DOPE Magazine - The Social Issue - June 2018 by DOPE Magazine

THE SOCIAL ISSUE

N AT I O N A L FREE

JUNE 2018

FEATURE

CULTURE

HISTORY

CULTURE

HOW FACEBOOK AND TWITTER ARE ATTEMPTING TO COMBAT ONLINE DECEPTION

DOPE ON THE ROAD: BARCELONA, SPAIN

THE HISTORY OF THE BONG

A VIEW FROM INSIDE A “NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT”

DEFENDING OUR PLANT EVERYWHERE

FEATURE CHANGE YOUR LIFE WITH A SOCIAL MEDIA CLEANSE

King KolaÂŽ is the only bloom booster your plants need. It provides just the right amounts of phosphorus and potassium for a bountiful harvest, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the only product of its kind that contains protein from hemp. Achieve SIMPLE, EASY SUCCESS with Emerald Harvest.

emer emeraldhar emeraldharvest.co vest.c vest.co

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Southern California Torrey Holistics 10671 Roselle St San Diego, CA 92121 torreyholistics.com

HigherPath 14080 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 thehigherpath.com

Apothecarium 2029 Market St. San Francisco, CA 94114 apothecarium.com

A Therapeutic Alternative 3015 H St. Sacramento, CA 95816 atherapeuticalternative.com

Med Men 735 S Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90014 medmen.com

DC Collective 8053 Deering Ave. Canoga Park, CA 91304 dccollective.com

Shambhala Dispensary 2441 Mission St. San Francisco, CA 94110 shambhalamcc.com

White Fire 111 Old Tully Rd. San Jose, CA 95111 whitefire420.com

CALM

CRUISE

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

HOW DO YOU WANT TO FEEL?™ Choose an effect below to curate your experience. That is the Art of Flower. ™

AVA I L A B L E E V E R Y W H E R E F I N E C A N N A B I S I S S O L D

CREATE

CONNECT

W W W.C A N N D E S C E N T.CO M

CHARGE

JUNE 2018 | THE SOCIAL ISSUE

EDITOR’S LETTER

TOP VIDEOS

DOPE LIFE

SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS

oogle “Social Media,” and the first page of hits includes the ways in which social media affects mental health, tips on using social media as a marketing tactic, a reveal of social media networking sites that you didn’t even know existed, and a list of the most popular sites and apps you probably already have downloaded on your smartphone. Social media is a powerful tool, and with power comes responsibility. We are amidst an era where the transmission of information is moving at an unprecedented pace. In the cannabis community, social media influencers are using their platforms to strike while the iron is hot. DOPE Magazine hand-selected six influencers who are taking a new, inventive approach to normalize the plant and create an unstoppable community of advocates and allies. While there is no denying the good that comes with sharing content and participating in social networking, there are the very real issues of addiction, stress, anxiety and call-out culture that permeate the digital landscape. Our talented staff of DOPE contributors review cannabis apps, examine the ever-growing problem of “fake news” and misinformation, and look at cults from around the world to dissect why people opt to become members of “new religious movements.”

DOPE GOLDEN TICKET PARTY NEW ORLEANS

Don’t forget to stay tuned to our digital platform this month—we have some incredible videos and blogs our team has been hard at work on for our inaugural Social Issue. Stay DOPE!

THE DOPE CHRONICLES

The DOPE Editorial Team

WITH DAVID TRAN

To view these and more DOPE videos, visit: DOPEMAGAZINE.COM/VIDEOS

DOPEMAGAZINE.COM DOPE MAGAZINE AND THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THIS PUBLICATION ARE COPYWRITTEN BY 2018 DOPE MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN ANY MATTER, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, WITHOUT

WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM DOPE MEDIA, INC.

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

MASTHEAD

BUSINESS

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & SALES

GEORGE JAGE CEO

SCOTT USELDING NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR

DAVID TRAN CBO

ZAK HUGHES SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER

EVAN CARTER PUBLISHER

CODY NASH SALES OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

JAMES ZACHODNI CCO

DESIGN

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

NARISSA-CAMILLE PHETHEAN SR. GRAPHIC DESIGNER @narissa.camille

AARON MILLER

BEAU GREENER CREATIVE PRODUCER @credendastudios

BOOMD

ANDREA LARSON ASHLEIGH CASTRO BRANDON DORSKY BJORN BOLIVAR

ASHLEY BELFSKY GRAPHIC DESIGNER @ashleybelfsky

ALEXA ROSE DI TROLIO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

DERK GUMIN DOREN MALIK

CHRISTINA HEINTZELMAN DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS

ARIZONA

STEPHANIE DANESE CONTROLLER

DAN SCHMINCK BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

EDITORIAL

N. CALIFORNIA

ANDREA LARSON EDITORIAL MANAGER

JENNIFER TRAMAGLINO

STEPHANIE GASCON BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

KATIE CONLEY EDITOR

JONAH TACOMA

S. CALIFORNIA

LUNA REYNA STAFF WRITER

KAISHA DYAN MCMILLAN

BRIAHNA NELSON EDITORIAL CONTENT COORDINATOR CO, OR, WA

KELLY VO

EVELYN GARCIA EDITORIAL CONTENT COORDINATOR CA, AZ, NV

LUNA REYNA

LISETTE MENDES HR SPECIALIST LIANE PETTET STAFF ACCOUNTANT TARA BROOKS OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

E. SOMES

DAN SCHMINCK BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

COLORADO

DIGITAL

CARI CARMONA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

TODD TIBBETTS DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR @toddtibbetts

JAKE UITTI JEFFREY RINDSKOPF JESSE PERRY

KATIE CONLEY

NEVADA

MATTHEW CRISCIONE MELISSA JOY MJ GIBSON

EDDIE KING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

GLACE BONDESON SR. DIGITAL MANAGER @latirlatir

LAURIE AND MARYJANE

OREGON

PHOTOGRAPHY

PERRY FEIN

ALEX PHILLIPS

P.GOTTI

ASHLEIGH CASTRO

RADIOHASH

BLUE J STUDIO

SCOTT PEARSE

BRI MCDANIEL

WIND HOME

JIM LANGER CINEMATOGRAPHER/EDITOR @jimlanger

ERIC ERLANDSEN SR. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

JORDAN SWENSON CINEMATOGRAPHER/EDITOR @jordan.m.swenson

ANGEL AHMAD BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

CURTIS BATHURST

W. WASHINGTON

DOPE FOTO

ERIC ERLANDSEN SR. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

DOREN MALIK

E. WASHINGTON

BRIE SEAVEY DERK GUMIN

EMILY NICHOLS JAY SCHOBER JESSICA LARUE

MARKETING

JESSE PERRY

JESSICA GARCIA MARKETING MANAGER

JIM LANGER

JASMINE SMITH MARKETING ASSISTANT

JOHN VERWEY

GIANNA SPANGLER DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR

LAURIE AND MARYJANE

JORDAN SWENSON STEFAN LOOFT TINA BALLEW TOM NELSON WIND HOME

THE SOCIAL ISSUE

N AT I O N A L FREE

JUNE 2018

DOPE MAGAZINE JUNE 2018 | THE SOCIAL ISSUE Revolutionaries? Role models? Or simply selfie enthusiasts? However you see them, social media influencers are undeniably changing the conversation about cannabis. And they just might change the world. In DOPE’s first-ever Social Issue we speak with six influencers from varying platforms to discuss the ways they are connecting with the cannabis community through social media.

HOW TO REACH US

?! $

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? INFO@DOPEMAGAZINE.COM

WANT TO ADVERTISE? ADVERTISE@DOPEMAGAZINE.COM

@DOPEMAGAZINE

COVER PHOTO: JORDAN SWENSON FEATURE

CULTURE

HISTORY

CULTURE

HOW FACEBOOK AND TWITTER ARE ATTEMPTING TO COMBAT ONLINE DECEPTION

DOPE ON THE ROAD: BARCELONA, SPAIN

THE HISTORY OF THE BONG

A VIEW FROM INSIDE A “NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT”

ALL SUBMISSIONS PROPERTY OF DOPE MEDIA INC. AND

FEATURE CHANGE YOUR LIFE WITH A SOCIAL MEDIA CLEANSE

CANNOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT

DEFENDING OUR PLANT EVERYWHERE

WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION OF THE PUBLISHERS.

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

EFENDING UR LANT VERYWHERE As a lifestyle publication, DOPE Magazine is dedicated to creating purposeful, relevant conversations. We’ve built a steadfast framework of inclusivity when speaking about gender, race, class, politics, family and culture—with the ethos DEFEND. At DOPE, we don’t just defend our plant, but our people, patients and planet. Our highly curated content continues to focus on those who maintain a relationship with— and advocate on behalf of—cannabis. While cannabis remains the central theme of our brand, it is our belief that creating conversations about real people and relatable experiences is the best way to normalize the role that cannabis plays in society. Our aim is to continue to illuminate issues that deserve our attention and must be addressed if we wish to both promote and create change. We are grateful for your time, we welcome your feedback and are ever appreciative of your participation and dedication in creating positive, lasting change in the cannabis community.

Subscribe for home delivery at dopemagazine.com/subscribe

THE SOCIAL ISSUE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEATURES 036 FEATURE

ADDICTED TO YOUR PHONE?

CHANGE YOUR LIFE WITH A SOCIAL MEDIA CLEANSE 042 HISTORY

SO RIGHT, SO BONG THE HISTORY OF THE BONG 046 FEATURE

HATE SPEECH AND “FAKE NEWS”

HOW FACEBOOK AND TWITTER ARE ATTEMPTING TO COMBAT ONLINE DECEPTION 052 DOPE SHOTS

DOPE SHOTS

WINNER ALYSIA SALVADOR 056 CULTURE

CHOOSING TO JOIN A CULT

A VIEW FROM INSIDE A “NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT” 062 REVIEW

CANNABIS APPS

ARE THEY WORTH YOUR TIME?

UNE

064 EDITOR’S CHOICE

BUDINSKI TOTE BAGS

PADDED, ODOR-PROOF TRAVEL POUCHES FOR YOUR PIPE 066 #SCOUTEDBYDOPE

#SCOUTEDBYDOPE

CELEBRATE DADS AND GRADS WITH THESE 420-FRIENDLY GIFTS 070 CULTURE

DOPE ON THE ROAD BARCELONA, SPAIN

020 COVER FEATURE

THEY SAY THEY WANT A REVOLUTION RECAPTURING THE MAGIC OF CONNECTIVITY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA

PHOTOGRAPHY JORDAN SWENSON

Cannabis Security and Compliance Professionals with a 100% Success Rate Ensure your Camera System Receives a Passing Grade!

Cannabis Security for All Applications Free Consultation and Planning Services Free Technical Support for the lifetime of the product Affordable HD Video Technology & Access Control Systems Free Remote Monitoring Software & apps Full Equipment Warranties Nationwide Service and Support

Hundreds of Surveillance systems approved and Operating, Nationwide!

I spent one fifth of the money, I have no monthly expenses and if something goes down I am a phone call away from a technical support team. If you do your homework you will save both time and money. Thank you Security Camera King, Inc - Customer Rolling Cascades Farm, LLC

Contact Us Today! 1-800-901-2091 Cannabis@SecurityCameraKing.com or Visit: Securitycameraking.com Email your Floor plans to Cannabis@SecurityCameraKing.com or Call1-800-901-2091 for your Free Custom Consultation West Location: 9500 W 49th Ave, D106 Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 | East Location: 99 NW 11th St. Boca Raton, FL 33432

C O V E R F E AT U R E

MARY JANE GIBSON ANDREA LARSON, LUNA REYNA AND MARY JANE GIBSON JORDAN SWENSON

Revolutionaries? Role models? Or simply selfie enthusiasts? However you see them, social media influencers are undeniably changing the conversation about cannabis. And they just might change the world. D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

ot so long ago, smoking weed was only seen on screen in goofy stoner comedies like Up in Smoke or Half Baked. The stereotype of the lazy, couch-dwelling burnout (i.e., Brad Pitt in True Romance) was cemented in place. The idea of a productive pot smoker seemed laughable to much of society—certainly, at least, to those who didn’t blaze. That perception has rapidly evolved over the last few years. Shows like High Maintenance and Broad City have elevated the cultural conversation, showing people enjoying getting high together in a positive light. VICELAND’s Bong Appétit showcases top chefs preparing high-end, cannabis-infused delicacies. Snoop Dogg has a show with Martha Stewart, for pot’s sake. And humming along beneath it all, a tight-knit community of influential cannabis users has risen up to proudly, loudly support legal weed through the wonders of social media. Influencers and artists are normalizing cannabis as a healthier alternative to alcohol and pharmaceutical drugs. They’re bringing cannabis consumption out of the smokers’ closet, with a call for legalization across the nation. It’s a bona fide movement. They’re sharing cannabis news, cultivation, art, events, interviews with cannabis consumers and growers, weed tourism tips, how to make edibles—and it’s all available with the tap of your finger. These social media mavens work around the clock, carefully curating content. They’re on a not-so-secret mission: to educate curious minds about cannabis through freedom of expression. At one time, dissenters needed to take to the streets to make their voices heard in support of legalizing marijuana. Now they can amplify their message endlessly, broadcasting from home, streaming live from cannabis events, or just by hashtagging a smoking selfie #weed.

CENSORSHIP , AHOY Despite the freedom and enormous reach of social media, users are still encountering weedrelated censorship. Instagram often deletes cannabis-related accounts with virtually no notice, as does Facebook. In recent months, YouTube has flagged and closed a ton of cannabisrelated accounts around the world. Though most were listed as informational, educational channels, they were shut down for supposedly violating community guidelines. YouTubers have had to protect their accounts by moving their marijuana-related content to WeedTube. Snapchat seems to be one of the few social media platforms that doesn’t censor its users. Despite ongoing censorship of cannabis social media accounts and channels, the online weed community continues to grow. Social media is a great equalizer—everyone is free to express themselves. This can be toxic, as the Twitterverse proved with #GamerGate, or productive, as with the tidal wave of movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp. #LegalizeIt is getting louder by the day.

A NEW BRAND OF ACTIVISM Just like stoners, millennials have endured the stereotypes. They’ve been deemed entitled, branded as being selfish and lazy. The reality is that millennials have welcomed a new kind of activism and creativity, afforded them by the 24/7 stream of social media. The millennial generation—and their post-millennial peers—make excellent use of the powerful online community, and, through their adeptness, activism is flourishing. Just follow Parkland shooting survivors Emma González and David Hogg on Twitter to see how brutal their teenage takedowns of formidable foes like the National Rifle Association are. They’ve been raised with social media, and as experts it’s natural they own the game. It’s a native language most of us will spend our entire adult lives trying to perfect. It’s in that spirit of owning the conversation completely that cannabis influencers can change hearts and minds—and ultimately, one hopes, laws. It’s time for a national dialogue about legalizing marijuana across the country, as Canada will do this summer. Today, cannabis is legal for adult use in eight states and the District of Columbia. Several more states are moving towards making cannabis legal in 2018. The youth control the message, and it’s only a matter of time before that translates to real social change. We caught up with six social media game-changers: Olivia Alexander, a.k.a. Weedbae, showcases her glam lifestyle and cannabis company, Kush Queen, on Snapchat. Rachel “Wolfie” Wolfson makes dope Instagram weed memes. Together, the duo sparks discourse about the benefits of the plant on their podcast and YouTube channel, The Budd. Whitney Bell incorporates marijuana into her artistic process, fueling her impactful visions. Watts curates whimsical, weed-centric artwork for high-minded Insta followers. And Alice and Clark, vlogging as That High Couple, provide a window into a healthy, fun lifestyle that just happens to include a whole lotta weed.

JU N E 2 0 18

“

THE GREATEST WAY TO KEEP PEOPLE OPPRESSED IS TO KEEP THEM FIGHTING, SO THAT THEY DON’T RISE UP AND BAND TOGETHER . . . SOCIAL MEDIA HAS SORT OF CREATED THIS FIGHTING. HOPEFULLY THAT WILL SHIFT AND CHANGE.

”

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

hitney Bell is a powerhouse public speaker who amplifies the issues facing marginalized groups and creates an inclusive space with every platform she’s given. Whether it’s her installation, “I Didn’t Ask For This: A Lifetime of Dick Pics,” which garnered attention surrounding its unconventional, bold statements about sexual harassment in the digital age, her writing in publications like Teen Vogue, HuffPost, Playboy and Cosmopolitan, or her everyday discourse on social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, Bell stays true to herself and her convictions. Her unapologetic, intersectional feminist views and clear intention to empower women brings people to her platforms and her sharp, engaging posts keeps them coming back. DOPE Magazine: Queer Eye’s Tan France was recently spotted donning the “Let Boys Be Feminine” tee from your Kidd Bell shop. Is this the first time you’ve been pleasantly surprised by a celebrity repping your shop? Whitney Bell: So, it wasn’t a surprise. We are sort of Internet friends. It’s not the first time [a celebrity has repped my shop], but that time was pretty exceptional because he has such a huge reach and because he’s doing so much to change the dialogue around masculinity in active and tangible ways—which not that many people are doing. Plus, it sold an insane amount of shirts, so that was good. We’ve had some other celebrities wear stuff. That always feels good when people with notoriety or people who are engaged in activist circles feel a relationship with the stuff I make. You have a platform through social media, and you’ve consistently used that platform to address current events and social justice issues—everything from cannabis to gun control. Has there ever been a time where you regretted a post, after the fact? I’m pretty intentional and thoughtful about the stuff I post, because almost everything I talk about can get really reactionary, aggressive feedback from people who disagree with me, so I try to be super careful about every single word. I’ve never really regretted a post, but I do sometimes regret in general the scope of stuff I talk about. I feel a need every time something horrific happens—which is every single fucking day—to post something or say something, and it’s actually negatively impacting my mental health. Social media is quite addicting, as we all know, and when you do have such a large following, and when you’re talking about political shit—especially if you’re a woman—you’re gonna get a huge amount of harassment, and that takes a huge toll on me. I’m trying to create a better balance.

Your cannabis advocacy and feminist agenda often intersect in your writing and the Kidd Bell shop. Do you think cannabis and the growing industry has been an outlet for the advancement for women and femmes? Absolutely! It’s about to become the first billion-dollar industry that’s not dominated by men. That’s groundbreaking. One of the biggest uses for cannabis is PTSD and trauma treatment, and women have experienced so much sexual violence and oppression. I know myself and a ton of other women and survivors do use it for that purpose, and it really has helped. I think there’s a thoughtfulness women put into their choices, and I think cannabis is one of those places. What are some of the unexpected effects of social media fame? Other than the aggressive harassment, one of the worst things about social media—and especially social justice circles on social media—is callout culture. The fact that people even with the best of intentions are afraid to say the wrong word or use the wrong term, and they get aggressively called out by their peers, by people who are on the same team as them. It sort of does give credence to the “liberal snowflake” ideology. The greatest way to keep people oppressed is to keep them fighting, so that they don’t rise up and band together . . . social media has sort of created this fighting. Hopefully that will shift and change. If you have a movement that’s all about empathy, you have to allow that in [social] spaces. You briefly touched on the addictive component of social media, and I think even people who have few followers have concerns about becoming irrelevant. Can you speak to that? We’ve started to place our self-worth on outward-facing things. We’re taught to receive worth from the outside in, and social media is a way to receive pretty empty, hollow ideas of worth. The way these apps are designed—if you’re not constantly engaging, then your posts are going to be pushed down lower by the algorithm, and you don’t get seen. To follow Whitney Bell check out her social media:

@KIDD.BELL @THESTORIESOFWOMEN

JU N E 2 0 18

“

WE DIDN’T FEED INTO THE NORMAL STONER STEREOTYPE WHATSOEVER. WE ARE PRODUCTIVE, AND HAVE JOBS, AND DO NORMAL EVERYDAY THINGS. WE NEEDED TO CREATE SOMETHING TO SHOW PEOPLE, TO NORMALIZE IT.

”

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

lice and Clark vlog about their cannabis lifestyle on their YouTube channel, That High Couple. Since our interview, they’ve decided to move their cannabis content to WeedTube to avoid their page being deleted entirely. DOPE Magazine: How did you get your start? Alice: We’ve been medical cannabis users for many years. We smoked cannabis on our first date. It’s always been a big part of our life. That High Couple wasn’t our first YouTube channel—we had a couple of other attempts that were non-cannabis related. Clark: Doing cat product reviews was one of my favorite ones. But basically, the way we came about That High Couple was that Alice is a professional photographer, and I came to Los Angeles to be a videographer. We were like, what’s a topic we could always be taking endless photos and videos of? What’s the thing we could do every day and be super happy about it? And when we looked at our lives we were just like, getting high! Alice: “What do we do every day and enjoy that we’re truly passionate about?” That we could actually be authentic about, and feel like we could educate an audience, and share our lifestyle.

Clark: So we’re sitting in this weird limbo. Our entire community that we’ve spent more than two years building is on the verge of being deleted. And it’s really scary that, on YouTube, I’ve seen over a dozen channels with an accumulated more than two million subscribers be completely removed. Alice: We’re happy to play by their rules. Age-restricting is completely understandable and fine. If we’re not advertiser-friendly, demonetize us, and we can work with other outside companies as a way to still make money. But to completely censor people, when your guidelines are just, “No illegal drug use”? We’re both over 21, living in a recreational state, where nothing we’re doing on camera should be considered illegal in any way. We’re very careful to play by the rules. So it’s very unfortunate. What does a day in your life look like? Clark: We’re such weekend warriors. Alice: Clark and I both have full-time, nine to five jobs that aren’t directly in the cannabis industry, actually.

Clark: It’s super fun to be able to do as a couple. I feel like that was the big push for us. Yes, there are a lot of other cannabis influencers, but if I can do this with my best friend by my side the whole time, then that just makes it that much better.

Clark: What’s really cool is that, by doing That High Couple, I’m better at doing my day job, because Monday through Friday I’m a community manager for a multi-channel network. Basically I’m a dude who gets to tell other people how to do YouTube better, which can be frustrating because I get to tell gamers and beauty vloggers and all these other people in these advertiser-friendly niches how to really be successful and catapult them on this platform, and I’m just like, oh it must be nice.

How do you use your platform to normalize cannabis?

Do you feel a responsibility as role models?

Alice: Our main goal with the channel was that we live this in our authentic lives. We’re daily cannabis users, we include it in our relationship, and it doesn’t hinder us in any way. We didn’t feed into the normal stoner stereotype whatsoever. We are productive, and have jobs, and do normal everyday things. We needed to create something to show people, to normalize it.

Alice: I do feel a certain amount of responsibility to fight against the censorship, and to keep producing content, keep educating people and normalizing this, because it’s important. We’ve built so many connections through our YouTube channel, so many elderly people who’ve gotten back into smoking, or people who learned that they can use it medicinally. We did a video on how to corner a bowl, and we got so many responses from so many old people who were like, “This is so wonderful.”

Clark: When we started the channel, there were a lot of cannabis personalities who were just that—someone who you only saw enjoying cannabis. For us it’s also, let’s take them on a hike. Let’s take them on a farmer’s market trip, and show that, not only can you enjoy cannabis, you can be a normal person with a multifaceted personality who enjoys a lot of other things besides just getting high. We understand you were recently shut down by YouTube. Clark: Our story of censorship with YouTube started on the eve of 4/20. It was April 19, and we got our first channel strike against us. If YouTube gives you three strikes, you’re off the platform. On that night, we got our first strike ever, as well as an immediate channel suspension. With no words other than, “You broke community guidelines.” It was for one of our earliest videos, “How to Roll a Joint.” Alice: It was one of our most popular ones. It was marked as educational, and it was age-restricted. It was unfortunate, because they gave us a strike followed by immediate termination. We didn’t even have a chance to appeal. So, we went through the appeals process to explain to YouTube that we’d built this community of people we are trying to educate. We’re not trying to break any of their rules. We didn’t hear anything from them, and then, all of a sudden, six days later, our channel came back online. We started getting notifications again, but still hadn’t heard anything from YouTube, so we weren’t sure if the appeal process had actually worked.

Clark: In the beginning days, you’re just trying to make a video that speaks to that authentic creator inside—you’re like, “I think this is a cool piece of content to share.” But the second that it starts making actual real-life connections, that’s when I feel the sense of responsibility. I was raised in Georgia, in a very conservative community. Smoking cannabis wasn’t what we now have as a bridge to a community, it was an isolator. Any one of my friends who was known to partake in cannabis was deemed a stoner, and it was like they weren’t worth a second thought because they were just going to derail their life. Coming to Los Angeles, one of the things that connected me with so many people, like my fiancée, who’s next to me, was the fact that we were all so open about enjoying cannabis. It was really the first time that I felt a part of a community that accepted me. I can be an ambassador, I can be an active part of this community and show the world that it’s not an isolator. Smoking weed doesn’t make you more alone, it opens up your life to so many more wonderful people. To follow That High Couple, check out their social media:

THAT HIGH COUPLE @ THATHIGHCOUPLE

JU N E 2 0 18

“

I HAD THIS IDEA THAT IF WE POSTED WEED EVERY DAY, ALL DAY, CONSTANTLY SHOWING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR CULTURE, THAT THINGS WOULD CHANGE. D O P E M AGA Z I N E .CO M

”

livia Alexander, aka Weedbae, is a social media influencer and entrepreneur, as well as a bit of a modern-day ganja philosopher. Her line of Kush Queen products is in over 300 dispensaries in California. She also helms the Third Eye Agency, which specializes in marketing for cannabis companies. Olivia co-hosts The Budd with Rachel “Wolfie” Wolfson. DOPE Magazine: How did you get your start?

Olivia Alexander: About six years ago, I walked into a vape shop in Silver Lake and bought my first vape. It was around the same time I saw my first cartridge in a dispensary, and I was just overwhelmingly shocked that I could smoke weed in public. I couldn’t believe someone finally created a way that I could consume cannabis and I wouldn’t get judged, or be paranoid that I was going to be arrested. So I bought the vape, and I crystallized it. I’ve always loved bling, I love everything that’s glam. I took the vape back into the shop and showed the owner, and he bought ten. I posted a photo on Instagram, and a bunch of people wanted to buy it. So I asked my dad if I could borrow 700 dollars. I built the website in a week, I launched the company and The Crystal Cult was born. Social media was where I found my passion, being an entrepreneur. And I was a cannabis consumer. I felt like there was nothing representing me on Instagram or on YouTube, or Snapchat. I felt like there wasn’t anyone speaking to me. So I started my Instagram pages about cannabis. I had this whole network on Instagram until I was deleted. Wolfie and I met through social media. It’s how I’ve built my company, it’s how I built my tribe. Your Instagram accounts were shut down? It was June of last year when I lost a million and a half followers [in] one day. And I have since had almost every one of my clients deleted. My agency’s business basically doesn’t exist anymore. Creating my brand, Kush Queen, was my survival literally from this massive, awful thing that happened. I don’t know where my pages are. I don’t know anything. My clients have all been deleted. We still have certain pages, and we’re very lucky to still have our channel on YouTube. Since I’ve been getting deactivated and reported from early 2013, I diversified right away. I wanted to be on a multitude of platforms. I thought, if I had a YouTube channel and they shut down my Instagram, people will still know me. That’s actually how I found refuge on Snapchat, which is the most cannabisfriendly platform that exists. They don’t censor you. They don’t delete you . . . in fact, they promote me and support me. And it’s where I’ve found my community again. How do you use social media to normalize cannabis? I think it’s all about consumption. When I started my pages, I noticed that there were a lot of memes but there weren’t products, and there weren’t people smoking. And that’s what I wanted to show. I had this idea that if we posted weed every day, all day, constantly showing all of the different parts of our culture, that things would change. I knew in my heart the biggest issue is that we’ve been trapped in a closet; we’ve been hidden from the world. What does a day in your life look like? Now my life is different because I run the Kush Queen brand, and I’m no longer promoting other people’s products. So I wake up—I always smoke, have coffee—and I go to my warehouse. I could be there from 12 hours to 15 hours, or some days I’m home by seven, it just depends, but I’m always posting. I like to Snap in the morning—I love to wake up and have my coffee and go live from my couch with unbrushed teeth and hair. It makes me feel like I’m not perpetuating this one image of myself that’s very glamorous and smoking. I work every day all day right now on Kush Queen, and then film content, and do the podcast—and, actually, I’m trying to spend a lot of time off of social media, believe it or not. Trying to incorporate that into my life, to find a place where I don’t work all the time. Do you feel a responsibility as a role model? I do. I’m a super serious person, so serious, especially about weed, so I feel a responsibility to my audience. I feel a responsibility to the people who’ve come before me, and the people who’ve mentored me. I think this is the greatest time I could ever be alive. So I feel a huge responsibility. I know this is a little dramatic, but whenever I get on crazy rants, my fans are always like, “Weedbae for president!” and I’m like, I’m not the first female president, but she is here. She is born, she’s someone’s daughter right now, and she is listening. And I feel like, for her, we have to be present, we have to be strong, and we have to be conscious. We have to question what is out there right now more than ever, and we have to join together as a community. To follow Olivia Alexander check out her social media:

@BUDDFEED @THEKUSHQUEENS @THECRYSTALCULT

@EATWEEDLOVE THE BUDD

JU N E 2 0 18

“

. . . AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS A MEDICINE. PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO IT. THAT STARTS WITH KNOWLEDGE, AND CREATING CONTENT THAT PEOPLE CAN IDENTIFY WITH, FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.

”

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

achel “Wolfie” Wolfson is a stand-up comic and co-host of The Budd. She makes dope weed memes and works as a budtender in a Los Angeles dispensary.

DOPE Magazine: How did you get your start? Rachel Wolfson: I was working a corporate marketing job. I’d worked in corporate for most of my twenties and I was like, I need to learn a new skill. So I started making memes to teach myself how to do Photoshop. My first viral content was when I photoshopped Tommy Chong into space, doing all these crazy things, and he started reposting me. Through that my account just grew, and it morphed into making funny captions for people that I love seeing images of, and then it became an outlet for humor, advocacy and connection. That’s when I linked up with Olivia, my best friend. We started creating content together, and I brought to her [an] idea she fully supported from day one: to create a podcast where we would interview people we admire and respect in the cannabis industry. How have you seen things shift? Have you seen the stoner stereotype evolve? That’s what first attracted me and inspired me to reach out to Olivia. I wasn’t seeing images of people who look like me—it was stereotypical images of the lazy burnout who’s living on his mom’s couch and doesn’t have a job. It was important for me to team up, to have a mentor, to have someone who is successful in an industry that doesn’t really have any rules—it’s the Wild Wild West—but somehow she’s pioneering her corner. I wanted to team up with a strong woman like that. She looked like me, and I could identify with that, and also—I was scared. I come from a family that was like, you’re not going to have a job [if you’re associated with weed], you’re not going to have a life, you know, almost in that criminal mindset. And I now have the confidence that I can be a successful person in this world, and show images of consumption. It’s important to have these images. We need to be out there showing consumption. We need to fight the censorship. Because at the end of the day, this is a medicine. People need to have access to it. That starts with knowledge, and creating content that people can identify with, from all walks of life. What does a day in your life look like? I wake up. I meme. Maybe I smoke before that, maybe I smoke after that. Then I roll out of bed. I work at the dispensary a couple of days a week, so I’ll be there until 5 or 6 o’clock. Then I’ll be at the clubs doing shows or doing open mics at night, or we have our Weedsday Wednesdays where we’re together at the Kush Queen factory. Night is strictly stand-up comedy. Daytime is hustling, creating content, working with Weedbae, and just keeping it moving. Do you feel a responsibility as a role model? I didn’t realize how the memes—putting people who don’t necessarily smoke weed in images with a weed caption—how that normalizes it. You know, humor transcends. It wasn’t until I started getting messages from young people, especially women, asking, “How do I make a career out of this? How do I turn my passion into something that I can give back to the community?” when I was like, OK, I have a responsibility that I wasn’t aware of. To see that I’m inspiring young people, if I can be a voice to them about something that I feel passionate about, then yeah—if you want to know about how to get into the cannabis industry, or how to come out to your parents, or talk to people about your consumption, then I’m going to talk to you about it. I’ll respond as much as I can.

To follow Rachel Wolfson check out her social media:

JU N E 2 0 18

@WOLFIEMEMES @WOLFIECOMEDY THE BUDD

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

ordan Watson, better known in curatorial and creative communities as Watts, has built his image empire by scouring the web for art that resonates with him. Through his Instagram handle, @love. watts, Watson has brought attention to artists around the globe who may have otherwise gone unnoticed. A long-term cannabis advocate and consumer, Watts started posting cannabis-related images via @rollthis.passthat after he came to the realization that the cannabis community was in need of images that inspired the recreational consumer, as well as the medical consumer. His work as a curator has been featured in Entrepreneur, W Magazine and Splinter. Do you feel a conflict between your private and public personas?

DOPE Magazine: How did you get your start? Jordan Watson: I got started with art and my main account, @love. watts, which [consists of] pretty images and [showcases] lesser-known emerging artists and well-known artists from around the globe. I post their work, and they get a little bit of exposure they wouldn’t normally get in the real world. From that account, I [realized] the need to diversify, so I branched out and started a cannabis account, @rollthis. passthat, and it started the same way. An artistic approach to the cannabis world. I started to post cool weed stuff. Have you ever had an account shut down? I curate art. Other people create the art, and I pick what I think is cool. I post, and it goes wherever it goes. My whole thing is to give a little bit of a vision of what I’m into, and whatever happens past that is up to you. I keep it kind of basic…I don’t really post humans that much. I think it’s just art work, and it’s kind of light, and so I don’t even think on that account [@love.watts] that I’ve ever had a report [of being flagged by moderators]. I think I’m reaching young art kids, and I started @rollthis.passthat because all of the images I saw around cannabis were corny and real heady—and I smoke weed, and those images weren’t me—so I figured, let me just start compiling these images that [resonate with me], and through that maybe some of these same kids can see my vision [of cannabis]. A couple of years ago everything was so medical, medical, medical, and I have been smoking weed forever and I’ve never had a medical reason to smoke . . . I’ve always had a recreational type of mindset, and my imagery has always been kind of recreational, lighthearted and good vibes. What does a day in your life look like? I wake up, walk my dog, hit the Internet. I wake up at 3AM sometimes and get on the Internet and find images and post them, save them, do emails. I take meetings, smoke a bunch of weed and live my life. It’s pretty mellow, but super busy, too. I am freestyle. Every day is something new.

“

MY WHOLE THING IS TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A VISION OF WHAT I’M INTO, AND WHATEVER HAPPENS PAST THAT IS UP TO YOU.

I recently started to put myself out there a little bit, and I don’t know if I like it [laughs]. I guess it’s necessary. What role does improvisation play in curating content/art both on IG and beyond? Improvisation is massive for me. Through improvisation I’m able to curate art I’m feeling at that moment, and that matches my mood, inspirations and creative whims. The more people feel free to improvise, the less rigid and limiting our expectations of them will be. In an interview with Complex, you mention that your love of textures and art came from, in some part, psychedelic experiences. How has cannabis played a role in this passion? I’ve always had an appreciation for the beauty in art in its various forms, but I would say cannabis has elevated my appreciation for that beauty. In many ways, I think it has opened up my perspective beyond the obvious or immediately apparent, and that’s where the passion lives. You work with a small team, correct? Can you give our readers a bit of insight into what your team dynamic and working relationships are like? I work most closely with my manager, who is always looking out for our brand and our business, which allows me to focus on expanding my knowledge of the art world and the creative dynamics of anything that we’re working on. Striking this balance and making decisions as a team is what keeps us growing and moving forward toward exciting new projects. You’ve predicted the demise of the traditional art gallery. What are the benefits of this evolution? Will anything be lost in the transition? This evolution leads to art becoming more accessible and appreciated by a larger portion of the world’s population and, as a result, artists being able to make a better living following their passion. I don’t think the desire to experience art in person will go away, but the model through which that happens will alter drastically in the coming years. I plan to lead that charge.

JU N E 2 0 18

@ROLLTHIS.PASSTHAT @LOVE.WATTS @WATTS @WATTS.ON

”

To follow Watts, check out his social media:

PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST Photographers, want to see your work in the pages of dope magazine? As a lifestyle publication, DOPE Magazine is committed to cultivating creative expression within the cannabis community. We’re looking to feature your creative work in the next issue of DOPE Magazine! There are no limitations or restrictions—hit us with your best shot! HOW TO ENTER Head to www.dopemagazine.com/dope-contests and submit your favorite capture and win the chance to have your work featured in a beautiful 2-page spread in our National publication. Shoot what inspires you. Ready. Set. GO! WHAT TO ENTER To ensure eligibility for the contest, please submit files of at least 300 dpi in landscape format. Entries may originate in any format - digital files, digital prints, color transparencies, color prints, or black and white prints - so long as they are submitted electronically in a .JPEG .jpg or .png form. Entries should include full name of photographer and a brief caption. ELIGIBILITY Dope Shots (“Photo Contest”) is open to all professional and amateur photographers who have reached 21 years of age at the time of entry. By submitting an entry to the Photo Contest, entrants certify that their submission in the Photo Contest gives DOPE Magazine the right to publish this photo. DOPE will provide artist credits. By entering, you agree to release and hold harmless DOPE and affiliates from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Photo Contest. ENTRY PERIOD The Photo Contest is recurring; beginning on the tenth of each month and ending the last day of each month. JUDGING Photos will be judged on the originality, composition, technical excellence as well as overall impact and artistic merit.

ELEVATE YOUR EXPERIENCE violab ran d s.com

F LOWE R

•

VAP ES

•

EXTRAC TS

© 2018 VIOLA Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children. This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgement. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of this product. This product should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

THE CBD

PROPYLENE GLYCOL

FREE

BUY ONLI THOUGHT

VEGAN

ORGANIC

LAB

TESTED

YOUR CBD SOLUTION

Thoughtcloud Vegan Vaping solutions are made from 100% natural and organic coconut oil with no added preservatives, no propylene glycol, no sugars, pesticides, fertilizers, or additives. We pride ourselves in providing a vaping solution that is an actual health supplement. We’re the only CBD company providing full spectrum vape without any harmful chemicals. All of our batches are tested for purity and potency. We only use the purest, organically grown and processed CBD. Thoughtcloud is Lab Tested for purity, consistency, and safety with a 22 page lab report.

r BACKED BY 100’S OF REVIEWS

I was suffering badly with acne rosacea and ocular rosac and was in so much discomfort. It massively dented my energy levels and confidence. I stopped wanting to look at people and I was having to use filters on every picture I ever shared. I wanted to hide my face but worse, it was so sore and sensitive. My eyes would burn and leak tears constantly at night. But since taking your CBD oil that yo sent me, my thyroid bloods have come back normal and my skin is glowing - no filters needed!

We’re Vegan from plant to oil in our farming and manufacturing practices. We’re sustainable and virtually waste-free in our manufacturing, packing, and farming practices.

PUREST OIL O

INE AT TCLOUD.NET

CODE DOPE

FOR UP TO 60% OFF

NUMBER #1 CBD OIL ON INSTAGRAM @THOUGHTCL0UD

ASK US ANYTHING

We’re committed to serving your CBD needs in every step of your CBD oil experience. Visit our website and chat with a friendly Thoughtcloud support representative today. I can’t 100% remember when I got the first vial of ThoughtCloud. But I used it on my daughter who has a pituitary brain tumor since I got it, her tumor is slightly smaller since she started using it.

Feel Free To Call Us!

Telephone: 949-664-0114

THOUGHCLOUD.NET

cea

100% ORGANIC

s ou

We’re the industry leader in CBD innovations with the first CBD Full Spectrum Bath Bombs and Ozonated CBD Ointment. We’re organic, sustainable, and Non-GMO. We care about this planet and our practices reflect that.

NON GMO

F E AT U R E

KELLY VO

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

ocial media has become an indelible part of life. We check it on our phones while we wait in line, before we sit down for dinner, at work and almost any free chance we get. It’s an addiction, says Kimberly Hershenson, LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker), an NYC-based therapist at RevitaLife Therapy. “The addictive aspect stems from fear of missing out (FOMO),” explains Hershenson. “Our brains are wired for collaboration, and we are fully aware when others are doing something that excludes us, triggering primitive survival responses. Constantly checking social media allows us to meet this primal need by becoming involved in the lives of others, ensuring we are never left out.”

“

BY TAKING AWAY SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THIRTY DAYS, IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO TAKE A BREAK FROM EXPECTATIONS AND START TO EXPERIENCE LIFE WITHOUT THE NEED TO BE CONSTANTLY CONNECTED. – DR. SAL RAICHBACH PSYD, LCSW

”

While it can be a good thing to be hyper-connected to the world, making it easier to stay in touch with friends and family, it can also be a problem. Too often, social media starts interfering with life, causes selfesteem issues and harms your relationships. That’s why so many people turn to a social media cleanse. “It is necessary to take a break from social media if you find yourself getting upset every time you log on, find yourself writing rude comments or thinking negative thoughts, or are getting happiness from others’ pain,” suggests Hershenson. She recommends a social media cleanse for anyone who’s looking to reevaluate their day-to-day lives, particularly how often they check their social media feeds.

JU N E 2 0 18

THE SOCIAL MEDIA CLEANSE EXPERIENCE

A social media cleanse is a planned break from social media. It typically lasts thirty days, but the length of time can vary. For some people, the cleanse requires you to give up every social media account, while others choose to take a break from just one platform. In either case, the idea is to break the social media habit—at least, for a time. “A social media cleanse can be a great idea,” Dr. Sal Raichbach PsyD, LCSW of the Ambrosia Treatment Center, tells us. “By taking away social media for thirty days, it allows people to take a break from expectations and start to experience life without the need to be constantly connected.” However, Dr. Raichbach warns that a 30-day social media cleanse should only be a starting point for those struggling with addiction. Just as you can’t begin a sober life after thirty days in treatment, someone who is “severely addicted to social media” shouldn’t expect to be cured after such a short time. “It has to be followed up by further action,” expounds Raichbach.

Still, even for such a short duration, don’t expect a social media cleanse to be easy. For MBA student Philtrina Farquharson, “it was by far the hardest thing” she felt she had ever done. “On my first day, I was losing my mind,” Farquharson recalls. “I didn’t know what to do with all this free time I had. Social media was my entertainment.” Colleen Armstrong’s experience was similar. Social media “was an obsession. It was my life,” she remembers. When the cleanse began, she was angry and desperate to get it back. But it didn’t take long for Armstrong to start to recognize a change in her post-social media life. “I realized I felt more rested and positive,” Armstrong notes. “I couldn’t explain it . . . but my mind felt clearer.” After that, her entire social media outlook changed. “I was able to get back to me,” Armstrong explains. “I now have time to do all those things I used to post the celebs doing.” That doesn’t mean the cleanse is all daisies and roses. For Heidi McBain, her social media cleanse was part of an effort to be more present for her kids over the summer. For the month of June, she turned off Facebook, deleted all her phone apps, and focused on spending time with her family. Unfortunately, an unintended consequence was a lack of connection to people outside her immediate circle. “I missed seeing what my friends and family were up to, and realized that I rely heavily on Facebook to remind me of people’s birthdays,” McBain comments. “I missed a close friend’s birthday during this social media cleanse.” Though McBain enjoyed her break, she was also ready to get back to social media. Still, life in a world without social media can be an amazing thing. As Farquharson explains, “You realize that social media does not need to consume you for you to be happy.”

WHAT IS A SOCIAL MEDIA CLEANSE?

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

5 STEP S T O S TA R T A SOCIAL MEDIA C LEANSE It sounds d aunti

ng, but w the social m ith these easy steps edia grid in no time. CHOOSE A T IM E F R AME Typ ic

you’ll be off

al ly 3 0 d m ar k of f ea ay s— th at yo u ca n st ic k ch su cc es sf u l d ay on yo to . Yo u ca n u r ca le n d ar . TE

L L YO U R F R IE N D S A N D FA M ILY

T h e m or e pe op le w h o k n ow, th ac co u n ta b e m or e le yo u’ ll b e.

CHOOSE YO U R S O C IA L M E D IA A C COUNTS A re

yo u go in g to ta ke a b ac co u n ts — re ak fr om Fa ce b oo k , al l yo u r Tw it te r, In S n ap ch at , st ag ra m , Yo u Tu b e, et c. — or ju st on e?

TURN OF F ALL

N O T IF IC A Tu rn of f em T IO N S ai ls , sm ar t ph on e n ot m es sa ge s an if ic at io n s, d anyt h in g el se th at re ch ec k so ci al m ed ia . m in ds yo u to DELETE A L L YO U R APP OUT OF A L L AC C O U S A N D L O G NTS Yo u’ re re ad y to ta ke yo u r so ci al m ed ia b re ak !

JU N E 2 0 18

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

rootsciences.com

info@rootsciences.com (206) 452-1130

HISTORY

“

THE WORD ‘BONG’ ITSELF IS AN ADAPTATION FROM A THAI WORD, ‘BAUNG,’ MEANING BAMBOO TUBE OR PIPE, AND THESE SMOKING DEVICES HAVE BEEN USED ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

THE HISTORY OF THE BONG WIND HOME

JAKE UITTI

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

”

he bong has a long history— but it may have a short future. With the onset of additional ways to consume cannabis (read: vape pens and smokeless edibles), many are moving away from the classic flower-and-smoke to the subtler ways of enjoying THC. Nevertheless, what would cannabis culture be without its humble beginnings? Before we say “History!” to the bong, let’s remember, well, the history of the bong! Back in 2013, diggers found gold bongs in Russia that were used roughly 2400 years ago to smoke pot and opium. And, legend has it, the use of water as filtration in a pipe first occurred in China in the 16th century. The word “bong” itself is an adaptation from a Thai word, “baung,” meaning bamboo tube or pipe, and these smoking devices have been used all over the world for hundreds of years. W h a t m a ny d o n’ t k n ow, however, is that, according to a study conducted by the advocacy group NORML-MAPS, “ water pipes filter out more psychoactive THC than they do other tars, thereby requiring users to smoke more to reach their desired effect.” Say it ain’t so, bong! Nevertheless, the bubbly, resin-laden apparatus remains in dorm rooms, basements and garages all over North America. But why? For many, it’s a habit, something familiar to reach for. For others, it’s the way they

understand their THC intake best. “The aesthetic is ghastly,” declares Seattle theater writer Adrian Ryan, “but the resulting effect is unparalleled.” Or, as West Coast photographer Alex Garland puts it, “It’s not as sexy as vaping, but the effect is lovely.” And Seattle rock musician Eva Walker attests, “If I’m smoking, it gets me higher faster than anything else.” While the bong remains a touchstone in stoner culture, the country is moving more toward a more elevated approach with its day-to-day cannabis use, both recreationally and medically. And as this trend continues, the bong may find itself on the fringes of smokers’ imaginations. In its place, perhaps Apple will develop a voice-activated, mechanical, bong-like device that offers users a perfectly dosed supply of pure THC. Or maybe there’ll be a sharebased app where someone rents their bong out to you for a half-hour, arriving at your place via bike like a delivery person. Either way, the bong is still here, proudly sitting on the top shelf at the head shop. And so we salute the bong! Here’s to one more night of epic, icefiltered, spring-water-inthe-chamber, tryingnot-to-cough-a-lot, happy bong session! Now, Siri, where’s my lighter???

JU N E 2 0 18

GET DOPE AT HOME Subscribe Now $12 As low as

/3 mos*

dopemagazine.com/subscribe

F E AT U R E

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

ritish consulting firm Cambridge Analytica made waves by interfering i n t h e 2 0 1 6 p re s i d e n t i a l e l e c t i o n , accumulating data from Facebook users under the guise of a “personality quiz”— you know, those silly question quizzes that tell you if you’re a Gryffindor or a Slytherin. Cambridge Analytica took that data and created “psychographic profiles” on users and their friends, targeting them with “fake news” in an attempt to discourage Hillary Clinton suppor ters by directing “Defeat Crooked Hillary ” advertisements to their profiles. According to Facebook's COO, Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook knew about this foreign interference in the election and the misuse of user information two and a half years ago— and did nothing. The term “fake news” is now commonplace. People are concerned with where—and how— to find factual, informed news after the onset of social media. David Mikkelson, co-owner of Snopes.com, the major fact-checking site, told The Verge, “It kind of took weeks for things to go viral [in the past]—gave us plenty of time to look into them, write them up. Now

somebody posts something outrageous on Facebook, and 20 minutes later it’s a headline on the New York Post. So obviously we have to be faster at what we do.” But the reality is that fact checking takes time, and with highspeed internet and the average attention span lasting only eight seconds, championing the truth is becoming next to impossible. These platforms have moved from “new and exciting” to harsh realizations; access to all this instantaneous information has created the perfect storm in which misinformation can flourish. Fabricated information is often being shared as “news” without checks or balances to prevent the spread of fake news. Ev Williams, co-founder of Twitter and CEO at Medium, told The Verge, “When we built Twitter, we weren’t thinking about these things. We laid down fundamental architectures that had assumptions that didn’t account for bad behavior. And now we’re catching on to that.” Margaret Gould Stewart, vice president of product design at Facebook, spoke with NPR to address these issues: “We’ve learned that we need to spend a lot of time thinking about what I call misuse cases—when people take

tools meant to be used for good and do bad things with them. We need to spend more time thinking about what we should build, even though we might not be required to, and what we shouldn’t build, even if we’re technically allowed to.” That’s all well and good, but we know the difference between what big companies should do and what they actually do is often night and day. One way Facebook has attempted to minimize viral misinformation is relying on Facebook users themselves to flag posts suspected of being false or abusive. According to a Facebook post in 2016 by Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, they use these flags to help identify fake information. By the end of last year, however, Facebook admitted that the red flag icons for potential fake stories weren’t working. Now they’re hoping that the “related articles” section will help separate fake news posts from the truth by giving readers access to more information, who can then decide for themselves if it’s accurate. Although we understand the idea, the possibility remains that someone will read one article, then see three “related articles” which back the original

JU N E 2 0 18

idea and assume the original article must be factual. Even so, Alex Hardiman, head of news products at Facebook, is optimistic: “I don’t think it’s a losing battle, but I think it’s a really hard one.” Facebook’s stance is that users should have the freedom to express themselves and seek out information on their own. As Zuckerberg effectively asserted in his personal Facebook post, “The problems here are complex, both technically and philosophically. We believe in giving people a voice, which means erring on the side of letting people share what they want whenever possible. We need to be careful not to discourage sharing of opinions or to mistakenly restrict accurate content. We do not want to be arbiters of truth ourselves, but instead rely on our community and trusted third parties.” There are a few other test ideas, like a “More Info” button, which would allow users to see more information about the content publisher, but it’s still in the testing phase. Beyond this, the side effects of millions of unchecked, unrestricted accounts run deeper than the

fake news epidemic. People dedicated to promoting hatred against a specific race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, disability or disease have created a whole subset of followers through pages promoting said hatred. A simple search in Facebook’s “Groups” tab using terms like “alt-right” or “white power” quickly reveals just how vast the problem is. There are even more alt-right pages under the guise of “Christianity,” like the “Christian Action Network,” which not only has over 30,000 followers—it’s a verified account. Facebook promised to double the size of its safety and security team to 20,000 employees this year, which includes content reviewers, but with over two billion Facebook users, it seems like a negligent attempt at fixing the problem. Twitter, on the other hand, is taking a vastly different approach. While Facebook is concerned with giving users the freedom to search for the truth and sift through highlybiased, often hateful content, censoring or deleting only what they deem offensive, Twitter

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

has begun removing content completely and deleting accounts. In December of last year, Twitter broadened their “hateful conduct policy,” and well-known alt-right organizations and users were deleted from the platform entirely. Unlike Facebook, hateful imagery is also something that falls under Twitter’s “sensitive media policy,” which includes “logos, symbols, or images whose purpose is to promote hostility and malice against others based on their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin.” Also unlike Facebook, Twitter has begun deverifying white nationalist and far-right groups in response to user outrage. The First Amendment protects our freedom of speech and expression, a human right that allows us to speak our truth without fear of retaliation or censorship—but how far is too far? This is where opinions differ. Steve Huffman, CEO of Reddit, stated at a SXSW panel that “Reddit’s role is to be a platform for debate. To let the ideas, and let these conversations, emerge and play out. That’s a really important part of the process

“

. . . FACT CHECKING TAKES TIME, AND WITH HIGH-SPEED INTERNET AND THE AVERAGE ATTENTION SPAN LASTING ONLY EIGHT SECONDS, CHAMPIONING THE TRUTH IS BECOMING NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE.

”

JU N E 2 0 18

THE SO CIA L N E TWO R K NUMBERS

in any political conversation.” Eddy Cue, the senior vice president for Internet software and services at Texture, disagrees: “People draw lines, and you’ve got to decide where you draw the line. We do think free speech is important, but we don’t think white supremacist or hate speech is important speech that ought to be out there. Free speech is important, but that doesn’t mean it’s everything.” It may all come down to accountability. When Twitter users spoke up, the guidelines changed. Facebook is finally getting heat, and they’re actively intending to make changes, but the World Wide Web is simply too vast for any one entity to do all the work. Each user must do their part in actively seeking out sources to news stories they see online before reposting them, report hateful and offensive content, and take as much responsibility for the onset of viral fake news and hate speech as they expect from large media outlets. Like every other meaningful movement happening right now, it takes action to create change.

It seems like everyone is on social media these days—even our grandparents! Here’s a breakdown of the numbers.

87 MILLION Users whose data was misused by Cambridge Analytica

Percentage of people who believe fake news is “a problem for democracy”

800 MILLION Instagram users as of 2018

Editor’s note: As of the publication of this article, these facts are up-to-date; however, as with all things, that is subject to change. We appreciate your patience.

328 MILLION Twitter’s 2017 estimate of how many active users were on the platform per month

2.2 BILLION

Facebook users as of 2018

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

AWARDED "BEST OIL VAPORIZER OF 2018" BY

• OCELL Ceramic Coil Technology • Super Compact (Only 4 inches tall) • Refillable 1ML Capacity Pod • Air Activated (No power button) • Leak-Proof Pod Design

AVAILABLE AT

W W W . V A P O R N A T I O N . C O M

DOPESHOTS

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

CONGRATULATIONS,

ALYSIA SALVADOR “Sparking a joint with friends to enjoy a California sunset.”

@ALYSIASALVADOR @PUFFPUFFPASSCO

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

JU N E 2 0 18

WHERE STARS ARE BORN.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING YOUNG CANNABIS PROFESSIONALS AND EXCITING NEW BRANDS. IF YOU HAVE A STAR PRODUCT YOU NEED HELP PRODUCING, CONTACT THE MBRANDS TEAM AT: INFO@MBRANDINC.COM THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS MARIJUANA. THIS PRODUCT HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS AND MAY BE HABIT FORMING. SMOKING IS HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH. THERE MAY BE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSUMPTION OF THIS PRODUCT. THIS PRODUCT SHOULD NOT BE USED BY WOMEN THAT ARE PREGNANT OR BREAST FEEDING. FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS TWENTY-ONE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. MARIJUANA CAN IMPAIR CONCENTRATION, COORDINATION, AND JUDGEMENT. DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE OR MACHINERY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THIS DRUG. THIS PRODUCT MAY BE UNLAWFUL OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON STATE.

C U LT U R E

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

irstly, what is a cult? Well, that line is drawn at how a movement is perceived by the mainstream. Perhaps the following are some markers you would be comfortable with: worship of a charismatic leader, a strict doctrine and a funneling of capital from bottom to top. But these characteristics could be applied to many organizations, religious or otherwise—capitalism, anyone? But for the majority of us, the idea of a cult produces images of converts speaking of true religious ecstasy, drinking the “Kool-Aid,” or the image of Tom Cruise jumping up and down on a couch. But still, the line between cult, movement, religion and culture is so blurred that the term “cult” is almost useless. Many people who participate in alternative structures prefer the term New Religious Movements (NRMs). The majority of NRMs that gain widespread attention often do so because of beliefs that are perceived as extreme; the group has certain

practices that are far outside the mainstream or are illegal; or they perpetuate violence on themselves or outsiders. But once the cult has gained notoriety, so much of our attention stays with the figurehead, the charismatic leader that begins and directs the movement. We dissect their motivations, background and methods in an effort to understand how the cult evolved. But what about those who join? Despite the examples of how NRMs can go horribly wrong, are those that join unaware of what drinking the “Kool-Aid” truly means? It seems that, like many of us, people simply want to belong. DOPE Magazine asked two former Sannyasins—followers of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (now Osho), who have been in the news lately due to Netflix’s hit documentary, Wild Wild Country—about what drew them to living within a New Religious Movement.

PREMO’S STORY “I returned to Australia from Guatemala in 1976 after a failed marriage and three miscarriages. I was at a loose end and keen to be part of a clan. I met up with old friends who were now hippies. Word came from India of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. Rajneeshism seemed the antithesis of the negativity I was feeling. I dyed my clothes orange and traveled with several others to Poona, India. “The ashram was like an oasis of calm. My first impression was as if I was coming home. I had always craved to be part of a large family. It was mostly joyous, so vibrant, the glowing colors, having permission to ‘be yourself’ with impunity. Sometimes we smoked dope after the morning shift, I don’t know how many other people did, but there was no smoking within the ashram so we’d go to someone’s room outside. “The freedom from needing money is still memorable. I was given

accommodation in the ashram and a meal pass. I worked in the canteen, morning or afternoon shifts. Preparing meals for the 1000 ‘ashramites,’ making tofu, serving food, cleaning. We were looked after materially but responsible for oneself. Not many permanent couples, constantly changing relationships, lust, jealousy, loneliness. Relationships seemed to begin quickly and end without the dragged out guilt and doubt that I had experienced in my previous life. “Living and working in the ashram was intense. There were no ‘days off’ and it was strengthening and reassuring to be a part of a continuous machinery, the flow of the commune. There was a constant push to meet deadlines, no matter what job; push on through, break down to break through!”

JU N E 2 0 18

ELIZABETH’S STORY “I was a child of the ‘60s and ‘70s, and quite alternative. A lot of people were disappearing to India and coming back wearing orange as sannyasins—followers of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. I'd tried teaching, quickly decided it wasn't for me, and didn't want to be a ‘straight’ member of society. I decided to spend the winter of 1976 in India, beginning with a visit to the Rajneesh ashram. On arrival I immediately felt at home and ended up staying for five years. “NRMs (New Religious Movements) all offer community, belonging, a sense of being in a group of fellow travelers, kindred spirits. Traditional NRMs offer a lot of security in the form of strict rules and discipline, which can tip over into oppression, even abuse, but can be really good for people who are confused, lost or can't handle the freedoms of modern society. Often NRMs are ‘millennialist,’ with a vision of a new and better world, created by and resulting in a more enlightened population. This can be very inspiring and motivating. With such a vision people are willing to push themselves way beyond their comfort zones, work really hard, accept tough discipline and restrictions. “The downside is it becomes hard to leave if things go wrong, as the world outside seems even harder, colder, more lonely and threatening. This is partly why people sometimes stay on after they've become unhappy or disillusioned. The other even more negative downside is

Elizabeth Puttick, Ph.D., is a sociologist, the author of “Women in New Religions” and writes at metatheologies.org.

. . . FROM THE OUTSIDE IT CAN BE QUITE DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN OPPRESSION AND EMPOWERMENT. – ELIZABETH PUTTICK, PH.D., FORMER RAJNEESHEE

“

the ‘us vs. them’ mentality can easily harden and polarize, sometimes leading to extreme action, even death and destruction, as with Waco, Jonestown or Heaven's Gate. Of course, there are all kinds of other factors that result in a tragedy, and it's hard for even specialist sociologists to predict where such events might erupt. “On the face of it, progressive NRMs have a lot to offer women, in terms of opportunities for personal/spiritual growth, power and leadership. Osho was especially good at promoting women. Nowadays such opportunities are more widely available, so these benefits are less unique. But still, a spiritual path offers an alternative to the traditional role of wife and mother, which is still amazingly powerful as a social force! If women want to be celibate and or childless, it is much easier in a religious community that values these choices. That said, from the outside it can be quite difficult to distinguish between oppression and empowerment.”

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

”

PRACTICING SAFE SECTS There are a handful of groups that come to mind when we hear the word “cult.” When I say “cult,” you think…

BRANCH DAVIDIANS

THE MANSON FAMILY

This cult gained notoriety Charles Manson became when the Branch an instant cultural Davidian compound in touchstone when his Waco, Texas, was sieged followers, at his request, by law enforcement and went on a killing spree in broadcast on live TV. Los Angeles. Though The David Koresh believed Manson Family had no he spoke the word of specific religious views, god, but it was the large unless you count “Helter cache of weapons amassed Skelter,” they are widely inside the compound that regarded as a cult. For became the trigger for the his role in the horrific ATF raid. murders, Manson was sentenced to death but spent his life in California jails, dying in 2017.

PEOPLES TEMPLE Jim Jones is perhaps the most infamous of all cult leaders after exiling his followers to “Jonestown” in Guayana, Venezuela. One of his followers shot and killed a U.S. Congressman at the compound. Knowing this would surely be the end of his movement, Jones forced over 900 of his followers, including children, to drink poison mixed with Flavor Aid— not Kool-Aid, as the saying goes.

SCIENTOLOGY

HEAVEN’S GATE

Is Scientology a cult or Gaining notoriety when a religion? As there is 39 of its members no defined difference committed suicide, between the two, Heaven’s Gate followers other than mainstream hoped their spirits acceptance, it’s like would soar to meet a Justice Potter Stewart spaceship following in famously said of what the tail of Comet Haledefines hardcore Bopp. The 39 followers pornography: “I know it who died wore armbands when I see it.” In the case which read “Heaven’s of Scientology, when your Gate Away Team.” leader has stated, “If you want to get rich, you start a religion,” you may want to rethink things.

JU N E 2 0 18

THE PULSE BATTERY

INTRODUCING THE SLEEKEST AND SMARTEST BATTERY IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY THE PULSE utilizes Vuber’s patent-pending “never burn” heating technology, which assures that burning wicks are a think of the past. The Pulse reads the resistance of the cartridge and automatically adjusts the setting for optimal use, simply attach your cartridge and start vaping.

15% discount code "pulse15 "

LIFETIME WARRANTY

REVIEW

ARE THEY WORTH YOUR TIME? LUNA REYNA

f you can think it up, there's probably an app for it. We tried out a few cannabis-centric apps and were pleasantly surprised - here's what we found.

CANFINDER This app is reminiscent of Instagram. The “Discover” feed is a series of photos other users post, with options to “love” a comment, repost, share, etc. The unique part about this app is the “Rankings” feature. Strains are ranked, and THC/CBD percentages are displayed; if you click the “Nearby” button, the app will let you know if there’s a dispensary near you that carries the strain you’re looking for. This app is flower-centric, which is great for those who prefer flower. Concentrate or edible lovers, this app isn’t for you.

FREE FREE

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

TÖKR Tökr is a shopping app. Once you’ve created a profile, you complete simple preference settings to ensure you’ll see items of interest. It also sends notifications when your favorite products are on sale, and when dispensaries you frequent are having sales or get new product. There have been some big claims that Tökr is going to be “the Amazon of weed,” but unfortunately we have to disagree—for now. The premise of this app is pretty rad, and Tökr has a lot of potential.

WEEDGUIDE Weedguide—not to be confused with Weedmaps— is intended to be informative; the “Maps” portion of this app is exceptional. It lists dispensaries in your area, doctors, delivery options and places to find legal advice. We give this app a four leaf review only because it’s not clear how they choose their content and content providers. There are polarized views on many topics today, even within the cannabis industry—making sure false information isn’t shared simply for the sake of having information is important.

FREE FREE

JU N E 2 0 18

EDITOR'S CHOICE

BUDINSKI TOKE BAGS PADDED, ODOR-PROOF TRAVEL POUCHES FOR YOUR PIPE LUNA REYNA JAY SCHOBER

ost of us have been there—you want to go out on the town, but don’t want to leave behind your favorite glass piece and a little green for later, so you attempt to put it in a bag or purse and end up smelling real skunky all night long. Well, Budinski has the perfect solution for you! These toke bags and pouches are as diverse as they are useful. They’re odor-proof and padded, so your precious pipe stays safe, and come in a wide range of sizes, styles and designs. The smaller bags can hold up to a half ounce each and the larger bags can hold an ounce, so if you’re a social smoker, bringing some for the homies at the neighborhood barbeque won’t be an issue. There are also two to four inner bags within each bag or pouch that help keep everything airtight. Use one compartment for your indica and one for your sativa, or even one for each strain. Whatever your preference, Budinski bags are a fun way to take your favorite pipe on the go and out with friends. $28-$47

ETSY.COM/SHOP/MYBUDINSKI

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

Growing

is simple

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

emer emeraldhar emeraldharvest.co vest.c vest.co

#SCOUTEDBYDOPE

CELEBRATE DADS AND GRADS WITH THESE 420-FRIENDLY GIFTS LUNA REYNA JAY SCHOBER

PITCH-N-PUFF COMBO PACK BY PUFFINGTONS Fore-twenty golfing essentials! Puffingtons’ Pitch-N-Puff combo comes with a golf ball that unscrews in the center to reveal the perfect stash spot and tee that doubles as a unique one-hitter! This combo is perfect for a short smoke sesh on the green with some sticky green—the makings of a great Father’s Day.

$15 PUFFINGTONSGOLF.COM @PUFFINGTONS @PUFFINGTONS @PITCH_N_PUFF

SLIPPERS BY EVELIN VILA These beautiful, handmade house shoes from Bosnia and Herzegovina are genuine leather. This Father’s Day, get Pops something that says “live your best life” and “sit back, relax and enjoy some ganja.” Pair them with his favorite strain, and it’s bound to be an elevated Father’s Day!

$29

ETSY.COM/SHOP/EVELINVILA

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

CANNABIS BOXER BRIEFS BY BASIC OUTFITTERS Let’s be real, boxers are not comfortable for anyone. Boxer briefs are where it’s at. Make a statement with some formfitting briefs—and no, we’re not talking about your tush! These boxer briefs are a great gift, both practical and comical for your cannabis-consuming dad or grad.

$12/3PK BASICOUTFITTERS.COM @BASICOUTFITTERS @BASICOUTFITTERS

ENGRAVED MONEY CLIP BY AVANT GARDE DESIGN Give the finger to the stigma of the “lazy stoner” by carrying your hard-earned stacks in a money clip with an engraved cannabis leaf! This is a great gift for recent grads—let them know nothing will get in the way of their success, especially with the help of our favorite flower.

$35 ETSY.COM/SHOP/AVANTGARDEDESIGN @AVANTGARDEDESIGNSHOP

JU N E 2 0 18

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

C U LT U R E

JONAH TACOMA

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

shut the lid on my laptop, turning to stare out the tiny window to my left. I had hopes of finishing my Hawaii story during the 13 hour flight to Barcelona, but so far was having no luck. Punching a drink order for two into the screen in front of me, I leaned back in my seat, playing over the events of our last trip in my head. We were knocking out one a month now between our normal gigs, and the pace was starting to weed out the weak. The entire cannabis industry was picking up steam, and those lucky enough to be on the right side of all that momentum were finding themselves swept up in a whirlwind of almost overnight success. The plane touched down in England’s Heathrow Airport and we joined the shuffle of passengers headed into the terminal to find a bite to eat. This was the final leg of our trip; two more hours of flight and we would be in Spain. We were here to cover Spannabis, the world’s largest international cannabis convention, now entering its 15th year. I had come out to cover one in 2014, and was impressed by the scale. Two stories of booths with waiters serving champagne and all manner of lavish production dominated the event space. The only thing that was missing was the weed; plastic houseplants stood in its place, and one instantly got the impression that things were not quite legal yet. Four years later and the government’s stance towards cannabis in Spain was still ambiguous at best. While cannabis clubs were quietly tolerated in Barcelona, being caught with a flake of weed on your shirt outside of town could mean a €1,000 fine. Spain itself was split along political and geographical lines, with Barcelona falling in the more liberal province of Catalonia. Catalonians found themselves so at odds with the rest of the country that in October 2017 a vote for secession was held, gathering more than two million votes and passing by a wide margin, in spite of severe opposition by the Spanish government. The government reacted by declaring the vote illegal, smashing ballot boxes and firing rubber bullets into crowds of voters, ultimately imprisoning nine independence leaders and holding them indefinitely without trial or bail. Eight hundred

“

and ninety three injuries were reported, according to Human Rights Watch. Thousands of Catalonians subsequently went on strike, halting public services in protest of the police violence. I swallowed hard as we made our way through Spanish customs. I had packed my meds, along with the appropriate documentation, but we were navigating in a gray space, at best. A stern but smiling customs agent waved us through without question, and we rejoined our luggage before heading out of the airport. Brian Workman met us at the rental car lot, happily puffing on a pen full of distillate. I gave him his first vacuum pot back in the medical days; now he was the lead extractor for Cultivar Syndicate and a regular on the Dabstar crew. Our flat in Barcelona was a 40-minute drive from the airport, and I took a few quick, deep breaths off the dab pen before melting back in my seat to enjoy the scenery as we shot down the Pau Casals highway at 100 kilometers per hour. Things choked to a stop as we entered the city. It appeared the people of Spain had not lost their taste for peaceful protest. Throngs of women, many baring the symbol of Venus pinned to their clothes on small patches of fabric or scrawled brazenly across shirts in paint or marker, had taken to the streets to celebrate International Women’s Day by underscoring the inequities facing women in the workplace. Jessica scrambled for her camera as we passed a battalion of police officers in full riot gear. Another row of Spanish riot police came into view, this time blocking our path completely. I quickly enlarged the map, looking for a way around. Jessica raised her telephoto lens to grab a picture of the cops as we passed and I quickly put my hand out to stop her. “They’ll break your camera,” I warned, a lesson nearly learned the hard way on a previous trip. The final 15 minutes of our journey took two more hours as we tried to penetrate the phalanx of cops protecting the downtown area from the protesters, who had begun to tag the Venus symbol boldly across the shop windows as they marched, egged on by the site of police in full battle dress. It was nearing midnight when we hit the streets again, setting out to meet famed industry photographer and

THINGS CHOKED TO A STOP AS WE ENTERED THE CITY. IT APPEARED THE PEOPLE OF SPAIN HAD NOT LOST THEIR TASTE FOR PEACEFUL PROTEST.

”

JU N E 2 0 18

C U LT U R E

longtime friend Sly Vegas at a local afterparty. Things were eerily quiet now. The protestors were gone; scraps of paper and dottings of graffiti were all that remained. Barcelona had a way of shuttering down at night that reminded me of The Purge. What had been glittering rows of glass storefronts an hour earlier was now ironclad, faceless stone. I counted the 130 steps as we spiraled our way up the stairs towards the penthouse. We had gathered a small crowd of would-be partygoers who stopped outside to wonder if the castle-like building could possibly be the right place, and were now following us up the stairs to find out. I rapped loudly on the heavy door, doing my best impression of a Spanish cop knock. A smiling Peter Papadopoulos opened the door. “Jonah!” Sly popped around the corner. “This building is older than our country, bro!” I laughed, shaking my head. He was right, of course. We made our way into the party, which was packed with locals and industry regulars from both sides of the pond. I looked around at the room full of flat brims and hat pins, smiling to myself. It was like being in a time machine. The people here in Spain understood the benefits of cannabis and had organized a community to begin slowly taking it back. It reminded me of our medical movement back home, and I couldn’t help but feeling a little nostalgic for the good ol’ days. A commotion in the kitchen jerked me from my thoughts. A heavy-set Spanish man with a small entourage was having a loud exchange with Peter in rapid Spanish. “Tranquilo, amigos,” I said, opening my arms wide and embracing both men. A woman in the crowd introduced the Spanish man as Juan Carlos, owner of a local cannabis club that had been raided that day. Max from Across International stepped in to translate as the man went on. An American had been picked up the night before while leaving Juan’s club, which had hosted Dabado Spain (a local hash competition) as a favor to famed hash maker and Bubble Bag inventor Mila, who founded and hosts the event. After a quick search (which requires nothing more than suspicion in Spain), several ounces were discovered. Rumor was he had pinned it on the club; either way, the Guardia Urbana kicked the kid loose the next morning and came straight to the club with sledgehammers. Juan went on, explaining the scene as he stood by helplessly, watching them destroy his club: “They tore down our cameras, broke every window, smashed every TV—there’s nothing left but a shell.” His voice was angry, and he had tears in the corners of his eyes as he spoke. “I pay water, I pay electricity. The bill for the smell of marijuana from my club is €30,000 euros a month!” I shook my head, letting out a low whistle. In 2013, the Catalonian government made provisions for the acceptable use and cultivation of marijuana in their region and the club system was born. Smoke your weed in the club and you got a pass; take it outside and you got the hammer. Even the suppliers were fair play, often picked up as they made their club rounds. The clubs themselves functioned as loungestyle dispensaries with safety deposit boxes for members to store their stash between visits. The whole thing had grown into a booming business, and that business was in jeopardy of collapsing as the Spanish government attempted to bring the Catalonians to heel. The next two days went off without a hitch. It seemed like all of Europe had turned out for the event. With High Times no longer doing their annual cups in Amsterdam, Spannabis was officially the largest cannabis expo on the continent, and it showed. As the final day of the expo came to a close, a small group of us gathered at Terp Army, a local private club, to discuss our plans for a 500 kilometer road trip to Madrid the next day. “Madrid is not Barcelona!” one of the patrons warned, his eyebrows raised in concern. “They will arrest you there for any amount.” To be continued... DABSTARS.COM

@JONAH_TACOMA

D O YOU RSE L F

F L AVO R

New!

DELICIOUS EDIBLES 1 0 0M G P O UC H E S

THC infused snacks and candies available in 9 delicious flavors made from the best ingredients on the market. With 10 individual 10mg pieces per package this is a go anywhere kinda treat!

T H C G U M M Y CA N DY

CBD GUMMY CANDY

100MG / AVAILABLE IN 15 FLAVORS

100MG & 250MG / AVAILABLE IN 14 FLAVORS

DISPOSABLE CARTRIDGES

C B D VA P O R I Z E R S

1000MG & 500MG / AVAILABLE IN 31 FLAVORS

500MG / AVAILABLE IN 12 FLAVORS

FlavInc.com /flavrxx

#flav

info@flav r x.com 888.488.3246

QUESTIONS TO ASK ...before you invest in an enzyme formula IS IT REGISTERED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AS AN ENZYME? Any enzyme product that claims to benefit the root zone must be registered in California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. This registration process protects consumers by authenticating products in the market. Online databases are available to check product registration. Make sure the product is registered as an enzyme, not as a fertilizer.

ARE ENZYMES LISTED ON THE LABEL AS ACTIVE INGREDIENTS?

If enzymes are not listed on the label as active ingredients, there is no guarantee that the product contains enzymes. 3rd party lab tests validate each active ingredient before itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claimed on the label.

This concentrated enzyme formula provides a cleaner root zone by accelerating the breakdown of dead root matter.

ARE CLAIMS TO BENEFIT THE ROOT ZONE ON THE LABEL?

If the label does not contain claims to positively affect the root zone, it may be classified as an external equipment cleaner and should NOT be applied to your plants or nutrient mix.

DOES IT PASS THE TISSUE TEST?

The tissue test is the easiest way to check if the enzyme formula contains enzymes. Pour some product into a jar and add a sheet of tissue paper. If the tissue disintegrates after 24 hours, then it contains at least one enzyme (cellulase) that benefits your root zone.

OFTEN IMITATED. NEVER DUPLICATED. 7236 Wilson Ave. Delta, BC V4G 1H3 Canada

Toll Free | 1.800.565.3070 Phone | 604.940.9922 Fax | 604.940.9334

www.hygrozyme.com

ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS OUR NETWORK REACHES OVER

7 MILLION

CANNABIS USERS EACH MONTH

NEW CUSTOMER ACQUISITION Access over 7 million new customers every month.

SEO SERVICES

ONLINE LISTING

LOYALTY/TEXTING

Leafbuyer ranks for over 115,000 keywords. Using cutting-edge SEO tools, we can help you too.

Get found today! Stand out as the #1 business on all searches in your area.

Leafbuyer is the only platform that can grow your loyalty list online.