DOPE Magazine - Northern California - The Future Issue - August 2017 by DOPE Magazine

THE FUTURE ISSUE AUGUST 2017 FREE

DEFENDING OUR PLANT EVERYWHERE

FEATURE

BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S WAR ON DRUGS, REDUX

TRAVEL

SRI LANKA, THE TEARDROP OF INDIA

STRAIN

CHERRY CHEESECAKE

EDIBLE

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CONCENTRATE RINGO’S GIFT HASH

STORE

THE HIGH CLUB

GARDEN

SCARLET FIRE FARMS

LIFESTYLE

DOPE ON THE ROAD: JONAH TACOMA EXPLORES CANNABIS IN ALASKA

VICENTE FOX EL PRESIDENTE!

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AUGUST 2017 | THE FUTURE ISSUE

EDITOR’S LETTER D

OPE Magazine embraces the month of August with one of our most anticipated Issues, the Future Issue. August is a special month for DOPE Staff and our readership, as it’s our birthday! Six years ago, during Seattle’s HEMPFEST, we handed out our inaugural issue to a celebratory audience—a group of supporters, activists and allies who continue to Defend Our Plant Everywhere. Without you, we wouldn’t exist. So, what makes the Future Issue unique? To start, it features content providers who come from all walks of life—social media moguls, a Green Party co-founder and an Emmy Award-winning Producer, Writer and Editor. This issue has given our writers the opportunity to riff on how future is defined and take their imaginations to another level—and in some cases, another time, space or planet. Be sure to check out our cover feature with former Mexican President Vicente Fox, a piece on growing mushrooms in space and a long-form story on what The Big 4 (NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB) can learn from action sports. As we move into our sixth year, we’re looking to continue to uplift the cannabis community, create purposeful and thought-provoking content and maintain meaningful relationships with our readership. It is truly a ground up approach. Stay DOPE! The DOPE Editorial Team

RECENTLY CORRECTED ARTICLES National: A Photog’s Travel Bag: Photography credit for this article goes to Anthony Ponce de Leon. We regret the error.

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THE FUTURE ISSUE EVAN CARTER PRESIDENT

NARISSA-CAMILLE PHETHEAN SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER @narissa.camille

TREK HOLLNAGEL STRATEGIC ADVISOR CHRISTINA HEINTZELMAN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

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PHOTOGRAPHY

SHONTELLE REYNA STAFF WRITER

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REGIONAL DATABASE/CONTENT COORDINATORS ASHLEIGH CASTRO AZ, NV, CA BRIAHNA NELSON CO, OR, WA

EVENTS

NEVADA

ANTHONY MAIR ANTHONY PONCE DE LEON ASHLEIGH CASTRO @hash_assassin BLUE J STUDIO @bluejstudio CAITLIN CALLAHAN DANNY BELL DESI LOU DOPE FOTO EMILY NICHOLS ERIC ERLANDSEN JASMINE ZEBOSKI JASON HORVATH JAY SCHOBER JEFFREY RINDSKOPF JENA SCHLOSSER JESSE PERRY LAURIE AND MARYJANE RYAN BURKE SESHATA TASHA NGUYEN TINA BALLEW WIND HOME CATINA LESAVOY EVENTS DIRECTOR DANSEN DETRICK WA EVENTS AMBASSADOR COLBY HAYDEN OR EVENTS AMBASSADOR JASMINE SMITH MARKETING ASSISTANT

AARON MILLER ANDREA LARSON BLAZE ROBINSON CHRIS SAYEGH CHRISTIE STRONG DAVID BAILEY E. SOMES ERIC SKAAR JEFFREY RINDSKOPF JEN CLEAR BELL JENA SCHLOSSER JENNIFER TRAMAGLINO JESSE PERRY JONAH TACOMA JOSH NEUMEIER JOSHUA “SHWA” LAYTART KATIE CONLEY KENYA KUSH LAURIE AND MARYJANE LC LISSA TOWNSEND RODGERS LJ ROBINSON LOBIE LUNA REYNA MATTHEW CRISCIONE MELISSA JOY P. GOTTI RADIOHASH ROSS MIRKARIMI RYAN BURKE RYAN HERRON SCOTT PEARSE SESHATA SHASTA NELSON THOM HUNTERS UNIVERSAL UNDERGROUND WILL KERSTEN WIND HOME ZAK HUGHES AD SALES MANAGER

SR. ACCOUNT MANAGERS

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DAVID BAILEY COPY EDITOR

MARKETING

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DOPE TERRITORIES

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D I G I TA L

BUSINESS

NATHAN CHRYSLER PARTNER

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

JAMES ZACHODNI CHIEF BRANDING OFFICER

DESIGN

NAZ ALVAREZ CREATIVE DIRECTOR

AU G U ST

2017

DAVID TRAN CEO

ANGEL AHMAD ERIC ERLANDSEN EDDIE KING MICHELLE GLASSMAN RYAN BURKE TERRANCE MCDANIEL

ACCOUNT MANAGERS DAN KUHN JOSH DAVIS RACHEL REYHER

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

THE FUTURE ISSUE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AUGUST 2017

20 COVER FEATURE EL PRESIDENTE: VICENTE FOX

16 28 42 58 62 65 66 70 72

TECH SPORES IN SPACE: CAN THEY HANDLE THE TRIP? SPORTS THE DEMISE OF ACTION SPORTS BUSINESS EYE CHRONIC: EXPANDING YOUR DISPENSARY EXPERIENCE CULTURE THE FUTURE OF HIGH POTENCY EDIBLES AND CALIFORNIA’S ADULT USE LAWS GROW ON THE QUEST FOR THE BEST…BUT WHY? SOCIAL MEDIA TAG @DOPEMAGAZINE #SCOUTEDBYDOPE EDITOR’S CHOICE SOLO II BY ARIZER TRAVEL THE FUTURE OF SRI LANKAN CANNABIS FACES CHALLENGES

POLITICS BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE WAR ON DRUGS, REDUX

LIFESTYLE DOPE ON THE ROAD WITH JONAH TACOMA

SCIENCE You Are About to Enter AI IN SCREENS, SEXBOTS Another Dimension... AND PREGNANCY AI IN SCREENS, SEXBOTS AND PREGNANCY WRITER / ANDREA LARSON, KATIE CONLEY, SHONTELLE REYNA

A R TTIECCL HE NTOI TL LOEG Y

SPORES IN SPACE THESE MUSHROOM TRIPS LAST LIGHT-YEARS WRITER / RYAN HERRON

efore Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin wrote Tuf Voyaging, the darkly comic tale of a solo space traveler zipping from planet to planet with his own unique brand of problem solving. His magic weapon? Mushrooms. As far-fetched as it sounds, fungi are the perfect long-distance travel companion. In the right environment, spores keep indefinitely and are small enough that you could pack an entire farm on a postage stamp. Looking toward to the future and our inevitable trek to the outer reaches of space, mushrooms might just be the ticket we need to get off the planet. In fact, we’ve already given zero-gravity mushroom growing a shot. In 1993, cultures of Flammulina velutipes were sent into orbit on the joint Space Shuttle Columbia/Spacelab D-2 mission. As observed by amateur mycologists, mushrooms tend to grow as a veiled cap atop a long, spindly stem. Remove gravity from the equation, however, and the mushrooms grow in every direction. Gills flipped inside-out like windblown umbrellas, and mushrooms fruited in every orientation imaginable. The results were promising. The mushrooms grew unexpectedly, yet still produced fruit under off-world conditions. Though the experiment lasted just

long enough to make these observations, we’ll need to push our fungal gardening experiments further if we aim to observe how zero gravity affects mushroom growth. Fungi tech here on Earth has grown by leaps and bounds in the past couple decades. Mycoprotein is a vegetarian meat substitute, originally developed to combat food shortages, made from Mycelium—not the fruit, but the tiny white strands that act as a sort of root for mushrooms. Nutritious protein as a blank canvas. For now, you can find it amongst the faux meats in your grocer’s freezers, formed and flavored into shapes like bacon, burgers and chicken-less nuggets. Fungi also have the amazing ability to transmute their surroundings into more fungi, gobbling up everything from rotting forest logs to actual plastics, transforming them into useful byproducts. Mycologist Ross uses a particularly fast-growing fungus to transform waste into preformed building blocks, constructing super-strong water, mold and fire-resistant building materials. Other researchers have transformed polyurethane waste into artsy and edible serving dishes, using the mushrooms’ natural ability to grow into nearly any shape or form.

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Assuming we’re still utilizing combustion for space flight, we’ll want to pack some Gyromitra esculenta (False Morel) along for the ride. This fungus produces Gyromitrin, which, through hydrolysis, yields Monomethylhydrazine: rocket propellant. Certain species produce more subtle compounds and aromas such as coconut, fenugreek and even maple syrup. Species like the Candy Cap could even be used to flavor our pancakes, or provide a unique flavor to space-brewed beer. When you think of all the resources the average maple tree needs to produce a mere pancake’s worth of syrup, a small garden of Candy Caps seems like the best green alternative. Beyond food and utility, there are plenty of examples of mushrooms being used for their medicinal properties. A research paper by The Department of Medical Nutrition in South Korea details the Chaga mushroom’s ability to protect DNA, act as an antiviral and help with blood clotting. The utilities of the mushroom make it uniquely suited for longdistance travel, and its applications could even help heal us from space travel hazards such as radiation. And psychedelic fungi could do more than help pass the time on these long voyages. A recent study from Imperial College London found that psilocybin was highly effective at treating depression, with 12 out of 12 subjects

experiencing a major reduction in depression symptoms, and five of 12 being completely cured of their depression three months later. Aside from the transcendent experiences that psilocybin can induce, researchers have also found they can be used to treat a variety of mental and behavioral disorders. Microdosing (taking a just-noticeable dose) has been shown to decrease anxiety, increase focus and enhance creativity. These substances might even help us stay young or slow the aging process. Findings by the University of South Florida showed that psilocybin stimulated the growth and repair of brain cells in the hippocampus of lab mice. Pioneering scientists have taken this to heart and are now dosing themselves with small amounts of Niacin, Psilocybin and Lion’s Mane mushrooms, describing invigorated mental states that remind them of their youth. The mushroom’s ability to cope with space’s weird atmosphere, their positive effect on our health and wellness, ease of growth and never-ending appetite make them the ideal candidate to join our race to outer space. Perhaps someday our great grandkids will be sitting on a seat made of mycelium fibers, munching a mushroom “pepperoni” pizza, hurtling through space on a highoctane fuel of ‘shroom juice.

“PERHAPS SOMEDAY OUR GREAT GRANDKIDS WILL BE SITTING ON A SEAT MADE OF MYCELIUM FIBERS, MUNCHING A MUSHROOM “PEPPERONI” PIZZA, HURTLING THROUGH SPACE ON A HIGHOCTANE FUEL OF ‘SHROOM JUICE.”

C O V E R F E AT U R E

EL PRESIDENTE:

VICENTE

FOX WRITER / ANDREA LARSON

n March, former President of Mexico Vicente Fox took the stage to talk with Conan O’Brien. President Fox walked onstage in jeans, a navy and white checkered button-up and casual navy suit jacket. He carried a black bag and pulled out a gift for Conan—whose coiffed red ‘do was somehow taller and wider than when he hosted NBC’s Late Night—an unbelievable feat. From this black bag, President Fox pulled out a pair of sleek black leather boots that read “No Fucking Wall” personalized with a silver applique: “Conan.” Needless to say, President Fox’s stance on Trump’s Mexico wall is that of clear disdain. He goes on to say, quite simply, that “walls don’t work,” citing the Berlin Wall that divided West and East Berlin for 28 years. A testament to fighting ignorance, the former president of Mexico is probably best known in the US for his abrasive, albeit just, tweets to Donald Trump rather than his tenure in Los Pinos (The White House of Mexico). That said, one thing is for certain: President Fox’s voice is being heard around the globe—140 characters at a time.

Vicente Fox grew up the second oldest of nine children on their father ’s ranch in Guanajuato. I can’t help but wonder if his birth order played a role in his trajectory as not only a successful businessman in the private sector, but as a politician in the public sector as well. In the ‘80s, Fox received his degree from the Ibero-American University in Mexico City, then a Harvard Business School diploma in Management Skills. After working as Coca-Cola’s Chief Executive in Mexico, he resigned and headed home to Guanajuato. It was at this time Fox became convinced that Mexico’s struggling economy needed new leadership, and he swiftly entered the political arena. Nearly Twenty years later, Vicente Fox became the President of Mexico. Since departing from Los Pinos in 2006, the former president has been an advocate of youth and marginalized leadership through his organization Centro Fox, spoken openly about the relationship between Mexico and the United States, discussed NAFTA’s positive influence on Mexico’s economy and people, and has openly taken a stance on the legalization of all narcotics.

Legalizing cannabis and narcotics as a whole Known for being outspoken, Vicente Fox recently met with Dr. Gloria Duffy, President and CEO of The Commonwealth Club in California. When asked about his outspoken nature, a smirk appears on his face and he references his age, stating that at 75 you look at things differently—you’ve reached the peak of wisdom. He also speaks to how his responsibilities have changed since leaving office—he doesn’t have to be as careful or “diplomatic.” Due to political acumen, he kept his views on the legalization of drugs while president under wraps, but now that he is out of office, he has vocally come out in support of legalizing drugs— specifically cannabis. A MMJ bill recently passed the House in Mexico City. During a visit to Oakland in May of this year, President Fox acted as keynote speaker at the Cannabis Business Summit & Expo. “It [the MMJ legalization bill] has passed—it’s approved,” Fox said with delight. President Fox championed Uruguay, Portugal and Washington State as influencers of the bill, asserting that their locals have the best practices and cannabis laws. Once the MMJ legalization bill of Mexico is enacted, Fox noted, “the law will happen broadly and internationally. Criminalization has created international conversations. Kids are being killed in the streets under prohibition. Legalization is the answer to reducing crime. When the underground market raises prices, it invokes crime and empowers cartels.”

Keeping NAFTA alive and well As for the future of Mexico, the former president has spent a lot of time focusing on economic development—bringing companies to Mexico, reducing Mexico-toU.S. immigration in an effort to boost Mexican business, and emphasizing the importance of keeping NAFTA alive and well. When NAFTA was first implemented in 1994 (signed in 1992), the gap in income between the U.S. and Mexico was 10:1. You would make one dollar on the Mexico side, and in the U.S. you would make 10. “Why wouldn’t people be incentivized to flee Mexico—we would all take this chance,” Fox explained to Dr. Duffy. We should consider the ideal situation, which is Canada and the U.S., where the income gap is nearly non-existent. With NAFTA in place in Mexico, Fox assuredly explained, the gap of 10:1 has dropped to 5:1; the incentive to leave Mexico has been decreased. President Fox’s forecast is that in one more generation (22-25 years) we [the U.S. and Mexico] will reach the 1:1 ratio. We have to work in that direction—it’s why NAFTA is so important— and it’s narrowing that gap. Fox went on to state that, “Our employment has increased, pover ty in the middle of Mexico is on the decline. Extreme poverty is on the decline in many places. We’re working to create jobs and move ahead. We are also becoming a part of the world’s big trade game. We have 45 international trade agreements.” California’s economy is currently the sixth largest in the world. “We are at number 11, so we are trading with California and Texas,” Fox stated to Dr. Duffy. “We must legalize [drugs] if we want to reduce violence and drug use. We are in-between the huge consumer market in the north and the producers of drugs in the south. Mexico doesn’t produce or consume on a significant level, but we are

caught in the middle. I ask Trump, ‘What happens when one cargo of drugs coming from Mexico crosses the boarder? Who lets them move it around. Why is it allowed? Why is Mexico in this trap?’” The former president went on to describe some harrowing statistics: “[Illegal narcotics have] killed 250,000 young kids in the last ten years. They weren’t born criminals; it wasn’t in their genes. And they were killed. Why? Because they never had any opportunities—a good job, a scholarship . . . so they joined the cartels. Drug consumption in the U.S. is partly responsible for this. So I hope the U.S. moves faster to legalize drugs, not just marijuana—let’s legalize everything.” Recently, President Fox has been very vocal about the relationship between the legalization of cannabis in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. According to Fox, both Canada and Mexico have intentions in becoming leaders in the booming cannabis markets— insinuating that the U.S. may want to beef up its cannabis export game. This statement may have some U.S. cannabis producers and processors concerned. The former president is waiting for the day when cannabis is integrated into the provisions of NAFTA.

Centro Fox There has been a recent push in the United States for youth to get involved in politics. President Fox is spreading this same message in Mexico as well. The former president founded Centro Fox, which runs out of the first presidential library in San Cristóbal, and whose aim is to act as an educational resource center for the future leaders of Latin America—emphasizing ethical practices, passion, will and leadership above all else in an attempt to provoke and promote change. Aligning with his mission to advocate for strategic leadership in Latin America, Centro Fox is a beacon of hope and guidance for Latin America’s youth. A “think tank,” as Fox likes

“ . . . I HOPE THE U.S. MOVES FASTER TO LEGALIZE DRUGS, NOT JUST MARIJUANA--LET’S LEGALIZE EVERYTHING.”

to call it, and social institution “committed to the poor,” Centro Fox aims to align itself with global leaders who share the same mission. Classes in Democracy, the United Nations and Leadership are made available to interested students. Exercises in problem solving are the norm—and students have opportunities to round-house and solve real world issues with their peers in face-toface talks. President Fox is a testament to what it means to defend ideals, be courageous and speak up when necessary, no matter the consequences. As a cannabis ally and advocate, President Fox continues to be a beacon of suppor t in his community and ours.

2017

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SPORTS

WHAT PRO SPORTS CAN LEARN FROM ACTION SPORTS WRITER / LC

fter attempting to kill any and everything from napkins to wine corks to sex, Millennials—the oft-criticized generation born between the early 1980s to 2000—have their sights set on a new target: sports. Once known for being impervious to the drop in TV ratings, sports have seen a decline in viewership and attendance while the median age of fans continues to rise. Sports media behemoths such as ESPN, Fox Sports and Sports Illustrated have all recently dealt with massive layoffs and downsizing due to the changing climate of the market. According to a Magna Global Study, the median age for NFL and MLB fans are 50 and 57, respectively. And while the action sports crowd has gotten older, their median age is still 47—a decade younger than that of baseball’s crowd. In fact, action sports are the fourth most-watched sport by the prized 18-to35 demographic. And the future of sports has never been murkier than it is today, thanks—in part—to those blasted millennials who aren’t watching sports at the same rate as their elders. Millennials might not be the only reason that sports are on the decline, but the Big 4—NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL—can learn a lot from their tendencies, and how action sports cater to the ever-important youths.

Individuality Major sports, with the exception of the NBA, have struggled mightily in recent years to foster and promote individuals that could help boost their respective sports’ popularity. This challenge is crystal clear in the NFL, where coaches preach day after day that “it’s all about the team,” and when one guy goes down, the next must step up. Patriots coach Bill Belichick took this a step further by making the “do your job” mantra a theme on his championship teams. Belichick went so far as to have the entire Pats squad introduced as a team before Super Bowl XXXVI, New England’s first Super Bowl-winning team. This attitude has helped set a precedent that no individual is bigger than the team. While this, in theory, helps 53 men on an NFL roster come together, it hinders any type of individuality that could help propel the popularity of football—and the advertising dollars that come with it. The lack of individuality in the NFL is extremely evident in how the league handled the Colin Kaepernick situation. The former 49ers QB, who is still looking for a job, broke what seems to be the cardinal rule of football: don’t become bigger than the sport. And now he’s paying the price. Former Philadelphia Flyer Riley Cote noted that he admires action sports for allowing “an individual athlete [to] stand for a personal belief . . . in a unique [way] without having the league penalize” them. In action sports, even those that obstruct an individual’s face with a helmet (such as football), they too are reliant on the individual for the sport to succeed.

“. . . THE FUTURE OF SPORTS HAS NEVER BEEN MURKIER THAN IT IS TODAY, THANKS—IN PART—TO THOSE BLASTED MILLENNIALS WHO AREN’T WATCHING SPORTS AT THE SAME RATE AS THEIR ELDERS.”

ATHLETES FOR CARE The non-profit Athletes for Care is dedicated to bringing awareness to issues that professional athletes face including pain management and alternative medicine. DOPE Magazine sends a bog thanks to AFC for contributing to this article and allowing us to share some of their stories with our readership. Website: athletesforcare.org

Creativity Former NFL wide receiver (and Survivor contestant) Grant Mattos identified a “lack of creativity” that is hurting the growth and innovation of major sports. All of the Big 4 suffer, in part, from complacency due their own success. Why change something that’s been working for decades? The fact that sports gambling hasn’t been legalized for any of the major sports is a huge omission in this day and age. While the NBA is the most innovative of the Big 4, basketball still needs to think outside of the box. Ice Cube exemplified this creativity when he helped create the Big 3—a 3-on-3 basketball league. How did the NBA not do this first? Especially as 3-on-3 will soon become an Olympic sport. There are a billion swimming events at the Olympics— why isn’t there more than one basketball event? For their part, the NFL might finally be recognizing that they’ve turned their once-almighty sport into the No Fun League. After banning touchdown dances and fining players such as Ezekiel Elliott for acts that will surely go viral and capture the attention of new fans, the NFL is finally reversing course and allowing more fun and flair. The major sports could learn a thing or two from Monster Jam truck rallies, of all places. The popular action sport is one of the few growing sports in America, garnering over four million people in attendance ever y year. Monster Jam has multiple events, including freestyle. The sport also offers a “Pit Party” that allows young fans to interact and take pictures with the drivers. Mattos believes that any athlete—major or action—should be able to “express him or herself in any way they want.”

Accessibility, Advertising and ENTREPRENEURS Advertising money is still one of the most important aspects of sports. And for those in the Big 4, an advertising deal might come before ever stepping on the court or field as a professional athlete. Action sports athletes aren’t so lucky. Professional surfer Kelia Moniz told Sports Illustrated that finding endorsements in the action sports world is “every man for himself. There’s no promise of another year in this industry. You have to work your butt off. It’s definitely not the NBA.” The pay gap forces athletes such as Moniz to become more entrepreneurial. By using branded video, social media and other techniques, action sports athletes are building their brand in a unique way that doesn’t follow the typical athletic path to endorsements. It’s something that every athlete should think about when building their #brand. Those savvy methods seem to be paying dividends for the athletes, too. Aaron Calloway, a Senior Brand Building Manager at Unilever, told Forbes that he believes action sports are popular with both the consumer and the advertiser because of the “participatory nature . . . You can’t go play baseball for an MLB team, but you can go climb a mountain.” This increase in popularity has helped some of the more marketable action stars, sure, but will any of those sports ever surpass the Big 4 in fandom? Unlikely. But that doesn’t seem to bother Moniz. “Do the other sports have what we have?” Moniz mused to Sports Illustrated. “We’re in pretty much the most beautiful places in the world all year long. We make enough to live on. We’re not struggling one bit.”

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POLITICS

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATIONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WAR ON DRUGS, REDUX WRITER / ROSS MIRKARIMI

t the height of the Reagan presidency, Americans were consumed by a cresting Cold War with the Soviet Union, an unprecedented, menacing anti-drug campaign, a burgeoning public health crisis known as AIDS, and, oh yeah, a blockbuster of a movie Back to the Future. If you missed the 1985 flick, just know that Rotten Tomatoes scores it at 96 percent, and it’s considered a comedy classic. Once a clever movie made in the service of fun, its undertones now reanimate the unbelievable—the Trump administration’s retro ‘War on Drugs.’ In the service of avengement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has coveted a return to the Reagan era, including policies that propelled mass incarceration and funded the private prison industr y. Remarked Sessions, “I realize this may be an unfashionable belief in a time of growing tolerance of drug use. But too many lives are at stake to worry about being fashionable. I reject the idea that America will be a better place if marijuana is sold in every corner store. And I am astonished to hear people suggest that we can solve our heroin crisis by legalizing marijuana—so people can trade one life-wrecking dependency for another that’s only slightly less awful. Our nation needs to say clearly once again that using drugs will destroy your life.” Sessions denies the reality that 29 states

and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis and/or cannabidiol for medical purposes, along with the eight states that legalized both the medical and recreational use of cannabis. As a side note, Red and Blue ‘cannabis states’ combined surpass the voter threshold that nudged Trump into office. Just some food for thought. Sessions ignores the 2017 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report, “ The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids.” While the 486-page report provides a comprehensive review of evidence related to the health effects and potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis, it reminds us that the lack of scientific evidence is due, in large part, to the federal government’s restriction of research. Despite the federal lockdown, the Academy ’s report refutes the tired government insistence that cannabis is a ‘gateway drug.’ Similar to the Reagan administration’s crude and thoughtless response to the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, t h e Tr u m p a d m i n i s t r a t i o n s e r i o u s l y fumbles in the face of its own public health crisis. Opioid addiction is claiming the lives of approximately 700 Americans per week. On scale, its numbers rival the HIV crisis. Its complexity cannot be dismissed with political platitudes. Its devastation shows little sign of abating.

ARTICLE TITLE According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2016 report, “Increase in Drugs and Opioid-Involved Deaths,” death rates from overdose and addiction grew from 12.3 per 100,000 people in 2010 to 16.3 in 2015. This significant increase spans 30 states. Every day, over 140 Americans die due to opioidrelated causes. In contrast, there has never been a corroborated report of a cannabis overdose death. As an alternative to traditional approaches such as abstinence, there is growing evidence that cannabis can help in ending drug addiction. Applied through Harm Reduction for populations who are opioid addicted, such as military veterans, controlled cannabis use has contributed to a decline in overdose deaths. As the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine noted in 2016, states with legal medical cannabis have up to 25 percent fewer overdose deaths than states without legal medical cannabis access. While Trump sporadically references the opioid crisis, there’s never been a Tweet calling out the pharmaceutical manufacture’s synthetic assault. White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, signaled in February: “I think that when you see something like the opioid addiction crisis blossoming in so many states around the country, the last thing we should be doing is encouraging people [by regulating the adult-use of marijuana].” ‘Big Pharma’ agrees. State by state, Election Departments report that Big Pharma is a leading contributor to continued marijuana prohibition. They don’t hide how they feel about marijuana, yet they are crafty. The makers of Oxycontin and Vicodin were two of the largest contributors to The Partnership for Drug Free Kids and the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America, two groups that oppose marijuana legalization. It’s no surprise that opioid-ravaged Ohio (a swing state) has stepped up as a new medical cannabis state. It shouldn’t go unnoticed that the Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, Mary Taylor, recently shared that her two adult sons have addiction issues, one of whom is seeking an undisclosed treatment regimen. It was brave for her to speak out. Ohio has yet to finalize its rules allowing cannabis as a treatment option, and it will require thoughtful activism to ensure legalization. And the states push on. In June, Vermont’s Governor signed into law the Cannabis Expansion Bill. The “Feel the Bern” home state may consider adult-use legalization by year’s end. Pennsylvania, too. As of July 1, recreational sales started in Nevada, with California preparing for a January 2018 launch, thus expanding a compelling western states voter block. None of these forward-thinking milestones dissuaded Sessions from invoking his call to action on March 15. His speech: “Efforts to Combat Violent Crime and Restore Public Safety Before Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement.” Sessions commingled marijuana with the opioid crisis by highlighting three main ways to fight the scourge of drugs: criminal enforcement, treatment (which often comes too late to save users from addiction or death), and preventing people from taking drugs in the first place.

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To think that the cannabis genie is out of the bottle, and that its whiff will float nationwide, vaporizing small-minded opponents, is foolhardy. Nostalgic for a Reagan-era ‘tough on crime’ response, the Trump administration is following a far-right think tank playbook, influenced by the Heritage Foundation. It revives stiff mandatory minimum sentencing for drug offenders, emboldens coordination with local and state law enforcement in its use of civil forfeiture against marijuana violations (even in legal states), and reasserts a new War on Drugs—the same colossal failure that cost billions of dollars pursuing phantoms, imprisoning mostly black, brown and poor people, destroying the lives of families who support and wait for those behind bars. However, the ‘time-continuum’ may just bend in a new direction. Reeling from the decades of devastation wrought by the War on Drugs, California lawmakers advanced a bill declaring a “marijuana sanctuary state” in June—prohibiting state and local police from enforcing federal anti-marijuana laws that conflict with state government. After all, the Back to the Future Flux Capacitor may just hit some large speed bumps, perhaps in the form of states who know that sequels often fail.

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EYECHRONIC SCREENS, COMING TO A DISPENSARY NEAR YOU ENVISION THE FUTURE OF RETAIL WRITER / DAVID BAILEY

PHOTO / COURTESY OF EYECHRONIC

emember the first time you walked into a dispensary? Full of nerves, excitement, a million questions…and then you forget them all, grab something (or a lot of somethings) you had no intention of buying, and quickly follow the line out the door. It happens to a lot of us, even when we’ve been dispensary patrons for some time. Whether you’re the consumer or the retail store, that’s not exactly the desired rec experience. There’s an excitement to retail pot shopping, but how can we turn this excitement into satisfaction? There are few things more familiar to Americans than a TV screen. While many companies have scrolling menus, Eyechronic has created a unique way to bring together the cannabis space and the comfort of your living room, all in one. I’m talking about an interactive video screen giving you truly useful information, when and where you need it: the dispensary. By partnering with your dispensary, the ads and information on the 10-minute loop scroll feed feature products carried in-store, sporting useful information to help you make your purchasing decisions. For the first-time buyer, it can help keep you on track or

show products you may want, without taking up all the budtender’s time or holding up the line. For the experienced, there’s no doubt we can get stuck in a rut. Knowing what’s coming out without having to actually ask for it is key to helping us branch out—after all, we’re creatures of habit. The business benefits are clear. The ability to utilize region-specific advertising helps both the producer and store continually sell product, while simultaneously educating consumers. The best part? It’s a proven model. Eyechronic is partnered with and operated by Eyeconic.tv, who specialize in directto-consumer marketing, with tens of thousands of screens worldwide and over 10 years of experience. Pairing this with their real-time computer technology, technical errors and down-time are minimized, allowing a seamless experience. Whether you’re a consumer, retail owner or producer, satisfaction in all arenas is what you’re looking for. Creating a consumer-friendly environment is key, and connecting consumers with more brands creates a stronger, longer-lasting bond. After all, we want this industry to continue to grow!

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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 breastfeeding. For use of 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.

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DOPE ON THE ROAD CANNABIS IN THE LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN WRITER / JONAH TACOMA PHOTO / CHRONIC IMAGERY

he clock was encroaching on 10pm, but the sun still shone bright across the frigid waters of the gulf. A small group of 40 or so revelers gathered in the tiny airmen’s lodge outside Anchorage, Alaska, eager for the feast being prepared in the adjacent kitchen. Michele Larissa, local canna chef, was busy prepping her troops as we arrived. “ T h e B o m b s h e l l s ,” a n a l l - wo m e n , ‘50s-themed cooking group led up by Miss Larissa, buzzed around the small kitchen in full regalia, plating and preparing a sixcourse infused feast for the participants of the third annual Northwest Cannabis Classic. This delicious event was set to begin the following morning. Christopher Chicoine was on hand representing his Fairbanks-based company, Yeti Extracts, excited to see full legalization in

his home state of Alaska. “We’re Alaskans,” he explained as we took dabs together, “and when we come together to make regulations, we think about what’s best for the people.” Anchorage has long been the center of cannabis controversy. Back in 1972, attorney Irwin Raven was pulled over by Anchorage police and arrested for carrying a small amount of cannabis. In true Alaskan style, Irwin didn’t take the charge lying down, and instead fought his case all the way to the Supreme Court. He eventually won a landmark decision for the state of Alaska, granting citizens the right to grow and possess small amounts of cannabis. As day one of the NWCC kicked off, growers from around the giant state came together to see who would claim the title for best weed in Alaska. We got to catch up with

our friend and, owner of Cheeky Monkey, Andrew Campbell outside his booth. “We’ve had the right to grow here since the ‘70s,” Campbell said. “It’s been a long, long road for cannabis. We are a small state in terms of people and a large state in terms of land, so it’s a spread out community of activists moving this thing forward.” We a s ke d S a m a n t h a R o d g e r s , a n attendee from Valdez, a small town east of Anchorage, what Alaskan cannabis meant to her. “To me,” she immediately responded, “Alaskan cannabis means family and community, this is the last frontier. We have something special up here. Being home-grown and being so far away [from the rest of the states] has made such a huge difference. It’s the way we grew up.”

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As day two closed and the awards were handed out, it was time for us to get out of Anchorage and see what Alaskan cannabis was about—first-hand. There’s a saying here that goes, “Anchorage isn’t Alaska, but Alaska is 30 minutes in any direction.” We headed into the hills to meet Houston, Alaska local producer/processor Ron Bass, owner of Houston’s Calm N Collective. “I was diagnosed with MS 20 years ago and told I was going to die,” Bass revealed. “I had never smoked pot in my entire life, but I became a grower and I started to get better with nothing to blame it on but cannabis.”

He opened a giant steel door, leading to a spacious metal warehouse in the middle of the Alaskan woods. The buzz of 90 bulbs flickering to light, filled the large flowering room. Our first visit to an Alaskan grow. Large-scale commercial growing came to the state in 2015, and Ron and his wife were among the first to apply for a license. They refinanced their home to begin renovations on a remote machine shop that would eventually become their new HQ. “We’re in a good mood because we have careers now, and we’re growing pot,” Bass exclaimed, smiling, proudly leading us up and down the

rows of cannabis plants. “Other growers need to step up. This industry is real.” Everyone we met in Alaska seemed to carry the same rugged determination to succeed as Ron and his wife; a community hardened by rough country and brutal winters, but united behind a common cause. Cannabis in Alaska was something for the people, by the people. As we boarded the plane for Seattle and took one last look out the window, I couldn’t help but wonder if legalization would be good for all the people we had met, and what would be next for cannabis in the land of the midnight sun.

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You Are About to Enter Another Dimension... AI IN SCREENS, SEXBOTS AND PREGNANCY WRITER / ANDREA LARSON, KATIE CONLEY, LUNA REYNA

Your Future Bae or Future Ruler ?

our years ago the movie Her was released—Spike Jonze’s solo screenwriting debut. A depressed introvert, Theodore Twombly purchases an A.I. operating system voiced by the sultry Scarlett Johansson and subsequently falls in love. SPOILER ALERT… Samantha (Johansson) evolves beyond her need and desire for human companionship and leaves Twombly, played by Joaquin Phoenix. Ultimately, Twombly is transformed by the relationship with Samantha and becomes a more affable, accepting and apologetic individual. If you watched this film in the theatre you most likely came out feeling consumed with the thought that this notion of A.I. wasn’t too far off. In 2006 a group of Stanford University elites started the Singularity Summit—a conference of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI). Why, you ask? Well, to talk about singularity of course. What is singularity? It’s what inspired Jonze to write this film in the first place. MIRI is a non-profit whose entire mission is to “research safety issues related to the development of Strong A.I.” and study the long-term outcomes of artificial intelligence that can perform the full range of human cognitive abilities (just like Samantha). Are you scared yet? Yes, you are— computers are taking over the world and soon they’ll be swooping up your bae for romantic weekend excursions to the coast. Te c h n o l o g i c a l s i n g u l a r i t y — t h e i d e a that an operating system, like Samantha, could upgrade itself and enter a “runaway reaction” resulting in a series of rapid “selfimprovement cycles” eventually surpassing all human intelligence was first introduced in the 1950s by John von Neumann. Neumann is maybe best known for his work on the Manhattan Project during WWII, but this man wrote over 150 papers during his life on pure mathematics, physics and applied mathematics. His last work, which he wrote on his deathbed is called “The Computer and the Brain.” Okay, okay, so a group of nerds get together every year to talk technological singularity and compliment one another’s tortoise shell glasses. There is no need to be concerned, right? Well that’s all in the eye of

the beholder—devices already exist with the ability to read your facial expressions and determine your mood. S h o u l d we b e c o n c e r n e d a b o u t t h e advancement of A.I. technology? Well yes and no. Don’t rush to your kitchen and handshape a tin-foil cap quite yet. There are two sides to every story. Affectiva, a company out of Waltham, Massachusettes spearheaded by Rana el Kaliouby—an Egyptian woman who received a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Cambridge has produced a software program called Affdex. In an article published in The New Yorker, Rana shares that the applications of Affectiva are vast. Affectiva’s software, which came out of the M.I.T. Media Lab and uses machine learning to interpret data, is used to test television shows on primetime networks, it can predict voting preferences by those watching presidential debates and can be used in business negotiations by reading the faces of those in heated business-driven Skype chats. The question remains, what are the potential implications of this software and software like Affdex? Well, there is very real concern by many scientists that an OS, like Samantha in Her, could upgrade itself— eventually surpassing all human intelligence. This is why MIRI meets annually—to discuss the reality of these implications. Technology, on most fronts, has the ability to be used for good or evil—Affdex isn’t any different. R a n a’s i n s p i r a t i o n b e h i n d b u i l d i n g machine learning software was for assistive technology purposes—like aiding an autistic child in uncomfortable social situations where eye contact is difficult, for example. Or, when put to use in a vehicle, the technology can determine when a driver is too drowsy to be on the road and send a warning signal. Quite simply, technology is man-made and whether it’s used for good or evil is determined be the operator. When I dove into the research for this article, I expected to be disillusioned. It turns out that much of the energy and research that goes into creating assistive technology is spearheaded by individuals whose aim is to make this world a better, more inclusive space.

Let’s Talk About Sexbots, Baby

et’s talk aaaaabout ‘bots. What is the future of sexuality? We’ve seen the effects of pornography on modern relationships, both negative and positive—what if we throw advanced, eerily-lifelike AI (Artificial Intelligence) sexbots into the mix? Will it alter what it means to be intimate, or our views on consent? How will it affect gender roles? Let’s dive in. We’re currently on the cusp of new sexbot technology—what a time to be alive! There’s no cure for cancer yet, but hey, priorities. At the forefront of this industry is Abyss Creations, the San Marcos-based company that brought us the RealDoll. RealDolls are lifelike, silicone dolls that resemble human men and women, albeit grossly exaggerated versions of the human form. As the majority of RealDoll clients are males who purchase female bots, our examination of sexbots will focus mostly on a heterosexual narrative, and these musings of their effect on society should be taken as pure conjecture, not fact. The newest RealDoll model is named Harmony. Her body is based on the RealDoll model, but her head has been souped up with AI features. She talks, she can move her face, and you can even program her to remember your birthday. Oh, and she costs about $15,000. Harmony will be available for purchase at the end of 2017, although the first product launch will spawn only 1,000 dolls—and customers have already eagerly expressed interest with pre-orders. Jenny Kleeman’s Guardian article, “The race to build the world’s first sex robot,” dives into Harmony ’s creator, Matt McMullen. Who are these dolls for, exactly? McMullen says they are “for the gentle people who have such a hard time connecting with other[s].” But what are the ethical implications of owning something that looks, acts, and could be considered a substitute for a human woman? She’s a machine, according to its creator, nothing more than a device. So why does she need to remember your birthday? Larry Kummer of Fabius Maximus, a geopolitical site, has his own theories: “What happens to society when many men—even more than today—drop out of the rat race, no longer interested in running to get a wife, house, and kids? . . . Offsetting this might be women’s lessening interest in relationships with men. Their growing economic independence, as more women move on top of men economically, means they find it less necessary to marry in order to have children.” K u m m e r ’s m u s i n g s p o s e a n i n t e r e s t i n g evolutionary turn—that women will continue to thrive and forgo relationships with men, and

instead progress society to new heights, while men regress, favoring to build a simple life filled with simple pleasures, sexbot (rather than a human partner) by their side. While this idea only considers heteronormative couples, and relies on old stereotypes—women just want families, men just want sex—it’s an interesting avenue to explore. In a society where sexbots become the norm, easily available to any consumer and in uncannily lifelike forms, would men (or, at least, a statistically significant number of men) choose to ‘opt out’ of society? DOPE’s resident sex columnist, Ashley Manta, had some cheerier thoughts to share with me. She is an educator, coach and activist, and predicts that the future of sex won’t revolve around sexbots, but rather, VR (Virtual Reality) porn. “As a former phone sex operator,” she explained, “I’ve watched the industry shift from phone sex to cam sex to sexting, and now we’ve gotten to VR porn and VR camming . . . I think eventually it’ll get to the point that people in long-distance relationships (or who are traveling for trips) but will able to get into the VR space with their partners.” Is our desire for connection simply too strong? Can sexbots dismantle the evolutionary urges that have bound us together for thousands of years? “I do not think sexbots will replace sex between humans,” Manta told me. “For one thing, [sex] is a lot of fun and feeds our need for connection with other humans, whether it be physical, emotional, spiritual, or all of the above.” I don’t know if a sexbot could ever replace the human touch, except act as an alternative for those who can’t find human partners, or enhance bedroom activities for existing couples. I’d like to think that women can’t be replaced by a robot vagina you can pop out and clean in your dishwasher. It’s fun (and somewhat terrifying) to ruminate on what the future of sex could look like, particularly as AI and VR technology rapidly develops. The world isn’t a bad ‘80s standup set, however, where women are frigid and sexless, and men only have one thing on their minds. We live in world in which, thankfully, the mainstream narrative is becoming increasingly non-heteronormative; not everyone identifies as a certain gender, sexuality can be a spectrum, and there are no qualities that are inherently ‘male’ or ‘female.’ We are what we are. Sexbots will change some aspects of intimacy, surely, but will it destroy us? Maybe. Maybe not. Only time will tell. And if an evil, Terminator-esque sexbot is reading this, I, for one, welcome our sexbot overlords!

Brave New World: The Future Of Childbirth 56

ecent scientific innovations are reminiscent of something out of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World rather than reality. In a world where “sex bots” are a reality, computers can recognize and respond to a person’s emotional state, and a 3D-printed uterus has successfully made babies, what is the future of motherhood? Two decades ago there were no baby gift registries, no online support groups for new mothers. The ability to search terms like “colic help” and receive an abundance of instantaneous information wasn’t possible, as the internet wasn’t yet a resource. The Internet didn’t launch until 1991, and since then advancements in technology—although helpful in many ways—have also left many traditions in the diaper genie, possibly forever. Recently, a team of bioengineers made a discovery that may change the way childbirth is perceived. They were able to use ovarian tissue as ‘ink’ in order to 3D-print mouse ovaries. After these 3D-printed ovaries were surgically placed in live mice, the mice birthed live babies. If the idea of a 3D-printed ovary that can birth a child doesn’t remind you of something out of a Black Mirror episode, let’s take it a step further: an artificial womb. Nature Communications created a device that mimics the womb with a circulatory system that goes through an oxygenator, allowing blood flow through the “umbilical cord” and a fluid environment that mimics the amniotic fluid of a live mother. Surrogacy is on the rise, and it would seem technology has taken the next “logical” step with the artificial womb. Surrogacy comes with a barrage of legal and ethical complications; the commodification of women’s bodies, turning impoverished women into baby mills; the possibility of a black market, or breeding farms that could contribute to the child sex trade; and the inevitable degradation of pregnancy as a service—and the baby as a product. But if history has taught us anything, it is that science and technology do not ask “Should we? ” but rather, “Can we?” With the introduction of the artificial womb, students from Artez Product Design Arnhem recently introduced the Par-tu-ri-ent, an incubator that would bring a child

into the world completely outside of the womb. Much like the artificial womb, it would eliminate the middle-woman. The Par-tu-ri-ent pod incubator can be safely kept in your home or nursery so that that parents can observe every moment. Complete with a feeding device that attaches to the incubator, a communication device so that baby can hear the coos, oohs and ahhs of those that await patiently, and even a portable care bag that simulates baby kicks. Although only a concept, this project, which was presented at the Biodesign Challenge Summit, and challenges every belief we have ever had about pregnancy and motherhood. Pregnancy has always been thought to be a time that is crucial to bonding and development. According to a study at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, even the sound of a mother’s heartbeat and voice can actually help the baby grow. It has also long been known that even the very structure of a woman’s brain changes during pregnancy, increasing the regions that affect empathy, anxiety and social interaction, prompting those maternal feelings of love, protectiveness and worry for the newborn. The more technological advancements we create, the farther we seem to stray from what makes us human. Is this a natural evolution, or are we slowly commodifying human life, turning natural birth into a commercial transaction for the profits of the elite? One can only hope that we can learn from Huxley’s Brave New World, where embryos are inevitably produced in a Hatchery and casted before birth into Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta or Epsilon classifications, and there is shame in being a parent or giving birth. Technological advancements have saved many lives and changed many more, certainly. 3-D printed ovaries could help women who have had cancer and undergone radiation conceive again, and the artificial womb could help premature babies grow to term, saving and changing lives for the better. However, in the spirit of conjecture and this science fiction fan’s speculation, although Huxley’s world is fictional and may seem far-fetched to most, it wasn’t long ago that there was no World Wide Web—not even a lifetime ago. What new innovations await us? And will we be ready for them?

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THE FUTURE OF CALIFORNIA’S ADULT USE OF MARIJUANA ACT POTENCY, PATIENTS, PACKAGING & PRIORITIES WRITER / JOSHUA “SHWA” LAYTART

PHOTO / ASHLEIGH CASTRO

e can all be gettin’ high LEGALLY in California soon! With the Adult Use of Marijuana Act’s inception just around the corner, the latest debate has been about edible potency and public safety, particularly surrounding our children. Everyone has (or has heard) a horror story about the consumption of cannabis-infused foods. My personal favorite is the viral 911 recording of a police officer claiming he was dead after eating brownies he made with confiscated cannabis. Even though the American Public Health Association recently published a study reiterating that “eating cannabis products is better for consumers than smoking,” edibles are still the black sheep of the cannabis industry. If someone who has consumed hurts themselves, or someone else, edibles are often blamed. This hysteria is most likely here to stay, unfortunately.

The effects of edibles are much different than the effects of smoking cannabis. Edibles take longer to come on, and the effects can last much longer. Additionally, edibles contain a large concentration of cannabis that, unless tested, is unknown to the consumer; even if you are a daily user of cannabis, an untested edible can floor your ass faster than a Joe Rogan joke, or a Joe Rogan taekwondo dab to the cortex. Even Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson have edibles-gone-wrong stories. Thus far, states that have legalized cannabis use have determined their own potency limitations. Colorado and Washington have limited their edibles to 10mg per dose and 100mg per package, whereas Oregon has gone even lower, dictating 5mg per dose and 50mg per package. But who are these regulations helping—or hurting?

In 2014, the Marijuana Policy Group, a Denver-based consulting firm, found in a study that nearly 70 percent of cannabis demand comes from the top 22 percent of users. Heavy users are driving the market. California-based cannabis company Korova Edibles launched their campaign, “No to 100,” to encourage patients to tell their stories about how high potency edibles have worked for them in response to the 2018 draft regulations. They sent about 500 letters to California lawmakers. Andrew Del Greco, a representative with Korova Edibles, says the company does not believe there should be a limit for medical patients. “Medical patients need strong edibles to treat their ailments, and in many cases, they need 500mg to 1000mg edibles. In some cases, patients can benefit from an edible that is more than 1000mg.”

If the limitations cap at 100mg per package and patients need 1000mg at a time, that’s TEN packages per dose. And if each of those doses is individually wrapped, that’s what’s known in the waste management industry as a “shitton.” In 2014, the EPA reported that about 258 million tons of municipal solid waste were generated by us good ol’ American consumers. That’s great news if you happen to be part of the $118-billion-a-year packaging industry. But for those of us that look toward a sustainable future, this solution is only adding to a bigger problem. These days, everyone has a ‘Guide to Edibles.’ First timers are always suggested to start with 10mg or less, then wait up to two hours before ingesting more. You can always have more, but never less. This information is out there, and easy to find. Even OSHA has a Cannabis Training Program they’re preparing to launch. The responsibility lands in all of our hands. As a high-dose edibles manufacturer and father, I understand both sides of the issue. As the co-founder of Giggle Therapeutics, I know that proper testing, consistency, safe packaging and education are all a part of branding. Dispensaries also must educate customers and patients, and, let’s be real here, the end user holds the largest responsibility of all. If you have products in your house that may be hazardous to children, animals or dumb-ass friends who just don’t seem to know any better, then it is up to YOU to be a responsible adult and secure your cannabis. We shall all soon be a part of the Adult Use of Marijuana Act outcome. Hats off to Lori Ajax, Chief of the Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulations. Lori and her team have been working around the clock to digest all the information and produce a smart and safe solution for California. Everyone should be concerned about public safety and the welfare of others, especially when it comes to children. We also need to remember that no one should suffer, however, and that the patients who truly need this life-changing plant should be able to receive it in the form that works best for them. Today, most pharmaceutical medications come with a booklet filled with serious side effects, some including death, and these medications are not only easily accessible by children, they’re also prescribed. We need to take a deeper look at our priorities, and consider which medicine is truly more ‘dangerous.’ Let’s hope that here in California we can separate adult use regulations for relaxation and pleasure from regulations surrounding medical patients who need the plant to make it through the day.

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ON A QUEST FOR THE BEST BUT, WHY?

WRITER / DAVID BAILEY

estern culture is obsessed with the idea of the ‘superior derivative.’ We are always searching for the best, the one active ingredient, the fastest, largest or greatest thing. Our entire medical system is even based on the idea of eliminating ‘inactive’ ingredients to find the derivative. Ibuprofen, acetaminophen and, ultimately, our fascination with THC, are all based on this obsession. The entourage effect, or the idea that many compounds within cannabis act in combination to create its effects, has become widely known and even scientifically confirmed. The past 20 years of legalization efforts in the US have largely been based around this argument, and Marinol’s (dronabinal, a synthetic pharmaceutical THC) poor performance further highlighted the entourage effect’s efficacy. Interestingly, the same underground industry that proved the entourage effect went on to create a legal industry, that, yet again, obsessed over finding the magic derivative. Growers and breeders, who then influence consumers, have sought after ever-higher THC percentages; there’s the ongoing argument of hydro vs. organic; and everyone has a brother, uncle, grandma or cousin that is the self-proclaimed World’s Greatest Grower. Much like everything else in life, this issue continues to reside in a gray area. Some of the most beautiful things that’ve come to be are blends, even when they’re not recognized.

LANDRACE STRAINS Landrace strains are a great example of this phenomenon. There’s been speculation about a ‘pure’ landrace sativa or indica in recent years, mostly based on misinformation; the idea in itself is rather ludicrous. A landrace strain is simply a local varietal, similar to an heirloom tomato. It’s not a ‘pure’ version of anything, other than hundreds, if not thousands, of years of local weather conditions producing the strongest genetic survivors. That means they are the result of season after season of open-pollinated crossbreeds. This isn’t to say there’s no inherent value in landrace strains, however. Just as heirlooms are bred to withstand certain environmental conditions or produce a specific type of fruit, indigenous landrace strains carry certain genetics key to breeding and long-term development. If left to their own devices, landrace strains can even potentially create new, useful characteristics.

GROWING METHODS Another common perception is that any combination of indoor, outdoor or greenhouse grows with hydroponic or organic methods are consistently superior. Beside the arbitrary preferences of any smoker or gardener, every environment and growing regimen is unique, and thus, so is the product. While certain methods are known for producing distinct characteristics, everything is relative and interdependentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one of many reasons why the cut you grew looks nothing like your buddies from the same plant. In medical and recreational states, many of the largest facilities have achieved their most efficient results by blending the best of both the chemical and organic worlds.

THC AND CBD We all know THC is the most prevalent cannabinoid in a majority of cannabis varieties. This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t by chance. Until all too recently, most growers bred towards higher and higher THC percentages. While the cannabis community was certainly a clandestine society of its own, they still used western science to justify their means. Growers bred toward THC because they thought it was the chemical that gave us all of the medicinal and recreational benefits of cannabis. Time and science have proven, we were wrong. CBD, amongst other cannabinoids, show tremendous medicinal uses without the psychotropic effects of THC. And just as we started to believe that CBD was the new miracle compound, we were once again pushed back toward a gray area. Cannabinoids have been proven to work best, and with the most diverse applications, when in combination with other cannabinoids, as well as naturally occurring terpenes and flavonoids. This should come as no surprise, considering what many in the community have known all along: the entourage effect is real. In the end, the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;bestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; methods are those that consider their own shortcomings. Whether this is a way of thinking or a physical practice, being one-sided is only divisive, and ultimately self-inflicting. The cannabis industry has a unique opportunity to demonstrate the power of collaboration and progressive research to other industries. Start small, try new things, make new friends and look at everything as objective. Little steps of progress can make big changes and help educate future generations.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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BUDDHA BUDDAH & BUDDHA BAR These fair trade, all organic, THC-infused products are sure to help you find your Zen. Whether you’re an athlete and need some respite from your chronic muscle pain, inflammation and bruising with the unique and easily applicable Buddha Bar, or suffer from ailments such as dermatitis, psoriasis and eczema, the Buddha Buddah cream can work wonders. These products are sure to bring you back to Siddhartha-like tranquility in no time. BUDDHA BAR PRICE: $50 BUDDHA BUDDAH PRICE: $30

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BATH BOMB & PERSONAL LUBRICANT It’s been a long week and it’s time to treat yourself right…or maybe you and your partner are in the mood for a relaxing and sensual night in. Either way, these 100 percent organic, THC-infused bath bombs are a perfect way to start the evening. Each bomb contains 50mg of THC and is “designed for total body relaxation without any psychoactive reactions.” From a bath to the bedroom, Miss Envy has thought of everything. After your relaxing soak, fly even higher with a little help from Canna Sutra, a 100 percent organic, THC-infused lubricant. BATH BOMB PRICE: $12 PERSONAL LUBRICANT PRICE: $60

This summer, pucker up and stay moisturized with Miss Envy’s lip balm! These THC-infused lip balms come in flavors like Chocolate Mint, Orange Coconut and Raspberry Vanilla, and are completely organic. Stay kissable this summer with Miss Envy. PRICE: $5

STONY TONY GLASS PIPE CLEANER The “peace and love” vibes that Stony Tony brings with his all natural glass pipe cleaner are just what your favorite glass pieces needed. With a slogan like, “You’ve tried the rest, now try the best!” we just had to give it a whirl. Our pieces were sparkling like new! PRICE: $10 AND UP WEB: STONYTONY.COM IG: @STONYTONYGLASSPIPECLEANER TWITTER: @STONYTONYFOUR20

SOURCE SLIM 4 - TRAVEL KIT The Source Slim has created a next-level vaping experience. It is sleek and compact (4.7 inches long, to be exact) and weighs less than 4oz, making it easily portable. If it’s less about size and you want to know how well it does the deed, you won’t be disappointed. The Source Slim is built using USA lab-certified grade 1 titanium, and the kit includes a quartz double atomizer made with Grade I Titanium and a coil-less quartz SOURCE nail atomizer, so you get a robust range of flavor and strengths for rips of any shape or size. PRICE: $89.95 WEB: SOURCEVAPES.COM IG: @SOURCEVAPES

MUNCHIES B GONE GUM Never worry about the munchies again! This gluten and allergen-free, cool mint-flavored gum curbs your appetite and freshens breath. Smoking releases ghrelin, a hormone that tells you it’s time to chow down, and this gum counteracts those feelings of hunger with leptin, a hormone that tells your brain it’s full. No more need to lock those sweets away when you toke up! PRICE: $8.99 FOR A PACK OF 8 PIECES WEB: MUNCHIESBGONE.COM

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PLANET OF THE VAPES: ARIZER SOLO II BY ARIZER

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rizer has taken an old favorite and transformed it into a new must-have. The Arizer Solo II has a new, sleek design that didn’t recreate the wheel, but switched things up just enough to keep the power and performance we enjoy, while slimming down in size and stepping up in style and modern tech. The LED display allows you to dial in the exact temperature you want—between 50°C and 220°C (122°F – 428°F) using one-degree (°C) or 10-degree increments—making for a completely personalized vaping experience. With the Solo II you can reach peak heat in about 30 seconds, and a three-hour battery life means making thicker clouds faster—and longer! Arizer also has your safety in mind. This new and improved version has a power-on delay and auto shut-off timer. You can adjust these on the easy-to-use LED screen settings. The auto shut-off allows you to vape for up to 15 minutes per session before it shuts off for a safe, all-day vaping experience. Arizer is known for their quality, durable products and the Solo II does not disappoint! WEBSITE: ARIZER.COM/SOLO2 PRICE: $249.99

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T R AV E L

THE FUTURE OF SRI LANKAN CANNABIS FACES CHALLENGES WRITER/PHOTO / SESHATA

espite the growing support for cannabis internationally, and—as previously discussed—the rich history of Ceylonese cannabis culture, there are major barriers standing in the way of a legal future for ganja in Sri Lanka. As we’ll see, these aren’t limited to the law itself. For a country with such a long and rich history of cannabis use, it is striking how strict the taboos against it have become since its prohibition, which was first brought into law in 1936, and progressively tightened by a series of amendments in the 1980s.

SOCIAL TABOOS STILL REIGN SUPREME I spoke to a high-ranking government official about the cannabis situation in Sri Lanka, who agreed to talk with me only under conditions of anonymity. According to this official, recreational cannabis use is never seen as acceptable in Sri Lankan society—it is seen as “just another narcotic,” and is heavily associated with “inferior, antisocial, unbecoming behavior.” He informed us that there has been essentially “no public effort” to promote and legitimize cannabis in Sri Lanka, and that one of the major obstacles ostensibly standing in the way of outright legalization was fear on the part of the authorities that “distribution [would go] out of control.” He went on: “Nobody supports recreational usage; it need not be recognized in law. Those who are using it, irrespective of social taboo or legal deterrence, will go on using it. The status quo remains.” The official continued to explain that, in Sri Lanka, social attitudes can be extremely conservative and deeply entrenched. He cited as an example the recent efforts to legalize homosexuality, which were rejected by Sri Lankan lawmakers in January 2017—meaning that gay couples will remain ineligible for the legal protections offered to heterosexual households, and homosexual activity of all forms will remain illegal.

CHANGE CAN HAPPEN, BUT AT GLACIAL SPEEDS However, the social situation in Sri Lanka may not be quite as dire as it appears. While the proposal to decriminalize homosexuality may have failed, it was agreed that the National Human Rights Action Plan for 20172021 would be updated to include a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation. This is far from the ideal outcome, but is at least a small step in the right direction. In terms of cannabis, the situation is highly complex and nuanced. Although social use is heavily frowned upon in “polite” society, medicinal cannabis has never been completely prohibited, and there has been a system in place for years that allocates Indigenous and Ayurvedic doctors a certain amount of cannabis to use in their preparations. In recent years, the Ministry of Indigenous M e d i c i n e a n d t h e Ay u r v e d i c D r u g s Corporation has made repeated requests to properly legalize, regulate and license the production of cannabis for medicinal purposes. S o m e p o l i t i c i a n s , h oweve r, c a l l f o r legalization across the board. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Sumedha G. Jayasena, stated in 2008: “Even Buddhist monks of the area demand that ganja be legalized. These Bhikkhus come to us and request that laws be amended in Parliament to remove legal barriers to allow free cultivation of ganja.” Ms. Jayasena, widely known for her conservatism as Minister of Women’s Affairs/ Empowerment, has become gradually more pro-cannabis in recent years. If leading conservative thinkers can be persuaded of the benignity and potential of cannabis, perhaps this is a positive indication for wider Sri Lankan society.

WHAT NEXT FOR SRI LANKA’S CANNABIS FARMERS? The main hubs for the cultivation of cannabis in Sri Lanka are almost all situated in the south of the country—areas that experienced widespread devastation in May this year, due to the most severe floods the country has seen in over a decade. The floods have also affected areas known for the production of tea, one of Sri Lanka’s principal exports. The Qatar-based news outlet Al-Jazeera recently reported on the impact of the 2017 floods on the tea farmers of Matara district in the extreme south of the country: “For many of the 400,000 small farmers who grow more than 70 percent of t h e c o u n t r y ’s t e a , t h e floods covered their tea b u s h e s b y u p t o f i ve metres with mud and sludge, leading to the rotting of some roots.” The article quoted Prabhat Bezbaruah, chairman of the Sri Lanka Tea Board, as stating that “a l m o s t 3 0 0 tonnes of tea

and green leaf were destroyed by the floods, while damage to factories is still being assessed . . . the cost of the floods needs to be measured in humanitarian, and not financial, terms. Losses that small farmers have incurred in terms of their lives and property are substantial.” It seems rather unjust that the plight of Sri Lanka’s tea farmers can be reported openly, while farmers of a different crop are ignored. It’s very likely that homes, land and lives have also been lost in the cannabis-farming communities dotted around Sri Lanka’s southern provinces—yet these communities have no official body to represent them, and no one to decry their loss. Furthermore, the long-term environmental health of the south of Sri Lanka may be in serious jeopardy, due to the ongoing efforts to realize a project known as the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP). This project aims to deliver water to the southeast of the country via a complex system of tunnels, dams and power stations. However, construction commenced in 2008, before the government received environmental clearance, despite mass p ro t e s t s f ro m l o c a l c o m m u n i t i e s a n d environmental lobby groups. By now, it has allegedly caused the destruction of 7,000 homes, the desiccation of 3,000 wells and brooks, the depletion of 80 million liters of groundwater per day, and the devastation of farming land. It is now being dubbed the “worst environmental disaster in Sri Lanka.” Clearly, the future holds many challenges for cannabis farmers and the agricultural sector in general in Sri Lanka. The need for the protection of cannabis farmers’ rights, and of the delicate environmental balance in Sri Lanka, has never been higher.

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he first thing I noticed about Gold S e a l ’s C h e r r y C h e e s e c a k e w a s its bouquet. With the genetics of Cheese, Black Cherry Soda and Super Silver Haze, the aroma awakens and stings the senses—I was dying to smoke it right away. CC delivers on all levels: cheesy from the bouquet up front, with a sweet cherry finish to round it out. Every hit I took was more flavorful than the last. My taste buds were enveloped in cherry-glazed, cheesy goodness. These buds drip with cr ystals, and the flower is a deep green, with pinkish purple and orange highlights. As I continued to smoke, the effects began. I quickly felt relaxed, yet my mind remained alert. This is the ideal strain for deep reflection and creating art or music. If you haven’t tried it, what are you waiting for? Get yourself a slice of this cheesecake! PRODUCED & PROVIDED BY

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hi-Town Mix is inspired by Chicago, although Leisure Life’s kernels quickly transported me to the chill California lifestyle pictured on their logo. Soon after munching on the blend of finger-licking cheddar and tooth-sticking caramel popcorn, I was leaning back, letting worries float off into the horizon. The distinct presence of cannabis on my tongue indicated I was in for a potent experience. The flavor curiously and symbiotically melds sweet, salty and savory. I found myself daydreaming, yet active, enjoying a notable lack of couch-suck, even for an indica—something I’ve pleasantly found common to edibles such as Leisure’s, which are made with cold-water hash. PRODUCED & PROVIDED BY LEISURE LIFE WEBSITE: THECHILLEDIBLE.COM INSTAGRAM: @LEISURE.LIFE FACEBOOK: /THECHILLEDIBLE

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SCARLET FIRE FARMS MARIJUANA, FERMENTED

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“USING NATURAL FERTILIZERS HAS REALLY OPENED MY EYES TO HOW MODERN-DAY FARMING IS, COMPARED TO THE ANCIENT WAYS. WE ESSENTIALLY ATTACK THE EARTH TO GROW OUR FOOD [NOW].”

young city boy from New Jersey leaves home to follow the Grateful Dead, only to have his VW van break down in a small town surrounded by redwoods three thousand miles away. What could have been an anecdotal road trip story was actually the launching point for Bryan’s career in cannabis, and the subsequent founding of Scarlet Fire Farms. Together with a team of five, including his wife, Cort, and best friend, The Don, Bryan grows outdoor organic cannabis in Northeastern Humboldt County. Scarlet Fire Farms recently celebrated their 10-year anniversary, and the team is constantly striving to improve their growing practices. By following the Korean Natural Farming technique, Br yan harnesses indigenous microorganisms to make concentrated teas that maximize nutrients, without the use of synthetic fertilizers. The teas are made from plants on the farm, including everything from leftover fruit that is fermented and used to boost different terpene profiles to fermented horsetail, diluted to spray on plants. Horsetail has naturally high levels of silica that helps protect cannabis from fungus and other maladies. By making his own foliar sprays and teas, Bryan no longer depends on the bottled fertilizers he used for many years. Instead, he walks over to his cedar trees and collects the various spores that grow naturally on the forest floor. “I’ve spent 20 years reading the bottle,” Brian says. “It’s mind boggling to read the plant, not the bottle… It really opens my eyes to how modern-day farming is, compared to the ancient ways. We essentially attack the earth to grow our food [now].” Using natural farming methods supports the earth, rather than attacking it. And a healthier earth means healthier plants. Bryan also enjoys breeding cannabis cultivars. Some of his most popular strains include Yeti OG, Foo Dog, Silver Bubster, Swamp Yeti, White Yeti and Primate OG. Scarlet Fire Farms is part of the Emerald Family Farms Cooperative, which helps small family farms pool and share resources surrounding processing, marketing and distribution. This allows Bryan more time to experiment with breeding and fermentation, which his plants undoubtedly appreciate. WEBSITE: SCARLETFIREFARMS.ORG INSTAGRAM: @DRAGON_W_MATCHES

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CHICO’S NEWEST DELIVERY SERVICE WRITER / SHASTA NELSON PHOTO / JASMINE ZEBOSKI

THE PEOPLE The High Club Collective, a medical delivery service in Chico, California, is raising the bar for patient care. After meeting the owners and operators, the reason for their recent rise to the top was clear: they truly care for all their patients. Every. Single. One. Co-founders, Ceres Cook and Alejandro De Jesus, hailing from Minnesota and New York, respectively, saw an opportunity to make a difference in Chico, and to participate in what will surely be a hot market for cannabis entrepreneurs. Christopher McCray soon joined to head up deliveries and customer service. Since opening, these three have provided patients with consistent, high-quality medicine, professional and caring delivery practices and prices that are fair and affordable.

THE PRODUCT THC specializes in flower, all of which is grown locally and organically, with options ranging from top-shelf indoor to sun-grown. In addition to bud, they have a great selection of concentrates and edibles that only continues to grow. “We’re meeting new vendors weekly,” says THC, “and have had great connections built with companies like VCC Brands, Sunderstorm, and most recently, Big Daddy’s Edibles, who worked with us to develop his newest cookie: The Double Chocolope Cookie!” They’ve also just launched their own deluxe pre-roll line, and have partnered with Weedmaps to promote this new treat.

“IDEALLY, WE’D LOVE TO HAVE A STOREFRONT AND EXPAND INTO OTHER MEDICAL CANNABISFRIENDLY AREAS OF CALIFORNIA AND OUR HOME STATES.” – THE HIGH CLUB

THE BUSINESS The High Club shows no signs of slowing down. Every day more patients join, and they’re starting to attract attention: “We’ve partnered up with popular names such as HelloMD, GetNugg, and more recently, DOPE Magazine.” With adult-use in California just on the horizon, DOPE asked what their next big move will be. “As of now,” responded THC, “we are a medical cannabis delivery service that is primarily focused on the needs of our patient base in Chico. We are actively watching the development of recreational cannabis, and will take action in a way that serves the needs of our patients, as well as keeping us in compliance with all rules and regulations set forth at that time. Ideally, we’d love to have a storefront and expand into other medical cannabis-friendly areas of California and our home states.”

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LUCKY CHIEF CBD CAPSULES MAXIMAL WELLNESS, ENCAPSULATED WRITER / BLAZE ROBINSON

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ucky Chief has taken cues from the pharmaceutical industry, designing a CBD capsule that delivers medicine with maximal absorption. The 15mg dosage may seem light, but unlike other edibles that break down in the stomach, Lucky Chief CBD Capsules withstand stomach acid to make it safely to the small intestine, where CBD is maximally absorbed. Using concentrates from Mother Load Extracts, the CBD capsules contain high levels of CBD, as well as trace amounts of BDA, THC and THCA. The pills also use liposomal microspheres that encase the CBD and allow it to easily cross cell walls to travel to receptors in the brain. Patients have used the CBD capsules to alleviate issues ranging from cancer, autoimmune diseases, gastro intestinal conditions and personality disorders. Much like a cannabis multivitamin, I took one daily capsule of Lucky Chief CBD for two weeks. I have used other cannabis capsules before, but opening this bottle was a treat in itself. The capsules have a welcoming, tangy citrus smell that actually got me excited to take my medicine. As someone who uses cannabis to alleviate chronic pain, I found the CBD capsules to help produce an allaround feeling of wellbeing, both physically and mentally. My day-to-day aches were reduced, and I slept soundly after taking the CBD capsulesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a rarity for me. Packaged in a combination-lock bottle, patients can rest assured knowing they are the only ones with access to their medicine. AVAILABLE AT DELIVERY IN SACRAMENTO AREA M3MEDS.COM ALPINE ALTERNATIVE 8112 ALPINE AVE SACRAMENTO, CA 95826 PORT CITY ALTERNATIVE 1550 W FREMONT ST #100 STOCKTON, CA 95203 ORIGIN MOTHER LOAD EXTRACTS INSTAGRAM: @MOTHERLOADEXTRACTS DISTRIBUTED BY

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THE HERBAL CHEF TALKS TECHNOLOGY IN CANNABIS HERE COMES THE CULINARY REVOLUTION WRITER / CHRIS SAYEGH PHOTO / PROVIDED BY THE HERBAL CHEF

ince the dawn of man, necessity has been the driving force of innovation. While creativity has often fed on nature for inspiration, recent studies have begun to redirect many of our innovations to more natural elements, with a focus on sustainability. The crossover between plant and tech is something that greatly excites me; it is the ultimate expression of advancement. The seemingly simple mechanics of nature are infinitely complex, so to make technological advancements that work harmoniously with nature is a feat that deserves incredible recognition.

WHOLE PLANT VS. DISTILLATE EXTRACTS A lot of companies ask me to use their extractions in my dinners. I select from only a small circle of extractors, however, because I am looking for very specific plant extract materials. The whole point of this plant is to heal, right? Only source your extracts from suppliers that keep the molecular integrity of not only the cannabinoids, but the terpenes and flavonoids as well. Just because an extract is 99 percent pure THC doesn’t mean it is the best. To me, the ‘best’ means it contains a full cannabinoid and terpene profile while keeping its molecular structure. Evidence has shown that it is the terpenes, flavonoids and cannabinoids that shape the user experience, and similarly provide nutrients and antioxidants.

FASTER ABSORPTION When examining consumption innovation, room for critique is relatively small, unless technology helps make consumption of cannabis more efficient by increasing the bioavailability of nutrients. Enter CannaPlex. Their amazing nanoparticle technology will revolutionize how we absorb nutrients, especially cannabinoids. The typical cannabinoid particle is 2000 nanometers wide, which is inefficient for our cell membranes to absorb, as they can only take in around 60-80 nanometers of width. This new technology breaks down the cannabinoids to 60 nanometers wide, which increases the bioavailability of nutrients, allowing the body to run more efficiently. As a chef, that is music to my ears! The more nutrients that our guests can absorb, the happier and healthier each person will be. When it comes to infusing our products, we at The Herbal Chef have been working with CannaPlex to create the perfect water-soluble solution.

TODAY’S ADVANCEMENTS I had a chat with experts in the culinary, engineering and biochemistry field from JULABO USA to go over some of the ways in which extraction methods have advanced. The days of garage extractions are not yet over, yet more and more extractors are moving from a makeshift set up to state-of-the-art volatile and non-volatile equipment. Hence the discussion with Mark Diener from JULABO. As a leader in extraction equipment manufacturing, I trust their insight. I spoke with Dustin Salvaggio, their corporate chef. It’s clear they focus on the extraction of flavor and multiple cannabis compounds, not just cannabinoids. The JULABO USA process advancements are yielding incredible results for culinary application that can similarly transfer over to growth in the cannabis industry. For example, they use a centrifuge to separate different components of the plant matter to create different textures of one ingredient. Imagine taking the concentrate from their Jacketed Reactor extraction and putting it in a centrifuge to separate the components, all without heat. That would keep the molecular integrity intact, while still giving a variety of material to play with. These advancements are changing the way we receive this amazingly helpful plant. With more efficient and less destructive extraction methods, coupled with soon-to-be available water-soluble extracts, the landscape of what’s possible in cannabis will greatly change. And that is a beautiful thought.

4477 TIMES TIMES

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AWARD AWARD WINNER WINNER

GOLDDROP_ GOLDDROP_

F E AT U R E

THE MOST DECORATED ATHLETE IN HEMP OLYMPIX HISTORY AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST CANNABIS FESTIVAL CHAMPION WRITER / SCOTT PEARSE

PHOTO / DESI LOU

’m introduced to Bob the Builder. My assumption is that he works in construction; he has the stocky build and competent demeanor of someone who has spent their life on a work site. On the day that I meet him—at MardiGrass, Australia’s largest cannabis festival—he is dressed in a purple shirt covered by a dapper waistcoat, antique glasses fastened tight to his stovepipe hat. His long, curly red beard covers much of his upper chest. His habit of finishing sentences with an “Aye” betrays a northern upbringing in the state of Queensland: “I was taken to my first MardiGrass in 1996, aye.” At the 25th Hemp Olympix, Bob’s current hoard of medals is sitting at 76. All his medals having come in joint rolling events. The event’s categories are: speed, blindfold, creative and adverse conditions. In the speed category, the winner simply needs to roll a functional three paper joint with filter faster than anyone else on the stage. Bob the builder holds this record at 14 seconds. The blindfold category is much the same as speed, only competitors are blindfolded. The creative category is judged by crowd applause, and entrants are given ten minutes to produce their most creative, functional joint. In the adverse conditions event, stage hands simulate everything that could possibly go wrong when rolling a joint: competitors and their

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joints are wafted at with newspapers, poked and sprayed with water. But speed is considered the premier event, and Bob has dominated the competition. Winning for nearly a decade straight—until last year. MardiGrass is slated to run on the first weekend of May, until Australia’s drug laws change. Perhaps unluckily for MardiGrass’s future, cannabis regulations in Australia are in a period of transition. The laws governing cannabis possession, use and cultivation in Australia, though varied from state to state, are moderate enough to be considered harm-minimizing. The sale and cultivation of cannabis in the state of New South Wales is prohibited. New South Wales, as a state, contains both Nimbin and Sydney, though Nimbin is a nine-hour drive north of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The laws are not nearly as punitive as in the US: a first offense for possession or small-scale cultivation will usually result in at worst a fine, though recorded convictions are usually given for a third offense. However, the penalty for activists who choose to make their medical supply public often face jail time for supplying a controlled substance. The underground market is thought to be valued at around six billion dollars, and Australia has one of the highest per capita regular use of cannabis rates in the world.

THE STAGE IS SET Bob the Builder is less than an hour away from the joint rolling competitions. The busy main street of Nimbin still functions as a thoroughfare for cars during the festival. The crowd streams by on the sidewalk; perhaps the most charming aspect of MardiGrass is that it isn’t limited to a single venue, but rather the entire town functions as the festival grounds. The spectacle of this little town transformed isn’t lost on Bob. “One year,” he recalls, “I didn’t enter the speed rolling category because I wanted to get the feel of the event, because I’d never seen it. When you’re on the stage and the lights are shining you can’t see much.” Bob’s main competitor over the years has been his friend and protégé, Sally. And though the two have dominated the joint rolling competition in recent years, Bob looks around the crowd and suggests that you never really know where your competition is going to come from year to year. “Could be anyone, you never know who’s going to show up.” Bob and the other MardiGrass celebrities, of which there are a handful, make it their job to move around the site all day, posing for Instagram pictures with city kids turned feral for a weekend. It is appropriate MardiGrass have a sense of repeating itself year after year, like a jovial groundhog day. For Sally, Bob’s main competition in joint rolling, though after a decade of competing against Bob the Builder she is weary of the event, the challenge is clear: “If we can change the laws, I’m not going to be in this competition anymore. I’ll retire once the fight is won.” Bob the builder was born with a hear t condition. He’s had three major heart operations and used over 10 different pacemakers and defibrillators to control the beating of his heart. Each of these operations is an ordeal in itself, “They open you up and flatten you out. They split you from neck to sternum and open you up like a chicken. Then they get to work on you and hopefully you wake up the next day.” Regarding his joint rolling domination, Bob is humble and

self-deprecating. He seems genuinely surprised at his own success. “It’s funny that I ended up an Olympian,” he states. Given his medical history, perhaps stranger still that he has lived to be one. And so it is with some irony that Australia’s most decorated joint roller doesn’t actually roll anything for himself. “In the early days, I did smoke, but I had to give it up for health reasons. I’m always sitting in a room with people smoking and every now and again I get to feel a little euphoric.” Though Bob can’t use cannabis recreationally, his long history of medical issues has provided the motivation to advocate for medical cannabis for decades. And it would seem the advocacy he has been part of is finally yielding results. In early 2017, the Australian Federal Parliament passed laws to legalize medicinal cannabis use in Australia for patients with painful and chronic illnesses. Those include cancer patients, people affected by HIV, severe e p i l e p s y, m o t o r n e u ro n d i s e a s e s a n d multiple sclerosis.

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IT’S TIME TO ROLL Finals day in the joint rolling competition is also the last day of the MardiGrass festival. The darkness in the Nimbin town hall takes a moment for the eyes to adjust to. The hall is yet to fill up and many seats are vacant. Bob mills around, smiling and joking with fellow competitors and locals. Throughout the competition Bob is a perfect gentleman, ever gracious of his competitors. He doesn’t say a bad word about anyone, even when I attempt to lead him to do so for the sake of creating conflict for this story. Mardigrass programming has the feel of a well-rehearsed small town play—it’s charming, but the festival does celebrate the cultivation and consumption of cannabis, and the collective ambivalence of a town of stoners does percolate into the festival in shambolic ways. The crowd grows, no one expects the show to start on time, everywhere old friends are shaking hands and waving at one another. Large groups of travelers, many French and German, stand at the back. Al Glover and S Sorrenson have been the voices of the Hemp Olympix for as long as anyone can remember. They are also the men responsible for Bob the Builder’s stage name. I ask Bob if he’s ever worked in construction. “Nah, I’m a chef,” he answers. Well, what do you build? Why the name? Through his whiskers I see a wry smile: “I build joints.” The majority of competitors are foreign travelers, wide eyed with the healthy glow of youth. When sat on the stage with the perennial entrants, who are invariably local, well-

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practiced, and vocally supported, it would seem like a simple case of youth versus age, veteran fingers a disadvantage in an event where speed is with the most nimble and dexterous. Earlier heats have eliminated competitors who never had a fighting chance, and what remains are the cream of the crop. While I’ve been following Bob, we’ve talked a lot about rolling joints but the first time I actually witnessed Bob the Builder construct a joint was on stage. I don’t think I was fully prepared for just how fast a roller he truly is; I’ve approached this from an almost comical angle, but the man, I realize, is truly a spectacular athlete. The less experienced hands are slowed by uncontrollable nervous shaking. Though confident, Bob knows that a lot can happen in the time it takes to roll a joint. Bob has made the final of each of the four events. He wins the blindfold final in a staggering 24 seconds. His fingers clasp the functional joint above his head, and with the blindfold on he can’t see that he has won by a considerable margin. He is awarded his 77th medal. Next are adverse conditions. He weathers the storm and places third. 78th medal. Bob has been unassailable for longer than a decade in artistic, and his run continues. He wins first place for a trumpet-shaped joint that he calls “Trump’s trumpet.” 79th medal. A hush consumes the crowd. MC Al Glover says, “Speed rolling is our main event tonight. And Bob here is our God.” S Sorrenson directs competitors to place their hands on their head. As the fastest qualifiers, Bob is

flanked at the stage’s center by his good friend and rival Sally on one side, and newcomer Jay from Lismore on the other. Al Glover counts down. Arms flinch in anticipation. Bob’s tongue flicks out from beneath his beard and across his lips in anticipation of sealing his joint closed. Time begins. First Bob puts the three pieces of paper together, dumps a pile of dried damiana, a legal herb substitute, and rubs the paper lengthways to evenly distribute its contents and seals it shut. He snatches a square of filter paper, rolls it tight and shoves it in the joint, twists the other end and raises his hand in the air. This all happens in less than 30 seconds. Bob looks around to find both Sally and Jay have their hands in the air as well. From the crowd’s perspective, the three hands shot up almost in unison, bang, bang, bang, all three done. Al Glover walks to the victor with a cup shaped cardboard cutout trophy in hand. The interloper, a woman named Jay from nearby Lismore, is handed the trophy. Bob claims silver, his historic 80th medal at the Hemp Olympix.

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A R TP IRCOL FE I LTEI T L E

ALL ONE OR NONE DAVID BRONNER’S LEGACY OF ACTIVISM WRITER / JOSHUA “SHWA” LAYTART PHOTO / ASHLEIGH CASTRO

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“IN ALL WE DO, LET US BE GENEROUS, FAIR & LOVING TO SPACESHIP EARTH AND ALL ITS INHABITANTS. FOR WE ARE ALL ONE OR NONE! THE ALL ONE CULT THAT YOU ARE AFRAID OF, YOU ALREADY BELONG TO, EARTHLING.” -DR. BRONNER’S PACKAGE LABELING

e’s been called an organic legend, an acid-dropping burner and a six-foot-five rave version of Captain Jack Sparrow. Personally, I think David Bronner is a mix of Bernie Sanders, Dr. Who and Terrence McKenna. He’s been a true progressive activist behind the scenes for years. His ideas seem to be from the future, and he is seriously trippy AF. The best part? He’s made his family’s company, Dr. Bronner’s, a multi-million dollar, modern day-activist engine. I met David at the Natural Products Trade Show in 1998. He was 25 and had spent the last year working for Bronner’s as the company’s “activist.” Initially, he didn’t really want to be in the soap making business, though he found his life’s purpose after massive psychedelic experiences candy-flipping (combining LSD and MDMA) in Amsterdam. He had already graduated from Harvard with a Biology degree, so he decided to head back to the states and help his father run the business his grandfather started. Unfortunately, soon after David’s decision to return home and work for the company, his father, Jim, was diagnosed with stage IV cancer and passed away in June of ‘98. David went from Chief Activist to CEO. We would continue to cross paths at the Natural Products Expos, and became friends through our mutual love for social justice, altered states and, of course, natural products. For those of you that may have avoided Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap because the wordy label looks like a California cult thing, let me clear things up for you. His grandfather, Emanuel (Emil) Bronner, fled the Nazis and came to America. He left behind his parents, who didn’t think Hitler was going to get far in politics. History proved them wrong, and they tragically did not survive the Holocaust. Emil, a soap maker, began to give talks in the US about all of us being on this planet together, “ALL ONE,” and how we should all get along. He made soap to entice people to attend

his lectures. He soon realized people would come, grab a soap, and leave, so he decided to print his message right on the label: IN ALL WE DO, let us be generous, fair & loving to Spaceship Earth and all its inhabitants. For we are ALL ONE OR NONE! The ALL ONE cult that you are afraid of, you already belong to, Earthling. In 2001, when the hemp movement was ramping up, the DEA seized all the hemp seeds coming from Canada. David jumped into action, sued their ass, and won! He supported the movement to raise the minimum wage, donated a half million dollars to the cause, and even went so far as to cap his own pay and those at his level in the company at five times the amount made by the lowest-paid employee, which was unprecedented at the time. Greenwashing hit an all-time high in 2007, and Bronner’s sued the USDA for allowing companies who used misleading organic labeling. This led to a shit storm at the Natural Products Expo. Companies who were claiming organic (but weren’t) wanted David’s head! I remember talking to the National Whole Body Buyer at Whole Foods, who was pissed. Companies were wanting Whole Foods to drop Bronner’s, but they couldn’t—it was their number one-selling soap. Needless to say, David won that lawsuit, too. David has been an active supporter and member of both the Hemp Industry Association and Vote Hemp since their respective inceptions. In 1996, Woody Harrelson was arrested for planting hemp seeds in rural Kentucky. David stepped up in 2009 and was arrested while planting hemp seeds on the DEA front lawn—to this day, a major burn confronting the hypocrisy of our government.

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ARTICLE TITLE

It’s in his blood. David’s a Cosmic Engagement Officer, focused on continuing his grandfather’s legacy of “Unite Spaceship Earth.” You’re already aboard. Don’t take a seat, take a stand…And don’t forget to wash your hands, please.

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In 2012, I received a message from Adam Eidinger. Adam is Bronner’s Washington DC lobbyist and activist, who led the successful campaign to legalize the sacred herb in our nation’s capital in 2014, with Dr. Bronner’s financial backing. You may have heard of Adam from the VICE show, Weediquette, or the giant joint you see on the streets of DC at protests that he helps organize, or my personal favorite, when Adam posed as a Monsanto lobbyist and made it rain $1,600 from a balcony inside a Senate office building. And who could forget when David locked himself inside an unmovable cage across from the White House, pressing hemp seeds into hemp oil while discussing the benefits of the plant? He live-streamed the whole thing, to boot! It’s truly a shame it didn’t get more press. It was spectacular. They had to use the Jaws of Life to get him out of that cage. This protest also got David arrested. Back in 2005, David was the first person who told me about micro-dosing, long before it was called micro-dosing. First, I laughed, though within minutes of talking with David I can remember thinking, “He’s right. The world would be a better place if more people took LSD.” David’s been a vegan for over twenty years, and is convinced that we could have a much more compassionate and peaceful planet if we took more psychedelics. Talk about candy-flipping! I met up with David this last April at the Psychedelic Science Conference in Oakland, California, where Bronner’s pledged to donate $5 million to MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) to study MDMA therapy for treatment-resistant PTSD, something he has been passionate about for years. Under David’s leadership, along with his brother, partner and company president Michael Bronner, the company has donated millions of dollars to various movements, including animal rights, cannabis, hemp, organic, fair trade, NON-GMO, social justice and psychedelic research. You buy the soap, and they use the profits to make the world a better place. It’s not just soap anymore. The Bronner’s brands now include toothpaste, balms, hand sanitizers, organic coconut oil… and the list continues to grow. David, like his grandfather, Emil, advocates environmentalism and the spiritual nature of humanity. There was a time in the early ‘90s when being an activist was like being a superhero. This is the era David Bronner comes from. With everything he has done so far, you would think he came here from the future, to make sure we all get there in one piece. And we could use a superhero from the future right now. Maybe more than ever.

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C U LT U R E

CHANGE COMES TO CUBA TOURISM ROCKS THE TIME-CAPSULE ISLAND WRITER/PHOTO / JEFFREY RINDSKOPF

“S

o, Obama o Trump?” It’s the first English I’ve heard my Cuban taxi driver, Alex, utter with any confidence. He says it over a pair of guarapeñas, rum-and-sugarcane-juice cocktails I’ve bought to help run out my remaining pesos on this, my final afternoon in Cuba. Try to guess my answer. “Trump es loco,” I offer as explanation, in the first Spanish Alex has heard me utter with any confidence. Like everyone else I’ve met on the trip, Cubanos and Europeans alike, he’s morbidly curious to hear an American make sense of the orange man currently occupying our White House. Alas, I can’t hope to explain the tumultuous changes happening back home—not only because of the language barrier, but because I’m busy trying to understand the same about Cuba. “My opinion,” the taxi driver continues, as though he’d been reading my thoughts, “Fidel es better than Raúl.”

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His opinion is unexpected, but not all that surprising. Fidel Castro’s influence still looms large over Cuba in the wake of his death, particularly here, not five miles from the Bay of Pigs—the site of the US’s failed 1961 invasion and home to dozens of stylish pro-Fidel propaganda billboards, plus one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen, tucked away beside an abandoned Revolutionera graveyard. But, I think, isn’t Raúl the one responsible for the recent thawing of US-Cuba relations, the only reason I’m allowed to even set foot in this country? And isn’t it Raúl whose policies have made it possible for Cuban citizens to travel abroad, to buy and sell their own property, and to open private businesses catering to the tourists arriving in greater numbers each year? It seems difficult to deny the positive impacts of this new whiff of capitalism within the state-controlled economy in certain parts of the country. Take Viñales, a rural hamlet and national park in western Cuba that’s retained the air of a pastoral paradise—with farm animals scurrying along red-dirt paths and locals exchanging morning gossip across porches—despite the scores of international tourists arriving from Havana each day. There are no hotels in the town—only rows of pastel-painted homes, almost every one of which doubles as a casa particular, which is essentially a Cuban B&B. Also absent are the dilapidated structures and other symptoms of poverty so prevalent elsewhere in Cuba, both in big cities and small villages that don’t attract well-paying travelers so easily. Where there are tourists, it seems there are more chances for locals to earn an income beyond the meager wages offered at government jobs.

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“They pretend to pay us, and we pretend to work,” my host in Viñales jokes of his own job in the nearby national park. My Havana hostess further informs me that she makes more from a single night of renting out her home than she does from a month’s work as a physical therapist. Unfortunately, if tourists are the best way most Cubanos have to make money, those locals unable to rent out a room or offer guided hikes may find less-legitimate ways to separate them from their hardearned pesos. It’s impossible to take a step in certain parts of Havana without encountering jineteros, or hustlers, of all ages and genders. Though most are kind enough and easily dissuaded with a simple “no gracias,” I expect the worst when, early in my trip, a portly Cubano takes the bench beside me in the well-trafficked historic core of old Havana. But to my surprise, he sparks an earnest conversation about the current state of Cuba that we continue for ten minutes, despite his broken English. At one point, he gestures to the newly-restored examples of colonial architecture all around and complains, “All for the tourists.” How right he is. In Cuba there still exists a troubling state-imposed segregation between foreigners and locals that unfairly favors both groups in different ways, forcing them to take separate bus lines and use different forms of currency. The divide is obvious crossing the border between the tourist enclave of Habana Vieja, where buildings are always being restored, and the residential neighborhood of Centro Habana, where high-rise facades are crumbling into ruins on every busy block.

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“THEY PRETEND TO PAY US, AND WE PRETEND TO WORK.”

Maybe the state-sponsored restoration will make it to Centro Habana someday soon. But will it too become overrun with tourists and businesses catering to visitors almost exclusively, thus losing what made it worth visiting in the first place? It’s a question the entire country must be grappling with about now. With its cobblestone streets full of refurbished American hot rods and decaying colonial architecture, Cuba still has the appearance of a land frozen in time, but it’s losing some of that specific charm as the thawing process begins. What else will be lost in Cuba’s long-delayed process of modernization remains to be seen. After a refreshingly realistic talk on the subject, my Havana jinetero finally gets around to mentioning his hustle, and I must refuse. We part on good terms anyway, both victims of political circumstance who can do little more than make a living and hope for the best—just as I leave Cuba hoping nothing will disrupt the newfound friendship between our two nations. Maybe then I’ll be back soon.

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SCIENCE

THE FUTURE OF PSYCHEDELICS

ARE LSD AND MUSHROOMS THE NEW PROZAC? WRITER / JEFFREY RINDSKOPF

agic mushrooms can’t cure cancer, but they can alleviate the anxiety and existential dread that come along with the disease. At least, that’s the apparent conclusion from a pair of studies published in late 2016, wherein participants who had been diagnosed with both cancer and clinical depression or anxiety were administered psilocybin mushrooms within a controlled, living room-esque environment. The psychological effects of psilocybin were not only positive, but enduring. Most participants ranked the experience among the most meaningful of their lives, and six months after taking the dose, 65 percent had almost fully recovered from their depression, and 57 percent from their anxiety. In contrast, antidepressants have been observed to help only 40 percent of terminal cancer patients in past studies—making them about as effective as a placebo. H o w e v e r, a s w i t h o t h e r p s y c h e d e l i c s s u c h a s L S D, psilocybin remains a Schedule I drug, deemed by the federal government to have a high potential for abuse and no medical value whatsoever. Yet that hasn’t stopped researchers from administering more than 2,000 doses of the much-touted magic mushrooms in clinical settings since the early ‘90s, during which time no participants have reported any lasting medical or psychiatric issues.

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“ALTHOUGH THE EFFECTS OF THE DRUGS ARE GONE BY THE END OF THE DAY, THE MEMORIES OF THESE EXPERIENCES AND THE ATTRIBUTIONS MADE TO THEM ENDURE.”

Instead, most studies seem to confirm what recreational users have suspected for some time now—that psychedelic drugs can help us, at least if taken under the right circumstances, and with this new wave of advanced psychedelic research, we’re beginning to understand why. Both mushrooms and LSD, or acid, can reliably inspire religious or other wise transcendental experiences in users, often resulting in a detachment from worldly concerns and a loss of self-identity called “ego death.” Another 2016 study suggests LSD accomplishes this by increasing global connectivity in the brain, thus removing perceived boundaries between one’s inner and outer world. Additional studies provide evidence for the drug’s effectiveness in treating obsessivecompulsive disorder, alcoholism and other addictions, though the effects don’t typically last more than six months after dosing. Perhaps more impressive are the findings that psilocybin can actually alter people’s personalities—usually thought to be set in stone during adulthood—by making them more open, a trait associated with broadmindedness and creativity. “There’s a sacredness or a reverence to [the] experience,” noted Roland Griffiths, a professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who authored one of the studies. “Although the effects of the

drugs are gone by the end of the day, the memories of these experiences and the attributions made to them endure.” Indeed, the lasting effects of psilocybin and LSD, as observed in Griffiths’ study and others, can help anyone, not just those struggling with cancer or clinical depression. Neither drug has much potential for addiction, and the only significant associated risks are from accidents or anxiety attacks, which can be particularly damaging for users with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Researchers screened participants for such risk factors and provided a safe, encouraging environment for their trips. Thanks to an increased understanding of these controversial hallucinogens and a groundswell movement of pro-psychedelic advocacy groups, it isn’t far fetched to imagine a future where mental health patients can drop acid or mushrooms outside of a research setting, perhaps under the supervision of a doctor or other trained professional. It will no doubt take time for government policy to catch up with these illuminating findings, meaning legal psychedelics will still take years—or even decades—to hit shelves. But if the research keeps progressing, how long can we ignore the science? Under this administration, that may remain to be seen.

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GLASS

ONE PIECE TO RULE THEM ALL

BILL BURROUGHS’ TOLKIEN-INSPIRED TREE ENT WRITER/PHOTO / WIND HOME

regon born-and-raised glass artist Bill Burroughs, also known as Habitat Glass, has made yet another strikingly beautiful and intricate piece. Appropriately named “Tree Ent,” it’s part of a larger series of functional glass art called The ENT Series. Burroughs’ inspiration for the piece, as well as the series as a whole, comes from his love of nature and avid outdoor lifestyle, one that includes regular fishing trips. Unsurprisingly, he also has a passion for fantasy movies like Lord of the Rings, based on the Tolkien novels from which the term “Ent”—a race of ancient, sentient trees—originates. Although he didn’t learn from pioneer Gemini Andy Glass, Burroughs says Gemini Andy’s work was his main inspiration to begin glass blowing back in 1999—and he has no plans to stop anytime soon. “There are my many open doors and windows,” states Burroughs, “that I can only see moving forward as an artist for the rest of my life.” He made this piece in early 2017. Although some of the series may still be available, this particular piece is already spoken for, and therefore not currently for sale. If you could purchase this Tree Ent, however, you’d be looking at a $3000 price range. You can find available pieces by Burroughs via his Instagram account, @habitat_glass. His work is also found in shops across the country. INSTAGRAM: @HABITAT_GLASS

“THERE ARE MY MANY OPEN DOORS AND WINDOWS . . . I CAN ONLY SEE MOVING FORWARD AS AN ARTIST FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.” – BILL BURROUGHS, AKA HABITAT GLASS

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NEWS

SOCIAL MEDIA’S WAR ON CANNABIS

DELETING ACCOUNTS - THE SILENT ATTACK WRITER & PHOTO / CHRISTIE STRONG

magine what it means to be deleted online: All of your friends and followers, gone…the images you shared, gone…the stories you told, all gone. My company’s Instagram account, Kiva Confections, has been shut down eight times. We’ve lost over 60,000 followers and countless hours of community building, original content and user feedback. What type of content would get an account shut down eight times? Graphic nudity? Directsales to followers? Minors abusing drugs? Kiva Confections is a six-year-old, Californiabased medical cannabis company that’s setting a new standard for the industry. Our company was born out of the need for a high quality, labtested, consistent product for sick patients. We have an established reputation in our industry for promoting safety and education. Our social media accounts have never shown people impaired from using cannabis, nor do we post prices, sell directly to patients, or promote the irresponsible or underage use of the cannabis plant. So why are we, and others like us, being targeted? Unfortunately, neither Instagram nor Facebook give explanations as to why an account has been deleted. Some in the industry believe that multiple companies have been deleted en masse in hashtag crackdowns, and that individual companies have been flagged by competitors, and/or hard-core cannabis prohibitionists. But, for all we know, it could be a bot, and not an actual person making the ultimate decision. So what is

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a cannabis company to do? Diversify. Don’t put all your eggs into Instagram or Facebook’s basket. Just because these platforms won’t amplify your message doesn’t mean your message can’t be heard Start a blog on your website, build your email list, post videos to YouTube and Vimeo, and open an account on the cannabis-friendly social platform MassRoots. One thing the cannabis industry and its pioneers have taught me is that giving up is not an option. While there are alternatives out there, it is crucial that the industry and its advocates continue to place pressure on social media. The truth is, Instagram’s policy is broken. It has allowed a negative stigma of cannabis to flourish and has choked the spread of education, hindering the evolution of this plant in the minds of lawmakers and medical professionals. According to a recent Gallup poll, over 60 percent of Americans support cannabis legalization. Cannabis legalization is a bi-partisan issue with the potential to truly unite our country. Chances are, those in leadership positions within Instagram and Facebook know someone with cancer, a child with epilepsy, or a senior with pain who uses cannabis to safely and effectively manage their condition. These patients’ quality of life has greatly improved; they are saving precious funds on pharmaceuticals, yet they are starving for education because of the DEA’s decades-long research obstruction.

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By allowing the proliferation of stereotypical “stoner” media while throttling the release of educative content, Instagram is harming our population. How can I make such an outrageous claim? Because thousands of people die each year of opioid abuse. Because cannabis has demonstrated, time and time again, to be a safer alternative, and even an exit from more dangerous substances. When “weedporn” imagery abounds, both the plant and the industry suffer; prospective patients cease to explore the use of this medicine for themselves. Instagram is keeping their users in the dark. Physicians, lawmakers and many reputable organizations have petitioned the DEA to change their outdated stance on cannabis. It is high time to move forward. I urge you to change your policy and allow upstanding companies like Kiva Confections to verify their accounts, have clear guidelines to remain in good standing and share educational content to a growing demographic of users who could benefit from this plant. Their very lives depend on it.

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A R TRI CE LCEI PTEI T L E

BRUCE’S ZESTY INFUSED BIRTHDAY CAKE ORANGE YOU GOING TO WANT A SLICE? WRITER & PHOTO / LAURIE AND MARYJANE

f olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from? This almondy orange delight of a cake is prepared with cannabis-infused olive oil. I know, that seems strange, but olive oil adds a level of complexity and moisture that you will love. Yes, you can taste the olive oil—and that’s a plus! When I make this cake, I use a fruity, intensely-flavored olive oil, but you might want to try light, mild oil if this is a new idea. This flavor combination is outstanding, and although it is not a requirement, the cake is pretty tasty topped with a dollop of orange-scented whipped cream or yogurt. This year I was able to infuse the oil with a blast from Bruce’s past, Acapulco Gold. Sweet. Feel free to reach out with any ‘cooking with cannabis’ questions, I promise oil be there for you!

CONTACT: LAURIE@LAURIEANDMARYJANE.COM WEBSITE: LAURIEANDMARYJANE.COM DONTFEARTHEEDIBLE.COM

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RECIPE (SERVES 8-10) INGREDIENTS

STEPS

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

1. Heat oven to 340°F. 2. Spread an 8-inch cake pan with the oil. 3. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. 4. In an electric mixer beat the sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in the zest and the extract. 5. Beat the milk in, followed by the oils. 6. Add the flour mixture and stir until blended. 7. Transfer to the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the almonds, followed by the sugar. 8. Bake until the cake is set, about 30-35 minutes.

2 teaspoons olive oil 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ tsp salt 1 cup sugar 3 large eggs 2 teaspoons orange zest 1 teaspoon almond extract ¼ cup milk 2/3 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons canna-olive oil ¼ cup chopped almonds ¼ cup granulated sugar

18 Strain-Specific Vape Cartridges AC/DC Berry White Blackberry Kush Blue Dream

STRAINS

for

EVERY

Extracted from whole-plant, sun grown cannabis.

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Grape Stomper Green Dragon OG Kush Pineapple Afghani Royal Kush Sour Diesel

OCCASION

100% Cannabis oil. No Additives.

.org @AbsoluteXtracts

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