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D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 | T H E FA M I LY I S S U E
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OU DON’T HAVE TO look very far to see that 2016 left many people in a divisive state of mind. We are often pushed to make a choice about which side of the line we stand—an “either you are with us or against us,” mentality. This state of mind is not only vexing but often results in backwards momentum. No matter which issues you support or with which community you find yourself aligned with, there has never been a greater need for unity and compassion. The new year offers each of us a platform for vocalization and action. It is in these spaces where change will manifest, and we ask those in our community to choose the path of respect, integrity and optimism. This issue of DOPE Magazine is dedicated to families and communities. The DOPE staff has never felt so focused or united. Each and every day we are offered a choice, and to choose to take the high road means you’ve chosen to take a path less traveled. It is without doubt a more strenuous and delicate road to traverse. It means you’ll have to dedicate yourself fully to believing that your actions matter, that your focus must be unwavering and that your heart must be in the right place. As one year flows into the next, DOPE will remain an unceasing force for revolutionary change. We haven’t forgotten where we came from, and our dedication to normalizing cannabis through education and honest discourse will remain a priority. We look forward to not only continuing to bring you trusted and reliable content but building this community with you along the way. The DOPE Editorial Team
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T H E FA M I LY I S S U E MONTEL WILLIAMS 32 12
A RT A Mural For The Masses
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CANNABRANDING Bondi Farms
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NEWS Cannabis Wins
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G R OW From Dried To Cured
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NEWS #END420SHAME
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P R O D U C T S W E L OV E
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F E AT U R E The Future Judging of Cannabis Cups
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DECEMBER 2016
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Between 1961 and 2012, the Basque separatto be much less widely spoken). Many of their Cannabis Industry Discusses Diversity ist organization Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA— numbers feel that Spanish and French culture WEED WEEK 64 “Basque meaning Country and Freedom”) ran threatens to consume Basque culture and idenbombing B U S I N E S Sthroughout the region, tity, and nationalist and separatist sentiment 66 campaigns killing over Nanolux 800 people in an attempt to gain remains fairly high. Tech and the Future of Hydroponics national independence for the Basque Country. The days of violence are probably over for Irun69 itself has been ofOseveral ED I TOthe R ’ Ssite CH I C E bombings good, as ETA is now discussing permanent disand at least one over the decades. armament, and the vast majority of Basques DIEassassination Bearmy The Basque Country (known as Euskari to believe in nonviolent means of achieving their I A L Mall E Dits I Aown, and a lan- political goals in any case. 70 hasS O Basques) aC culture @DOPEMAGAZINE guage thought to predate all other European But that does not mean that the Basques have languages (although everyone there seems to forgotten their nonconformist ways. Indeed, switch effortlessly between Spanish, French the proud Basque tradition of arguing with the and English, and the Basque language seems Spanish state served the region well during its
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ART CO N N E CTING THE C OMMU NITY WRITER / MEGAN RUBIO
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RT HAS THE ABILITY to inspire—to provoke thought and contemplation. Art is meant to be shared, with each viewer having a different experience when gazing upon artistic creations. We see it everywhere, and yet how often do we truly take the time to experience it? In a world of mass consumerism, immediate gratification and non-stop expectations, sometimes art is exactly what we need to slow down and just be. Art encourages us to not only think about the outside world, but to look inside ourselves. Cutting Edge Solutions (CES), a prominent fertilizer company based in California, intends to create ties and express gratitude to their community through art. CES is commissioning a mural to be painted outside the walls of one of their buildings. Chris Buletti, the company’s CEO, explained that the purpose of the mural is to shed light on the significant relationship between agriculture and community. Cutting Edge Solutions aims to show their appreciation through creating a piece of art for all to enjoy within their community. To accomplish this, CES has hired Chor Boogie to paint the mural.
“BEYOND THOSE THAT HAVE INSPIRED HIS ART FORM, CHOR IS ALSO INSPIRED BY THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS AROUND HIM. HE VIEWS ‘FREEDOM’ AS A BRAND IN AMERICA AND HAS DEEP CRITICISMS OF THE WIDESPREAD INEQUALITIES IN OUR COUNTRY.”
Coming upon their 15-year anniversary, Chris knew that he wanted a unique and original piece of art for their facility. Chris expressed that it has and always will be a priority of CES to support local, like-minded businesses in the Bay Area. Chor, being a local, has work displayed all throughout California. In reaching the 15-year milestone, CES is looking to make a statement on the current state of their industry. As competition has increasingly been sold off to larger corporate entities, Cutting Edge Solutions wants to celebrate their independence, while hoping to also inspire other locally grown companies to remain independent. Chris highlights that it is through their independence that CES is able create a superior quality product. He describes CES as being local in nature and thought, even though their products are widely distributed throughout the country. Chor Boogie is well-known for the vibrant, abstract murals he creates. He’s done work for the Smithsonian Museum, the Beijing Olympics and has been commissioned by clients such as Google, Playboy, Jay Z and Prince, amongst many others. Chor uses the unique medium of spray painting—an art form he’s engaged in since his youth. He has a variety of artists who have inspired and influenced his work—the greats, such as Michelangelo, Da Vince, Rembrandt and Dali. He also draws inspiration from street artists, such as Vulcan and Phase2. Beyond those that have inspired his art form, Chor is also inspired by the social conditions around him. He views “freedom” as a brand in America and has deep criticisms of the widespread inequalities in our country. He sees the everyday social and economic struggles of families and individuals, the dis-
proportionate imprisonment of minorities and the struggles of indigenous people. As an artist known for his active participation in the community, Chor was exactly what Cutting Edge Solutions was looking for. Chor refers to his type of art as modern hieroglyphics. Similar to how cavemen and the Egyptians would draw on walls, Chor sees his art as telling a story. While his medium is spray paint, he explains that his art is more than just graffiti. Within one piece he can encompass multiple meanings, yet it’s up to the viewer to understand for themselves what his murals mean to them. Not only is his art meaningful, but he also believes that any art is a window into the artists themselves. Chor’s work is a stunning combination of abstract art and realism, highlighted through the use of vibrant and dynamic colors. Within his work, Chor uses the abstract to convey meaning. He explains that he uses vibrant colors because he believes that colors can have therapeutic effects. This mural also touches on Chor’s personal beliefs. He believes that plants are some of the most powerful medicines available to humans and that we need to learn to harness, not abuse the remedies provided to us by the Earth. In describing the mural, Chor reveals that the mural’s theme is balance—having both positives and negatives contributing to the whole. While CES provides nutrients and pest management programs for many cannabis cultivators, the mural is going to consist of a multitude of plants and plant matter. Chor relates the mural to the Earth. He sees the Earth as a young planet within our universe and wants to convey that message within the mural, which will contain five panels. The mural was started on October 5 and was completed on October 26.
One aspect of the mural that will make it truly unique is that elementary school kids from a local charter school will be contributing to it. The children will be working on one of the panels before Chor does, giving the mural more meaning and significance within the community. Once the kids have added their artwork, Chor will work their contributions into the mural. Not only will the mural contain a piece of the kids, but it’s a unique memory and experience that the children will have for the rest of their lives. Like agriculture, the mural will impact generations of childhood participants and viewers alike. Overall, CES is looking to impart their gratefulness not only to their community, but to the industry they serve as well. Chris shared that one of the many reasons the mural was commissioned was, “To give back something beautiful and inspiring to the community that has given us so much.” He says that they are also thankful to be a part of an amazing industry and happy to have customers that have truly become family over time. Were it not for the support of the community, Cutting Edge Solutions would not be as successful as they are today. The mural commissioned by CES represents more than gratitude to the community. It represents the company’s dedication to the future, one that includes all members of the community. Agriculture is a field that will always be necessary within society. Even as technology modernizes, the mural will encapsulate CES’ endeavor to further the influence of agriculture and to encourage engagement. Through his style, Chor Boogie will give life to the goals of Cutting Edge Solutions, conveyed within the mural.
CANNABRANDING
BO N D I FA R M S
INTERVIEW BY / BRANDON PALMA / 8THDAYCREATE
PHOTO / GLACE BONDESON
T
HE RETAIL EXPERIENCE FOR cannabis combine in the fields of branding and identity to truly elevate the presentation of this plant to the next level. For December, we sit down with Bondi Farms and their creative team Anne Raynor and Grace Kelly in Washington State to gain insights on their approach to cannabis.
What is your inspiration behind your brand? Bondi Farms is named after a famous beach in Australia. While thinking of the name, we discussed the different moods cannabis helps us with. We all talked about our love of that beach and how we benefit from being there in a lot of different ways. Some people enjoy just laying out, taking in the sun, relaxing, while others like to be more active, maybe by finding solace out in the water. Cannabis is similar. Often times we’re smoking to chill or to elevate our senses a bit more. It brings us something—a sense of joy when we smoke it. We wanted people to enjoy our various strains of cannabis just like they might enjoy their experience of going to the beach.
What message do you want to portray with your branding? That anyone 21 and older can smoke Bondi. What was important to us was visibility without being pretentious and too specific to one type of person. We wanted uplifting, yet simple, clean, meaningful design—something noticeable on the shelves. You walk into any shop we’re in and you notice Bondi.
Is there any special meaning to the colors or references in your branding or packaging? If so, please explain. The different color schemes we have for each of our strains helps give the purchaser at the store some identity to what they are buying. Like, for example, our Super Silver Lemon Haze is yellow to help identify this strain with the lemon citrus flavor it produces. It’s turned out to be our number one seller. And while the packaging has something to do with that, it’s more about the bud itself. While the label design is attractive, it’s more so that we focused on the details of that strain. You can put SSLH in any bag, any jar with any label and that is fine, but to make it more attractive, we shared its profile by way of color and design of the lemons. Another example is our Banana Kush which is green on top and yellow on the bottom just like a banana at the store. So, we try our best to have the color and graphics on the label reflect that strain.
How do you feel your brand and identity reflect the cannabis industry? While working on the development of our branding, we kept in mind the different cannabis lovers we’ve come across over the years. A lot of people are already convinced of the powers of cannabis. We aren’t trying to convince you how amazing the plant is, as most of us are past that. It’s now delivering consistent, quality buds in a way that isn’t screaming, “smoke me!” With a plethora of strains out there, we wanted to give you a sense of the strains scent and flavor profile.
“THE DIFFERENT COLOR SCHEMES WE HAVE FOR EACH OF OUR STRAINS HELPS GIVE THE PURCHASER AT THE STORE SOME IDENTITY TO WHAT THEY ARE BUYING.”
How are you making your brand distinguishable throughout the ever growing cannabis industry? The goal of branding is to create a brand and product that consumers can come back to in the store and find exactly what they purchased before. We find our colors, our boldness in font and our simplicity help our customers find that same product much easier.
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NEWS
CANN A BIS WINS Whether your presidential candidate won the election or not, there’s one thing we can all agree on: cannabis won big. November 8 was a huge night for medical and recreational marijuana across the country. The industry drastically changed overnight, and for the better. So, let’s breakdown how it all played out.
RECREATIONAL USE MEDICAL USE Adult-Use Initiatives Leading up to the elections, recreational marijuana was only legal in four states and one district: Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Washington DC. Post-election night, California, Massachusetts, Nevada and Maine joined the adult use states. The only state to not approve adult-use was Arizona, but the race was neck-and-neck.
How close were the votes and what does it mean for each state? •California (Proposition 64): In one of the biggest victories for cannabis since Colorado passed recreational in 2012, Californians overwhelmingly voted “yes” on Proposition 64: the Adult Use of Marijuana Act. With 56.2 percent for versus 43.8 percent against, the proposition separated by more than a million voters, will bring recreational marijuana to more than 38.8 million people. The new measure allows anyone over 21 years old to possess limited amounts of marijuana for personal use. •Massachusetts (Question 4): In another solid “yes” vote, Massachusetts passed Question 4 (the Legalization, Regulation, and Taxation Marijuana Initiative) with 53.6 percent of voters for recreational marijuana. The new law will allow individuals at least 21 years or older to use, grow and possess cannabis. •Nevada (Question 2): Voters passed Question 2 on election night. In the end, 54.47 percent of the population voted for the initiative that will allow adults 21 years and older to possess, consume, and cultivate marijuana for recreational purposes. •Maine (Question 1): Maine’s vote for Question 1 was the closest race of the bunch, separated by just a few thousand individuals but, in the end, the victory went to cannabis with 50.2 percent of the vote, according to the initial results. The new measure will legalize, regulate and tax marijuana in Maine as an agricultural product. •Arizona (Proposition 205): Arizonans voted on Proposition 205, a campaign to regulate marijuana like alcohol but, although it was close, it didn’t get the necessary votes. Separated by less than 90,000 voters (51.77 percent “no” versus 48.23 percent “yes”), the measure, which would have made recreational marijuana legal, has been put on the back burner for another election cycle.
NEWS
TH E ELEC TION! Medical Initiatives On the medical side of marijuana, four states had marijuana on the ballot, and every single state voted “yes.” Voters in Arkansas, Florida and North Dakota approved medical marijuana for their citizens and voters in Montana voted to roll back restrictions on existing medical cannabis laws. It was a huge win all around, bringing the total number of states who have approved marijuana up to 32.
What can new medical marijuana states expect? •Arkansas (Issue 6): Fifty-three percent of voters in Arkansas voted “yes” on Issue 6, which will establish and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivation facilities in the state. It’s big news, making Arkansas the first state in the “Bible Belt” to legalize medical cannabis. •Florida (Amendment 2): Two years ago, Florida just barely missed passing medical marijuana. This time, 71.3 percent of Floridian’s voted “yes” on Amendment 2. The new amendment allows medical marijuana to be used for over 10 diseases and debilitating medical conditions including cancer, HIV, PTSD and Chron’s disease. •Montana (Initiative 182): With 57 percent voting “yes,” Montana is expanding its medical marijuana program. The Initiative will repeal the requirement that physicians can only provide certifications to 25 patients. It will also allow physicians to prescribe marijuana for patients diagnosed with chronic pain and PTSD. •North Dakota (Measure 5): With overwhelming support, North Dakota voters passed Measure 5 with 63.8 percent saying “yes.” The measure allows more than 13 different medical conditions to be treated with cannabis. Conditions include ALS, glaucoma, epilepsy and spinal stenosis.spinal stenosis, and more.
What Now?
“THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT 24.6 MILLION MORE AMERICANS NOW HAVE ACCESS TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA.”
According to initial ballot results
A recent Gallup poll found nationwide support for legalization at 60 percent, the highest level in 47 years. However, as election night showed with a surprising upset pulled by Trump, the polls aren’t always accurate. That’s why continued support and advocacy is so vital. The good news is that 24.6 million more Americans now have access to medical marijuana. We’re heading in the right direction and, at this point, we only see great things for cannabis.
WRITER / KELLY VO
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A NEW REALM OF WELLNESS WRITER / MEGAN CAMPBELL
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HERE WAS LITTLE RESEARCH out there on the medicinal properties of cannabis when Montel Williams first felt “excruciating” pain in his feet. This came at the peak of his career in 1999 as host of The Montel Williams Show. “It quickly spread up to my knees, legs, then arms,” Williams told DOPE Magazine. “I tried various pharmaceuticals—to no avail—but then a doctor at Harvard recommended cannabis; and I’ve been using it as a medicine ever since.” Williams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a disease of the central nervous system that does not currently have a cure but with treatment might be helped. In the early 2000s, he publically announced his cannabis use, and so began his more than 15year, high-profile advocacy career for medical cannabis research, striving to ensure top-quality and consistent products. This September, he announced his new company, LenitivLabs by Lenitiv Scientific, which is based in California and creates a line of “medical-grade cannabis products,” according to its website. These products are expected to be ready as early as 2017 in California.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has yet to evaluate LenitivLab’s products. The FDA “has not approved marijuana as a safe and effective drug for any indication,” but has approved two drugs containing a synthetic substance that “acts similar to compounds from marijuana but is not present in marijuana,” according to the agency. This issue goes back to the federal government’s classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug, which characterizes it as having “no currently accepted medical use,” according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Williams advocates for using real marijuana products and promotes ongoing research of the plant. He hopes to see more money going into such science so patients can benefit from its healing properties he himself has experienced. Prior to becoming a television personality, Williams was in the United States military for more than two decades. Today, he draws on his personal story as a patient and a veteran to ensure both parties have access to cannabis so their medical needs are met, but there’s still work to do, he said. Recently, Williams spoke with DOPE Magazine about his experience, his cannabis activism and where he anticipates the industry is headed.
C O V E R F E AT U R E
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DOPE MAGAZINE: Tell us about the transformation from a ‘90s American talk show host to a 21st century cannabis activist?
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MONTEL WILLIAMS: At the height of my TV career, I was flying out from New York to LA when I felt an excruciating pain in my feet. A few days later, my doctor diagnosed me with multiple sclerosis (MS). The pain was literally paralyzing. It quickly spread up to my knees, legs, then arms. I tried various pharmaceuticals—to no avail—but then a doctor at Harvard recommended cannabis. I’ve been using cannabis as a medicine ever since. Very early on, I became a cannabis advocate to ensure that patients have access to cannabis for medical purposes. I’ve fought for medical cannabis reform in numerous states and on Capitol Hill.
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Did you have a pre-established perception of cannabis, and, if so, what was that moment when your perspective of cannabis changed? As a former Naval Intelligence Officer for 22 years, I used to have to get blood-tested every few months, so I’d never been a regular cannabis user. But after my diagnosis with MS, cannabis became a very necessary medicine for treating my symptoms.
“MY CELEBRITY IMAGE HAS BEEN LESS IMPORTANT THAN MY EXPERIENCE AS A CANNABIS PATIENT.”
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A For more information on LenitivLabs, visit lenitivlabs.com
Is there a moment you can point to when you knew you didn’t want to be just a medical marijuana patient anymore? I’m a big research nut—so when I first started using cannabis, I read everything I could about it—the medical effects, the science and the legal landscape. Back then, you had cancer patients being wheeled out of their homes by the police for using cannabis. Having experienced its medicinal effects firsthand, I decided that law enforcement had no business interfering between doctors and their patients; and it became my mission to stand up for patients. It’s evident that you’re passionate about bringing transparency to the cannabis industry. What’s the biggest issue you’re seeing right now that stems from a lack of transparency and accountability? Seed-to-sale tracking software has been shown to be essential in ensuring transparency and accountability, as well as patient safety. California has been slow to adopt tracking software, which has led to a lot of issues with federal and local prosecution, seizures and raids; but California’s new law looks as if it’ll increase transparency and accountability.
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How has your celebrity image hindered or helped you gain traction in the cannabis industry? My celebrity image has been less important than my experience as a cannabis patient. It certainly helps that people know me, but mainly they can relate to my health journey with MS, and my absolute reliance on cannabis to treat the symptoms. We dove into previous interviews you’ve done, and we wondered if there was something you always hoped someone would ask you that no has asked before? I do get asked—but not often enough— about the veterans. As a Marine Corps veteran myself, I’ve fought hard over the years to ensure that veterans have access to cannabis to relieve symptoms of PTSD; and there’s still a lot of work to be done on that front. What’s on your calendar of upcoming cannabis-related events? Alongside the launch of my new medical cannabis brand, LenitivLabs by Lenitiv Scientific, I’m looking forward to speaking at several cannabis conferences this year. What do you see as your biggest challenge in 2017? The single biggest challenge is always making this movement appeal to folks in states that aren’t online yet, most of which are conservative and don’t have a lot of frame of reference on this issue. How do you envision the future of cannabis? On the recreational front, I anticipate a spike in use, and a steady improvement in quality, as new regulations go into effect and as cannabis consumers seek out the best legal options available to them. On the medical front, I hope and expect to see more money poured into research and science and expect to see new cannabis patients benefitting.
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F E AT U R E
kith /kiTH/ kin /kin/ LITERALLY FRIENDS AND FAMILY
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AMILY. TRIBE. KINSMEN. SISTERHOOD. When you look up community in a thesaurus one of the synonyms you’ll find is “people.” People are capable of connecting and communicating on levels unsurpassed by any other earthly being. The next six pages reveal the raw, dynamic and powerful performance of cannabis in distinctly different communities. The overarching theme is cannabis’ ability to unite not only those with interchangeable outlooks but also those with dissimilar perspectives and juxtaposed sentiments. Cannabis becomes a space of common ground for those seeking emotional, creative, medicinal or spiritual counsel. DOPE Magazine had the privilege of exploring some of the multi-faceted family and community arrangements, and we’ve put pen to paper in an effort to share the trials and tribulations of these communities with you.
POSITIVE DISRUPTION
‘KETTLE FALLS FIVE’ ROLLAND GREGG LEAVES AN IMPACT WRITER / MEGAN CAMPBELL
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T’S NOVEMBER 3, AND Rolland Gregg wakes up 35 years old. “Good morning beautiful people,” he posts in a video to his Facebook page, thanking everyone for the birthday wishes. “I’m happier than I ever imagined.” He’s in his Seattle-area home, touring his bedroom, showcasing wedding pictures of the happy moment. The sun shines through the windows on this crisp, fall day. A year and a day ago he asked his bride to marry him, which she did this last summer, he tells
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the front-facing camera. “It’s been the most amazing year of life with her,” he says. Rolland, clean-cut wearing a white, button-up shirt and a brown leather jacket, steps onto his back porch. “Just wanted to say thank you to everybody for all the beautiful wishes,” he says. “I hope you make it a beautiful day and make the best of life.” Post time: 8:34 am. In the mist of savoring life, Rolland has been engaged in a personal and unprecedented legal battle that caught the eye of national media.
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S TO P I NT ERF E RIN G W I T H STAT E L AWS
B ROUG HT TO GE T H E R A N D TOR N A PA RT
T H E R E’S A L OT T HAT N E E D S TO C HA NGE
Rolland Gregg—known as one of the “Kettle Falls Five”—faces 33 months of jail time after a federal judge sentenced him in March 2015 with felony charges for manufacturing 50 to 100 marijuana plants in Washington state. He, like all five defendants in the case, had a state medical marijuana license. As a group, they grew a small cannabis garden on Rolland’s family land in rural Washington, which they believed met state law. In 2012, officials raided the property multiple times, alleging the group was doing much more than simply treating their own medical needs. For years, Rolland, his mother, his then-wife, his stepfather and their family-friend strapped in to defend in federal court—which does not recognize marijuana as having any current medical use—what had been permitted at a state level. The case “has been closely watched nationwide as an indicator of how tough the federal government will be in pursuing criminal marijuana charges in states that have legalized the drug for medicinal and recreational uses,” Spokane-based newspaper The Spokesman-Review reported on March 3, 2015. “It’s the biggest issue there is, ending cannabis prohibition at a federal level,” Rolland said. “We need to stop interfering with state laws.”
Larry Harvey was a retired truck driver who lived in Kettle Falls, Washington, with his wife, Rhonda Firestack-Harvey—and he was in pain. Larry and his stepson, Rolland, weren’t the closest. But Rolland was familiar with pain, having broken his neck and back when he was 17 after a snowboarding accident. Finally, in about 2010, Rolland told his mom to put some cannabis oil in the cookies she bakes Larry each evening. He bets it’ll help Larry’s gout and bad knees. That night Larry experienced body relief, Rolland said, and his perception of cannabis began to shift—Larry was “immediately an advocate.” Over time, with a doctor’s prescription in hand, the family would start a garden. “We grew the cannabis and used it,” Rolland said. “We weren’t trying to hide anything. We didn’t think we had to.” It was a period of relationship growth, Rolland said, and it was an educational moment to reshape the stigma of cannabis Larry had adopted. “Having the garden brought us together,” he said. But the family peace was disrupted in August 2012 when Rhonda answered the door to law enforcement. “[She] was surprised but not particularly worried, even though about 70 marijuana plants were growing on a remote part of their 34 acres,” The Spokesman-Review reported in May 2014. “They weren’t selling the drug or giving it to people outside their group. They were far from schools, parks, libraries or other places where children might gather.” This was the first visit, where officials confiscated some plants but left 45 behind. On the second officials wore U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency jackets and came with a federal warrant in hand, she told the Spokesman-Review. They collected the remaining plants, other marijuana, cash and guns—which defendants successfully argued in court were for hunting purposes. This was the beginning of a public and lengthy court battle that would lead to daily conversations urging the family to stick together by avoiding plea deals, Rolland said. “We can do this,” he remembers telling them. “We don’t want to just give up. This is bigger than just us.” But it took its toll. “I had many arguments, many fights, many disagreements, many emotional nights, many screaming matches,” he said. “They’re tearing us apart.”
Rolland is still hard at work filing amicus briefs on legal motions that could help his current appeal, he said. And while he’s fighting for the right to treat his pain, despite living in a state that’s allowed medical cannabis since the late ‘90s, he’s not allowed to consume it due to the federal ruling. “There’s a lot that needs to change,” he said. He thinks it’s “inevitable” that his family’s story will leave a mark; he calls it “positively disruptive.” His family has made an impact in other ways, too. For example, throughout 2014, Rolland, Rhonda and Larry travelled regularly to Washington DC to advocate for the Hinchey-Rohrabacher Medical Marijuana Amendment, Rolland said. The amendment, which passed for the first time in December 2014, prevents the federal government from spending money on arresting and prosecuting medical marijuana patients and providers who are in compliance with their state laws. It must be approved every year. As for how the rest of the “Kettle Falls Five” turned out after the trial, Rolland’s mother and his now-exwife—who also face jail time—remain “free” pending the outcome of their appeals. Larry was dismissed prior to sentencing after being diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. He died in August 2015, six months after the federal government dropped the charges. He was 71. Family friend Jason Zucker took the federal prosecutor’s plea deal shortly before sentencing and testified against the others. Zucker received a 16-month sentence.
“THIS IS BIGGER THAN JUST US.” - ROLLAND GREGG
TREKKING TO GREENER PASTURES
RAW REALITIES OF TH E COLTYN TU RNER CRUE WRITER / ANDREA LARSON
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PHOTO / COURTESY OF COLTYNSCRUE.ORG
OLTYN TURNER IS WELL known in the cannabis community. Coltyn’s personality is winsome, his attendance at cannabis events enraptures audiences and his wisdom spans far beyond his 16 years. The story of the Turner family is one of sacrifice, hope and healing. In a losing battle with Crohn’s disease, the Turner clan fled the only home they’d ever known in Illinois for greener pastures. Since staking new ground in Colorado Springs, the family of five has been exposed to the good, bad and ugly side of cannabis. On a rainy November afternoon in Seattle, I pick up my phone and dial Wendy Turner. Coltyn’s mom, a mother of four and grandmother of as many, picks up. In Illinois Wendy owned her own dance studio, it’s one of the things she misses most since moving
west. She’s sitting in her driveway, perusing Facebook. Our conversation ignites in conventional banter and talking to Wendy is as commonplace as chats I have with my mom. Wendy and Coltyn had taken a trip that afternoon to the bank so he could start his first checking account. The Turner story has been told many times by many different media. In this version, raw emotions, feelings of angst, fear and loneliness bubble to the surface. The Turners feel blessed and at no time during our conversation do complaints arise, but the Turners don’t describe the reality and the routine of day-to-day life as glamorous. While I have Wendy and her husband Tommy to myself, I dive into the nitty-gritty.
F E AT U R E
M ARRI AGE – W H E N TH E ACCE P TA N C E I N TO T H E GO I NG GET S TOU G H CA N NA B I S C O MMU N I T Y Tommy is disabled. He has been since before the family uprooted itself from their Illinois chapter. His sense of providership feels challenged and as a parent and a spouse this has played a large role in his sense of identity. The silver lining, and there always is one with this family, is that when Tommy stopped working he had the freedom to move with Coltyn to Colorado. When one door closes, another opens. They lived there almost six months before Wendy, Coltyn’s siblings Skyler and Ryleigh were finally able to join them. While the family wouldn’t exchange a thing for Coltyn’s health, money is tight and living in Colorado is expensive. The mortgage on their home in Illinois was $580 a month while rent in Colorado Springs is $1,600. The stress of their finances is palpable and on the day that I talk with the Turner’s, the third of the month, Tommy reveals that they have around $200 to last them through the end of November. Finances cause squabbles. Wendy laughingly shares that her and Tommy have been in a yelling match a time or two in recent months. Bouncing checks, having to triage food items at the grocery store and saying no to anything but the bare necessities are very real burdens the family bears.
The Turners have been met with skepticism and unexpected darkness from the cannabis community. Wendy has been slated as a “terrible mother” and “seeker of celebrity” for allowing Coltyn to share his story of healing at cannabis conventions. The truth is that there will always be habitual naysayers and for each pessimist a colony of optimists thrives. It has taken time but the Turners have built a supportive community in Colorado through fellow patients. When Tommy and Coltyn landed in Colorado, they were navigating the legal cannabis scene blind. Tommy called Wendy after his initial visit to a Colorado dispensary. “I could tell that he had tears in his eyes. This is a man that doesn’t cry,” Wendy said. Coltyn waited in the car while Tommy stepped into unknown territory. In the beginning the Turners were figuring out Coltyn’s dosaging and regimen unguided. It was a very lonely place and time. Since putting down roots in Colorado, multiple families have used the Turner’s home as a safe-haven and launching pad for their own journey with cannabis. There have been numerous families who have moved from one state to another in an effort to heal an ailing family member through cannabis. The Turners want to ensure these families succeed where so many have had to give up.
C O LT Y N’S S I B LINGS S P E AK UP The Turners have four kids. Their eldest daughter, Kinsey, lives in Illinois with her husband and kids. Her distance is difficult on the family. Skyler, who will turn 18 right before this story goes to print, knew that moving to Colorado was a necessity. Prior to Colorado, Skyler, Coltyn and their baby sister Ryleigh had never lived anywhere but the house where they were born. Moving is hard and can be devastating. The hardest part for Skyler was having to leave his lifetime friends and Boy Scout Troop in the rearview mirror. He was amid receiving his Eagle Scout when the family left Illinois. Ryleigh left the only dance studio that she ever knew when the family moved. Ryleigh is a firecracker, and while she misses her friends in Illinois she has blossomed in her new habitat. She shares that her dancing has improved and that she’s made “a ton of new friends.” When the Turners moved to Colorado they had no idea how their journey would unfold. Each family member has overcome internal conflicts and through the cannabis community that has supported them they’ve built new and lasting relationships. Cannabis’ uncanny ability to bring unity and hope to the most dire of situations is why we continue to share stories like this one.
“I’D RATHER BE ILLEGALLY ALIVE THAN LEGALLY DEAD.” - COLTYN TURNER
F E AT U R E
PHISH. FAMILY. COMMUNITY.
RETHINKING TIRED PREJUDICES WRITER / ZACHARY COHEN
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NE OF THE UNQUESTIONABLY beautiful things about cannabis is how easily it can stand in as a synonym for the word “community.” Wherever you find the cannabis plant, you will find humans gathered around it. And as they come together they will undoubtedly look for, and soon discover, ways to connect with one another. One of cannabis’ essential qualities is its ability to provide an avenue for conversation and engagement among people from vastly different cultures. It’s a big boat. In the wake of unprecedented success at the ballot box this year, millions of Americans are, at this very moment, reevaluating their relationships to the plant and rethinking tired prejudices. This new wave of interest and curiosity has the power to wash away the detritus of decades-long propaganda, misinformation and straight-up shame campaigns. We know that cannabis is not a vice. We know the emotional, creative, commercial, medicinal and spiritual uses of the plant. One way those of us in the industry can prepare ourselves to engage in and positively influence these conversations is by looking within, and locating examples thriving communities who owe, at least in part, their health and well-being to cannabis. By elevating these stories, we illustrate how powerful cannabis can be, first in bringing people together— cannabis is a potent, high decibel siren song after all, and then subsequently binding those people to one another over the long run. Our ability to recognize how cannabis functions in and upon tight-knit communities will only strengthen.
PHOTO / ZOE B PHOTOGRAPHY
The Phish community is one such tribe that has had a long and co-creative relationship with cannabis. Sure, Phish concerts are great places to score, but that misses a much larger symbiosis. First of all, the music, all music, alights with cannabis. As our senses change and we become more attuned with our surroundings, the music unfolds for us differently, alerting us to previously hidden nuances and dynamics our unmedicated state often misses. Working together, music and cannabis become their own form of healing. Not to mention the dancing... I’m biased, but occasionally after imbibing and putting on the latest heady Phish jam, I’m convinced by track’s end that the band themselves invented weed specifically to make consumption of their music a superior proposition. But like all things Phish, that’s a matter of opinion, man. Still, there’s more. Phish’s cultural overlap with The Grateful Dead, and by extension, The Hippie Movement of the 60s grounds its presence firmly in the modern cannabis marketplace. As the peace and love vibes of the 60s waned, many partisans simply drove north to tend their gardens, wishing to have no part of the grim reality show that sometimes is America. Given the climate today, we may finally know exactly how those people felt as one decade slid into the next. Cannabis use and enthusiasm has always been an open secret at Phish and other jam band concerts and festivals. Surely you’ll find people smoking weed at almost any concert no matter the genre—rock, indie, punk or otherwise. The cannabis tribe is diverse and at Phish shows, cannabis is celebrated as a wel-
come participant. Like any invisible prophet, offerings are made and the cup runneth over. Even those who abstain appreciate and respect the plant’s central place in the ritual of the band’s live experience for as soon as the house lights go down, signaling the band’s return to the stage, hundreds of joints are simultaneously lit. Jerry Garcia once called the marketplaces—illegal and otherwise—common to Grateful Dead shows—part of “the hip economy,” a fluid and freewheeling shadow economy that worked alongside the more mainstream “straight” economy. For more than a generation, this has enabled growers, artists, makers and craftspeople from across the country to thrive and connect with one another providing economic opportunity and liquidity for people that otherwise might not have access. Economic ties are usually the first to be established, but cultural and emotional bonds are never far behind. The example of cannabis and the Phish community is one of many. What will be even more beautiful is when other communities, tribes and subcultures follow the lead of such pioneers and begin their own honest assessment of cannabis and its potential place in the destiny of their shared interactions. Though some lights have dimmed of late, the fire of cannabis has never burned brighter, and can, will and should, light the way forward in bridging what, at its worst, may seem the widening gap between the compassionate, loving and good humans of this planet.
Photo: Vice, Marina Riker
T R AV E L
BUDS, BEEF & BAD WEATHER THE BASQUE COUNTRY WRITER / SESHATA
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HE BASQUE COUNTRY IS a mysterious region that straddles the border between present-day Spain and France, and has a unique and long-lived relationship with our beloved plant. It was here in the Basque Country (at least, the Spanish side) where several intense legal battles were fought in recent years, enabling the creation of cannabis social clubs serving members with small quantities for personal use. It’s mid-September, and the weather is relentlessly windy, gray and rainy. I’m told that this area is a popular tourist resort—indeed, my tiny plane from Paris to Biarritz was packed with late-season vacationers, but they must surely have some better reason in mind than the climate. The natural beauty and rugged coastline wel-
come visitors year-round while the incongruous palm trees hint at seasonal warm weather. This mild, rainy climate is definitely conducive to plant life, as the Basque region is one of the greenest places I have ever seen. The region also boasts some of Europe’s best surf spots with almost 5000 km (3100 miles) Atlantic beaches. Swells that break on Basque beaches can reach up to 6 meters ( 20 feet) in height in some spots. Furthermore, the food around here is world-class, with specialties including txakoli (an extra-dry, slightly-sparkling white wine), sagardoa (strong, sharp apple cider), and marmitako, a traditional fisherman’s stew made of fresh tuna and potatoes. It’s also somewhat of a meat-eater’s paradise
in the Basque Country; grilled, locally-raised beef and lamb are hugely-popular staples. I’m in town to check out the local cannabis scene, and conveniently, one of Europe’s most important cannabis trade shows—Irun Expogrow— is happening while I’m here. Irun is a small town near San Sebastián (the European Capital of Culture 2016, and a truly beautiful city), which clings to the Spanish side of the border. On the French side, and practically in the same settlement, is the town of Hendaye. Think El Paso-Juarez, but a lot less violent—although the anti-terrorism police wielding their gigantic submachine guns on the Spanish side suggest that things aren’t always calm around Irun-Hendaye either.
T R AV E L Between 1961 and 2012, the Basque separatist organization Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA— meaning “Basque Country and Freedom”) ran bombing campaigns throughout the region, killing over 800 people in an attempt to gain national independence for the Basque Country. Irun itself has been the site of several bombings and at least one assassination over the decades. The Basque Country (known as Euskari to Basques) has a culture all its own, and a language thought to predate all other European languages (although everyone there seems to switch effortlessly between Spanish, French and English, and the Basque language seems
to be much less widely spoken). Many of their numbers feel that Spanish and French culture threatens to consume Basque culture and identity, and nationalist and separatist sentiment remains fairly high. The days of violence are probably over for good, as ETA is now discussing permanent disarmament, and the vast majority of Basques believe in nonviolent means of achieving their political goals in any case. But that does not mean that the Basques have forgotten their nonconformist ways. Indeed, the proud Basque tradition of arguing with the Spanish state served the region well during its
fight to set up cannabis social clubs. That fight is not over—as recently as December 2015, the founders of the Pannagh Social Club in Bilbao were sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment by the Spanish Supreme Court. They are currently appealing the decision. This hasn’t stopped the cannabis community of the Basque Country from carrying on as normal. At Irun Expogrow, the atmosphere is relaxed and peaceful, and none of the official security crew seems concerned about the rampant, unrestricted use of cannabis within the venue. Hundreds of different vendors from across Europe have convened here to proffer their
T R AV E L
Marmitako, a traditional fisherman’s stew
wares to the thousands of patients, growers and recreational users in attendance. We see plenty of familiar faces, such as Canadian seed company House of the Great Gardener and California’s Humboldt Seeds, both regular attendees at European events. It’s always good to see North American companies aren’t forgetting the huge future potential of the European market. Spanish, French and Dutch companies are here in abundance, and are a proud representation of how advanced the European game is becoming. There’s also a conference and “business hour” for scientists, researchers and investors to touch base, exchange ideas and create new ventures. Vaping and dabbing culture seem to be more and more advanced with every expo I attend in Europe. The winner of this year’s Best Product category is a beautifully slim, elegant glass vape made by German company, Vaponic. It’s presented in a carved wooden case not unlike a single cigar holder, which unscrews in sections to act as hand protection when in use—a fine example of high-quality European design. Alongside this, organic cultivation methods
are strongly prioritized by many European growers, and the large range of organic products on display was truly encouraging. One of my favorite product lines is made by the Dutch company, BioTabs, who produce an excellent range of mycorrhizae and beneficial bacteria. Huge advances are also being made in CBD products. In the European Union, cultivation of hemp is legal—but medicinal cannabis still isn’t legal in a lot of countries with legislation slow to change. Thus, many hemp farmers are now producing high-quality CBD derived from hemp plants grown and processed entirely in Europe. Even famed breeder Shantibaba has branched out into hemp, and his CBD Crew is fast gaining respect as a reliable producer of high-grade extracts and topicals. As well as being one of the major heartlands of cannabis social clubs in Spain, the Basque Country is also an important hub for cannabis seed companies. Several multiple-award-winning companies are based in the region, including Dinafem and Genehtik. I chat briefly with Nico at Dinafem, about the challenges and rewards of growing cannabis in
the Basque Country. He tells me that the growing season is so short that outdoor growers here must box up their plants during the longer summer nights if flowering is to happen at all. It’s also extremely damp, and botrytis and other fungi are endemic. Obviously, the vast majority of cannabis here is grown indoors, but Nico and a few other brave souls have made it their mission to beat the elements, producing an outdoor balcony of crop each year. As Nico says, “The climate is crazy unstable, but growing in the Basque Country is so special.” This unique, intriguing region has contributed greatly to the global cannabis scene over the years, and will doubtlessly continue to do so for many years to come. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to this ancient center of culture, despite getting soaking wet every time I’ve set foot outside. I’m sure it won’t be long before I’m back to sample more of the area’s finest flavors—both food and floral.
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Edibles Distillate Infused edibles will taste completely normal. Using distillate in edibles allows for accurate dosages and a safe method of ingesting.
Capsules Ingesting a capsule of CBD or THC Distillate is great for getting all the benefits of cannabis without the side effects of smoking.
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HOW T O M A K E T HE DI F F E R E N CE WRITER / DAVID BAILEY
Y
OU BELIEVE YOU’VE grown a closet full of gorgeous Christmas gifts…only to realize that you ended up with some grassy weed? You’re definitely not alone. There are hundreds of books on how-to grow cannabis each one making its own promises. You’ll often find numerous chapters dedicated to cultivating and one tacked on to the end that speaks to harvesting, drying and curing. Your beautiful chunky nugs now harvested resemble field hay? How could this happen!? Just like making wine, you’ve only survived half the battle when you pull the fruits down. All the energy, time and money you invested needs to be tenderly cared for as it goes through the most vulnerable state. The plant is no longer
alive to protect itself, so now that job has landed in your hands. During harvest, there’s no lack of excitement. And thank goodness, because you’ve got a lot of work ahead! And planning is key. Your first step should always be to remove the fan leaves. This takes time. Whether you plan on trimming and smoking your flower or turning it into extracts, fan leaves only gunk up the process leaving extra waste which can lead to mold as well as other issues. I suggest fan leafing the plants the day or evening before harvest to ensure a speedy harvest the next morning. Harvest just before your lights come on. It’s not a must, it won’t ruin the quality if you don’t, but you’ll appreciate the benefits if you do. Cannabis produces hundreds of terpenes and most
of them are volatile at room temperature. This is why we can smell them! The intensity and heat that comes from an HID bulb will destroy the terpenes, and your high, at a quicker rate. Just before the lights come on, the plant has maximized its recovery period and should be pumped up for harvest. If you’re going to hang dry, cut the branches so that once hung there are no overlapping buds or stems. Air flow is key. I hang branches less than a foot in length because the thick center stems carry too much water and slow the drying process. For wet trimming, separate the larger dense buds from the lower duff that lacks weight. You’ll only want to trim the flowers larger than a quarter. It may seem worth keeping but you’ll realize when it dries, all you’ve done is trim shake.
erately dry space, you’ll preserve more of the flavors and smells while slowly allowing the residual nitrogen to escape. I like to keep my dry room at roughly 65-70°F and 45-55 percent relative humidity. Just like in your grow room, air circulation is of the utmost importance! As we all know, mold and mildews thrive in dark and cool environments and your wet buds provide plenty of moisture. A quality dehumidifier is a must, even if you live in an arid environment. Remember that you lose 70-80 percent of your total weight during the drying process. That means if you anticipate two pounds dry, you had to pull as much as 8.34 pounds of water out of the air, a full gallon! Here’s where you’ve got to pay careful attention. Full branch drying can take as long as 14
days because you are also waiting for the moisture to escape from the dense tough stalks. Check on the buds daily, gently touching buds and bending stems When stems bend easily but don’t snap and buds feel firm and dry to the touch but still give, you’ve reached a good point to begin trimming and curing. Net drying can be much faster but must be transitioned to paper bags or jars more attentively because they lack the protection of the hanging outer foliage. As soon as 4-7 days after harvest you can move the buds over to paper sacks to slow the moisture release. Once bud have lost 65-75 percent of their moisture, they can be transitioned to glass.
from the center of the bud at a pace that ensures flavor and prevents rot. Curing is moving the trimmed dried bud to glass jars and allowing the moisture and flavors to both even out and develop. The key is touching and squeezing the buds daily. No part of the bud should get so crispy it crumbles when being squeezed. Similarly, it shouldn’t feel firm and dry on the outside but collapse from inner moisture when pinched. Until the bud begins to feel more
dry, open daily and rotate buds. Once your ideal texture is reached, leave it shut to maintain it. Paying attention is ultimately what will pay back. Cup winning cures come from years of practice but you have to start sometime. With an eye for detail and a passion for pot, your product will begin to separate itself from the pack. Maybe next year you can proudly pass out some celebratory gifts that announce themselves before they’re even opened!
DRYING Drying is more than rapidly removing moisture; it is not that simple. I’m sure you’ve had a nice looking sack that shockingly smelled like grass or nothing at all. This can often be contributed to a too-quick dry time or improper storage. Drying sounds simple but it’s crucial to understand the theory behind it before diving in. When drying cannabis, whether whole plant or in dry racks, you want to pull the moisture out of the plant at a pace that allows moisture from the dense center to slowly and evenly escape to the outer edges. If you dry it too quickly, the outer edges will become hydrophobic trapping inner moisture. Drying too slow can allow for increased mold or mildew. Both lead to a subpar product. If you can set up shop in a cool, dark and mod-
CURING I’ve had a lot of friends say they have no problem growing healthy dank plants, and I can attest, but they can’t get the cure down. Curing gets people because there is no exact temperature, humidity or length of time that will give you the perfect bud. With every strain being different in density, structure and chemical make-up, on top of the variations from your growth style, every bud will cure to its own beat, so to speak. As with drying, you’re attempting to pull the last bit of moisture
Hang dry by branch or dry as nugs in nets? Everything is a style choice and what works for your space. If you have a large climate controlled drying space but little help, branch drying is a faster option for a lone wolf and can be slowly dry trimmed over time. If you’ve got plenty of help to separate the flowers from the stems and wet trim, but little time or little space, nets are the way to go.
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NEWS
CA N NA B I S P H I L A N T H RO P Y WRITER / KELLY VO
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HERE ARE FEW COMMUNITIES more openhearted and giving than the cannabis community. That’s right, countless dispensaries, growers and cannabis clubs are known for their focus on helping others. Whether it’s providing free marijuana to those in need or donating thousands of dollars to worthwhile causes, cannabis businesses have a huge impact on the lives of those around them. And there’s no better time to talk about cannabis giving than during the holiday season. To get an inside look at the cannabis community during the holidays, I spoke with Scott Pierce, General Manager at the Herbal Wellness Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
INSIDE H ERBA L WELLNE SS CENTER’S PHILANTH ROPY The Herbal Wellness Center in Phoenix is a shining example of cannabis philanthropy. Throughout the year they find ways to give back to the community, and they increase their efforts during the holidays to get into the spirit of the season. “Giving back to the community is something we do with great joy and lots of enthusiasm here at Herbal Wellness Center,” Pierce expressed. “We generally start ramping up our fundraising efforts in October, beginning with a food drive for local food pantries and shelters. Then, in November, we seek out six families that need a little help on Thanksgiving Day and provide dinner for them with all the fixins’. That’s been one of our favorite things to do each year.” “Finally, in December, we receive letters from all kinds of people telling us about the amazing families in their lives that need a little help, and we try to pick a few to grant some wishes for,” Scott added. “In our first year, we bought a family a car! Last year, we chose five families and showed up at their door with everything on their wish lists—we even brought Christmas trees. Spreading love around the holidays is a great way to bring joy to others, and we are planning something huge this holiday season!” And the holidays aren’t the only time that the Herbal Wellness Center focuses on giving back. In fact, they constantly strive to, “Put the ‘unity’ back in community,” meaning they always seek out ways to help others. Many times they give back in small ways by offering a smile, a word of encouragement, sound advice or a sample product. Other times their efforts are bigger, but the key is that they always look for ways to make a difference. As for why the Herbal Wellness Center focuses on giving? It’s the reason they exist: to serve their community. “We are here to provide patients with the safest products available, and the education they need to accomplish their goals and achieve good health and a balanced life through the use of cannabis,” Pierce shared. “Also, it’s important to remember that cannabis came with a culture attached to it, which means we have a responsibility to our community to do the right thing and make a difference.”
CA N NA B I S C HARITIE S If you thought that the Herbal Wellness Center was one in a million, you’re in for a surprise. They’re just a drop in the ocean of charitable cannabis organizations: Colorado’s Pueblo County uses funds from the sale of legal cannabis to fund scholarships. In fact, they’ve funded $1,000 scholarships for 25 students as part of the Pueblo Hispanic Education Foundation. As for Bloom Dispensaries, they’ve provided 1,300 meals to Phoenix families during the
holiday season, raised $1,200 for St. Vincent de Paul’s Dream Center programs—helping children read, write and dream big—and donated over $2,400 to the Professional Firefighters Association of Arizona. This June, over 22 cannabis businesses came together to host the Cannabis Charity Open. The golf tournament welcomed over 80 participants and raised thousands of dollars for the Denver Colorado AIDS Project. And the cannabis community isn’t only
charitable here in the United States. In Britain, cannabis smokers have raised thousands of pounds for charities focusing on illnesses that are relevant to marijuana, such as cancer and multiple sclerosis. And New Zealand recently launched their first medical cannabis charity: Medical Cannabis Awareness New Zealand (MCANZ). The charity will raise funds and advocate for access to medical cannabis products. So, how can you get involved?
DO NAT I N G TO CANNAB IS ORGA NIZATIONS First, talk to your local dispensary to find out what they’re doing to give back to the community over the holidays and ask how you can help. If you want to take it one step further and give back to the cannabis community itself, there are quite a few organizations waiting for your donation: ♣ NORML has been a voice for marijuana reform since 1970 and has successfully
led efforts to decriminalize minor marijuana offenses in 11 states. Its sister organization, the NORML Foundation, sponsors public advertising campaigns to educate the public. ♣ The Cannabis Science Research Foundation researches the endocannabinoid system to develop new, safe and effective marijuana medications.
Grow for Vets is an organization dedicated to saving the more than 50 veterans who die each day from suicide and prescription drug overdose. In addition, there’s Cannabis for the Cure, a nonprofit organization committed to supporting researchers in their efforts to find a cure for cancer and other debilitating conditions.
E N DI N G 4 / 2 0 SHAME As always, I like to end every #End420Shame article with a reminder that cannabis discrimination still exists, and it’s the voices of the users and those in the industry that make the biggest difference. If there were one thing that Scott Pierce
The Herbal Wellness Center is a medical marijuana dispensary located in Phoenix, Arizona. Their goal is to always deliver the finest cannabis products including the best strains of flower, wax, shatter, edibles, oils and more. Visit their website at herbalwellnesscenter.com or follow them on social media @HWCMMJ and @Herbalwellnesscenter to follow their holiday giving.
would want everyone to know about cannabis, it’s this, “Cannabis is one of the earth’s greatest gifts to us. Learn all you can about cannabis and the endocannabinoid system. It will unlock a world of possibilities and will allow you to see this plant as something
more than just an intoxicant.” If you have an #End420Shame story or topic and you’d like to see it in an issue of DOPE, you can write us at kellyv@dopemagazine.com or contact us on social media using the hashtag.
“IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT CANNABIS CAME WITH A CULTURE ATTACHED TO IT, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR COMMUNITY TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.” -SCOTT PIERCE
PRODUCTS WE LOVE WRITER / MEGAN CAMPBELL
Arizer.com $219.00.
PHOTO / MARK COFFIN
ARIZER EXTREME Q Arizer is calling its digitally-controlled Extreme Q vaporizer “indiscriminately elegant.” The powerful but lightweight device, equipped with a remote for your convenience, has a wide range of temperatures. The three-speed fan quickly fills detachable bags with vapor. The heater comes with a number of food- and medical-grade silicone tubing and borosilicate glass accessories. Plus, it comes with a lifetime warranty.
DANK ESSENCE Dank Essence, based in Denver, Colorado, infuses hemp oils from local companies with locally sourced herbs and flowers to create these all-natural bath bombs. Each bath ball includes 60mg of pure hemp CBD and ingredients including kaolin clay, Dead Sea salt and almond oil. @dank.essence Prices vary
CHIEFTON SUPPLY CO Chiefton Supply Co aims to bring soft, comfortable clothing to the masses—with subtle cannabis designs customers can confidently don, no matter which state they hail from. This Colorado-based company hopes to use its apparel to represent the marijuana industry in a progressive and professional manner.
@chieftonSupply Prices vary
CANNASMACK Guided by the belief that all people can make a positive difference with the smallest of steps, CannaSmack proudly touts a “cruelty-free” hemp body lotion and lip balm. The lip balm comes in a variety of flavors, like Mango Kush and Maui Wowie.
JUST PERFECT PIPES These intricate, hand-crafted pipes are turned with care in a home workshop near Portland, Oregon. The artist uses materials such as Maple, Western Walnut and White Oak. Lovefromoregon.com $15-$25 each Cannasmack.com @cannasmack Prices vary
Sourcevapes.com @sourcevapes $199.95
SOURCE VAPES PORTABLE CONTROL ERIG Source Vape’s battery-controlled, portable eRig features a split glass bubbler for better airflow. Its eRig is compatible with a portable eNail or vape pen. The rig has a 7-second heat up time and 15-second auto-shutoff time. It comes with numerous attachments and a lifetime warranty.
LACUNA BOTANICALS Lacuna Botanicals, based in Colorado, uses a number of essential oils in its topical creams and lip balms. The Lacuna team includes chemists and product development specialists who choose each ingredient carefully. Products come in a variety of flavors, with hemp and nonhemp infused options.
Dazedandglazed.com $40.00
Lacunabotanicals.com Prices vary
DAZED AND GLAZED ASHTRAYS Before these colorful Dazed and Glazed ashtrays are molded, shaped and sculpted out of clay, they first form when the artist puts his pencil to paper. The artist individually patterns these handmade pieces in Portland, Oregon. While gorgeous, these are functional, readyto-use objects.
@coloradohemphoney Coloradohemphoney.com $30.00
COLORADO HEMP HONEY Colorado Hemp Honey beekeepers just want you to bee calm, rested and happy. Their pure, raw honey is made with industrial hemp plants and tested for purity and potency. A portion of the proceeds go toward charities that support veterans with PTSD, as the company is a U.S. Veteran-Owned Business.
F E AT U R E
THE FUTURE JUDGING OF CANNABIS CUPS WA S I T TAG G E D ? WRITER / MAX MONTROSE, THE TRICHOME INSTITUTE EDITED BY / ZACHARY HOLLAND
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RADING AND JUDGING cannabis is a big deal that is overburdened with too much smoke and mirrors. Many headies say cannabis cups are total bullshit; and they’re right… Bragging about cannabis has been a part of the culture since well before the legal industry. But is it real? Can something so subjective be judged with legitimacy? How could there be science behind something so personal? How can you judge anything while intoxicated? Who are these judges and what are their qualifications?
F E AT U R E
The Trichome Institute is tackling this cannabis-judging quandary. To understand the solution, you must first understand the problems. Typically, strain reviewers and cannabis cup judges smoke cannabis, and then explain what they think about it. These are usually superstar stoners who are much better at getting high than researching the science behind what quality equates to chemically and biologically. Put simply, most people who judge cups are entirely unqualified. These unqualified judges are responsible for competitions whose outcomes make or break multimillion-dollar businesses. Even if intelligent industry members and longtime growers who know cannabis are selected to judge, their personal taste preferences and a lack of a grading standard make their judgments subjective, and thus, inconsistent and inaccurate. If your dispensary or grow depended on winning the cup, would you appreciate an inconsistent and inaccurate judging process? The industry is maturing quickly and getting wise, so judging cannabis is turning to more consistent methods, including lab testing. There are two main types of testing that people are aware of and one that people don’t know much about. The two main tests are genotype and chemotype. Phenotyping has occurred, but is currently very rare in the industry. A genotype test uncovers the plants genetics and essentially maps the cannabis’ DNA, proving the parents and genetics are what they are said to be (maybe). The chemo test analyzes the chemical composition of the sample, such as the terpene and cannabinoid ratios and strengths. Just because a sample has the most po-
tent THC percentage,does not mean it is the highest quality. THC does not mean quality whatsoever. What if the sample with the highest cannabinoid content, and most diverse terpene profile, has the worst flush and is covered in microscopic spider mites, webs, eggs and more? It’s also important to remember, chemotype, genotype and phenotype tests are not indicative of quality! Cannabis cups should, and will, start using some of these lab tests in the judging process and the Trichome Institute can teach testers how to use those tests as effective measurements. TAG™, a new type of lab test created for the industry, stands for Trichome Assurance Grade, and the Trichome Institute stands behind the numeric score that assures the quality of cannabis samples tested. The TAG process has rigorous standards, but it all starts with the technicians. You can’t TAG bud unless you are a cannabis expert, with a Level 3 Interpening® certification proving that you are. In the world of wine, through taste, smell and sight, Level 3 Sommeliers can taste the year, zip code and weather pattern of just about any wine ever made. Their knowledge base is mind-boggling and it’s that level of expertise that was in mind when the Institute established its Level 3 Interpener criteria. People fly in from around the world to learn Trichome Institutes’ techniques of dissecting cannabis quality and detecting the psychotropic properties of flower with just sight and smell. Even with this, one might wonder, isn’t the Interpening expert’s opinion still subjective? The Trichome Institute employs an inter-rater reliability standard to extin-
guish subjectivity. In statistics, inter-rater reliability is the concordance of the degree of agreement among raters. A TAG score must have two Interpeners come up with the same numerical score within 5 points of one another or the test must be redone—the score is out of 100. As an extended precaution, each tested sample is stored in a library in the event someone wants to challenge the score within a seven-day period of the test. If no challenge is made, the mean of the two numerical values is assigned as the TAG score and then it is official. Essentially, the Trichome Institute has created a “wine spectating score” for cannabis! Imagine if cannabis cups and judges used the TAG method so the judging is uniform across the board? Well it’s already started, at the 2016 DOPE Cup Oregon, and received only positive feedback from the event. Now imagine if wholesale pounds were priced with a TAG score instead of whatever the grower thinks his product is worth? What if celebrity and mega-product brands insured their brand reputation by only distributing 75.0-TAG or higher? Every grower and business will tell you their product is the best, but does it have a TAG? Instead of apps telling you where every dispensary is, how about a search option for where the best third-party verified quality cannabis is? Soon, you will be able to search for bud with a TAG score at a shop near you via app, social media, websites and more. Check out trichomeinstitute.com to find TAG Cannabis Locations that are already out there. You can also check out TAG and Interpening tours to learn more about these programs.
NEWS
WRITER & PHOTOS / DAVID HODES
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S THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY matures, there are corrections to be made. This is the usual scenario with any developing industry, but the cannabis industry is not your usual industry. There is so much at stake here—economically, socially—that the corrections being made and the corrections that still need to be made reach back into the history of racism, and jump forward into a realm of genuine inclusiveness. The industry needs to diversify. That was the issue at hand during a congressional hearing on September 15 at the Rayburn Building, one of three House of Representative office buildings, in one of the first-ever hearings on the Hill about diversity in the cannabis industry. It was held inside a small, cramped room in the building that ended in a standing-room-only situation. A panel of four cannabis business owners spoke about their experiences and called for more action: Corey Burnette, Owner, District Growers in D.C.; Wanda James, Owner, Simply Pure in Denver; Giadha DeCarcer, Owner, New Frontiers Financials in D.C.; and Keith Stephenson, Owner, Purple Heart Patient Center in Oakland.
“THERE ARE OVER 541 DISPENSARIES IN COLORADO AND TWO ARE BLACK-OWNED. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?” -WANDA JAMES, OWNER SIMPLY PURE DENVER
James, the first African American to own a dispensary in Colorado and one of just two black owners in the state, put the need for diversity in context: “There are over 541 dispensaries in Colorado and two are black-owned,” she shared. “How did that happen?” She said one reason is that rules for owning a dispensary include not having an arrest record for possession, a difficult proposition when black people are arrested up to eight times more often than white people for possession. “On top of that,” she said, “clergy and elected officials are preventing people from moving forward. They ask, ‘Why would you do this? This is bad for our community.’” She talked about her brother, who was only 17 when he was arrested for possession of four ounces of cannabis in Texas. He was sentenced to 10 years in a maximum security prison, where he spent five years picking cotton in prison to help win his release. “This is not 1865,” she stated. “Real slavery is over. But we are doing that kind of incarceration to 17-year-olds, for a first offense.” When she opened her dispensary, her brother, now 40 and a grower, couldn’t work for her because of his felony conviction. “Four baggies worth about $160 dollars cost my brother his freedom for his entire life,” she added. “This is why we have so few people of color involved. We place a lot of false blame in our community on cannabis when the blame should be placed on law enforcement and discriminatory laws. Cannabis has never sent anyone to jail. Law enforcement has. The laws have.”
She believes that one of the issues that any perspective owner of color has to face in Colorado is the power of the Marijuana Industry Group, the oldest and largest cannabis trade association created by cannabis owners in Colorado to advance legislation, regulation and implementation of Colorado’s licensing and regulatory program. Established in 2010, James said it is 100 percent white. “They have the ear of the politicians who frankly—98 percent of them— don’t understand the industry,” she expressed. “With their lobbyists being paid to hold on to their market share, which is all of it, it makes it completely impossible for anybody else to become part of it,” she said. “You’ve got to hold these industry groups accountable for the damage they’re doing.” Stevenson said that there is a lot of apprehension in the black community around owning a dispensary. Fear and misinformation continue to hinder growth for people of color because the perception for some in the black community is that it’s still a business of thugs that brings trouble to communities. He added there is a lack of information in the community about what the industry can do, and that there are serious barriers to entry for people of color. Florida is a case in point. “To get into the medical cannabis business there you have to have a $2 million bond,” he said. “You have to have 30 years of continuing business of a production of 400,000 plants. You have to ask yourself: ‘Who does that benefit?’” He says there are skills that can transfer for the African American community that will create avenues for their involvement that don’t involve touching the plant. “There’s IT work to do. Human resources work. Accounting. Financing. All of these skills are transferrable.” Barnette, Owner and Operator of District Growers, one of the seven cultivation centers in D.C., said that looking at the laws for dispensary owners alarmed him. “I believe that there is a perception in the communities of color that we may not have the capital and the resources,” he expressed. He said the key is that people of color have to be in the room during the regulatory process. “We are very active during the legislative process, but when it’s time to write the regulations, that’s when you are being pushed out of the room. That is when we hear that the licensing fees will be $750,000 a year.
What? Where did that come from?” he added. “That is why a lot of well-intended legislation ends up not having very diverse outcomes.” As the panel was beginning its discussion, Colorado Congressman Jared Polis, a Democrat who sponsored the bill to regulate marijuana like alcohol, stepped into the room and gave a quick speech. He said that there has been a realization that not only has prohibition not worked, it has had a disproportionate effect on communities of color. “There is a challenge for the industry and that challenge is diversity,” he shared. “There are areas to watch as we move forward and implement legalization, such as background checks to disqualify someone, particularly if they are convicted of something that is now legal. We need to look at the racial impact of those laws of screening based on behavior to make sure that we are not disqualifying would-be law abiding entrepreneurs.” He said that the industry should now be attacking diversity head on. “We want to make sure that, just as we had disproportionate enforcements, that, as marijuana becomes legalized across the country, communities of color disproportionately benefit.” There has been progress. Panelist moderator Bill Piper, Senior Director of National Affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, noted that policymakers in Oakland recently passed an equity amendment prioritizing medical marijuana licenses for people who have been arrested for drugs or live in a highly policed, oppressed community. In Ohio, legislators included a provision in the recently passed medical marijuana laws ensuring that 15 percent of licenses go to people of color. Maryland’s medical marijuana law requires the regulatory agency to actively seek racial, ethnic and geographic diversity when licensing, and requires it to encourage applicants who qualify as a minority business enterprise. “I consider this game over year for Prohibition,” Piper said. There are barriers to every industry in some way, but in the marijuana industry, it’s different. “In other industries, at least theoretically, people of color can compete,” he recounted, “But if large numbers are, from the start, prohibited from even participating in the market because of felony convictions, that is just not right.”
Innovative Industrial Properties, a cannabis Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), filed to go public on the New York Stock Exchange. Led by experienced real estate executives, it plans to sell $175M worth of shares in the first deal of its kind. If successful, the offering “will allow mainstream investors to participate in the cannabis industry indirectly and will provide much needed capital to the industry,” Alan Brochstein writes at New Cannabis Ventures.
WRITER / ALEX HALPERIN
ILLUSTRATION / JOSHUA BOULET
According to a new report, the cannabis industry has a $2.4 billion economic impact in Colorado. It predicts that sales in the state will plateau at $1.5 billion in 2020. The industry has created 18,000 jobs in the state (not all of them directly) and by some measures is bigger than Colorado’s craft beer industry. Meanwhile, over the counter cannabis stocks staged a pre-election rally.
Wikileaks released a document preparing Hillary Clinton for her primary debates that suggests that as President she would continue President Obama’s hands off policy to state-legal marijuana industries as long as they follow broad federal guidelines. Clinton’s talking points also suggest some openness to allowing the industry to use mainstream banks. Wikileaks also revealed that she supports decriminalizing in theory but hasn’t thought about the details
Santa Ana, Calif. agreed to pay $100,000 to a dispensary that was raided by police in 2015, and agreed to drop misdemeanor charges against employees, in exchange for a promise not to sue. The raid became infamous after surveillance footage recorded the police mocking an amputee and playing darts during the raid. They subsequently argued that they shouldn’t be charged since they believed they had disabled all of the dispensary’s video cameras.
Steep Hill, a testing lab, found that 84% of samples tested at its Berkeley facility over a 30-day period tested positive for pesticide residues, more than expected. Alarmingly, about 65% of samples tested positive for Myclobutanil, a common food pesticide that becomes highly toxic when heated. Oregon issued its first statewide pesticide alert after batches turned up a pesticide called spinosad. It was sold to an estimated 130 people.
Boston’s Archdiocese gave $850,000 to oppose REC in Massachusetts. It called legalization a threat to the Catholic community and its social programs. Supporters of the bill are still likely to outspend opponents. Reisa Clardy, the widow of a state trooper killed by an allegedly stoned driver and a mother of seven, taped a video urging Massachusetts to vote no on REC. “I don’t think we would gain anything from” legalizing, she says. The driver has plead not guilty to manslaughter and other charges.
BUSINESS
A TALE OF WINGS AND WIRES NANOLUX TECH AND THE FUTURE OF HYDROPONICS
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ANOLUX, FOUNDED IN 2011, is a large-scale international manufacturer and distributor of hydroponic lighting fixtures, ballasts and bulbs. Nanolux is an innovator in the industrial cannabis technology field with operations spanning 52 countries. This is the present day: A master gardener maintains a computer worksheet with levels and measurements from all facets of a grow operation. It’s tedious work, but it has to be done by somebody with knowledge and specialized focus. The individuality of plants requires complex analyses, records and responses. This is the future: A staff of marijuana growing professionals sit around a table, discussing cannabis. Their tablets and smartphones display a complete automated log of the grow operation’s environmental conditions, timelines and yield projections. The master gardener is tending to the plants. Nanolux, and companies like it, are redefining the boundaries of cannabis tech. In their vision, machining, technology and horticulture come together. Industry pioneers are betting on tremendous industry growth—increased national penetration and the development of cannabis markets overseas. They’re pedalling headlong on a highway still under construction, hoping they’re first to strike gold when the paradigm shifts. In fact, they’re upping the ante; adding costs, expanding and preparing their businesses for the day when the big players from other markets decide the cannabis industry’s legal grounding is firm to build upon. Cannabis industry professionals, in a world of increasingly “smart” technology, need to ask themselves, “Why not us, too?” The Nanolux NCCS wireless system is their flagship technology and, they hope, the start of an industry revolution. After a simple setup, a single operator drags and drops together a digital lighting grid within the NCCS software program onto a device of their choosing. The app user inputs desired lighting settings over a 24-hour period. A box similar to your own WiFi router sends second-to-second commands to the digital ballasts controlling lighting fixtures throughout the grow operation (up to four flower-rooms) and that’s it! Nanolux’s current technology rollout/update promises additional functionality, extending into operational CO2 functions, humidity and temperature control, pH and nutrient monitoring, automated chemical dosing and pump level control. “Now, we do everything on our cells. The future is everything at your fingertips. Camera on the app, dim the lights, make scheduled changes, check the PH, do everything from outside the actual room. People can go back to hanging out with their plants and let tech do the work for them,” shared Keith Harrington, President of Nanolux. The future is about helping people. As an industry leader, Nanolux is committed to a holistic vision, promoting environmental stewardship, conservation of electricity
BUSINESS
“NANOLUX TECH IS PEDALLING HEADLONG ON A HIGHWAY STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION, HOPING THEY’RE FIRST TO STRIKE GOLD WHEN THE PARADIGM SHIFTS.”
(which on the industrial scale is significant) and safety. In the context of a discussion on business and future technology, be it known that Nanolux is a passion project by people who love marijuana, not greasy business opportunists. This particular venture has taken off like a rocket, but hasn’t lost its hempen ties. Even at this scale, when business goes cross-culture and professionalism is fundamental, Nanolux is still run by the sort of folks who order room service for the entire company when the munchies hit. Deep kiefy roots are core to the management philosophy and day-to-day operations at Nanolux. Company management style at Nanolux more closely resembles the modern and supportive be smart, but come-as-you-are ethos of San Francisco or Seattle tech giants. As fellow enthusiasts, I’m sure our readers expect nothing less than a West Coast vibe from a company leading the industry. The Sales Manager at Nanolux, Emily Walters, described a starting sales position with Nanolux as a serious and long-term career commitment. In return, Nanolux invests in its employees and offers them unique professional experiences to be cherished. Emily’s taken her team on trips to Europe to see the company’s operations, to the Nanolux Technology Inc. factory in Shenzen, China (which you should really check out on YouTube) and on more than one annual retreat to Mexico. Nanolux empowers the ones who walk the path with them. Nanolux was founded in 2011 by an ambitious group of pot enthusiasts and career business types. In 2014, they cut out the middleman and began conducting distribution themselves, with all of their product originating from their dedicated company factory. In 2016, Nanolux is an international competitor and holds 40 innovative technology patents. They are currently rolling out the second generation of their flagship NCCS wireless tech with a goal of nothing less than transforming how marijuana is professionally grown. Nanolux offers a diverse range of innovative tech products for horticultural operations of all budgets and sizes. The Nanolux employee family will be happy to tell you all about them.
WRITER / P. GOTTI
PHOTO / COURTESY OF NANOLUX
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BEARING A SOUL Meet Trigger. He’s a bear, a rescue—once discarded, left alone. Until Tara Logsdon found him in a thrift store, like she does so many other lost teddies in “grave need of physical and psychological repair,” according to her website, www.bearmy.com. She finds and repairs their “dismembered souls and appendages” before putting them up for adoption, sold through her business, DIE Bearmy. Each bear is assigned a unique treatment plan. Trigger, for example, must sit in a sacred circle with homies for 20 minutes three times per week. Dorothy Elizabeth Icenogle—Logsdon’s grandmother and the explanation behind the “DIE” monogram in DIE Bearmy—inspired Logson with her embroidery and volunteerism. Logson found her own way to give back by saving teddy bears from abandonment. DIE Bearmy aims to “combat mass production and consumption and bring awareness to the desertion of living and inanimate things.”
WRITER / MEGAN CAMPBELL
PHOTO / MARK COFFIN
SOCIAL MEDIA
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T’S ABOUT TO GET REAL COZY! As this is our Family Issue of DOPE Magazine, we collected the best of cannabis-inspired photos from our social media platforms that represent this growing movement. We hope these photos further activate your cannabinoid system—keep the tags coming @dopemagazine.
@mcstonerz420
@narissa.camille
@portlandhomegrown
@rogueriverbitanicals
@slanted_house
@terramateror
@theinfiniteapothecary
@portlandhomegrown
@macromaryjane
@envyglassdesigns
@emerald_mtn_photography
@eelleinad
@jedi_labs
@lunchbox_alchemy
@deschutes.growery
@humboldtsfinestfarms
@damerogue
@dabisfaction
@cannabisnerds
@blazinbuds
I N T E RV I EW
A N A RT F U L LOO K AT
CA N NA B I S
S U P P ORT E R S A L E X A N D A L LYS O N GR E Y WRITER / LORI DENMAN-UNDERHILL
ART / COPIES PROVIDED BY ALEX AND ALLYSON GREY (COSM)
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OR DECADES, ARTISTS ALEX and Allyson Grey have been long-standing members and supporters of the cannabis community. The Greys met in Boston while studying at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in the mid ‘70s. Since then, the duos unwavering support for the cannabis industry and contributions as both artists and orators can be felt on an international level. The two opened an interfaith art church called Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in the 2000s, which aims to build a community and further the spiritual practice of art. Alex Grey’s art aligns with Buddhist’s aspirations in that it’s “possible for art to plant a seed of liberation in the mind-stream of the viewer,” he said. “I want my art to help people reimagine God.” He believes that “art is the skin of the soul.” According to Alex, Allyson sees her art as a meditation and a “communication worthy of portrayal.” She divides this portrayal into three categories: chaos, “ the realm of matter in which can be given one of three categories: chaos, “the realm of matter in which all is inevitable entropy;” order, “the realm of spirit in which all is interconnected, eternal and made of light;” or the secret language, “the symbolic language of all creative expression,” Recently, Alex Grey took some time to join DOPE Magazine for a glimpse into their world:
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What inspires you to go to these events, like the Cannabis Cup, and speak to a crowd? Why do you find it important? Attending cannabis celebrations, festivals and live-painting events, we speak to the community about humanity’s ancient historic relationship with mind-expanding plant teachers. … Traveling, speaking and sharing our truth about expanded awareness and higher consciousness harnessed to the creative path is our ministry. How do you think the plant influences your work? Cannabis assists creatively by easing us into a flow state. Cannabis alleviates interference from distracting superfluous thoughts by heightening connection with the soul, driving forward the creative process. Do you think that as a society, the world would be better off if we legalized the plant? Yes. All places on earth should legalize cannabis, at least for mature adults. Our earth would soon become a more peaceful place. Release our brothers and sisters, incarcerated for producing or distributing the sacrament. Stop demonizing people for thinking differently and uphold cognitive liberty for all.
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You attend many festivals, including Burning Man. What has been your favorite festival worldwide and why? Burning Man is unique among festivals. This past summer was our fifth Burn and it was extraordinary. What makes Burning Man special is the location, a 9-mile circle of gypsum, an ancient dried ocean bed. The ground is like a flat crust with no plants or insects, a perfect outdoor gallery for monumental interactive sculpture and architecture. The other unique feature is Burning Man’s gift economy for 50,000 plus people—no sales, no tribal market, no wallet needed. Only the Burning Man organization takes an admission that is plowed into funding the giant artworks, plus the formidable Burning Man infrastructure required to exist in such a harsh environment. The Burning Man organization recently purchased land for future festivals and will undoubtedly invest in the infrastructure required for activities and living year-round. Burning Man will become an evolving permanent community. On a micro-scale, that is the plan of CoSM, a mini -retreat center and festival grounds for the global Love Tribe and a growing community that is beginning to surround the temple grounds in creation here. Do you think that the cannabis industry is heading in the right direction? Do you have any suggestions? Decriminalization and research is the most important thing to make a safe world where safe things can happen. People should not be afraid to do what they know harms no one and rather, improves lives. Cannabis is over-regulated. There are too many laws to control cannabis. It should be allowed to develop in whatever way the market will allow. Punishing people for using a substance for which ostensibly no harm can be discovered is unconscionable. The tide is turning, but slowly.
For more information on Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, visit cosm.org.
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How is the community at Chapel of Sacred Mirror going? And how do you suggest that everyday people gain more spirituality in their lives? CoSM has become a pilgrimage site for our global community. Here, we hold monthly and quarterly celestial celebrations, honoring all full moons, equinoxes and solstices. Just 65 miles from New York City, CoSM is a tranquil and radically welcome setting for Love Tribers coming from near and far. The exhibition at Entheon, expected to open fall/winter 2017, will be the first temple of Visionary Art at CoSM, and will share precious original art of the best loved contemporary visionary artists. At CoSM, art is a spiritual path. Creativity is a cosmic force, alive in each of our hands. We recommend making creativity an important part of your life and accepting your expressions as spiritual gifts to the world. Then, take your life as an artist, a musician, a dancer, writer, chef, gardener... more seriously as you practice regularly. Come to CoSM and join us for Art Church one Sunday afternoon a month where we take a journey together with art and music. Develop a creative path and value it as your spiritual life. Then join others of like mind. We see the festival and sacramental communities from around the world being some of the first signs of a true planetary culture, transcending nation-states and celebrating the creative spirit together. We believe art can be your religion. Like Love, Art ties together all the great sacred traditions because they all used creative expression or we wouldn’t know about them. It’s time to seek and reveal the underlying mystic unity of spiritual paths. The most depressing thing about religions are judgmental fundamentalist dogmas that can’t ever be proven but nevertheless lead people to justify hurting themselves or others. Dogma divides, Spirit unites. Artists can’t stand dogma. It stops creativity. So if your religion was art, Art in service of love, it couldn’t be dogmatic, except to continue to see how it could be made better to serve the spiritual evolution of the soul.
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H O M I E D E A L S, H O M E Y V I B E S ALL DAY, EVERY DAY—365 DELIVERS WRITER / P. GOTTI
THE PLACE & THE PEOPLE 365 Recreational is a cozy pot shop in Shoreline, Washington. Its lighthearted and comfortable buying experience draws a steady roster of regulars. We met Mark, a zany, every day-afterwork customer and Steve, a quiet man I never learned much about. Steve wore a poker face on a top secret mission to the back cooler for a THC-infused drink and he would have transacted wordlessly, if it weren’t for 365’s Sabina, who warmly introduced herself and asked his name. It’s that attitude that brings the regulars back. 365 Recreational is a homey shop with a great crew and great deals too. 365 has more sales per year than any other Seattle pot shop: Mother’s Day sales, Happy Hour sales, the 4/20 Four-Joints-for-$20 sale. They’re kind of like that store, Going Out of Business, from the Adam Sandler classic You Don’t Mess with the Zohan—you’re always walking into a sale. Deals are the 365 niche and that meshes nicely with the atmosphere. “We work with people who engage with customers and people who can start conversations. We’re all kind of a family here! We want customers to feel like they’re a part of that and to feel welcome,” shared Jordan, the Assistant Store Manager. I knew 365 was the real deal when a customer came barreling through the front door to hug a budtender, her “birthday twin” (it was both of their birthdays that weekend). When you have a well-integrated community business, the two categories, ‘friend’ and ‘customer,’ aren’t mutually exclusive. Definitely swing through 365 the next time you’re in North Seattle.
PHOTO / KENTON BRADLEY
THE PRODUCT For a small shop, 365 has a humongous selection of non-smoke THC and CBD products. As the year progresses, it seems more experimental marijuana projects are showing up in stores; oils, lotions, balms, salts, jellies, you name it—and 365 carries an immensely diverse selection! I don’t think you’ll find a better place for last minute holiday gifts than 365. I’ll see you there.
“WE WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ENGAGE WITH CUSTOMERS AND PEOPLE WHO CAN START CONVERSATIONS. WE’RE ALL KIND OF A FAMILY HERE! WE WANT CUSTOMERS TO FEEL LIKE THEY’RE A PART OF THAT AND TO FEEL WELCOME.” -JORDAN RAFTIS, RECREATIONAL 365 ASSISTANT STORE MANAGER
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THE PLACE The name Subdued Excitement is a shout-out to the city of Bellingham, north of Seattle, known for its outdoorsy lifestyle, understated elegance and lit music scene. CEO Nick Cihlar compares the character of his city to the smoking experience itself and the spirit over at his Tier II grow operation in Ferndale, just south of the Canadian border.
PHOTO / TINA BALLEW
THE PEOPLE Nick Cihlar is one humble dude. He cites the exec team and their great many combined years spent in the game, shared growing expertise and business smarts as major keys to their success. Subdued Excitement’s timeline, or history of the business, has been relatively— well—subdued. They have no record of crises, no crippling fines and no interruptions in business on their record. They reliably supply 33 local Washington stores and are biting at the bit waiting to get to another 60 stores currently on the waitlist. Cihlar’s team has exciting future plans to establish their facility as an industry leader in environmental sustainability. Carbon neutrality and leading by example are really important to the team. Studies suggest that while exercising our brain function reaches its peak. The concept for Subdued Excitement catalyzed at 5000 feet, on the slopes of Mt. Baker. Snowboarding is the glue that unites and recharges the team. The company has sourced almost every employee from the smart and hardworking local snowboarding community. Nick shared with DOPE where his team finds its inspiration, “There’s something about the mountain and an unbroken field of snow. It’s an amazing experience. If there is a storm, our whole team is on the mountain first thing in the morning.” 900 pounds of OGs, Dreams, Kushes and Girl Scout Cookies ship out of this 3500-square-foot facility each year. Subdued Excitement offers about ten flower strains, mostly classics, sourced from around the globe.
Check out signature strains, like Orange Poison and a legendary genetic Hawaiian Dutch at @subduedexcitement or www.Subdued-Excitement.com.
“CEO NICK CIHLAR COMPARES THE CHARACTER OF HIS CITY TO THE SMOKING EXPERIENCE ITSELF AND THE SPIRIT OVER AT HIS TIER II GROW OPERATION IN FERNDALE, JUST SOUTH OF THE CANADIAN BORDER.”
F E AT U R E
CANNA-FICTION THE GLOOPS AND THE SPECIAL PLANT WRITER / MATTHEW CRISCIONE
W
ITH CANNABIS QUICKLY REACHING legal status in several states, the subject of cannabis and children often comes up. The stigmatism of the evil plant is still quite prevalent in society. So how do parents start a conversation with their children to prepare them for what might happen at school if their friends find out that their parents smoke the reefer? I am a parent and have many friends who are parents as well. We all at one time or another have had many conversations about this very subject. It always seems to be the children who end up getting hurt or ridiculed because their parents are deemed “dirty hippies.” I have one particular set of friends who have never allowed their children, until very recently, to have sleepovers or playdates for fear of accusations of “unfit parenting” or other unimaginable repercussions. It’s very unsettling to hear that families across the United States are fleeing prosecution due to their chosen method of healthcare. Daily reports of government agencies showing up at private residences and proceeding
PHOTO / CAITLIN CALLAHAN
F E AT U R E to make examples of otherwise law abiding citizens have many families panicked and fearful. I feel education begins in the home and needs to start at a young age so the mystery and forbidden temptation surrounding cannabis is replaced with knowledge, compassion and understanding. There are numerous benefits that come with the use of cannabis and it’s time to start recognizing its place as a viable option in lieu of pharmaceuticals. Author J.R. Fox published her first children’s book with this very goal in mind titled The Gloops and the Special Plant. From the back cover, “Where the Gloops live, there grows a very special plant. This plant has not always been understood. In fact, once upon a time, the Old Kings wanted the plant gone forever. Inside this little book is a BIG story about Molly, her family, and all of the Gloops who stood up for what they believed in, and won! The world of the Gloops is not so very different from ours... So, maybe by learning about them, we can learn about us too!” In the opening of the book we are greeted my Molly Gloop, a gleeful little girl that lives in a world very much like ours. We get to peek inside her big world through fun and thoughtful illustrations as we are introduced to her parents, pet Blooples and the Gloops’ plant nursery. The plant, as it’s described, is as ancient as the first family of Gloops. Molly takes great joy in discovering the benefits of the magical plant. The
book draws sharp parallels to our beloved cannabis plant all while allowing your child to explore Molly’s world within the pages of a children’s book—covering the accepted, industrial and medicinal uses as well. And of course the special times that mommy and daddy Gloop eat the plant are to be reminders that every once in a while its ok to be silly. Molly knows that children are so good at being silly already! Later in the story, Molly takes a small trip into the Gloops’ past, to the dark days when the Old Kings did not like the special plant that gave the Gloops so much joy and healing. Spreading lies and misinformation about the special plant, the Old Kings declared that users of the plant are ugly, lazy and bad. The author, J.R. Fox, makes an important point here, stating that a plant can’t determine your personality. Only you can do that. In the end, after many years of the Old Kings fighting, the people’s cries were heard and the Special Plant Lived on. And once again the people are blessed with medicine for sick Gloops, toys for Blooples, dresses for Molly and of course the gentle reminder that grown-ups should be silly once in a while. The best message in this book is the last one. Even though the special plant is accepted, there are some people that believe the Old Kings. If someone says, “You must be lazy!” or, “You must be bad!” Molly simply says, “We are good Gloops, and we love each other. Someday, you will know it too.”
DOPE MAGAZINE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND OUR MOST HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS TO AUTHOR J.R. FOX AND It’s Just a Plant by Ricardo Cortés. Which follows Jackie, a little girl whose mothers is a cannabis patient. If a Peacock Finds a Pot Leaf, and If a peacock Discovers Hemp Island, by Morgan Carman The First book dealing with the medicinal uses of cannabis, and the second travels to Jamaica showing all the industrial uses of hemp in today’s society.
HER HUSBAND, WHO SHOULD BE CUDDLING WITH THEIR FIRST NEWBORN BABY RIGHT ABOUT NOW! THE NEWBORN IS GIVING HER PLENTY OF TIME TO THINK ABOUT THE SEQUEL TO THIS STORY THAT WE ARE ALL VERY EXCITED TO READ VERY, VERY SOON!
THIS PRODUCT HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS AND MAY BE HABIT FORMING. MARIJUANA CAN IMPAIR CONCENTRATION, COORDINATION, AND JUDGMENT. DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE OR MACHINERY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THIS DRUG. THERE MAY BE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSUMPTION OF THIS PRODUCT. FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS TWENTY-ONE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.
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PHOTO / JENA SCHLOSSER
I
T’S HARD TO find the right words to adequately describe the magic that was Mason Jar Event Group’s Food and Cannabis Pairing Dinner last Sunday evening. Hosted in the small rural town of Lyons, Colorado, we made our way to this very private party having no idea what to expect. As we meandered up the path, we were greeted by dreamy string lights, live bluegrass music, the most darling smoking area right alongside the river and an outdoor table setting that looked like something that fell out of a Free People catalog. We spent the first hour mingling with other partygoers, including some of Colorado’s finest cannabis industry leaders. There was a table serving drinks and another that provided herb samples—compliments of Headquarters Cannabis Company. Servers walked around carrying trays full of the first course appetizer, an organic squash soup accompanied with buttery grilled brie and apple sandwiches. The first course pairings included a surprise live resin selection, served in the revolutionary PAX Era pen and accompanied by a Saison from Sanitas Brewery Station. While everyone indulged and took in the beautiful surroundings, the sun slowly set and guests made their way to their seats. The meal was prepared by Top Chef winner Hosea Rosenberg, Owner and Head Chef at BlackBelly Market in Boulder. Rosenberg sources all of his ingredients locally, and even raises his own livestock at Blackbelly Farms, creating a high standard and organic farm-to-table dining experience. Our second course was a roasted Brussels sprout salad with apples, dates, house-made bacon and an apple vinaigrette. The cannabis pairing for this course consisted of Headquarters Cannabis Company’s California Orange, which really complimented the citrus notes in the salad as well as the white wine. Not only were guests given take-home samples of each featured strain, but pre-rolls were provided throughout so guests could simply focus on enjoying the meal and not having to roll their own joints or pack their own bowls.
“AS WE MEANDERED UP THE PATH, WE WERE GREETED BY DREAMY STRING LIGHTS, LIVE BLUEGRASS MUSIC, THE MOST DARLING SMOKING AREA RIGHT ALONGSIDE THE RIVER AND AN OUTDOOR TABLE SETTING THAT LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING THAT FELL OUT OF A FREE PEOPLE CATALOG.”
The main course featured a slow-cooked pork shoulder with mole rojo, charred root vegetables, green rice and escabeche. The pork was cooked to perfection and literally melted in my mouth. Seeing there may be a handful of vegetarians at my table, I was willing to help myself to a couple of extra servings so as to assure that none of the pork shoulder would go towaste. Quite the filling sacrifice on my end, but hey, I do what I can to help. This course was accompanied by a smooth balanced Syrah, and Headquarters Cannabis Company’s Black Cherry Soda, a potent hybrid strain that hits without heavy sedation. This strain really highlighted the smokiness of the meat, as well as the charring on the vegetables. Throughout the course of the meal I would look around and have to pinch myself from time to time. Not only was this one of the most beautiful and intimate events I’d ever been to, but the fact that it was centered around cannabis made me realize how lucky and honored I was to be invited to such a gathering. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have even been able to fathom the concept of an event such as this, which really goes to show how far we’ve come and how endless the possibilities are when it comes to the consumption and enjoyment of cannabis. As I looked around at all the industry professionals dressed to the nines surrounding me, I couldn’t help but think, “Damn, what a long way I’ve come from hiding and getting stoned in my friend’s basement.” The chef and sponsors all took turns giving toasts while the guests wined and dined, and as the evening began to start getting chilly, we were given warm cups of locally roasted CBD-infused Steepfuze Coffee to accompany the final course. Dessert, which is always my favorite part of any meal, was a smoked chocolate brownie cake served alongside mint ice cream and a gooey caramel pine nut brittle. The best part was that each plate came with a personal mini cheese grater, which each guest used to grate flakes of their Blue Kudu Alpine Glacier-infused chocolate bar over the dessert as the final cannabis pairing. Quite a darling touch and souvenir if you ask me. This seasonal event is the brain child of Kendal Norris, a woman known for throwing “the swankiest cannabis parties in America.” Kendal hosts four of these dinners a year (one for each season) and also has a popular yoga and cannabis event called “Yoga with a View.” She featured the Boulder Creative Collective at the party with their gorgeous jewelry and their eye for outdoor aesthetics and decoration. No joke, I want these ladies to design my future wedding. Other sponsors for the event included: PAX, creators of the world’s leading, most effective and discreet loose-leaf vaporizers; Stashbox, a company providing personalized monthly packages of cannabis-related tools and treats; Sweet Mary Jane, who makes top of the line edibles, tinctures and skin products. I left this party with both my heart and stomach full, feeling grateful and inspired. I highly recommend looking into Kendal’s future events and experiencing them for yourself, they’re truly unique and something you have to try at least once. WEBSITE: MASONJAREVENTGROUP.COM
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Here's to the peaks and valleys, friends both new and old, long hikes and late nights, big talk and small talk, and the adventures that lie ahead. For whatever is up next, we'll be there to light up the moment.
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DA BOOT H LOVE AND CANNABIS OVERCOME TRAGEDY WRITER / E. SOMES
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AVID STALEY AND ANGELA DAWN are the creative minds behind DAbooth, a photo staging company based in Portland, Oregon. Their love story is devastatingly tragic and beautifully inspirational. A car crash left David with long-term injuries requiring full-time care. While doctors predicted David would never recover, he has regained some independence with the help of Angela, and they attribute his recovery and continued improvement in his quality of life to his use of medicinal cannabis. Angela’s initial attraction to David in 2009 was stalled by his reputation as a ladies’ man. David however, decided upon meeting Angela that she was THE ONE. He pursued her for weeks until she relented, agreeing to date
PHOTO / ALEXANDRA GALIARDO
him. A whirlwind ensued, the two fell in love and started their quirky photo booth business together the following year. Their future was irretrievably altered after a festival in California in June of 2013. While driving through a storm on the Siskiyou Pass, the van they were riding in swerved off the road, rolled down an embankment and tossed them both 35 feet from the vehicle. Angela awoke under a tree, looked up and saw David sprawled in front of her, not breathing. Unable to move due to her injuries, Angela reached out, grasped his hands and begged him to breathe. He obliged, managing to gasp air even though both of his lungs were punctured. Luckily, someone had already called 911 and David was soon Life Flighted to Rogue Medical in Medford.
David was in a coma in the ICU for three weeks. Doctors believed he was destined to live in a vegetative state, unable to breathe, move or communicate on his own. They gave Angela zero hope. She remembers taking his hands and telling him, “David, don’t listen to them, we can do this. They don’t know who you are, you’re a badass!” and began giving David cannabis tinctures under his tongue, rubbing CBD oil onto his neck and head, and creating an altar in his hospital room where friends placed crystals when they visited. Just as David ignored Angela’s refusal to date him years ago, he now ignored the doctors who told him he would never get better—waking from his coma. David first regained movement in his left hand so Angela’s sister Rebecca, who majored
“ONE DAY DAVID TYPED ON HIS IPAD, “EVERY DAY I LOVE YOU MORE AND MORE...I DON’T THINK I CAN LOVE YOU ANYMORE...”
in sign language, began to teach them both to sign. David, while still hooked up to oxygen and a feeding tube, was transferred to a rehab center where Angela visited him daily, helping him with therapy. As he began to heal, his personality began to resurrect itself; Angela even got a text from a friend visiting David saying that he’d made a peace sign and flipped someone else off! Immediately running to the hospital, she knew he was coming back! After a year of rehab, David graduated from a paraplegic wheelchair to a more streamlined version, which he was able to transfer back and forth from. He learned to eat and drink on his own, brush his teeth and type on an iPad. He went home to live with Angela in their new ground level apartment with a year-round pool so he could swim. One day David typed on his iPad, “Every day I love you more and more...I don’t think I can love you anymore…” Angela was flustered and honestly a bit irritated, but not for long. The next thing David typed was, “Will you marry me?” October of 2015 found David and Angela once again under a tree holding hands, only this time they were exchanging vows. David, who was told he would never be independent from tubes and machines, now walked with
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Angela by his side, down an aisle of straw bales, surrounded by their smiling and crying friends and family. Angela attributes David’s miraculous recovery to the restorative benefits of medicinal cannabis. He stopped using opiates completely and uses only cannabis for pain control. He got off all of his anti-depressant medications and can now smoke with minor help from Angela. He is able to manage his anxiety and get out in public to go to dinner. He can go see a movie in a theatre if he smokes beforehand and has gummies during the show. He is even able to head out with Angela on some DAbooth shoots. David and Angela now live with their dog, Biggs, whom David loves to throw balls for. He’s even started writing, drawing and watercolor painting a bit. David’s last sold out photography show in 2010, ironically titled Lost Words, may not have been his last. Cannabis has allowed David to live again and find joy in life. As Angela said/asked, “Ganja is the only thing that makes him happy…well that and me, right babe...?” He laughed out loud at this! David seems to indeed be reclaiming some of what he’s lost.
PRODUCT
M E GA BO M B BAT H F I Z Z I E BATH TIME = HIGH TIME WRITER / BRIAN GONCUS
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HERE REALLY USE to be only two methods of enjoying your cannabis: smoking and eating. But in today’s world, that has all changed thanks to vapor and, of course, topical options. It was just a matter of time until someone developed a way to take a bath and get high all at once without the smoke. This particular, hand-made, small batch, lavender-infused bath solvent contains over 1000mg of cannabinoids with the explicit goal of alleviating stress from the day to leave bathers in a relaxed, ache-free state. Just put the bomb in your bath and let it fizz. Like many other floral inspired bathing products, the Megabomb contains pieces of lavender and cannabis, but also comes with an optional mesh bag if you don’t desire the cleanup. The bath was a true combination of the cannabis and lavender, as the aroma was due to the latter and the effects were due to the former. Baths are normally soothing, but the
PHOTO / EMILY NICHOLS
Megabomb takes the game to a whole new level thanks to the addition of CBD, THC and the mild fizz action when you first enter. I felt like I was submerging myself into a big glass of lavender flavored weed soda. All the aches and pains of the day seemingly melted away, first from the hot water and then from the cannabis. The lavender, which many find relaxing, is well balanced by an energetic upswing and overall body euphoria that I can only attribute to the absorbed THC. In addition to all the effects of the cannabinoids, this product could be compared to any other bath additive on the market as it leaves the skin feeling smooth and moisturized. Normally, this type of product is marketed exclusively to women, but I wouldn’t write it off just yet guys; this is one of the best ways I have found to decompress after a workout, or after exhausting yourself on the field or court.
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PIECE
S P E C T R A L TOT E M A M O LE C ULAR MASTER PIEC E WRITER / MELISSA JOY
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OCAL GLASS ARTIST Jake Oliver moved to Colorado in 2012 after a brief period of studying soft glass in California, and currently resides in a community studio in Boulder. This piece was Jake’s first project after taking a prestigious class at Glass Alchemy in Portland where he was fortunate enough to study under notable glassblowers such as Banjo and Phil Siegel and Tyson Peltzer: The main inspiration for Spectral Totem was a desire to see more. When I see a blank bong, it looks to me like a canvas that can be decorated and filled out. During a trancelike state, I observed the piece and the sculptures presented themselves to me. Music is a paramount aspect of Jake’s work routine, and he’s found that listening to different genres bring different energies into his creative space: Jerry is always hanging around somewhere, and for the late nights and early mornings I listen to a crew of homies who have been getting it. Erothyme, kLL smth, Atyya, Random Rab, Kalya Scintilla, Templo, Desert Dwellers Downtemple Dub...the list goes on. Tipper and Shpongle usually play a large role when I’m finishing pieces.
Jake Oliver’s recent glass piece, Spectral Totem, received lots of attention in the Museum of Visionary Art at Symbiosis Gathering, and for obvious reason. Jake’s work is as distinguishable as it is unique, and as a local Colorado glass artist on the rise, we’re so excited to see where his skill takes him in the future.
PRICE $7500 Jake’s favorite way to medicate is with solventless bubble and rosin. CBD crystals are also crucial for his back pain and relieve a lot of discomfort while in the studio. The colors that make up Spectral Totem consist of Meta-Terrania and Calypso from Molten Aura Labs and Serum from Glass Alchemy. Jake’s short-term plans include going on a collaboration tour, chilling and snowboarding.
PHOTO / MARIE GUINGONA
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TECHNOLOGY
DEEP CELL INDUSTRIES TAKING EDIBLES TO A NEW LEVEL WRITER / ALEX JULIANO
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EEP CELL INDUSTRIES is not a traditional cannabis company, but rather an industry leader in technological innovation. While they innovate solutions outside of the cannabis industry, we took a close look at their work with the cannabis plant. Using Crystal Fusion technology, the company’s patented process, they crystallize cannabinoids from the finest extracts and trap them in a crystal lattice, after which they are fused with food items that we use every day. Specifically, they have mastered the art of combining cannabinoids with two commonly used ingredients: sugar and salt. The results of their work are three brands of cannabis-infused products. The first is Ruby, a water-soluble sugar made from organic cane sugar and cannabis extract. One teaspoon constitutes a standard dose of THC, so consumers can easily moderate and measure their dosage. The second product, Sapphire, is highly potent and made from Himalayan salt. Adding just one pinch of Sapphire to a dish will constitute a full dose—so you won’t have to worry about your blood pressure if you want to get a full dose into your meals. Lastly, their Emerald sweetener is a fusion of CBD and certified organic sugar. With a dosage identical to Ruby’s, this product contains absolutely no calories. Kelly Ogilvie, CEO and Co-founder of DCI, spoke of the benefits associated with these products, as well as his company’s plans for the future, “With Ruby, we strip all of the terpenes out, so it doesn’t taste like cannabis.” The company’s goal with this line is to share products with the world that are enhanced by the medicinal effects of cannabis, but without the intrusion of the plant’s strong taste and odor. Though tight-lipped about the specifics of Deep Cell’s future plans with cannabis products, he did shed some light on their overall goals. “We want to be able to perfectly tailor the experience for cannabis users. Imagine being able to control exactly how much (THC/CBD) goes into your body,” he shared. Well, we are imagining, but given the caliber of their work so far, we might not have to imagine for long.
PHOTO / KENTON BRADLEY
LIFESTYLE
F RO M H O M E W I T H LOV E
STEPHEN HICKMAN’S HOMEGROWN CANNABIS KIT WRITER / CHAD DEAN
It was a wonderful gift, though initially misunderstood. “I thought it was a cute little plant that I could put in my window. But then my son told me more about what it was…” Susie didn’t know at first that her son, Stephen Hickman, had gotten her a cannabis clone for Mother’s Day. She certainly didn’t know how to care for the Pennywise plant her son hoped would help her recover from upcoming foot surgery without relying solely on narcotics: I was one of those good little Catholic girls, I had maybe tried pot twice, but I was not comfortable with it because it was illegal, and I thought it would make you a stoner. Yet at the end of one growing season, with no previous experience, Susie had cultivated a plant that had grown taller than she was, and the true value of her son’s gift was realized. Along with enough cannabis to donate to a veteran in need (Stephen’s suggestion for her leftovers), Susie had learned how to cultivate cannabis and, in the process, developed a newfound appreciation for its medicinal value. Portland Homegrown was founded by Stephen Hickman to help demystify cannabis and allow people the chance to know the pride of growing something from seed to consumption. Their Grow and Cure Kit comes with everything a first-time gardener needs to cultivate and cure one outdoor plant organically, which can yield up to eight ounces if done right. “You’re saving a TON of money. With our kit it’s going to cost you around $180 once you get your plants. You’re saving thousands of dollars,” Hickman expressed. Portland Homegrown wasn’t started to put dispensaries out of business though. The company wants to help educate people on the benefits of medical cannabis, and Hickman believes there is no better way than taking the time to grow your own: Nothing develops a greater respect and understanding than raising it from start to finish. Seeing how gorgeous it is in the flowering stage. Then the experience of consuming it is so much more gratifying because you’re consuming your strain, that you took your own time to make.
PHOTO / JASON HORVATH
Hickman knew from experience that a major challenge to growing at home was misinformation. He had just finished his first legal Oregon grow and benefited from friends with firsthand experience. The opportunity for clear and concise knowledge, from people who had done it before, was vital, and Stephen wanted to pass on what he had learned. Along with all the tools necessary for growing and curing, the kits include animated instructional videos that take you through each step of the process. Rather than decreasing people’s likelihood for going to their neighborhood shop, Hickman actually believes raising plants at home will help spread the appreciation for good cannabis to people who, like his mom, wouldn’t have tried it otherwise. “It was helpful for her to go to our site and think, ‘Oh, I’m just growing medicine.’” For medical patients, homegrown cannabis presents the unique option of being able to not only control and monitor the plant from start to finish using preferred nutrients and natural pesticides, but also to produce the same strain over and over again. Consistently finding the strain you need isn’t always easy with the rapid proliferation of new and exciting varieties constantly rotating in and out of stores. As the cannabis industry moves toward an adult-use market, Hickman also hopes his kits can help those who need medicine but need to keep to a tight budget, “Medical consumers, the only way they can get affordable medicine is by growing it.” Skeptical at first, Susie is now a vocal supporter of medical cannabis. “In six months I’ve become a total advocate. I’ve learned so much. And I like the fact that when I have friends who are having surgeries or medications, I can say, ‘Let me tell you about this herb.’” The love behind Portland Homegrown is apparent when speaking with both Hickman and his mother, as is their respect for each other. Through cannabis they’ve taken a simple Mother’s Day gift and turned it into an opportunity for family bonding. It led to a summer’s worth of conversation, and provided the chance to work with one another on an outdoor project. They learned something about each other’s social networks, all in an effort to help a loved one heal in the healthiest way possible. It didn’t take long for Susie to understand the benefits of medical cannabis. Just one plant, one summer and she was hooked. She now believes that the knowledge she gained from her son will reach people far beyond her church group and curious neighbors, and for the best reasons possible, “It’s going to get out, especially when it comes from love.”
NEWS
THE C A NNA B I S COM M U NI T Y S P E A K I N G FOR SCIE N CE WRITER / CHAD DEAN
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AYBE THE DEA DOESN’T get enough credit for their contributions to cannabis innovation. Certainly the restrictions they’ve put on research have played a huge role in how the plant is studied and consequently understood by both the scientific and mainstream communities. Put simply, if you want to learn about the effects and properties of medical cannabis in America the United States in 2016, you have to be either extremely patient, or extremely clever. Good thing Laurie Mischley is extremely clever. Conducting a cannabis study has always been more complicated than simply convincing a University or private donor to fund a research project. Even after all the proposals have been written and the money secured, the real challenge of finding quality weed begins. For close to fifty years the DEA has controlled all cannabis research in the United States through the University of Mississippi’s National Center for Natural Products Research. They produce cannabis and its derivatives that can then be dispensed through the National Institute for Drug Abuse to qualifying studies. Up until August of 2016, this was the only way to obtain federally legal cannabis for research purposes. Getting necessary products was a paperwork- ladend process of applying and waiting for approval, then waiting again for the delivery of materials, sometimes while funding ran out and interest waned. Recently, the DEA announced that though cannabis was to remain a Schedule I drug with no medical qualities, they would allow for other schools to begin a cultivation program. So far, the roll out has been slow. Laurie Mischley, PhD, a research scientist at Seattle’s Bastyr University has long been skeptical about the public perception of the cannabis community and didn’t want to wait around for the government’s permission to start advancing the science. “In high school, I saw that cannabis users were running student council, making honor role, excelling at sports, etc.—, which was at odds with what authority figures were telling me happened to people who used drugs. I found it fascinating that society encourages alcohol use,
a notably more harmful drug, but shames cannabis use.” A scientist first, (“My agenda is pro-science, not pro-cannabis,”), Laurie is like all great answer seekers: she knows that sometimes it’s the rebels who need to speed up progress when it stagnates. “Timothy Leary turned me on to the idea that one could cause political disruption using scientifically sound methodology.” Instead of being patient, Laurie started the Cannabis Use Survey to not only collect much needed anecdotal data, but also provide a safe place for the community to speak. Currently still seeking participants, The Cannabis Use Survey allows patients to anonymously answer questions about their consumption habits and effects without fear of prosecution or stigmatization. The simple online form provides Laurie and other re-
“FOR CLOSE TO FIFTY YEARS THE DEA HAS CONTROLLED ALL CANNABIS RESEARCH IN THE UNITED STATES THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI’S NATIONAL CENTER FOR NATURAL PRODUCTS RESEARCH.” searchers the chance to hear directly from people who believe in the medical benefits of cannabis, and who can speak specifically about their own experiences, a vital first step in medical advancements: “Anecdotal reports are important in all research, not just cannabis research. Observation is the first step in the scientific method and we’re fools if we’re not listening to those with experience.” By creating a forum for open discussion, Laurie gains insight into what people say is working, and she can begin the complicated
task of understanding the why and the how. If they hear that a certain kind of edible cannabis is helping a patient treat their Parkinson’s disease, a study can be designed to see if those benefits can be replicated in other people. Still, even the most creative workaround is hampered by federal restrictions: “We wanted to randomize people to receiving banana bread with or without cannabis. Federal law prevented us from giving people Seattle-sourced cannabis, so I thought I was clever to invert the design: I’d enroll people who were already using cannabis, and randomize them to having it taken away for two weeks. Our Institutional Review Board (IRB) told me it was unethical to take away a medicine that was helping the patient! The Feds wouldn’t let me give cannabis, and the IRB wouldn’t let me take it away! These limitations don’t exist in other parts of the world, and there is some hope that this will force the DEA and the federal government to make cannabis more accessible for research purposes: “Soon enough, other countries will start making discoveries and developing pharmaceutical products ahead of the United States, while U.S.- based researchers try to move the science forward with their hands tied. Eventually, the tide will turn and the United States will end Pprohibition and cannabis will be re/de-scheduled.” It’s vital that the medical cannabis community be heard as our understanding of the science behind the plant evolves. Laurie Mischley, through the Cannabis Use Survey, hopes to present those with the most personal knowledge of the benefits of that science the chance tell a part of their story: “The purpose of this study is to give those who use cannabis a voice.” It’s not too late to add to that growing voice by being a part of the Cannabis Use Survey. The DEA will never know it was you.
NEWS
GIVEN ARE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MEDICAL CANNABIS USERS REPORTING USE FOR EACH MEDICAL CONDITION
OM
A
16
18
25
AU C GL
ILE
PS Y
33 IS
RO S CL E
ES LTI PL
EP
36
OR EM TR MU
TIC S
OT H DIS ER S OR EIZU DE RE RS
37
UL
CE CO RAT LIT IVE IS
OF THE 42 STATES, PLUS DC, WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS IN PLACE ZERO LIST ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION ON THEIR LIST OF QUALIFYING CONDITIONS TO RECEIVE CANNABIS TREATMENT.
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This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
COM EDY, COM MU NIT Y AND CANNABIS RULE AT T H E DOPE SHOW
TYLER SMITH AND HIS WEED-THEMED COME DY SHOWCASE WRITER / JEFFREY RINDSKOPF
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EFORE EVERY INSTALLMENT of The Dope Show, stoners gather in separate huddles outside that night’s venue and light up in preparation for a comedy showcase that celebrates their vice of choice—cannabis, of course. “You see every type of stoner come out to these shows—the medical ones, the scrubby ones, the hipsters,” shared Tyler Smith, Host and Founder of The Dope Show. “It’s a real gathering of everybody who smokes weed.” Each installment of The Dope Show sees a new group of standup comedians perform one set sober before smoking offstage and returning to do another set while stoned out of their minds. Smith is careful to book a strong roster of local headliners to make each show transcend its stoner-friendly theme. “The gimmick can only carry the show so far,” he expressed. “What’s really allowed it to grow is that I’m using real comedians who are already headlining their own shows.”
PHOTO / TREVOR BOONE
“EACH INSTALLMENT OF THE DOPE SHOW SEES A NEW GROUP OF STANDUP COMEDIANS PERFORM ONE SET SOBER BEFORE SMOKING OFFSTAGE AND RETURNING TO DO ANOTHER SET WHILE STONED OUT OF THEIR MINDS.”
When Smith first founded the event, it was only a monthly feature in Seattle, but less than a year later it’s running on a consistent basis in five cities throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the Tacoma Comedy Club—The Dope Show’s longest running venue. The Dope Show’s rapid success is thanks in large part to the support it has found from others—both individuals and businesses—within the cannabis community. “Each city has a different dispensary sponsor,” explained Smith, who has always been the one instigating contact and forging these new connections to help his show expand. The owners of pot shops like Green Theory in Bellevue and The Green Nugget in Spokane are now enthusiastic ambassadors for The Dope Show, bringing staff members along to enjoy each performance, and drumming up publicity with free ticket giveaways and special discounts for attendees. While Smith once had to buy joints before each show using his own money, the sponsors now provide their own product for the comics to smoke between sets. Smith fondly recalls one instance when their Tacoma sponsor, Mary Mart, provided a 15gram joint that was shared among roughly 40 people after one show. “It was like a rap video,” he laughed. Originally, the comics had to take their toking outside due to public consumption laws prohibiting smoking in clubs and theaters. Only the Northwest Cannabis Club in Portland allows guests to smoke hash oil indoors, which can pose another sort of problem for the stand-ups. “It’s probably the hardest crowd to please because they are so baked,” Smith laughed. One night while outside a venue, Smith spotted the black and green façade of the Cannabus driving by and he immediately thought that a collaboration was in order. Determined to partner with the pot-themed party bus for future shows, Smith reached out to the business. “I approached them and we worked out an arrangement, and now they’re pretty much a part of our crew,” Smith said.
The Cannabus now shuttles the comics—as well as a couple lucky guests from Smith’s fan page—to and from shows in Tacoma, Bellevue and Seattle, then provides them a cozy spot to smoke between sets. The second sets are only five minutes long and offer entertaining insight into each comedian’s smoking habits. Some, like Smith, smoke on a daily basis, while others might be lighting up for the first time in a decade. The former category blast through their stoned sets with ease, while the latter comics often become hilariously hyper-aware or easily distracted. “When you’re up there high, you really feel the silences between each joke,” Smith recounted. “But all my comics are professionals, so even if they are struggling, they’re still making a good show of it.” If The Dope Show’s current success continues, Smith may soon bring the showcase to Colorado and Alaska—both of which have legalized recreational cannabis—and potentially California, if or when they follow suit. It has always been his plan to grow the show out, but the extent of that growth depends mostly on the success of legalization measures in other states. “A national tour would be awesome, and the Cannabus already wants to do a tour hitting all the smaller cities in Washington.” Given its rapid growth, it’s no wonder Smith is already thinking of developing The Dope Show into “its own little franchise,” allowing more audiences to enjoy his communal format of cannabis comedy. Smith believes The Dope Show’s stoner-friendly setup makes crowds feel more at ease. “A lot of people appreciate that marijuana culture is being embraced in a public setting,” he said. The most communal part of the night comes after the show, when the eclectic stoner groups spill out onto the sidewalks outside the venue. Rather than return home or to their isolated huddles, they gather around the Cannabus to talk, take pictures and toke with the comics.
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PIECE
SWEETER THAN THE REAL THING GRANDMA’S COOKIE DISH WRITER & PHOTOS / WIND HOME
C
OREY DAVIE MADE THIS piece at the counterculture event, CHAMPS, in July of 2016 during a three-hour competition called Hide A Pipe. All the colors are hand-mixed by Corey except for the platform, which is Golden Gate Tubing. There was no prep allowed for the competition, so Corey cut it pretty close making this candy dish. When all was said and done, Corey only had 20 minutes to actually assemble the piece. He squeaked through the finish line. The piece was inspired, as you would imagine, by that old dish of candy that so many of us have seen sitting on our grandparents’ coffee table. He wanted it to look like a gooey mess that might look tasty but upon further inspection, is very obviously a heaping mound of stale candy in a dish. He always strives to add realism to his glass work. In staying with the
theme, he made the piece a hide-a-pipe—you have to look closely to discover it’s intended to be used as a smoking device. In the making of this piece Corey wanted to show folks not only his candy but his multifaceted abilities on the torch. Corey started blowing glass in 1999 after being inspired by Eugene-based artist, @skyglassinc, who was his neighbor at the time. He popped his head over the fence to say hello and the rest is history. He worked for a long time in Sky’s shop, and then moved on to develop his own flavor and style through his business. Grandma’s Candy Dish is currently available. It can be purchased by contacting Corey directly through his Instagram. His work is also found in many shops around the country.
Corey Davie also owns Emperial Glass and hosts a weekly reggae show on the radio in Eugene, Oregon. He can be found on IG at @emperial1
NEWS
T HE L I VA B L E WAGE REDUCING POVERTY BY INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE? WRITER / SCOTT PEARSE
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RESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON first called for a War on Poverty in 1964, when the poverty rate across the United States had climbed to 19 percent. More than 50 years after this first commitment, over 43 million Americans—13.5 percent—still live below the poverty line. The conversation around poverty begins to swirl when the census department releases government statistics quantifying the number of Americans living in poverty. As noted by economists Bruce D. Meyer and James X. Sullivan, “The poverty rate is often cited by policymakers, researchers and advocates who are evaluating social programs that account for more than half a trillion dollars in government spending.” 2015 was an interesting year as labor advocates had victories in gaining commitments from some of America’s largest states to raise the minimum wage above current levels. A “livable wage” has often been cited as the yardstick. A livable wage is one step above poverty, it covers the basics: housing, transportation, food, childcare and healthcare. It doesn’t take into consideration the items that many of us would consider essential to a “livable” life, such as taking your children to the zoo, eating out with friends or family, maintaining a Netflix account, or having the ability to feel financially secure with rainy day savings or investments. The livable wage is earning enough to live and nothing more.
California was recently the first state to commit to a $15 hourly minimum wage. Senator Mark Leno, who cosponsored the bill, said, “No one who is working full-time in California should live in poverty due to a low wage.” The increase to $15 an hour will begin in January, 2017, with the implementation of an $11-an-hour jump. From there, the minimum wage will increase each year by one dollar until 2021, when it will hit $15. Where does that leave minimum wage workers today? Let’s take a moment to put this into perspective. In today’s economy in Yuba County, California, a family of four with two wage earners and two dependents must bring in at least $58,326 annually to be earning what most consider a “livable wage.” At the beginning of 2017, after the first of the minimum wage increases, this family’s income will amount to just under $42,000 annually. Despite two full-time working parents, this leaves a shortfall of roughly $1360 a month for a family of four to achieve the basics. If the $15 minimum wage were made effective today, this same household would earn $336 a month above the living wage. In comparison to Yuba County, which has the lowest median income in California and living costs are accordingly lower, this same family living in the state’s most populous county, LA, would face a shortfall of nearly $2000 a month in today’s economy.
NEWS
WHO IS EARNING M I N I M U M WAG E ?
WILL INCREASING THE M I N I M U M WAG E H E L P T H O S E I N P OV E R T Y ?
The figures above pertain to an intact family unit where both parents work a full-time minimum-wage job, and perhaps this is unrepresentative. In 2013, according to the US Department of Labor, 96 percent of wage earners received more than the legal minimum. Still, the fact that a household with two minimum wage incomes is drastically underfunded to support two children becomes alarming when you consider the economic impacts of a parental split. The shortfalls of $1360 a month in Yuba County and $2000 in Los Angeles suddenly balloon if one income is lost. According to the Department of Labor, “The typical minimum wage worker is not a high school student earning weekend pocket money. In fact, 89 percent of those who would benefit from a federal minimum wage increase to $12 per hour are age 20 or older, and 56 percent are women.” The US Census Bureau tells us that 80 percent of single-parent households are supported by women, and that the majority of minimum wage workers are employed in restaurants and the retail industry.
No one benefits in a worsening economy. Economic downturns lead directly to more people living in poverty. The fear is that raising the minimum wage could adversely affect the wider economy, but the Department of Labor notes, “Since 1938, the federal minimum wage has been increased 22 times. For more than 75 years, real GDP per capita has steadily increased, even when the minimum wage has been raised.” It would seem that much of the impetus for raising the minimum wage is to help alleviate poverty. But to draw a straight line from creating a livable wage to a reduction in poverty is difficult. For instance, if wages are raised, it is possible that job losses will result or, potentially, the consumer goods that many low-income families depend upon will see an increase in price, therefore exacerbating affordability issues. Even if there is some disagreement over whether a minimum wage increase will bring workers out of poverty, many will agree that a minimum wage job should, at the very least, guarantee an employee a livable salary.
STATES WITH TH E HIGH EST % OF HOU RLY WORKERS EARNING LESS THAN TH E MINIMUM WAGE
STATES WITH TH E HIGH EST % OF HOU RLY WORKERS EARNING MORE THAN TH E MINIMUM WAGE
All of these stats can be found at bls.org
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MINORITY CANNABIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION BUILDING COMMUNITY TO CREATE ACCESS & OPPORTUNITY
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WRITER / JENN LAUDER
T’S IN JESCE HORTON’S nature to give back to his community. Instilled, from his fraternity days, with a sense of philanthropy and a desire to serve, he was seeking a path to continue that community engagement in his professional life. At the same time, Horton had a successful but unfulfilling career as an engineer and longed to discover his true passion so he could commit his life to its pursuit. When Horton started to explore two complicated issues that disproportionately affect people of color—the war on drugs and minority health disparities—he found a direction that would both inspire him professionally and grant him the opportunity to help others: cannabis. The plant presented him with a chance to earn a living doing something he loved, a chance to give back and a chance to make change. He was struck by the powerful prospect of offsetting decades of inequality and disenfranchisement by making cannabis, both as a medicine and as an industry, more accessible to historically oppressed communities.
“PARTNERING WITH MARLEY NATURAL, MCBA HOSTED RISE UP OREGON EXPUNGEMENT DAY, AN EVENT PROVIDING FREE RECORD EXPUNGEMENT ASSISTANCE TO QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS.”
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Thus, the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) was born, as well as the opportunity for many to “turn over a new leaf.” Co-founded by Horton and colleagues in late 2015, MCBA’s mission is to increase diversity and to create equal access and economic empowerment for cannabis businesses, their patients and the communities most affected by the War on Drugs. With an active and knowledgeable Board of Directors that bring tremendous vision and resources, MCBA has spent the past year building a nationwide network—examining the complexities of issues facing minorities, and determining how the organization can have the greatest impact on the cannabis industry and beyond. They’ve held events, such as networking meetings and a diversity summit in cities across the country including Portland, Oakland and Detroit. Partnering with Marley Natural, MCBA hosted Rise Up Oregon Expungement Day, an event providing free record expungement assistance to qualified individuals. Horton shared, “The expungement program that we did with Marley [Natural] recently—this changed people’s lives. Hearing people say, ‘Now I’m going to be able to get a job, now I’m not going to be denied housing,’ it’s unbelievable how easy it is but how much of an impact it makes.” To
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MCBA plans to be in it for the long haul. Assuring more progressive policies that take into account communities of color and their distinct needs, and getting as much basic knowledge out there to the community so they can figure out how cannabis could most benefit their lives will remain a priority. They will continue to expand their community, gather their voice and push their agenda for a thriving, diverse cannabis industry, which for Horton, are interconnected goals. And while the MCBA pushes progressive change on the macro level, Horton spreads the cannabis love to those closest to him, encouraging his cousin, brother and friends to join him on this new journey. “From a community perspective,” he concluded, “all these things come together with cannabis: the ability to provide for a young family, the opportunity to get a job you love and not have to deal with the rat race, the opportunity to do good, the ability for us to be healthier, along with the chance to build generational wealth. There’s a vast realm of low hanging fruit—so many easy things to do as it relates to uplifting communities that have been disadvantaged.” bring together lawmakers and business owners, MCBA has a policy summit in the works for 2017. The end of cannabis prohibition brings a multitude of opportunities according to Horton, and not just for those who are looking to get into the business. Tax dollars going to rebuild struggling communities, job training and assistance, and grants for women and minority-owned businesses outside the cannabis industry are just a few possibilities. Done the right way, the legalization and regulation of cannabis can enable cities and states to right some of the historical wrongs that they have perpetrated on communities of color through the War on Drugs and other divisive strategies. Of the potential for cannabis to positively influence society at large, Horton asserted, “Real social change is absolutely possible, but only if we approach it in that way. We can be a better industry, not just another industry, and that starts with being good social stewards. Understanding what the War on Drugs has done and what we can do to reverse some of those issues, what we can do make sure we lift people up in general.”
“THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY HAS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, IT HAS TO GROW IN ORDER FOR US TO DO ANY GOOD. WE THINK THE INDUSTRY WILL NEVER GET TO THE PLACE WHERE IT CAN ECONOMICALLY IF WE DON’T HAVE A STRONG FOCUS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE.”
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No n p ro f i t creat es avenues f o r e p i l epsy awa renes s WRITER / ANDREA LARSON
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other, child advocate, wine distributor, innovator, financial advisor, entrepreneur and radio personality are a smattering of titles that the visionaries of the Cannabis Angels Network (CAN) have held throughout the years. As we struggle to normalize cannabis, this group has stepped up to the challenge of providing a safe harbor for those families who need dependable and affordable access to cannabis. While some would feel fear in facing such an immense challenge, the organizers at CAN bring optimism to the table when and where it’s needed most. It took Cecelia Sivertson, “Nana,” two years to wean herself off of the prescription medication intended to keep her epileptic episodes at bay. One pill at a time and two years on the road to ridding her body of pharmaceuticals she started experiencing tremors that landed her in the hospital where she endured a 72-hour seizure. Her memory and day-to-day functions were severely impaired. She contributes her ability to come back from this event to cannabis and the community of people who took her under their wings. DOPE Magazine had the sincere pleasure of sitting down with a few of the women who are bringing integrity and community to the cannabis industry. We sat with Nana, Amy Ansel and Tanya Hart to discuss CAN’s inception, its place in the cannabis community and where it sees itself in the future.
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TH E BRIDGE TO BECOMING A NON-PROFIT When Sivertson started Nana’s Secret Soda, she envisioned building a brand that families could use as an alternative treatment for epilepsy beyond pharmaceuticals. “The pain and disease management industries are failing us,” Ansel said. “We’re eking by and they’re profiting in a way that isn’t regenerating, revitalizing or creating avenues for enjoying life.” Since its inception the cannabis-infused soda has evolved from a medical-only option to a recreational choice for consumers. When Nana began the transition into a non-profit organization she had no idea it would take almost four years. The non-profit
has begun to put down its roots here in the Pacific Northwest and abroad alongside Berlin-based company sens hemp. As CAN develops relationships with supportive brands in the industry, their goals remain straightforward and simple. CAN wants to onboard brands that will work side-by-side with CAN to grow, produce and create properly dosed formulas for epilepsy patients. With the support of Cannabis Connectors, CAN will work laterally with hemp growers and CBD producers to generate quantities of whole-plant medicine that’s affordable. Affordability remains one of the many hindrances that deter families from accessing essential medicine.
CONNECTING FAMILIES & DISPELLING STIGMAS Building a niche community in a budding industry isn’t a leisurely walk through the park. Cannabis’ presence on the list of Schedule I drugs is enough to push people away from considering it a viable option for treating debilitating illnesses. Aiding families in navigating their treatment options and providing them with support from those who can empathize is one pillar that will enable CAN to make revolutionary
strides in the industry. As a company based in the Pacific Northwest, CAN is reaching out to families in the area with children who are undergoing treatment for epilepsy and other debilitating illnesses. Using Meetup, a web-based platform that allows people with similar interests to gather, CAN is bringing families together to fight the stigmas surrounding epilepsy.
CREATING AWARENESS Education begins with conversation. With the recent election on November 8, more families are being given the opportunity to explore cannabis as an alternative option for treating their children. While there is a time and place for pharmaceuticals, CAN believes that bridging families together through fellowship, offering education and building awareness around cannabis will offer insight into the power and effectiveness of whole-plant medicine. Currently, CAN has partnered with a company who by spring 2017 hope to have a micro-dose, slow
release whole-plant option in place for patients suffering from all forms of epilepsy. As of now, many of the products on the market are cost prohibitive for families. If a child in your family is suffering from a debilitating illness, CAN wants to offer whatever support you and your family may need. For more information on CAN, follow them on Facebook @cannaangelnetwork. For more information on Meetup, visit www.meetup.com.
460,000 children in the US aged 0-17 have active epilepsy cdc.org Epilepsy affects nearly 50 million people worldwide brainfacts.org Follow CAN on Facebook @cannaangelnetwork
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