DOPE Magazine - Colorado - The Advocacy Issue - March 2018 by DOPE Magazine

THE ADVOCACY ISSUE

COLORADO FREE

MARCH 2018

PIVOTING FROM THE COURT TO CANNABIS FEATURE

TRAVEL

POLITICS

ADVOCACY

POLITICS

AMAZON: THE NEW INDENTURED SERVITUDE?

ORGANIC CANNABIS CULTIVATION IN MOROCCO

FOCUS ON LOCAL POLITICS, NOT TRUMP

THE ZENDO PROJECT

THE RISE OF SWING LEFT

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MARCH 2018 | THE ADVOCACY ISSUE

EDITOR’S LETTER I

f you’re reading this issue of DOPE Magazine, there is no doubt that you are, in some way, an advocate. There’s no lack of avenues to choose from when it comes to advocacy in this day and age. Whether you’re a political, environmental or social justice supporter, you’re bound to find something in this issue that resonates with you.

TOP VIDEOS

NBA LEGEND JOHN SALLEY DOPE LIFE

Gracing our cover is four-time NBA Champion John Salley and his daughter, Tyla. They’ve partnered up for the launch of their new cannabis business—Deuces! Representing John’s number 22 jersey, Deuces is a top-shelf cannabis line jumping into the brand-new California recreational market this spring. While John has his hand in several cannabis businesses, Deuces is their family business, with Tyla at the helm as CEO. With only a year under their belts as a company, this father-daughter duo are already making serious waves. We take a look at the Zendo Project, spearheaded by Sara Gael (MAPS’ Harm Reduction Coordinator), which seeks to ease difficult drug experiences and create safe havens for festivalgoers who opt to use psychedelics to heighten their experiences. Festival promoters, law enforcement and emergency response teams are taking note of the positive results of implementing programs like the Zendo Project.

DO YOU EVEN VAPE, BRO?

We talk about the ways in which your political involvement on the local level can create effective change beyond what can be done on a federal level. As our writer so eloquently puts it, “You have a better chance of speaking with someone at county hall than at the White House.” Ain’t that the truth. Get motivated, get out and make change! We travel back to Morocco for our second installment of Morocco’s emerging cannabis cultivation methods. In Part II, we explore the decline in traditional organic methods of growing due to a reduction in animal husbandry, as well as changes in land ownership and agricultural practices. We highlight what Moroccan farmers are doing to implement both ancient and modern techniques to reintroduce organic farming. The Advocacy Issue offers up the opportunity to focus on the ways in which we as a cannabis community can think critically about where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re headed. Change starts with you—yes, you, DOPE reader. Small acts of advocacy ring loud and cause ripples that can swell into waves. We welcome this month with an openness and willingness to create and promote positive change.

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Stay DOPE! The DOPE Editorial Team

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DOPE MAGAZINE MARCH 2018 | THE ADVOCACY ISSUE If you’re reading this issue of DOPE Magazine, there is no doubt that you are, in some way, an advocate. We welcome this month with an openness and willingness to create and promote positive change. Gracing our cover is four-time NBA Champion John Salley and his daughter, Tyla. They’ve partnered up for the launch of their new cannabis business—Deuces! Representing John’s number 22 jersey, Deuces is a top-shelf cannabis line jumping into the brand-new California recreational market this spring. COVER PHOTO: JORDAN SWENSON

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20 COVER FEATURE

OHN & TYLA SALLEY PIVOTING FROM THE COURT TO CANNABIS

THE ADVOCACY ISSUE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEATURES 30 FEATURE

AMAZON

THE NEW INDENTURED SERVITUDE? 34 ADVOCACY

HAVE A SAFE TRIP! THE ZENDO PROJECT 40 POLITICS

INATTENTIVE COUNTY, POPULATION: YOU FOCUS ON LOCAL POLITICS, NOT TRUMP 44 TRAVEL

MOROCCO, PART II

O RGANIC CANNABIS CULTIVATION IN MOROCCO 50 EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHOICE

PRIDE WELLNESS LEGACY VAPES NEW NAME, NEW PRODUCTS! 52 ADVOCACY

BEYOND GAMERGATE

WILL BULLYING DESTROY THE GAMING INDUSTRY? 56

#SCOUTEDBYDOPE 58 DOPESHOTS

WINNER FRED GUNNERSON 62 POLITICS

THE RISE OF SWING LEFT

REDIRECTING ANGER TO FUEL A POLITICAL MOVEMENT

PHOTOGRAPHY:

JORDAN SWENSON

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F E AT U R E

PIVOTING FROM THE COURT TO CANNABIS DAVID BAILEY JORDAN SWENSON

ASHLEY BELFSKY

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

he NBA is the only Big 4 league to embrace cannabis, even if that acceptance simply means turning a blind eye. It should be no surprise, then, that so many former NBA players have openly embraced cannabis. While it’s one thing to enjoy getting high or using cannabis medicinally, it’s another to invest your money in the industry—not to mention involving your family. Four-time NBA champion, talk show host, husband and father of three, John “The Spider” Salley, has done just that. Health and fitness have been the center of John’s message since before he left the league, publicly proclaiming his vegetarianism in 1999. As John says, “If you’re all about plants, and a plant-based diet, then you have to be about cannabis.” But his new company isn’t an example of yet another celebrity looking to slap their face on a box. John’s entrance to the cannabis space has been making waves, because he’s not doing it alone. Picking someone he knew he could trust, John has partnered with his daughter, Tyla. At twenty one years old, Tyla is the CEO of their joint venture, Deuces, and clearly the head honcho. With only a year under their belt as a company, John and Tyla have managed to draw tremendous attention around their upcoming product line, tirelessly sourcing the best product and running the weekend expo circuit. As a purveyor of fine cannabis, I was eager to meet up with these two to see how Deuces has come together. When you’re interviewing a celebrity, there’s always an underlying nervousness. You really don’t know how you’re going to interact, or what their expectations are. And though everyone I’ve had the opportunity to work with has been nothing but pleasant, we’ve all heard the stories of the rich and famous. The last thing I needed to do was look bad in front of John Salley. Making Tyla and John feel right at home wasn’t hard, considering the forewarning we were given for working with John: have lots of food available! It’s no wonder, seeing as he’s not just a beast of a man, but a lifelong athlete with an appetite equally as impressive as his reputation. Following his motto—“Eat what elephants eat”—the DOPE crew showed up proper with some delicious vegan food: mushroom “carnitas” mission burritos, Indian curry bowls with yams and lentils, and, of course, tons of greens. If there’s one thing we could bond over, it was good food and cannabis.

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The “I started smoking tough when I was 14,” guy is definitely not John. Raised in Brooklyn, New York, in the seventies, John’s approach to life—not just cannabis—has been all about health. It makes sense, considering his past. He excelled in one of the most athletically-demanding sports for thirty years, and has maintained his fitness to the present day. Believe it or not, though he remembers seeing pot around, John didn’t even try cannabis until he was 36! After growing up in NYC, excelling through high school sports and later attending Georgia Tech—where he worked part-time, in addition to being a student athlete— John didn’t have much time for extracurricular activities. The NBA (and America at large) in the ‘80s and ‘90s wasn’t very friendly to cannabis, so neither was John. The health and wellness kick of the late ‘90s, however, was in full-swing, and John was all ears. Thanks to his teammate Adrian Dantley, John began to open his eyes to a new lifestyle, one based around food as fuel. But basketball wasn’t John’s only love. “I wanted to be a late-night talk show host,” he shares. “It was like 1989, it was the All Star Game in Houston, [the show] Inside Stuff, it had just started—NBA TV was just blowing up. My man Don Sperling said uh, ‘Hey!’ and gave me a mic, and I took the camera crew through security. I said, ‘They’re alright,’ as if I [knew what I was doing], and I sat there right before the slam dunk contest . . . So that summer, we win the championship, so of course I grab the mic again, I wanna be in front of the mic. I just knew that was what I was going to do.” And boy, did he. Before finishing his professional basketball career he had roles in two major Hollywood films, Bad Boys and Eddie, which only further demonstrated his onscreen talents before solidifying his legacy as one of the hosts of Fox’s The Best Damn Sports Show Period.

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“

IF YOU’RE ALL ABOUT PLANTS, AND A PLANT-BASED DIET, THEN YOU HAVE TO BE ABOUT CANNABIS.

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

”

“Quiet on set,” John declares as we cue that we’re rolling. The 1908 Loft is a massive space with vaulted ceilings, where even the tapping of fingers against a cell phone can be heard across the room. To those unfamiliar with video production, John’s intensity could be misinterpreted as stern, but his rarely-concealed smile reminds everyone he’s simply professional to a T. All of our planning and preparation was about to pay off. As I hit John with the first question, Tyla’s still getting her makeup done off-set. With the accuracy of a seasoned professional, John keys in on me as if we’re the only two people in the room. “What was the hardest part in making the transition from basketball to television?” I begin. Your biggest fear as an interviewer is that your questions will fall flat; that all you’ll get is a “Yeah, sure” or “No,” but John jumps right in. He’s a story teller, an entertainer. “To me, it was easy,” John answers. Did I mention he was humble? As we continue, I can’t help but stifle my laughter. John’s jovial delivery falls somewhere between enjoying a great stand-up comic and hanging out with that one uncle who makes you laugh-cry every Christmas. His dive into cannabis has been a successful one, to say the least. Canopy Growth Corp., Canada’s largest cannabis company, was John’s first investment experience in the industry. While he’s got a chunk of other canna-businesses, I can most relate to his favorite investments: glass. “I like the intricacy [of glass rigs], but I like when they involve iridescence, when they involve colors in glass, because a lot of people don’t understand [the complexity],” shares John, likening his passion for high-quality glass to collecting fine works of art. “Jay Z’s got Picasso’s—I got rigs,” he laughs. “I clean it like it’s an old war gun, and we put it back in a safe spot, because pretty soon when I do display it, it’s gonna be in a black room, all the lights are going to be on—it’s going to be an unbelievable art show. Hopefully no one touches the rigs. Hopefully. I don’t want anybody dead that night.”

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From NBA champion to talk show host, renowned health advocate and cannabis mogul, John Salley seems to have it all figured out. From what I can tell, his secret isn’t a secret at all—it’s what he’s professed for years: “I no longer wanted to be fed stuff. I [want] to literally make the best things for myself, for my family, and then pass that out [to the world].” That’s how he gets up and keeps hustling every day. Whether it’s a 15-year professional basketball career or diving head-first into one of the most aggressive markets since the tech boom, it’s his work ethic and family that carry him through. If you care about what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with, you’ll keep marching happily forward, and success will find you.

“Tyla has always been on my hip since she was born,” John remarks, smiling. “She’s been my road dog since forever. The fact that she smoked cannabis and enjoys cannabis in all forms, I said, ‘We shouldn’t just smoke it, we should own it and be in the business with it.’ And that’s been it.” But creating a business— particularly as a father-daughter duo—is no joke. Starting out in the cannabis space is like throwing yourself (and your emotional stability) into hyperdrive. Most businesses don’t get beyond a concept in their first year, but Deuces has nailed down the essentials of their product procurement, marketing and packaging in that same amount of time. But don’t get it twisted—it’s not just John making it all happen. “When we were talking about the pre-rolls,” remembers John, “[at] first they were in [a] tin, it was dope, it was great. And one day, on the phone, Tyla goes, ‘Nah, I don’t want that anymore’—the whole packaging! I thought I was working with Michael Kors or something, she just tripped out, woke up one morning and was like”—he mimes smoking, and stares off into space for effect—“‘You know what? Cars should be electric.’ And she changed the preroll.” But, as John concedes to Tyla, “You were right about the pre-roll!” Their partnership is rooted in a shared passion for quality product and a drive to be the best at whatever they do. As Tyla emphasizes, “I was very, very, very particular about who grew [the cannabis], what paper we use, what filters we use, how it was rolled . . . ” The hurdles she faces are ones you might anticipate; she’s 21 and the daughter of a basketball legend. Everyone still sees her as “daddy’s little girl.” And, as Tyla admits, “I know I’m very fortunate in my opportunities,” but that in no way reduces her contribution to the company. If anything, seeing beyond her privileges adds to her worth. She sums it up best by stating, “I feel like Deuces is my opportunity to prove myself as a business woman, and as a company owner.”

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

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F E AT U R E

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KER R O W

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get Mary’s voicemail. Again. Her name isn’t actually Mary, but that’s beside the point. I’m standing outside her office building, Amazon’s Day One South superstructure, located in Seattle’s depressingly concrete South Lake Union. It’s now called the Invictus building, but when I worked there it was Day One South. Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world as of this writing, supposedly has an office in Day One North (now known as the Cricket building) just across the courtyard. One time I saw him in the little plaza separating the two buildings, walking briskly to a silver car so fancy I couldn’t even tell what brand it was. I was tempted to ask him for twenty bucks, just to see his reaction. I didn’t. Anyway. I’m standing outside my old office, Day One South, or Invictus, or whatever the hell it’s supposed to be called, waiting for Her-Name-Isn’t-Actually-Mary. We agreed to meet for happy hour. It’s so far past the time we’d agreed to meet I know she’s ghosting me. I ring her one last time. Voicemail. Again. I start to trudge home. Over a lunch break back when we were coworkers, Mary disclosed to me that she hated her job. She was a regular, full-time employee; I was a contract worker. I asked why she didn’t start looking for something else—she was bright, had good experience. “I can’t afford to,” she admitted. I thought she simply meant the salary was too lucrative to give up, but it wasn’t until later I realized what she was referring to. Mary was from China, here in the United States on a H-1B visa. Amazon, started in 1994, is home to over 500,000 employees worldwide. In its South Lake Union headquarters alone there are around 40,000 employees—a staggering jump from just 5,000 in 2010. There have been many stories about Amazon’s infamous work culture—how it breaks people, how it’s sink-or-swim, the rampant sexism (which was so overwhelming when I worked there, it almost became comical…almost), the incompetent managers who knew nothing about their teams but made staggering amounts of money. We’ve all read the exposés. What we often don’t hear about, however, is how Amazon ropes people—specifically, foreign workers—into their web, making it nearly impossible to leave. I rang up an old friend—who still works at Amazon, and, unlike Mary, returns my calls—who had his own theories about how the company exploits workers from other countries. Let’s call him Charlie. He’s worked at Amazon for nearly ten years in various roles, never making less than six figures, and has no plans on leaving the company any time soon. Charlie works on a team with mostly foreign coworkers, the majority from India and China, but a few from Australia and Europe as well. “H-1B is their visa program,” he explained. “Theoretically, an employer must pay [foreign workers] the same as [American workers] and prove there isn’t an American candidate more qualified for the role under this visa. My guess is that the foreign worker is paid the same as an American, but it’s all about control—foreign workers can’t leave their jobs as easily as their American counterparts.” “There are two general theories about H-1B,” he continued, specifically referencing H-1B visas for roles that involve software coding. “One, that programming is really hard and there aren’t enough people in the world to do it well, let alone in the U.S. Two, that it’s some weird indentured servitude thing to suppress wages and unionization since people on visas will be terrified of doing anything that could lose their visa. I think it’s a bit of both.” To

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make matters more interesting, when regular, full-time employees sign on with the company, they’re awarded a hefty signing bonus. “When I signed on,” he disclosed, “I got 20k—half when I started, half a year later. This has doubled now, from what I hear.” If a H-1B holder wanted to leave Amazon for a competitor, or quit due to job dissatisfaction, their signing bonus must be paid back—a hefty sum for someone new to the country, especially if the money has already been spent.

“

AMAZON IS ALREADY NOTORIOUS FOR PUSHING WORKERS TO THE BRINK; PURPOSEFULLY HIRING WORKERS WHO WILL BE LESS LIKELY TO COMPLAIN SEEMS PERILOUSLY CONVENIENT.

”

The main criticism behind H-1B is the clear monetary preference for employers to hire foreign workers over American ones, but for me this isn’t about Americans losing out on opportunities. Rather, this is a call to examine the preference to hire foreign employees who just so happen to have extremely sticky contracts surrounding their employment, not to mention little incentive to speak up against mistreatment. Amazon is already notorious for pushing workers to the brink; purposefully hiring workers who will be less likely to complain seems perilously convenient. According to myvisajobs.com, “Amazon Corporate LLC has filed 6395 labor condition applications for H-1B visa and 3076 labor certifications for green card from fiscal year 2014 to 2016,” with the highest number of applicants hailing from India and China, followed by Canada, Australia, Mexico, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, South Korea and Turkey. “When an employee renews or transfers his H-1B visa or changes work location under some circumstances, he will also file a new LCA application,” states the website. As there are only 85,000 slots for applications a year, refiling for a new application when you’ve already received your visa is an enormous gamble. Staying in your current role is the only option for most, particularly when visas are awarded via a lottery system due to enormous demand. Is Amazon the only big business to utilize the faulty H-1B system to their advantage? Of course not. My criticism is directed at them solely because I saw firsthand how H-1B can be used to exploit workers while employed there. Companies across the United States take advantage of this program daily; it’s simply easiest to point out that one of the most rapidly-growing companies, helmed by the wealthiest man in the world, has some less-than-flattering issues to tackle. I think they can handle the criticism. But they’re by no means the only company doing it. Immigration is a hotbutton issue with a certain someone in the White House, and the last thing I want is a removal of visas altogether. Instead, we need to revise our visa programs. Foreign workers should be allowed to participate in the American Dream, but not at the cost of their autonomy. No job is worth that sacrifice.

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C U LT U R E

THE ZENDO PROJECT GUIDES FESTIVALGOERS THROUGH BAD DRUG EXPERIENCES SHWA LAYTART

ILANA SUGAR LAYTART, ASHLEIGH CASTRO, AND COURTESY OF THE ZENDO PROJECT

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

ara Gael is the definition of an angel. When you’re at a festival and a psychedelic experience gets too weird or scary—as they tend to do from time to time—Sara and the Zendo Project are there to comfort you. Zendo is the beacon of light when someone’s trip plummets into dark places, and Sara’s soothing, perfectlypitched voice is soul-centering, reaching out to you like the voice of Gaia herself as she comforts you in the palm of her hand, reminding you that it’s all going to be okay. When you’re having a bad trip, it can be the only thing that keeps your psyche hanging on to your third eye. Sara Gael is the Harm Reduction Coordinator at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and the Co-Founder of the Zendo Project, a “psychedelic first aid for festivals and events.” She has an MA in Counseling Psychology from Naropa University and a BA in Geography and Environmental Studies from the University of Hawaii, followed by years of experience as a therapist and counselor. Sara is what I think of when I hear the term “life coach.” The Zendo Project is a peer-to-peer support group that looks to bring harm reduction to festivals and events where psychedelic drugs (and drugs in general) might be used

by those in attendance. Zendo’s goal is to ease a difficult drug experience a person may be having, and creates a safe space that alleviates fear—the key ingredient for numerous bad psychedelic trips. “We talk people through [bad trips], not down,” Sara emphasizes. “At Zendo, we create a culture where we take care of each other, allow difficult experiences and be there to hold space for those experiences, rather than push them away. When that kind of environment is created, people feel safer whether they are taking psychedelic drugs or not.” But that’s not always easy here in America, thanks to former Vice President Joe Biden, who, back in 2002, helped push through The RAVE Act: “A bill to prohibit an individual from knowingly opening, maintaining, managing, controlling, renting, leasing, making available for use, or profiting from any place for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, or using any controlled substance . . .” Since the RAVE Act took effect, concert and festival promoters discouraged groups like the Zendo Project and Dance Safe at their events. Promoters could be fined $250,000—or worse, shut down entirely—if such groups were permitted on the premises.

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“

ZENDO’S GOAL IS TO EASE A DIFFICULT DRUG EXPERIENCE A PERSON MAY BE HAVING, AND CREATE A SAFE SPACE THAT ALLEVIATES FEAR— THE KEY INGREDIENT FOR NUMEROUS BAD PSYCHEDELIC EXPERIENCES.

”

Luckily, the tides are turning. Thanks to larger festivals such as Burning Man, Lightning In A Bottle and Envision Festival, promoters are seeing the immense benefits of having harm reduction groups present at their events. Not only do promoters see the benefits, law enforcement and emergency response teams have noted the extensive positive effects as well. As one Burning Man volunteer put it, “If [Zendo Project] weren’t present, we’d have an uncomfortable situation escalate into a bad situation before you could mumble whatever ‘safe word’ you may have.” Essentially, the Zendo Project prevents hospitalization and arrests for those that may have ended up there otherwise. The War on Drugs has failed us. It has failed us as a society, as a country and as a planet. People are going to use substances, and psychedelics will continue to be the drug of choice for those looking to expand their psyche. It’s been a part of our earthling culture since the first stoned ape chomped down on psilocybin mushrooms while hunting and gathering. The least we can do now is give psychonauts a place to feel safe when the whole universe is big-bangin’ in their brains. “It’s the responsible thing for us to do as humans, as a community, as festival culture, to provide psychedelic harm reduction and psychological first aid,” Gael reminds us. You can trip like Ram Dass or you can trip like Hunter S. Thompson, but tr y and make your festival experience a pleasurable one. It’s all a state of mind, and you get to choose your own adventure. Just remember that when the adventure gets too mentally strenuous, walk, wander or crawl over to the Zendo Project. Those angels will help guide you back to the brighter side of life.

The Zendo Project Team trains volunteers for all events they attend. To find out more, go to zendoproject.org/volunteer. Keep an eye out for Zendo Project’s YouTube training videos, and sign the petition to amend the RAVE Act at amendtheraveact.org.

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POLITICS

FOCUS ON LOCAL POLITICS, NOT TRUMP SCOTT PEARSE

eel like throwing your phone in the toilet? Social media driving you nuts with its constant red vs. blue ideological gridlock narrative? Well, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t throw that phone just yet. There are still politics that deserve your attention. Sure, there are many things the White House controls that affect your day-to-day life. Federal taxes, healthcare policy, the red button that shoots the nukes. Besides the threat of all-out nuclear war, it may be possible we give the federal branch of government too much attention in other arenas. A resident of the United States is governed by laws from at least three different levels of government: federal, state and local. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at the local level that voters pay the least attention, despite this level of government being responsible for the majority of services they use. Cannabis consumers have a keen understanding of how the different branches of government exercise their power; we consume a federally illegal substance because your state government has chosen to permit medical or recreational marijuana, and your county has decided to permit marijuana to be dispensed. Of course, maintaining this structure relies upon the federal government to not pursue states for breaking federal law, as is the case currently.

DEMOCRACY

The responsibility for administering our elections falls to local government. Is there a more important responsibility in government? Free and fair elections are the basis of democracy, and local government gets it done.

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ZONING The only thing stopping a shopping mall from popping up next to your house is zoning laws. But who makes these laws, who has the power to change them, and why would they? Through zoning laws, counties and cities control how they grow and make themselves fit to compete in the future. Or, as in the case of our cities shrinking on the tail end of a boom, local government may decide to turn once-residential areas into greenspace.

TRANSPORT This is where local government is most keenly felt. What are the conditions of the roads in your area? What are your transport options? According to the National Association of Counties (NAOC), “By providing efficient transportation and transit options such as buses, trains, light rail and subway systems, counties are the driving force connecting communities.” Counties own and maintain 45 percent of America’s roads.

“

THERE ARE ALWAYS LOCAL SOLUTIONS TO RESPECT THE WISHES OF LOCAL PEOPLE.

”

EDUCATION Do you know people who move to get into a better school district? That’s because your neighboring local government is likely doing a better job than yours, and the power of having the right people in power. According to National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 44.8 percent of national total revenue for the 2012 school year was received from local government.

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KEEP IT LOCAL It may not be glamorous, but local governments make our daily lives run smoothly—and citizens rarely think about what they do. According to the National Association of Counties, there are:

38,968+ elected county officials serving 3,069 counties.

482.1 BILLION dollars spent annually on community investments.

3.3 MILLION people employed by local governments.

HEALTH

350 MILLION

We’re always hearing about the healthcare debate in Washington. Whatever side of the aisle you stand on, regardless, it’s your local government who is charged with delivering those services. And though some counties are large and some small, dollars spent on health quickly stack up; NACo concluded that counties spend nearly $70 billion dollars a year on community health and hospitals.

county residents served by locally elected officials.

TAX

Homeowners will be all too familiar with property taxes. Along with sales tax, property taxes are the primary way counties raise tax revenue.

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LAW ENFORCEMENT Counties are crucial in maintaining safe communities, as they operate 911 emergency systems and spend about $28 billion on law enforcement annually. There are 3,105 county sheriff and police departments nationwide, and 2,914 counties own a jail or participate in a regional jail. In most cases, county-level police and firefighters respond to crimes and disasters without assistance from other levels of government.

WEED Ever lived in a city that doesn’t have dispensaries, yet in the next town over budtenders outnumber bartenders? This is the result of a city ordinance. It’s a resident’s right to decide what businesses can operate in their area, and if you want a dispensary and don’t currently have one, you need to reach out to a local representative. It is, of course, the state government that permits medical marijuana. Once the right to access medical marijuana is won, the administration of the system falls to the level of government below: local. There are always local solutions to respect the wishes of local people. When California first permitted medical marijuana, Emerald Triangle counties permitted more plants to be grown than anywhere else, honoring the area’s agricultural past—and planning for its future. The decisions made at your local government level (especially county) have very tangible effects on your day-to-day life. And you can visit these people! I can’t guarantee you an audience, but you have a better chance of speaking with someone at county hall than at the White House. More importantly, a county commissioner will know your area, and likely already be aware of your issue(s). These are the politics that matter to your everyday life. This isn’t ideological; it’s daily, sometimes dull and specific to constituents. Is it time to switch off Washington entirely? Of course not. But it might be time to focus on another arena that matters just as much.

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T R AV E L

ORGANIC CANNABIS CULTIVATION IN MOROCCO JENNIFER MACFARLANE (SESHATA) & PIERRE-ARNAUD CHOUVY PIERRE-ARNAUD CHOUVY

n the January issue of DOPE, we introduced the current situation in Morocco’s cannabis industry. At present, a dramatic evolution in cultivation methods is taking place—and one emerging trend is organic cultivation. Of course, while cannabis remains illegal under Moroccan and international law, it can’t be officially certified as organic. A small but rising number of farmers are nonetheless adopting modern organic and biodynamic techniques along with a range of other state-of-the-art adaptations, such as feminized seeds, drip irrigation and row planting.

HIGHER QUALITY, LESS ENVIRONMENTAL HARM As a result, their crops are not only less harmful to the local environment, but higher in overall quality. “Quality” is a very subjective term, but within cannabis circles is generally accepted to cover aroma, flavor, potency and effect. It’s important to note that the concept of organic, chemical-free cultivation is hardly new in Morocco. For decades, cannabis grown in soils enriched only with manure was considered to be superior to crops grown in artificially-fertilized soil. However, the key factors preventing the universal use of manure are availability and cost. Goat rearing was widespread in the Rif, the fertile, mountainous region of northern Morocco, decades ago; due to changes in land ownership and agricultural practices, animal husbandry declined and manure became less available and higher in price.

PHOSPHATES AND POOR-QUALITY SOILS With low availability of manure and prohibitively high costs, many farmers are forced to use phosphatebased fertilizers. Morocco is the world’s leading exporter of phosphates and the third-largest overall producer, holding 75 percent of global phosphate reserves. Thus, phosphate-based fertilizers are abundant, cheap and widely available¹. Unfortunately, this has led to a scenario in which the majority of farmers utilize synthetic additives on their crops. UNODC reports have estimated that an average of 970 lbs (440 kg) per hectare² of chemical fertilizers are used in the Rif each year. Use, and especially overuse, of chemical fertilizers is associated with loss of local biodiversity in both plant and insect populations, contaminated runoff into the local water supply (leading to excessive algal growth and depletion of oxygen). Overuse of phosphates may lead to reduced soil fertility, as excessive phosphorus can prevent plants from uptaking iron and zinc. Furthermore, the phosphate rock mined in Morocco is known to be very high in cadmium³, a toxic heavy metal that cannabis shows remarkable efficiency in uptaking from the soil 4. Thus, hashish produced from cannabis fertilized with phosphate-based fertilizers could contain excessive levels of cadmium. Of course, due to the illegality of the industry, none of the hashish exported to Europe each year are analyzed for their residual heavy metal content, or indeed analyzed for safety at all.

¹ USGS 2013 Minerals Yearbook, Morocco and Western Sahara. (2013). https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/2013/myb3-2013-mo-wi.pdf ² UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime). (2003). Maroc. Enquête sur le cannabis 2003, Vienna: United Nations. https://www.unodc.org/pdf/publications/morocco_cannabis_survey_2003_fr.pdf

³ European Commission. (2013). Science for Environment Policy In-depth Report: Sustainable Phosphorus Use. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/IR7_en.pdf 4 Girdhar, M et al. (2014). Comparative assessment for hyperaccumulatory and phytoremediation capability of three wild weeds. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4235884/

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“

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONCEPTS IN ORGANIC FARMING IS ENSURING SOIL RETAINS WATER EFFECTIVELY.

increased water usage Another pressing concern regarding standardpractice cannabis cultivation in Morocco is misuse of water. Cannabis is a thirsty crop, and as Rif farmers have switched from the traditional kif landrace to new hybrid varieties, it’s becoming thirstier still. Farmers are having ever-deeper wells dug on their land to take advantage of diminishing groundwater supplies, and are constructing huge reservoirs and tanks throughout the Rif. Many farms use sprinklers to distribute water to their crop—an extremely inefficient method, which causes huge losses due to evaporation. New cultivation methods emerging include drip irrigation systems that allow precise quantities of water to be piped to individual plants, reducing potential evaporation loss dramatically. But this is not an ideal solution, as such irrigation techniques may also encourage expansion into areas that may not have been previously cultivable.

”

ORGANIC TECHNIQUES, ANCIENT AND MODERN However, organic farming offers other ways to reduce water loss and maximize efficiency. One of the most important concepts in organic farming is ensuring soil retains water effectively. This is typically achieved by spreading a layer of organic mulch such as hay or manure on the soil, which contains abundant moisture and nutrients. As well as directly adding moisture and nutrients to the soil, this layer protects it from the direct rays of the sun, which prevents evaporation of water and desiccation of soil. Use of mulch is one of a handful of traditional techniques designed to limit water loss; another interesting example is the use of stone bunds. These are essentially low dry-stone walls composed of piled stones, which are constructed along the contour lines of slopes and help reduce soil erosion as well as water loss. To complement these traditional techniques, some farmers are now using new and unusual additives such as seaweed, algae sprays, enzymes, mycorrhizae and beneficial bacteria to help improve soil structure and water retention. Of course, many of these substances have added benefits of increasing availability of macro and micronutrients to the plant itself, or boosting the plants’ resistance to pests and disease.

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TLC EQUALS THC! We had the good fortune to visit a farm run by a European and a Moroccan working in partnership, whose cannabis was all grown according to organic principles. As well as growing organically, these farmers are paying close attention to quality control across the board—they grow individual plants in specially-prepared planting holes with a thick layer of mulch, each plant receiving up to one liter of water daily. Of course, the varieties grown are all modern, commercial and high-yielding; it’s very unlikely this degree of expensive, laborious care would be undertaken for a kif crop, given its lower yield and potency. When harvesting, they cropped each plant individually and laid them on plastic sheeting rather than on bare soil; when drying, plants were hung indoors and not on roofs in bright sunshine. The hashish produced was sieved multiple times through stainless steel and nylon screens, using static tech to ensure purity is as high as possible.

RESULTS THAT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES...

On this farm as at most others, plants are lightly sifted to produce the very finest, purest grade of hashish. Next, plants will often be sifted again more vigorously; finally, they will be “beaten” with sticks to break up the flowers and release as much of the remaining resin as possible.

Beaten hashish usually contains more plant material than gently-sifted hashish, and is usually a darker color and of lesser potency. But the sample of beaten hashish (made from Clementine Kush) we saw on this farm was of comparable quality to any of the finest, gentlysifted grades we’ve previously observed. Its color was extremely pale, blondish brown; it had a clean, distinct, citrus fragrance and its texture was soft but firm, with none of the excessive stickiness that “new” Moroccan hash often demonstrates.

A BRIGHT, ORGANIC FUTURE? As the trend towards legalization and regulation of the cannabis industry continues, Morocco will be subjected to increasing socioeconomic pressures. Already, remaining competitive is challenging, and its primary European markets are demanding ever-higher quality for the cheapest possible price. As Europe continues to regulate, allowing for the development of legal domestic markets that will no doubt be subjected to increasingly rigorous quality control, Morocco’s main chance at remaining competitive lies not in the mass production of poor-quality, cheap hashish fertilized with potentially dangerous chemicals, but in the production of highquality, small-batch organic products.

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

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ride Cannabis is now Pride Wellness—the same products you love, just with a more fitting name. For the owners, the name change was a no-brainer. “Our company is a wellness company; it makes more sense,” explains co-owner Buck Angel. “It’s very important that people understand why we started Pride Wellness. We realize our community does suffer from a lot of abuse of drugs and alcohol, as well as anxiety. Nobody is really targeting our community for wellness with cannabis. That’s why we started it—to really help people to understand they can use alternative medication like cannabis, instead of pharmaceuticals.” The community Buck Angel is referring to is the LGBT community. “We give a dollar from every purchase to the LGBT Center in L.A., the largest LGBT center in the world,” co-founder Leon Mostovoy told us, and added that profits also aid their local senior center, “because seniors in our community are really lacking support. Much of our mission is about healing our community.” Legacy Vapes are the newest products released by Pride Wellness. Their Pure CBD Cartridge has the highest CBD content and tests at 19 percent pure CBD—perfect for pain relief. Their THC Full Plant Shatter Cartridge is a full-plant vape cartridge with the medical properties found in Rick Simpson Oil; with a stronger terpene flavor from the shatter, every customer will feel the benefits of THC, CBD, CBN and CBG to create a full mind-body experience. Pride also offers a CO2 option: The Legacy CO2 Cartridge, which won the Mega-Sesh 2017 Best Solventless Concentrate, available in Blueberry Kush, Pineapple, Mango, Sweet Melon and Strawberry flavors—yum. This vape gives you a light, uplifting feeling while enhancing physical relaxation.

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D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

C U LT U R E

WILL BULLYING DESTROY THE GAMING INDUSTRY? ANONYMOUS

t’s difficult to talk about the evolution of bullying without the word “technology” falling from your lips. These days, they go hand in hand. Cyberbullying and trolling, two terms that garnered increased public awareness in the 2010s, come to mind. As technology advances so too does cyber-bullying, which is arguably the most treacherous appendage of the bullying beast, as it is often performed anonymously. The victim’s ability to “escape” the claws of the troll(s) requires more than walking off the playground, so to speak, or removing oneself from a social media platform or website. Technology has enabled trolls to anonymously target victims and ultimately render a victim’s voice into silence, or worse, cause victims to flee their homes and jobs for fear of being physically attacked, raped, killed or, more recently, being “swatted”—having a SWAT team sent to your house, called in by trolls reporting a fake crime. Reminders of these internet atrocities can be found in many technology sectors, including the video game industry. GamerGate is perhaps the most recent (and appalling) example. Chris Suellentrop has written about video games and penned reviews for numerous outlets including The New York Times, NPR, Rolling Stone and Kotaku. He has likened video games to the most promising form of entertainment since the arrival of the interactive age. In 2014, in a piece he wrote for the New York Times entitled “Can Video Games Survive?”, Suellentrop questions the role that GamerGate and similar movements will play in the future of gaming. GamerGate, an online movement, targeted those who, according to Suellentrop, were trying to “cram liberal politics into video games” and crescendoed into a loud cacophony of violent threats, online shaming, hate campaigns and harassment against women and people of color in the field. Men were targeted as well, but women and people of color have undeniably taken the majority of the blows from trolls. In response to GamerGate, Leigh Alexander wrote a piece for Gamasutra wherein she iterates that “video games themselves were discovered by strange, bright outcast pioneers…” So what happened to these pioneers? Alexander posits that there was a consumerismderived turning point where these so-called pioneers got swept into an undercurrent of believing they were in fact “the world’s most special-est consumer demographic.” And on the surface, invisible to the “chosen ones,” games and their creators were changing, broadening the scope of what the industry and outsiders alike considered good games. The industry was becoming more inclusive, resulting in unrest from those who felt that the industry was theirs to create, own and ultimately decide who was welcome. Those responsible for the GamerGate movement desire the removal of intellectual criticism from games altogether. As Suellentrop notes, these “anti-intellectual players” are up in arms about political and social criticism. They have even gone so far as to request the termination of those who openly critique games which portray women in an unsatisfactory or stereotypical light. Carolyn Petit, a GameSpot critic,

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complained—rightfully so—about the portrayal of female characters in Grand Theft Auto V. Soon after, GamerGate began a petition to have Petit fired. Unsurprisingly, male critics with similar views to Petit weren’t put on the chopping block. The three names most often dropped in connection with GamerGate harassment are Zoë Quinn, Leigh Alexander and Anita Sarkeesian. Quinn, a game designer, was targeted for her design of Depression Quest—a game that made mental illness the focus of the story and was generally well-received. Posited as a “social justice warrior,” Quinn and others like her were targeted for what bullies in the gaming world saw as a threat. Heaven forbid non-traditional gamers desire a more inclusive industry that plugs realistic character portrayals of women and minorities into games. Sarkeesian, interested in exploring tropes in video games throughout history, launched a Kickstarter campaign entitled “Tropes vs. Women in Video Games” with the goal of exploring “five common and recurring stereotypes of female characters in video games” in a video series dubbed Feminist Frequency. Sarkeesian’s initial goal of six thousand dollars was exceeded by roughly 153 thousand bucks. The series saw an outpouring of supporters matched by an equal number of haters. No surprise there. The initial series included five videos which explore the Damsel in Distress trope, among others. What ensued was an onslaught of “digital stoning,” a term penned by Cliff Bleszinski in his article, “If Video Games Are Going to Grow Up, Then the Bullying Needs to Stop.” Post-release of her series, a flash game was created by an internet bully in which you can digitally beat Sarkeesian’s face into a bruised and bloody pulp. While there are numerous “Punch (famous person’s name) in The Face” creations, these flash games are a testament to the bullying atmosphere that has permeated gaming culture. We all have a responsibility when it comes to online abuse. What we do—or rather, what we don’t do—billows the flames of hate in cyberspace. It’s easy to spew hostility behind a screen of anonymity, easy to remain faceless while typing words of detest behind the barrier of your keyboard. The phrase, “Ay, there’s the rub,” made famous by Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is appropriate here. This bullying behavior undoubtedly impedes the forward, inclusive momentum of the gaming industry, an industry with the ability to enhance creative expression. Gaming, in some ways, remains captive in the hands of a group determined to bully diversity, cross-culturalism and inclusiveness out of the gaming industry—at any cost.

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TECHNOLOGY HAS ENABLED TROLLS TO ANONYMOUSLY TARGET VICTIMS AND ULTIMATELY RENDER A VICTIM’S VOICE INTO SILENCE…

”

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#SCOUTEDBYDOPE

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THE COMMON SIGN What started as a mother and son project to label rows of seeds in their garden has blossomed into a mother and son business. Handmade and painted on cedar wood, these colorful creations from The Common Sign are perfect for ANY garden. Whether it’s a home grow, backyard produce or simply a playful personalized sign for any occasion, these signs are a necessary addition for every DOPE home. $23.00+ THECOMMONSIGN.ETSY.COM @THECOMMONSIGN

MALIN+GOETZ 9OZ. CANNABIS CANDLE A customer favorite, this candle hums with scents of fresh lemon and orange, as well as middle notes of fig and pepper. The candle’s natural wax blend provides a clean burn for up to 60 hours. Perfect for candle/ cannabis enthusiasts who have green to drop on a product advocating for our favorite green! $54 MALINANDGOETZ.COM @MALINANDGOETZ @MALINANDGOETZ

TWISTED 420 STASH JAR AND HAT I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore! What began as a small startup from Kansas has flowered. Twisted420Glass’ custom-etched, food grade stash jars and 420 fashion are “no longer about keeping it hidden, but keeping it stashed in style,” effectively advocating for and normalizing cannabis. If you’re in a legal state, stash your weed. MMJ patient? Stash your medicine. Non-legal state? Stash your loose change, or anything and everything you can imagine. Kush Queens represent! HAT $28 | JAR $24.99 TWISTED420GLASS.COM @DOCTWISTED420 @TWISTED420GLASS

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TOASTED COLLECTIONS CANDLE Shop owner Shireen Kiadeh started Toasted Collections so she could share her love for candles, crystals and cannabis with the world. Each candle is hand-poured from her home shop in Campbell, California, with all-natural, American-grown soy wax, lead and zinc-free cotton wicks, and phthalate-free fragrance oils, all made with Mother Earth in mind. As Kiadeh explains on her Etsy page, “The earth is our sacred mother and I try and respect her as much as possible.” $16 ETSY.COM/SHOP/TOASTEDCOLLECTIONS @TOASTEDCOLLECTIONS

GOLDLEAF PATIENT JOURNAL This medical cannabis companion is designed specifically for the unique challenges patients and prescribing physicians face when dealing with medical cannabis: product consistency, strain variation, potency and everyone’s unique reaction to various cannabinoids. Goldleaf’s patient journal empowers patients by giving them the tools to accurately chart important factors in their medical journey. Goldleaf’s instructions are useful for those new to medical cannabis, or for someone looking to refine their treatment path. The matte finish and flexible, waxy notebook coat are made from high-quality, sustainable materials. $17.99 SHOPGOLDLEAF.COM @GOLDLEAFLTD @GLDLEAF @GLDLEAF

INDIGO PRO Although vaping has became many people’s alternative to smoking flower there are still kinks to be worked out. Carts leak, pens break, some are hard to draw, taste burnt or the batteries don’t last. Indigo has worked to rectify those issues by providing information about the size of the draw which delivers three times the THC per second than the average vape and vibrates so that you get every drop of oil. The long lasting battery will last you longer than the cartridge and you can hit the pen while it’s charging. One of the best parts about the Indigo Pro is the magnetic cartridges, making for quick and simple changes when you want to switch up flavors or strains of Indigo Pro’s leak resistant cartridges. $45 PUREINDIGOPRO.COM @PUREINDIGOPRO @PUREINDIGOPRO @PUREINDIGOPRO

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DOPE SHOTS

DOPE PHOTO CONTEST WINNER Check out the winner of the DOPE Shots photography contest! Want your work featured in the pages of DOPE? Be on the lookout each issue for your next chance to submit your work.

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POLITICS

REDIRECTING ANGER TO FUEL A POLITICAL MOVEMENT

KAISHA-DYAN MCMILLAN

n November 8, 2016, Brand Strategist M i r i a m S t o n e w o ke u p f e e l i n g energized. The election of Hillary Clinton loomed large, as did the upcoming birth of Miriam’s second daughter; her girls would grow up under America’s first female President. But the day after the devastating blow of Trump’s victory, Miriam’s thoughts were of her grandmother, a Hillary supporter and lifelong political activist. “She would have shrugged and said ‘Ok, well, time to keep fighting,’” Miriam remarks. “Political action was part of my grandmother’s daily life—it didn’t matter who was in power.” But Miriam and her husband, Josh Krafchin, an entrepreneur and developer, lived in the decidedly blue city of Oakland. How could they make a difference? Meanwhile in Amherst, Massachusetts, writer and teacher Ethan Todras-Whitehill was researching swing districts. With Republicans in control of the House and the Senate, Ethan understood that Democrats needed to work towards flipping the House during the 2018 mid-term elections. But finding solid information about swing districts was challenging.

Days after the election, Ethan and Josh, longtime best friends, had a call to discuss developing a solution: a tool that would connect people in blue cities to their nearest swing district. As the concept started taking shape, Miriam was quickly looped in. “Ethan had the initial idea, he was the most politically savvy of the three of us,” she explains. “Josh is the technical guy, the one who was really about bringing the vision to life. I was the branding, marketing and messaging person figuring out the story we should tell and how to tell it.” Eight days after the election, Miriam sent an email with the subject heading “Turn your election grief into action,” seeking volunteers from among the many writers and creatives in her network. Leveraging personal connections, a team was quickly assembled. On January 19, 2017—the day before Trump’s inauguration— SwingLeft.org was live and viral. Within three weeks, they had 17,000 volunteer applications and over 300,000 people signed up, awaiting next steps.

SW IN G LE F T HO PE S TO FL IP TH E HO USE VIA: VOTER CONTACT Learn about districts, connect with local organizers, aid with voter registration in the months and weeks leading up to the mid-term elections.

FUNDRAISING FOR CANDIDATES Donate to District Funds, which are given to the eventual Democratic winner of the primary.

CULTURAL MOBILIZATION Change the cultural narrative to get voters as excited about mid-term elections as they are about presidential elections.

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“

IN DISTRICTS WHERE REPUBLICANS WON SEATS BY SMALL MARGINS, IT’S POSSIBLE FOR A DEMOCRAT TO BE ELECTED INTO THE SEAT, ALLOWING FOR GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY OF AN ADMINISTRATION THAT SEEMS INCREASINGLY OUT OF CONTROL.

TAKING BACK THE HOUSE

”

SwingLeft.org helps you find your nearest swing district and participate in campaigns and activities that work towards taking back the House. But why is this important? “Republicans control all three branches of government [currently], and it feels like Trump’s really unchecked,” Miriam cautions. “But we don’t have to wait three years for him to leave; flipping the House is the first thing we can do to put a check on him.” In districts where Republicans won seats by small margins, it’s possible for a Democrat to be elected into the seat, allowing for greater accountability of an administration that seems increasingly out of control. Miriam references the Republican tax bill as an example, stating, “They pushed it through, but it wasn’t something that most Americans wanted. If the Democrats controlled the House, that would have been a lot harder.” Like Flippable, Indivisible and several other organizations powered by the Resistance, Swing Left represents tangible activism that gives people easy ways to effectively donate their time and money. And with last fall’s Democratic successes in Virginia and Alabama, it seems that a blue wave is slowly rising. Still, Miriam is cautious. “If anything, the Trump election taught us that all core wisdom we thought we knew is out the window,” she declares. Regardless of outcome, Swing Left is an example of what can happen when communities mobilize into action. Miriam remains a Senior Advisor on Swing Left’s Leadership team, inspired by her activist grandmother and the pursuit of a brighter future for her two girls. “We just have to fight like hell and hope for the best,” she asserts. SWINGLEFT.ORG @SWINGLEFT

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D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

SPRING INTO THE NEW WITH THE DOPEN

For More Info or to Purchase the Dopen 2.0 | wewantdope.com Wholesale Options Available | info@wewantdope.com Follow Us | @thedopen

WORLD LEADER IN CANNABIS REFINEMENT EQUIPMENT UP TO 99.85% TOTAL CANNABINOIDS

rootsciences.com

info@rootsciences.com (206) 452-1130

THE ORIGINAL SOURCE FOR MAXIMUM TERPENOID AND PLANT OIL PRODUCTION TERPINATOR USES A ONE-OF-A-KIND PROCESS TO MAXIMIZE PRODUCTION

1. TRANSPORTS

2. STORES

3. BUILDS

4. PRODUCES

After application, Terpinator travels to plant cells in direct contact with the epidermal layer of the plant.

Terpinator is then stored in plant cells, and pushed into storage with the help of bio-osmotic potentiators until ready for use.

Terpinator enhances plants ability to produce gland sites by being readily available as a building block for secondary metabilites.

Trichomes, now more numerous and larger, fight for space, causing trichome count and productivity to rapidly increase.

RESULTING IN INCREASED POTENCY • FLAVOR • AROMA AVAILABLE IN COMMERCIAL SIZES

TERPINATOR.COM

Growing

is simple Emerald GoddessÂŽ is designed to be the most potent biocatalyst on the market today. It contains invigorating ingredients helping your valuable plants grow strong and bear big fruits. Achieve SIMPLE, EASY SUCCESS with Emerald Harvest.

www.emeraldharvest.co

Only Dispensary West of CSU Campus

1240 W. Elizabeth St. Unit C 10am - 6:50pm Daily Specials Fort Collins MED: REC: 10am - 7:50pm 970-286-2318 MED + REC

vertsdispensary.com

STRAIN

MANDARIN COOKIES A “WIPE THAT STUPID GRIN OFF YOUR FACE” HYBRID STRAIN MELISSA JOY JENA SCHLOSSER

his Mandarin Cookies strain—exclusively available from A Cut Above Dispensary—is sensational. The trichome-frosted nugs release a sweet, creamy citrus aroma reminiscent of an orange creamsicle. Mandarin Cookies is a relaxing hybrid with subtle sativa effects. It provides a strong, invigorating, cerebral high while leaving your body feeling light—and a bit tingly. A cross between Tangerine Power and Girl Scout Cookies, this strain certainly lives up to its parents’ genetic legacies. The sativa properties of Girl Scout Cookies makes Mandarin Cookies a great strain to share with a friend or two. I found myself feeling deeply relaxed, yet surprisingly talkative, all at the same time. This is the perfect strain to bring out your goofy side!

THC

24.43% CBD

TRACE TESTED AT: PHYTATECH phytatech.com

AVAILABLE AT A CUT ABOVE DISPENSARY 1911 S BROADWAY DENVER, CO 80223

PRODUCED & PROVIDED BY A CUT ABOVE @ACADENVER

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

EDIBLE

DOGG TREATS BY SNOOP GET LIFTEDâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;DOGGY STYLE MELISSA JOY JENA SCHLOSSER

ntroducing Dogg Treats from Leafs By Snoop, a sweet, tangy edible product from the one and only Snoop Dogg. These hand-pulled, taffy-like candies are absolutely delicious and have literally zero residual cannabis taste! Make sure you have some non-medicated snacks on hand while you partake, however, because these treats gave me the munchies like no other. Eat one and you will be feeling cool, calm and collected. Eat three like I did, and you might find yourself having a freestyle battle with the bathroom mirror at 2 A.M. on a Saturday night. Leafs By Snoop carries a great variety of flavors, but I have to say my hands-down favorite is their watermelon candy!

R EC / THC

80 MG 8 MG

PER CANDY M ED/ THC

100 MG 10 MG

PER CANDY TESTED AT: AGRICOR LABORATORIES agricorlabs.com

AVAILABLE AT LOCAL PRODUCT OF COLORADO 419 W 13TH AVE DENVER, CO 80204 NATURAL ALTERNATIVES 6712 S COLLEGE AVE #5 FORT COLLINS, CO 80525 ORGANIX 1795 AIRPORT RD BRECKENRIDGE, CO 80424

PRODUCED & PROVIDED BY LEAFS BY SNOOP LEAFSBYSNOOP.COM @LEAFSBYSNOOP @LEAFSBYSNOOP

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

C O N C E N T R AT E

NOMAD EXTRACTS’ BANANA KUSH FEELING RIPE AND RELAXED MELISSA JOY JENA SCHLOSSER

pen the jar and the scent of fresh, sweet bananas will fill the room and linger down the hallway. These beautiful little diamonds swim in a golden pool of saucy terpenes, and it’s safe to say that a little dab goes a very long way. Banana Kush is a cross between Ghost OG and Skunk Haze, both of which are hybrid strains with fast-acting, potent effects. Mostly known as an indica-dominant hybrid, Banana Kush is one of my favorite strains to come home to after a long day. While it can help you fall asleep, it doesn’t necessarily make you feel sleepy, and sativa properties from the Skunk Haze gives Banana Kush a great sense of clarity and focus. If you’re the ultimate homebody such as myself, then these are the per fect terps to keep you company!

T HC

PRODUCED & PROVIDED BY NOMAD EXTRACTS NOMADEXTRACTS.COM @NOMADEXTRACTS @NOMADEXTRACTS

AVAILABLE AT

95.25%

HIGH WEST CANNABIS 10625 E 51ST AVE #100 DENVER, CO 80239 THE DAB CO BY NEXT HARVEST 2748 W ALAMEDA AVE DENVER, CO 80219 BGOOD/LAMA BRAND CANNABIS 11450 CHEROKEE ST NORTHGLENN, CO 80234

CBD

TRACE

TESTED AT: NORDIC ANALYTICAL nordicanalytic.com

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

STORE

DIEGO PELLICER REDEFINING THE DISPENSARY EXPERIENCE MELISSA JOY JENA SCHLOSSER

ADDRESS

2949 W ALAMEDA AVE DENVER, CO 80219 (720) 787-4909 HOURS: MON-SAT: 9AM-9:45PM SUN: 10AM-8P @DPCOLORADO @DP_COLORADO @DP_COLORADO CO.DIEGO-PELLICER.COM D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

THE PLACE

THE PEOPLE

On the corner of Federal and Alameda lies Diego Pellicer, a dispensary that has forever changed the cannabis retail standard. This isn’t exactly a fancy part of town, so I was surprised when we pulled up to a beautiful, completely renovated building. Walking inside felt a bit like walking into a European boutique; foliage and plants in every corner, hand-painted art hanging on the walls, the most beautiful wooden display cabinets I’ve ever seen, a Spanish architectural vibe. Diego Pellicer celebrated its one year anniversary on Valentine’s Day and recently won multiple awards at the 2017 Cannabis Business Awards, including: Best Retail Center, Executive of The Year, Manager of The Year and Budtender of The Year.

We received a brief history lesson about the life of Diego Pellicer and his influence on their brand as soon as we arrived. Pellicer was a cannabis entrepreneur who became the largest producer of hemp during the late 19th century, and even traded hempbased materials with the Spanish Armada. Pellicer became the appointed colonial Vice Governor of Cebu, a cluster of islands in the Philippine Archipelago, where he served and eventually died on the field of battle. The Diego Pellicer brand pays homage to his life as a political pioneer in the production of cannabis.

“

PELLICER WAS A CANNABIS ENTREPRENEUR WHO BECAME THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF HEMP DURING THE LATE 19TH CENTURY, AND EVEN TRADED HEMP-BASED MATERIALS WITH THE SPANISH ARMADA.

THE PRODUCT

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”

Diego Pellicer grows all of their flower in-house. I loved how each strain was on display to be smelled and observed by customers, rather than kept behind a counter. Their $100/oz. special is an amazing deal, and even though that includes their smaller “popcorn nugs,” it’s still beyond worth it. They carry a fantastic selection of concentrates and have some serious price specials as well, like an ounce of Craft Live Resin for $700—which is such a steal I almost didn’t even want to share it here! They carry all the best edible brands, and have everything categorically organized for shopping convenience. You can also find beautiful works of glass on display from notable glass artists such as Burtoni, Wildfire and Lifeglass. Whether you’re an experienced cannabis user or a total newbie, recreational user or medical patient, Diego Pellicer is, in my humble opinion, the best dispensary Denver currently has to offer.

GARDEN

NATTY REMS GARDEN OF THE CONCENTRATE GODS MELISSA JOY

JENA SCHLOSSER

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

THE PEOPLE Natty Rems (aka Natural Remedies) became one of Denver’s first medicinal dispensaries back in 2009, and has also flourished as a recreational dispensary since 2014. In 2015 they started Concentrate Remedies (CRx), an in-house concentrate line that keeps the Denver dabbers flocking back for more. I personally smoke more CRx concentrates than any other company in town, so naturally I was thrilled to have the chance to visit their garden and observe their plants firsthand.

THE PLACE

“

We were blown away by the size of the facility we visited, and the whole Natty Rems crew was functioning like clockwork. We met everyone in the building, from the growers and trimmers to the daily operations and social media handlers. Everyone had a smile on their face and was eager to show us the fruits of their labor. We not only saw the flowers up close, but also got to watch the plants being processed. I appreciated getting to see the freezer full of top-shelf buds being prepped for Live Resin production. Definitely not something you get to see every day.

ALL THEIR PLANTS ARE WATERED AND TRIMMED BY HAND, AND I WAS STOKED TO LEARN THAT NATTY REMS HAS NEVER FAILED A MICROBIAL TEST.

”

THE PRODUCT I had high expectations going into this garden. The regular flowering rooms were great, but what really stood out to me were the plants in the long run rooms. These are the plants that are given a few extra weeks to really prosper and mature. Each leaf was reaching towards the lights, making the plants look especially tall and vigorous. Natty Rems has always been known for their top notch genetics, and I have to say their Bob Saget was among the best I’ve ever seen. All their plants are watered and trimmed by hand, and I was stoked to learn that Natty Rems has never failed a microbial test. Even though the garden was absolutely booming, the real treat was getting to peek inside the extraction lab. The team made sure we got to see (and smell) the best of what they had cooking, which included the absolutely dankest Gorilla Glue and UK Cheese Live Diamonds.

NATTYREMS.COM | CONCENTRATEREMEDIES.COM @NATTYREMS @NATTY_REMS_CO | @CRX_COLORADO

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ENVIRONMENT

THE ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF TRUMPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ENERGY POLICY

DEREK GUMIN

ASHLEY BELFSKY

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

WHO IS AFFECTED? After rolling back Obama-era federal protections on some of the nation’s most pristine national parks and monuments in late 2017, the Trump Administration has continued to auction off swaths of the West in an attempt to attract new lease sales for fossil fuel drilling, fracking and mining. Although it’s true there are several oil-rich areas that will offer up substantial energy benefits and resources on government-leased territory, there are still many regions and states affected by these new policies that don’t see an upside for residents. Take, for instance, the microsystems that supply beauty and life to the high deserts of eastern Nevada. According to Nevada hydrologist Tom Myers, Ph.D., the effects of drilling and fracking in the proposed lease areas in eastern Nevada containing sensitive groundwater basins “threatens the hydrogeology of the area, including regional springs and intermittent and perennial streams. The potential impacts include both contamination and depletion of flow.” Meyers published his findings in a report entitled “Review of Hydrogeologic Aspects of the December 2017 Oil and Gas Lease Sale, Ely District Office.” With such critical ecosystems at risk, the implications of what could happen to the entire region’s fauna, flora and groundwater are seemingly obvious. However, in Trumpland there has been no apparent environmental concern whatsoever. Gas, gold and oil have taken precedence over food, health and water.

“

GAS, GOLD AND OIL HAVE TAKEN PRECEDENCE OVER FOOD, HEALTH AND WATER.

WHICH STATES ARE IMPACTED?

”

We’ve seen federal downsizing of historic proportions in Utah, expanses of California and Nevada auctioned off, and plans for offshore oil drilling along the entire Pacific Coastline—and that’s just the beginning. As reported by Keith Schneider of the L.A. Times, “The Interior Department reported that auctions of federal drilling leases earned $316.2 million in revenue in 2017, about 61% higher than the $196.7 million that the government made from leasing in 2016.”.

WHAT TYPES OF ECO-DISASTERS ARE WE FACING? The complications from groundwater contamination and depletion could be devastating to the region’s agriculture, fish and wildlife, ranching, recreation and, most importantly, its drinking supply, leaving behind a wide range of carcinogenic complications for future generations to come. And though some of the richest oil reserves lie just off the Pacific shoreline, are Trumponomics worth another disaster like BP’s Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010? Unfortunately, those who have made attempts to thwart federal lease auctions have been met with jail time or have been personally targeted by the government. However, that doesn’t mean we stop the fight to protect our Earth. We must become the watchdogs of the government and those buying land leases to ensure the land remains protected, and take drastic measures to protect our environment—and our future. We must put pressure on politicians and corporations to divest from fossil fuels, endorse businesses with sustainable practices, strive every day to reduce our carbon footprint, and, most importantly, we must speak out. We only have one planet. Don’t let it become Planet Trump.

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50/50 %

LIGHT

NIGHT

ADVOCACY

ADVOCACY GROUPS FIGHT FOR LEGALIZATION AS RESIDENTS HEAD TO COLORADO

NICOLE SKROBIN

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

hen Utah is mentioned, most people think of Salt Lake City, Utah’s capital. Salt Lake City is also where the Winter Olympics were held in 2002, and Utah is currently pushing to host the 2026 Winter Olympics. Although this would garner tourism and boost the economy, Utah shouldn’t focus on hosting the Olympic games when they could instead focus on their sick and suffering residents in desperate need of medical marijuana. Utah lawmakers have been dragging their feet on implementing a medical marijuana program, despite widespread effort by activists and advocate groups such as Utah Patients Coalition, TRUCE, Libertas Institute and the Marijuana Policy Project. PUSHING FOR A PROGRESSIVE CHANGE According to a poll conducted in September 2017, 74 percent of Utah residents support a state medical marijuana program, which demonstrates resident acceptance of cannabis as medicine. However, Utah lawmakers have chosen to ignore residents’

needs, including children who would greatly benefit from medical marijuana—particularly cannabidiol (CBD) oil, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid known to treat many medical ailments. Thus far, the Utah Patients Coalition (UPC) has led Utah’s campaign to establish a medical marijuana program for suffering residents, particularly children with various seizure disorders. Due to Utah’s legislative inaction, advocate groups like UPC have taken matters into their own hands by introducing a citizen petition. This petition would set up a medical marijuana (non-smoking) program, in which a limited number of registered growers would provide marijuana to be prescribed by a limited number of doctors for specific diseases and/or chronic pain, according to Utah Policy.com. However, for Utah’s petition to qualify for this year’s ballot, the campaign must collect 113,000 signatures from registered Utah voters by this April. Additionally, at least 10 percent of those voters must be in 26 of 29 Utah Senate districts.

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UTAH MARIJUANA LAWS Despite countless studies demonstrating the medicinal properties and benefits of marijuana, it remains illegal in Utah. In particular, the possession of as little as an ounce or less of cannabis could result in a six-month jail sentence. Rather than medically legalizing marijuana, a bill was passed in 2017 that authorizes further research of the benefits and risks of marijuana; Utah legislators have refused to authorize medical marijuana usage in favor of further studying its effectiveness.

UTAH FAMILIES MIGRATE TO COLORADO FOR MEDICINAL MARIJUANA Due to Utah’s delay in medically legalizing marijuana, multiple families have decided to relocate to Colorado so their children can receive the medicine they need. The Koozers are one such family relocating to Colorado to ensure their daughter, Piper, could legally use CBD oil for her seizures. The Koozers are just one family out of a steadily growing migration who have uprooted their lives in order to access Colorado’s legal cannabis. Colorado has proved to be the go-to state for receiving high-CBD extracts that are low in THC, the cannabinoid that gives users a “high” feeling. CW Botanicals is the top company Utah parents trust with their CBD oil purchases, including the Koozers. The Cromars and Stangers are two additional families who relocated to Colorado, despite Utah issuing medical hemp permits for individuals to utilize CBD oil. Unfortunately, there are many restrictions in Utah that make it difficult to use medical marijuana, and medical hemp permits are difficult to obtain. You need state-approved documentation to use CBD oil and you must travel out of state to attain the oil, as cultivation is illegal in Utah. Regardless, activists, advocacy groups and passionate families continue to fight for the legalization of medical marijuana, and we hope the petition will make it onto the 2018 ballot next month.

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

Growing

www.emeraldharvest.co

PRODUCT

THE UEST AEROINHALER A REMARKABLE NEW WAY TO ELEVATE MELISSA JOY JENA SCHLOSSER

inner of the most innovative new product at the 2017 Cannabis Business Awards, the Quest AeroInhaler is a fresh, exceptionally convenient new way to get high. Each inhaler contains 1000mg THC as topgrade distillate and administers 6.8-10mg of THC per puff (100 puffs per inhaler), which gives you complete, consistent control over your dosing. AeroInhaler is safe, effective, odorless and so discreet you can use it literally anywhere. The best part is the live resin terpenes added back into the product after distillation, allowing you to medicate without sacrificing flavor. Quest Aerosols have not only created the first cannabisinfused inhaler—they’ve perfected it.

PRODUCED & PROVIDED BY QUEST CONCENTRATES QUESTCONCENTRATES.COM QUESTAEROSOLS.COM @AEROINHALER @QUESTCONCENTRATES

10 MG PER PUFF

100 PUFFS PER CANISTER TESTED AT: AGRICOR LABORATORIES agricorlabs.com

PRICE 80.00

AVAILABLE AT ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH 1538 WAZEE ST #100 DENVER, CO 80202 LACONTE’S CLONE BAR + DISPENSARY 5194 WASHINGTON ST DENVER, CO 80216 THE HERBAL CURE 985 S LOGAN ST DENVER, CO 80209 AND OTHER RETAILERS THIS PRODUCT IS ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE STATE OF COLORADO.

THC

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

RECIPE

INFUSED DINNER FOR ONE! REFRESHING BUCATINI WITH GARLIC AND OIL LAURIE AND MARYJANE

ucatini is thick, spaghetti-like pasta that’s extremely satisfying. If it’s not your cup of tea, feel free to use any other shape of noodle; come summer time, an angel hair would be delightful. As always, the ingredients can be changed to suit your taste. Adding shrimp, tofu or chicken could be a nice way to go, but honestly, its simplicity is one of its best qualities! This is a recipe for one. Take a little time and make yourself this yummy dinner—you deserve it. For more of Laurie and Maryjane, visit:

Yield: Serves 1 2 tbsp. 1 tsp. 2 4 1 cup 1 pinch 3 oz. opt.

olive oil canna-olive oil garlic cloves, peeled and sliced cherry tomatoes, halved if large fresh spinach, packed crushed red pepper bucatini pasta parmesan salt and pepper, to taste

LAURIEANDMARYJANE.COM

INSTRUCTIONS

INGREDIENTS

D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

In a small skillet over medium-low heat, heat the oils. Add the garlic and cherry tomatoes and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

Add the spinach and sauté until wilted, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the crushed pepper, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. When tender, drain and place in a bowl.

4. Add the sauce to the pasta and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. A tasty alternative for Parmesan can be a couple tablespoons of goat cheese and some fresh or frozen peas.