannabis to be tested for pesticides, but labs are not yet held to any set standards. Cultivators are expected to take the initiative in pulling their product off shelves if it is found to contain harmful substances. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which will oversee recreational cultivators, has a committee that is currently discussing how labs should operate. California does not require therapeutic cannabis (medical marijuana) to be tested for pesticides. Its legislature is considering Assembly Bill 266.

Under this bill, the California Department of Public Health would test the product and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) would oversee cultivation.

Taylor West, deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association says, “It is incumbent on (cannabis-related) businesses in the community to develop alternatives to those federally established options for pesticides.”

“You’re seeing some efforts come out of the industry. It’s a smart move; many of our customers and consumers are patients. It’s important that the industry not create issues or complications with their health problems,” says West.

He agrees that growing clean is a way for smaller cultivators to “distinguish themselves and their brands.”

WAYS TO COMBAT MITES, MOLD, AND MILDEW Chris Conrad, a California-based cannabis legal expert, says he is concerned that many states, including Colorado, are using USDA guidelines that suggest that if a plant can be treated with a certain pesticide that can be eaten, it can also be safely smoked.

“To me, that’s missing the step of [understanding] what happens when you burn it [the pesticide],” said Conrad. He explains it is possible to determine from the smoke or ash whether cannabis has been treated with chemicals. “Often adulterants [such as pesticides] are visible in the smoke. If it’s blue to white, or pale grey, it’s from a clean plant. If the smoke has a brown or blackish tint, that’s a sign of an adulterant. An ash that’s white and powdery or that comes out with lumps and specks is also a sign of an adulterant,” said Conrad. He also shares that water, milk, baking soda, and Neem tree oil are several natural ways to get rid of powdering mildew.

Bodhi Urban, head grower at Preferred Organic Therapy, a Denver-based dispensary, uses a variety of safe and natural methods to keep plants healthy. “For spider mites, I use (the spray) Green Clean, it takes care of the eggs. For fungal issues, I use a lot of essential oils: clove, peppermint, thyme, cinnamon, and lemon oil as well as soap,” says Urban,”If the essential oils aren’t working, I reinforce with applications of different bacteria strains.

I use the fungicides Actinovate and Double Nickel 55TM, and brew compost teas (a blend of decaying organic matter, steeped in water) to breed microbes. They also help keep everything nice and green. I have a soil blend, Anbessa Organics, that I developed that utilizes a wide spectrum of herbs,” says Urban.

Urban said the best way to protect indoor grows is to control the climate of the space.

“The humidity should be no greater than 40%, with fluctuations of temperature never varying more than ten to fifteen degrees, and you don’t want to underwater or overwater your plants.” says Urban. He says cannabis strains differ; it helps to be aware that a crop has specific needs. “CBD strains (such as Charlotte’s Web, which may not contain much THC) are more like hemp. They don’t need as much nutrients [as high THC strains] to grow to their full potential.”

Danielle Billings, co-founder of the Colorado Hemp Project, a Sterling-based entity that seeks to plant a 196-acre farm of a cannabis strain with a high amount of CBD and a low amount of THC, says, “Cannabis is a crop that does not need pesticides.” She says she thinks some growers have used dangerous pesticides, because there has been a proliferation of large grows with inexperienced owners. “If you don’t have a good owner, that person is not going to care about the end product; they’re just about the money. It’s very visible here in Colorado.

There are $60,000 to $70,000 operations that get shut down because of mites and mold.”

Michael Johnson, chief operating officer of Highly Distributed, a wholesale cannabis company based in Talent, Oregon, said he thinks cultivators only use dangerous pesticides when they are inexperienced or lazy.

“If you round the corner from July to August and your plants are just beginning to flower, you could lose $100,000. Synthetic products

fix the problem with one application, but you can be proactive and spray with healthy products before things go bad,” says Johnson, who was an organic vegetable farmer for four years prior to growing cannabis. He says that starting from seed helps. “Clones usually have a little baggage. The fewer people from which you receive genetics the better…[because] you pass the bugs and the diseases all around.”

Chris Van Hook, director of Clean Green Certified, a Crescent City, California-based business that offers the only nationally recognized third-party certification for cannabis, said cultivators growing outdoors should increase biodiversity in their plots.

“Providing beneficials (plants that protect cannabis) helps to keep pests “below action threshold.” If you are growing surrounded by woods and forest, there’s a lot (of those) around naturally. You can “companion plant” with premixes of multiple (flowers): zinnias, marigolds, as well as clover and grasses, with seed pods.” He also says keeping indoor and outdoor growing and processing areas, including tools and storage containers within these areas both quarantined and separate, as well as clean and organized.

Van Hook added that buying predator mites or ladybugs and putting a screen mesh around outdoor grows can also further minimizes the effect of infestations.

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WHAT’S COMING NEXT? All of the cultivators interviewed said federal legislation to legalize cannabis would be the most effective step to prevent pesticide misuse and develop best practices for cultivation. “We (the National Cannabis Industry Association) are trying to do our part by providing forums… that move toward cannabis becoming a federally accepted product.” says West.

Allen says that in the meantime, states should institute regulations regarding pesticides, so that “every product on the shelf is safe.”

“We need the state of California to develop (more thorough) standards for pesticides (for cannabis),” says Allen.

In April 2015, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) released its first guidelines regarding pesticides and pest management for cannabis. The five-page document relied on two sources and did not delve into the details of maintaining grows or applying chemical solutions.

Allen said California has an enormous influence on American agriculture. Other states will see cannabis-related regulations that the CDPR and CDFA puts into effect as instructional and authoritative.

“The consumer has got to be smart enough to know there is no organic cannabis, and to look for a certified product. They need to know that if you’re not handling certified cannabis, you’ve got a good possibility you’re supporting pesticide use and unfair labor practices.”

“We’d love to have guidance from the University of California system, which does a great deal of research on agriculture, about how to treat [cannabis] plants. We need to incentivize and reward producers who are participating in [best practices] because it’s going to be challenging. We should be enforcing [the regulations] for those who don’t participate,” says Allen.

Van Hook agreed and says “California is the agricultural giant, globally.” Johnson says he thinks the market can also help drive best practices. “At this stage in the game, with no federal oversight, the only guarantee a consumer has is independent third-party certification, and a product that’s been tested that really knows.”

Van Hook says dispensaries and collectives play an important part in consumer education.

“The consumer has got to be smart enough to know there is no organic cannabis, and to look for a certified product. They need to know that if you’re not handling certified cannabis, you’ve got a good possibility you’re supporting pesticide use and unfair labor practices. I think that every time a dispensary or collective has taken the time to educate their consumer base, it differentiates their products from those on the market and that’s become a very good marketing tool,” says Van Hook. Billings says consumers and cultivators have the potential to work together to guide government agencies.

“Cannabis is supposed to be a healing plant; there needs to be more love and compassion in the conversation. If the intention of the industry is to help people, why are we spraying pesticides?” says Billings. “There needs to be more educational conferences, more warnings, and a list of products that are indicated as dangerous,” says Billings.

Allen says that cultivators and consumers should inform government agencies as to which practices should not be encouraged. “I’m not opposed to law enforcement; we need to distinguish between cannabis agriculture and criminality,” says Allen. “Right now the criminals have a competitive advantage. It takes time, energy, and resources to grow correctly.” He also acknowledges it is dangerous to allow cannabis cultivators to proceed without more guidance, because the industry is still very young. “One nursery has the ability to affect 100 farms.”

He is quick to point out that all parties can focus on a common message to help encourage cultivators to produce safely and work toward keeping the industry financially stable. “It is not a crime to grow pot. It is a crime to poison people.”

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The Clinic Paris 5098 Paris St. Denver CO 80239

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Buddy Boy Brands 5050 York St. Denver CO 80216

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Buddy Boy Brands 120 S. Kalamath St. Denver CO 80223

The Health Center 2777 S. Colorado Blvd.

Denver CO 80222

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Terrapin Care Station 11091 E. Mississippi Ave. Aurora CO 80012

Buddy Boy Brands 468 S. Federal Blvd.

Denver CO 80219

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Good Meds Network 3431-G S. Federal Blvd.

Englewood CO 80110

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The Health Center 1736 Downing St. Denver CO 80218

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Good Meds Network 8420 W. Colfax Ave. Lakewood CO 80215

Terrapin Care Station 11900 E. 33rd Ave Aurora CO 80010

DANK 3835 Elm St. Denver CO 80207

The Clinic Colorado 3888 E. Mexico Ave. Ste. 110 Denver CO 80222

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The Clinic Highlands 3460 W. 32nd Ave. Denver CO 80211

Buddy Boy Brands 155 N. Federal Blvd Denver CO 80219

Native Roots Edgewater 5610 W. 20th Ave.Edgewater CO 80214

Native Roots Denver 1555 Champa St. Denver CO 80202

Native Roots 4990 Dahlia Denver CO 80216

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The Clinic on Colfax 4625 E. Colfax Ave. Denver CO 80220

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Buddy Boy Brands 4012 W. 38th Ave. Denver CO 80212

Buddy Boy Brands 3814 Walnut St. Denver CO 80205

Buddy Boy Brands 777 Umatilla St. Denver CO 80204

The Clinic on Jewell 12018 W. Jewell Ave. Denver CO 80228 The Clinic on Wadsworth 3600 S. Wadsworth Lakewood CO 80235

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The Green Solution 2601 W. Alameda Denver CO 80219

Native Roots South Denver 2645 S. Sante Fe Dr, Unit D Denver CO 80223

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The Green Solution 4400 Grape St. Denver CO 80216

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The Green Solution 389 Wadsworth Denver CO 80226 The Green Solution 470 Malley Dr. Northglenn CO 80233

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The Green Solution 6020 W. 20th Ave. Edgewater CO 80214

The Green Solution 14301 E. Colfax Ave. Aurora CO 80011

The Green Solution 5231 S. Sante Fe Drive Denver CO 80120

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The Green Solution 1450 Havana St. Aurora CO 80010

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The Green Solution 3179 S. Peoria Ct. Aurora CO 80014

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The Green Solution 350 S. Potomac St. Aurora CO 80012

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The Green Solution 6681 Federal Blvd.

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Rocky Mountain Organic Therapy: 511 Orchard Street, Golden, CO 80401 720-230-9111

Preferred Organic Therapy (P.O.T) 1569 S Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80222 (303) 867-4768

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Terrapin Care Sation 1795 Folsom St. Boulder CO

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Native Roots Boulder 1146 Pearl St. Boulder CO

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Terrapin Care Sation 5370 Manhattan Circle Boulder CO

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Dandelion 845 Walnut Boulder CO

Headquarters Cannabis Company 537 Canyon Blvd.

Boulder CO

MMJ America 1 909 Broadway Boulder CtO

Green Tree Medicinals 5565 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder CO

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Headquarters Cannabis Company 4497 Ute HWY Longmont CO The Farm 2801 Iris Ave. Boulder CO Boulder Botanics 1750 30th St.Boulder CO Village Green Society 2043 16th St. Boulder CO Lyons Finest 4071 Ute HWY Longmont CO Green Tree Medicinals 5565 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder CO Green Dream Health Services 6700 Lookout Rd. Boulder CO The Peaceful Choice 7464 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder CO Karing Kind 5 854 Rawhide Ct. Boulder CO 14er Boulder 2897 Mapleton Ave. Boulder CO

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Magnolia Rd. Cannabis Co. 1750 30th St.Boulder CO

The Green Room 2750 Glenwood Dr. Boulder CO

Boulder Wellness Center 5420 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder CO

Root Organic 5420 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder CO

Elements Boulder 1 534 55th St. Boulder CO

Helping Hands Herbals 1021 B Pearl St. Boulder CO

The Station 3005 28th St.Boulder CO

LivWell Boulder 3000 Folsom St. Boulder CO

The Bud Depot 138 E. Main St. Lyons CO

CANNA-NEWS HEALTH

WRITER •ABIGAIL ROSS

CANNABIS bODY PRODUCTS Relaxing With a Clear Mind

HE DIVERSITY of cannabis-infused products is ever expanding, and contemporary cannabis shops now over everything from cannabis-coffee pods to CBD acne treatment. Most of us have tried a lotion or tincture by now from a local dispensary or recreational store, and these cannabis-infused products may be worth keeping in the medicine cabinet for the long haul. Cannabis-infused products are helping people unwind and reach a deeper state of relaxation, and perhaps much more effectively than other poten-

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ISSUE 09 THE HEALTH ISSUE dopemagazine.com

tially harmful options, and purchasing these products supports local entrepreneurs within the cannabis community. Lacking the psychoactive high that smoking or ingesting cannabis produces, these still retain powerful therapeutic effects. These products have gained much popularity and there are so many products and goodies available now, we’re breaking it down to make it easier for people get on the path to unwinding.

Nothing helps relax muscles and calm inflammation quite like a great cannabis salve, oil, or lotion. These products

will definitely perform whether sitting at a desk all day or just working out at the gym, topicals can treat a variety of ailments, wrist pain, back pain, or just plain old muscle pain can be melted away instantly with the right product.

Cannabis-infused massage oils during a massage make a great add on to an already relaxing experience. Some massage therapists will offer massage with cannabisinfused products or can be open to using products the client brings from home. Make sure to ask beforehand, as laws are different in each state, and all massage therapists answer to the Dept of Health which is a government entity. It’s also important to point out that no amount of topicals will get anyone high. We contacted Megan Schwarting, owner and co-creator of their multi-Cannabis Cup winning line of topicals, Kush Creams to clarify this. She gets asked the “will it get me high” question all day, and her answer to our inquiry?

“I once heard a wise doctor explaining to a patient that she could go swim in a pool full of Kush Creams™, and as long as she didn’t open her mouth and swallow a bunch of it, she would not get high or fail a urinary analysis” Megan explains. Each kind of topical on the market has slightly different levels of cannabinoids which produce a different therapeutic effects. Most products will also add essential oils and other healing herbs, that provide a wide range of medicinal effects when combined with terpinols. Try a few different options and find the one that works best. Many people are now saying they’ve left their over-the-counter pain meds behind!

WHY COMBINE EMU OIL & CANNABIS? Topicals are showing themselves effective on everything from deep neuropathic pain to simple surface irritations. Combining cannabinoids with emu oil requires consumers to use less product for a wider spectrum of ailments. Cannabinoids in topicals bind to CB2 receptors in the skin and help cells regenerate naturally, promoting healing at the dermal level.

The benefits of emu are as follows: Emu oil has an abundance of essential fatty acids (EFA) containing 70% that are necessary to the human body.

It’s 50% oleic acid (omega 9) which is an excellent transdermal carrier.

Baths are another great way to unwind at the end of a long, stressful day. These cannabis-infused goodies are definitely worth a try and have been said by many dealing with chronic pain to be a game-changer for them.

Cannabis-infused bath bombs work similar to fizzy drink tablets, typically made up of baking soda, Epsom salt, essential oils, and in our case, infused with cannabis.

Cannabis-infused bath salts are also great and sometimes easier to find for a longer soak. Both of these products will help with the end of the day unwind and help many get the most out of a good night sleep.

Last but not least, cannabis-infused lip-balms deserve a place in the line up. As fall rolls in, lips are more susceptible to dryness and chapping. Cannabis lip-balm is great because it can be used anywhere you experience severe dryness or irritation. Many who suffer from regular cold sores have reported cannabis-infused lip-balms help them prevent breakouts and cut down on healing time.

This may be due to the anti-viral properties of cannabis.

Fortunately for all of us, the mainstream spa industry is slowly catching up in discovering how truly nourishing and relaxing cannabis infused products can be. Until then, create a cannabis spa experience from the comfort of your own home. Relax, unwind, and break out those cannabis-infused bath-bombs!

Emu oil is 15-20% linoleic acid (omega 6) and 1-3% linolenic acid (omega 3). These are powerful anti inflammatory agents and increase production of hormones like a substance called eicosanoids which jumpstarts the skin’s healing process.

The Cannabis and Emu oil non polar fatty acid formulation moves through the cells easily with short chain fatty acids, performing like long chain fatty’s, it is almost 100% triglyceride lipid with no phosphorus molecules.

How does this help in getting the cannabis to where it really hurts? Essential fatty acids (EFA’s) penetrate the skin deeply, and at the same time carry active compounds, like cannabinoids in this case, to where they have the most effect.

Megan Schwarting, Kush Creams™

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CANNA-NEWS BUSINESS

WRITER •JOSH KRAUS

PHOTOS • JAMIE KRAUS

iNCREDIBOWL iNDUSTRIES LIFELONG PIPES MEANS LIFELONG CUSTOMERS

W

HEN YOU see the name Incredibowl, you might recall

Snoop Dogg’s use of the company’s i420 Double Barrel Shotgun on stage during this year’s Riot Fest, or the video where Incredibowl’s owner, Mike Cupo, runs over one of his shatter-proof pipes with his car to demonstrate its durability. You might think of the 19 Cannabis Cup awards the company has received over the years, but beneath the celebrity endorsements and award-winning pipe designs is just a basic and unyielding commitment to their clientele, with products meant to last their lifetime.

Cupo credits Incredibowl’s customer-oriented philosophy to a simple conversation between his father and an outdoor recreation retailer.

After getting a new puppy, Cupo senior decided to order a pair of fuzzy slippers, but unfortunately he wasn’t the only one with an appetite for footwear. “His new puppy chewed up the front of them,” Cupo recalls, “but the back was also coming unstitched, so he took pictures, and he’s like, ‘Listen, I know my dog chewed these up, but as you can see there’s no chew marks back here where it’s coming unstitched,’ and no questions asked, they sent him a new pair.”

That simple gesture of trust and goodwill stuck with Cupo for years, eventually motivating him to build a company that customers know they can always rely on. Incredibowl stands behind all of their merchandise, and prioritizes customer service above all else. That’s why they put a lifetime warranty on their flagship product, the i420, and they tell us

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every product upgrade is made to be reverse compatible; if you have an older unit, you can still buy accessories. “We want to keep [releasing] new products without compromising our product ethics,” Cupo says.

The idea for the Incredibowl came in 2008 while Cupo and Mitchell Shenassa, the company’s co-founder, were enrolled in CU Boulder. On 420, the two friends went to the quad to celebrate, and were astonished by what they saw. Joining them were thousands of other students, and a whole lot of cannabis.

“I grew up in Florida,” Cupo says, “and I’m sitting here with a joint and there’s cops standing over there, and nothing happened … nobody got into a fight, nobody got hurt. We were kind of shocked.” In that moment, Cupo and Shenassa had a premonition: Colorado was going to fully legalize cannabis, and soon. “We knew everyone was going to start growing it, and everyone was going to start selling it,” Cupo recalls. ‘We figured there really hadn’t been much in the way of development as far as paraphernalia, so we thought we’d jump in and make a new pipe.”

By 2009, Cupo and company had engineered the first incarnation of the Incredibowl, a smoking system designed to outperform and outlast every other product on the market. To make it unbreakable, they built the expansion chambers out of shatterproof polycarbonate. To enhance vapor flow, they integrated high-grade 6061 aluminum, and to ensure resistance to chemicals and extreme temperatures, they crafted the bowl out of Colorado-blown borosilicate glass.

“While the Incredibowl team certainly pays the proper respect to their humble beginnings, they’re very much focused on the future.”

Needless to say, the first few product runs sold like hot cakes, but in order to truly distinguish themselves from the competition, they knew the company needed serious momentum. So they traveled to Amsterdam, entered the Incredibowl into Amsterdam’s Cannabis Cup, and walked away with 2nd Place in the Best Product catagory.

The recognition gained from the Cannabis Cup helped Incredibowl expand their business. Able to hire more people and increase production, they established a devoted customer base. Eventually, the team moved from a rundown building in Longmont to a roomy Boulder warehouse.

As a bonus, the warehouse sat a mere two blocks down the road from their machine shop, and suddenly their laser engraver was just across the parking lot.

“We keep everything local,” Cupo says. “We put ‘Made in Boulder, Colorado USA’ on all the units…we haven’t sold a single dime bag of weed in this whole thing, yet we’re putting millions of dollars into the Colorado economy.”

“We’re always improving products,” Cupo says. “We’re refining the carb and the smoke injection so you can tune it to your liking, if it’s dabs or flower or whatever. We’re going to make it clog less. We’re going to make the glass a little harder to break.”

In addition to continuous improvement, Incredibowl is also dreaming up completely new products. The Snoop Dogg-approved i420 Double Barreled Shotgun may be garnering the most buzz, but the team is also hard at work on something they’re calling the Milk Machine. This little box of wonders chills and condenses cannabis vapor to such a degree it can be pumped into a mug. Cupo describes it as “smoke in a cup.”

The Milk Machine is still going through revisions, but when it does go into production, you can bet loyal fans of it will receive the fuzzy slipper treatment as well. Years after Cupo’s father received that complimentary pair of slippers, Incredibowl customers are still treated with the same kindness. This is based on a fact they say they will never take for granted: Customers are the lifeblood of their company.

The company’s sense of pride can be seen and felt just by walking around the office. Press clippings decorate the walls and older product models fill the shelves. In the research and development room, Cupo even keeps a yellow binder stuffed with initial product sketches and mockups.

But while the Incredibowl team certainly pays the proper respect to their humble beginnings, they’re very much focused on the future.

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CANNA-NEWS

WRITER •KELLY VO

PHOTOS •GEOFFREY DONNE

E ND 420 SHAME

It’s Been 15 Years Since I Needed Prescription Pills

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HIGH-POWERED lawyer in the Los Angeles music

paid, and

industry, Evan Kopelson had what appeared to be the perfect life. Eating sushi dinners four times a week, expensive lunches every day, drinks every night, and attending raves every weekend. The truth was a different story. Overworked, underdeep in debt, Evan suffered from severe anxiety.

It was the early 90s, prior to California’s medical cannabis bill, and his treatment options were limited. Even if cannabis had been available, the relationship between cannabis and anxiety is fraught with conflicting opinions, open scorn, and desperate individuals.

The complications of Evan’s anxiety and medications piled up. “Years later,” Evan said, “I never thought about the pills—they were part of my life. I could not imagine being without them.” His addiction and reliance grew to the point that if anything in Evan’s life caused him to feel less than 100%, he asked the doctor for another pill.

Life was untenable; prescription drugs ruled his days, and hard drugs ruled his nights and weekends. Evan was divorced, depressed, and addicted to countless substances. “Nothing was right,” he said. “I was sick inside and out.” Something had to give.

Finally, after years of abusing his body with no true relief, Evan turned to alternative medicine. In just a few months, Evan’s life was For outsiders, using therapeutic cannabis to treat anxiety is laughdramatically different. His desire to take prescription drugs melted able. In fact, it can be the chief argument against the use of cannabis away alongside his symptoms. It was all thanks to yoga and the introas medicine, but a study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that “cannabis and its derivatives have profound effects on a wide duction of medical cannabis to California in 1996, and the evidence supports Evan’s story that cannabis is often a good alternative. variety of behavioral and neural functions.” THC and CBD act on the endocannabinoid The National Center for Biotechnology Insystem—the system in our brain respon“For individuals who experience anxiety formation (NCBI) determined that a dose of high-CBD cannabis significantly reduces sible for naturally and high levels of stress, cannabis is a anxiety, cognitive impairment, and discomfort. regulating anxiety miracle cure, but for Evan, it would be a CBD holds many advantages over prescripand stress levels. tion treatments—it’s delivered quickly and long journey to relief.” efficiently and lacks the severe withdrawal For individusymptoms and side effects. So why is it that als who expeindividuals who use cannabis for anxiety are openly ridiculed? rience anxiety and high levels of stress, cannabis is a miracle cure, but for Evan, it would be a long journey to relief.

Evan said it this way: “People mention ‘anxiety’ as if it is the biggest crock of shit excuse to get a doctor’s recommendaAnxiety pursued Evan on and off the job, then one day he tion letter for medical cannabis. However, none of those rushed out of the office in a full-blown panic attack; it was unpeople have likely ever experienced a panic attack.” acceptable. “After my first real panic attack,” Evan says “I went to see my doctor.” He was desperate for help, thus began The truth is, no one has the right to tell someone else why Evan’s journey into the dark world of prescription drugs. they should or should not use cannabis. Every medical condition is valid. In spite of the naysayers, cannabis and anxiety It started with Valium. Prescribed 5mg two to three times daily, relief go hand-in-hand. And as the industry has grown, counthe upped his dose when they did not work. Suddenly he was takless strains have evolved to treat a variety of ailments. ing 10mg, and his quality of life was declining. “I was lethargic all the time and could barely get my work done,” he remembers.

For Evan, cannabis changed his life. “It has been over Depression set in and more prescriptions were needed.

15 years, maybe 20, since I’ve needed those [prescription] pills,” he explains. “I still keep them as a reminder Next came Ativan, followed quickly by Xanax, Flexeril, and of how far I’ve come, and how badly I was lost.”

Naproxen. Then Adderall and Ritalin became a necessity, and finally Ambien and Halcion were added to the mix.

When we asked Evan to share one thing that he wants everyone to know about cannabis. He says, “I am so grateful to have had these Evan had his very own drug farm, and each pill treated something experiences and to be able to share them with others. Together, we different. Xanax took the edge off. Evan’s stress-related back, neck, can end the shame once and for all around cannabis use.” and shoulder pain required Flexeril and Naproxen. Adderall and Ritalin helped him focus, and Ambien and Halcion let him sleep.

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CANNA-NEWS BUSINESS

cANNABIS bRANDING EXPECTATIONS AND SETBACKS

T

HE CANNABIS industry faces

unique marketing and branding challenges other legal industries do not. A cannabis business, even sometimes an ancillary one, comes with a strict set of rules that must be adhered to under penalty of law. A company that breaks those rules could find itself in a lot of trouble. Additionally, even basic branding and marketing choices mean the difference between a successful product and a failing one.Branding and marketing are just business basics 101.

Having a solid brand identity is a must for any company that expects to compete. Effective,

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well-established branding helps a company stay on message and on task. It helps consumers more readily identify your products and creates an expectation about the quality of that product.

A brand with energy poured into it, exudes that energy. Customers and potential customers can tell when you’ve spent time and money honing a logo, tagline, packaging, etc., until it’s just right, and for employees, a meaningful and genuine brand identity, and corresponding mission statement, can create a sense of family that often fosters hard work, dedication and loyalty.

ISSUE 09 THE HEALTH ISSUE dopemagazine.com

Marketing can affect a project positively or negatively from the beginning, and make a product famous or irrelevant from the get-go, even if it really could sometimes use a little more time in the think tank. Thoroughly and thoughtfully considering every conceivable scenario to ensure that brand marketing is not only original, but sincere and attention getting (while not crossing over an imaginary line) is a stressful and demanding process. But in the cannabis industry, businesses are also faced with a unique set of social and legal challenges.

Socially, cannabis company owners, employees and users have been slated with the

WRITER •BRITTANY DRIVER

overwhelming task of “rebranding” what it means to be a marijuana user. And if that wasn’t enough, that call for a rebranding has caused an inner struggle in the industry. There is a very fine line to walk when even talking about this, “rebranding.”

On one hand, the veteran business owners and long time MMJ activists can get a little sore at hearing the need to give cannabis a new face, and to a point, rightfully so. These heroes of our community shouldn’t feel less than because they are perceived of fitting a “stoner stereotype” more than others in the industry might. I think it’s very important to recognize and appreciate those that came before us - not to whitewash and button everything up so tightly that the culture the industry was built on is merely swept under the rug.

On the other hand, the classic pothead of yesteryear and the bong babe of last year were not making the conventional fuddy duddys in this country any more sympathetic to the cannabis cause. Thanks to activists and promarijuana lobbyists, medical cannabis has spread to nearly half the United States. But in 2014, with all eyes focusing on the effects of recreationally available cannabis, Coloradans felt a tight squeeze than usual. It meant, in part, that it was time to get a little less countercultural.

Rebranding the industry means the people in it need to stop using the words “pothead” and “stoner” to describe themselves – and remember it’s not weed, it’s cannabis. The term “weed” describes a plant with little to no value, so it’s time we all agree that this term is not an accurate descriptive.

We do have to be careful how we are presenting ourselves while the industry is getting so much media attention (remember, the whole world is watching) but at the end of the day we’re more alike than we are different.

And that’s not even giving any ink to the sexual exploitation women face in cannabis advertising.

The fight to get male owned and run companies to see past the bikini clad broads hitting bongs feels like a never ending battle. There are days when it seems to be improving and there are days when I see some guy’s Instagram account displaying a half naked girl with a nug of weed between her breasts. If those women asserted themselves as brains in the industry rather than just beauties, they might make more money leading their own cannabis business, instead of ending up arm candy for some old demented egomaniac with hair plugs in an Ed Hardy shirt.

But I digress.

We do have to be careful how we are presenting ourselves while the industry is getting so much media attention (remember, the whole world is watching) but at the end of the day we’re more alike than we are different. We’re all smoking or vaping, or eating or using or growing or selling or testing - or in some capacity working with cannabis. That’s a bond we share, and that’s a wonderful thing.

Legally, branding and marketing things get a little less personal and a little more puzzling.

Standards and practices for the Colorado cannabis industry should be written, very lightly, in pencil. They change often enough to be called what they really are, an experiment.

Packaging rules for example, are modified so frequently that dispensaries and edibles manufacturers are in a constant scramble to assure they remain compliant with the state.

Currently, there is an issue being discussed in Colorado concerning the labeling of edibles..

The state suggests that manufacturers of infused food products must mark each package (and even perhaps the food product itself) with a symbol they feel will act as a warning to children.

Originally the state hoped to place a red stop sign on the products, but instead settled on a red diamond with “THC” printed inside of it.

GRAPHICS • BRANDON PALMA

is going to a dispensary to smoke some poison.

But although most grows have stopped using the banned pesticides, at least one dispensary kept a pesticide in question on the label.

Jake Salazar, owner of MMJ America, had flower product held in late August of this year. The labels on his cannabis included the banned substance, an insecticide called spinosad. The story hit The Denver Post and The Cannabist and filtered throughout the Denver cannabis community. Later, Salazar’s product tested clean and was returned. In an interview, Salazar told The Denver Post, “We order pre-printed bags, 70,000 units every time. Last time we ordered them, this wasn’t a banned substance.

We now have to throw all of those bags away and re-order 70,000 more without that ingredient, which we clearly don’t use.”

So it’s the cost of doing business, sure, tossing away all those bags and buying new ones but it’s also the brand management, no? The brand could have thoughtfully and responsibly reacted to the ban, printed new bags immediately and distanced itself from the pesticide in question.

In turn, customers would have felt safe and important to the people in charge. Now they’ve got the uphill challenge ahead of making sure they are seen as thoughtful and responsible after the fact.

Compliant branding and marketing in the cannabis industry, that isn’t sexist or offensive to the existing subculture, is a must-have. It sets an important standard in my eyes, and in the eyes of the millions of people watching to see if we fail. Whatever your company puts out into the world is going to represent us all, so let’s make sure it’s our very best effort.

Additionally, Colorado is cracking down on cannabis grows that aren’t using the proper treatments to prevent pests. And good on them because clean and healthy cannabis is what patients and recreators alike deserve. No one

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THURS OCT 8

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THURSDAY OCT 8

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THURS OCT 15

SUN OCT 18 with LYRICS BORN (10.17 ONLY) & Pinky D’Ambrosia

FRI OCT 16 & SAT OCT 17

SUNDAY OCT 18

ALL AGES SHOW 8:30 PM

BOULDER, CO (720)-645-2467

WED OCT 21 ALL AGES SHOW 8:30 PM

TUES OCT 27

WEDNESDAY OCT 21

FIND US ON THE INTERWEB BOULDER, CO (720)-645-2467

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