DGO Magazine December 2022

Editor Angelica Leicht aleicht@bcimedia.com 375-4551

Design/layout Ryan Brown rbrown@bcimedia.com

Contributors Megan Bianco Amanda Push Reader Services 375-4570

Chief Executive Officer Carrie Cass

V.P. of Advertising Jamie Opalenik

4 Bud and brewing

Cannabis beer hasn’t exactly taken the legal states by storm yet, but if a handful of breweries have their way, weed beers are about to be the next big thing. Here’s what’s happening in the world of weed beer.

10 Resolute yourself

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Instead of mocking your friends for not following through with their New Year’s resolutions (and then feeling terrible about your own lack of fol low-through), you can create a list of realistic stoner resolutions that you can actually follow through with in stead. Wild idea, huh.

Tell us what you think! Got something on your mind? Have a joke or a story idea or just something that the world needs to know? Send everything to editor@dgomag.com

14 Lessons from a 10 years with legal cannabis

Prior to legalization, the adverse effects of cannabis were the only factors studied. But the shifts in public opinion on marijuana over the last decade have opened the door to all kinds of research peo ple could at one point only dream about.

4-5 Breweries cash in on cannabis

6-7 Midterm marijuana mash-up

8-9 Get in the holidaze spirit

10-11 Stoner’s guide to New Year’s resolutions

12-13 New cannabis research roundup

14-17 Cover story 18-19 Weed reviews

20-24 Ask a couple of potheads

26 Pandora’s synthetic weed box

27 Smoking weed doesn’t make you look cool, research says

Breweries cash in on cannabis

It seems like every week, we hear of yet another brewery marketing a new beer that catches the public’s attention, whether it’s a triple-hoppy IPA (gag), an unusual seasonal ale, or some other newsworthy but fleeting abomination.

But it’s not just weird beers that are making headlines. With the legal cannabis surge of recent years, there has been an increasing public interest in THC-infused beverages, and that includes beer. Cannabis beer hasn’t exactly taken the legal states by storm yet, but if a hand ful of breweries have their way, weed beers are about to be the

next big thing.

Cannabis-infused drinks, including cannabis beers, only make up around 1% of cannabis sales, but the trend is ticking upward. And, what’s more is that a hand ful of breweries have taken notice and have put their most creative minds into coming up with the best infused beverages possible. Here’s what’s happen ing in the world of weed brewing.

Blue Moon to Ceria

In 2018, Blue Moon creator Keith Villa walked away from 32 years in the brewing industry, and from his role as founder and

head brewmaster at MillerCoors’ Blue Moon Brewing Company. Keith and his wife Jodi then started up Ceria Brewing Company, a weed beer brewery, where he is the brewmaster and his wife serves as CEO.

Villa, who spent years studying THC and all kinds of beer, set out to create sat isfying beer without the effects of alcohol, adding in its place a little THC. The goal was to cater to people who don’t drink alcohol but enjoy social situations that could benefit from these types of drinks.

These days, Ceria Brewing offers two alcohol-free beers, Ceria Grainwave and Ceria Indiewave, which are infused with either 5mg or 10 mg of THC.

Ceria Grainwave is described as a “refreshing, medium-bodied and unfil tered free of alcohol Belgian-style white ale, brewed with blood orange peel and coriander for bright flavors” and is infused

with 5mg of THC. Ceria Indiewave is an alcohol-free IPA that “perfectly balances Cascade, Citra, and Amarillo hops with light caramel malts for a smooth citrusy character,” which contains 10mg of THC.

Ceria advertises that both of its offer ings pair great with food. The Indie Wave works great with beef dishes like burgers or steaks, while the Grainwave pairs won derfully with chicken and fish dishes.

Samuel Adams to TeaPot

Samuel Adams maker Boston Beer is releasing its new line of THC-infused drinks, called TeaPot. Boston Beer Company is an American-based company, which means that cannabis is still federal ly illegal, so it is using a Canadian subsidi ary to oversee its cannabis line. Entourage Health Company is growing the cannabis

the game

and will distribute it, while Peak Pro cessing is infusing the tea and handling all manufacturing.

Paul Weaver, head of Boston Beer Company, believes that infused bever ages will appeal to people who wouldn’t typically smoke a joint, eat a gummy or want to hit a vape pen for a high. He believes that the stigma would be significantly reduced if people could enjoy THC in a drinkable form. It is also a more discreet way to partake that doesn’t require you to hide in a car or behind a tree.

TeaPot is only sold in Canada, but it will at some point make its way to the U.S. market.

Weaver does not yet have a timeline for U.S. release, but firmly believes that the U.S. market is where the real oppor tunity lies within the market.

For now, Boston Beer and Weaver have an interesting approach to enter ing the infused beverage market. The companies hope to avoid the mistakes of overproduction and supply chain ownership made by the biggest Cana dian cannabis producers, so they didn’t buy a grow or build a facility, and are instead taking their time. These factors will allow them to maintain maximum flexibility.

Lagunitas to Hi-Fi

Lagunitas Brewing Co. has also jumped aboard the cannabis drink train and created a THC-infused tonic water called Hi-Fi Hops. The drink comes in three different strengths, with some containing more CBD than THC and some with more THC than CBD.

As with other breweries, Lagunitas said it recognizes the need for a more socially acceptable form of consuming cannabis. They know that people are looking to catch a buzz and feel like that buzz they want these days is one from THC.

While there are currently multiple infused tonic waters on the market, La gunitas delivers more of a hoppy flavor than others. Hi-Fi Hops also features a quick absorption time since the cannabi noids are absorbed sublingually.

Coors dips its toes in

Boston Beer Company is not the only big name in brewing that’s investing time

and money into the infused drink game. Molson Coors Beverage Company is currently making five different infused beverages, prompted by a recent study in which it learned the main barrier of people trying cannabis is the smell of lingering smoke, followed by the lack of control.

Traditional infused drinks and gum mies can take up to a couple of hours to metabolize in the body, so the lab Coors is working with uses nano emulsification to put the onset time around 15-20 min utes. It recognizes the potential danger of an extended onset time and wants people to be safe while enjoying their drinks

while not getting blindsided by getting too high. These drinks all have a 1:1 ratio of THC to CBD.

Marijuana midterm mash-up

On November 8th, five U.S. states had the opportunity to vote for recreational marijuana in the midterm elections. Arkansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Maryland, and Missouri let the people have their voices heard following President Biden’s recent announcement that he was pardoning all simple federal possession cases.

But while five states had the opportunity to allow for the creation or recreational markets during the midterms, voters in only two states chose to pass the measures. Both Maryland and Missouri voted for the legaliza tion of recreational marijuana, while the measure did not pass

in Arkansas or either of the Da kotas.

There are currently nineteen states and the District of Columbia allow the recreational use of marijuana while thirteen other states have a total ban, including medical marijuana. One big rea son we have seen a shift in the legalization of recreational mar ijuana over the last handful of years is that the collective views toward marijuana have been changing. It isn’t viewed in the same light that it was fifty years ago by most of the country. More than two-thirds of the country now support the legalization of marijuana, which is significantly higher than 10 years ago when

Maryland voters show widespread support

And, the voters in Maryland exempli fied that shifting mindset. In Maryland, voters showed overwhelming support for legalization, which was hardly surprising, given that statewide polling had shown that the majority of Marylanders were in support of legalization prior to the election.

The passage of this bill makes the purchase and possession of 1.5 ounces of marijuana for adults over 21 legal, and the law also allows adults to grow up to two plants for personal use.

It also triggered another bill that will expunge convictions for conduct that be came legal under the new law. In addition,

the new law provides grants to support minority and women-owned businesses in the cannabis industry, and removes crimi nal penalties for possession of 2.5 ounces or less of marijuana.

Missouri goes legal statewide

Medical cannabis has been legal in Maryland since 2018, and Amendment 3 passed during the midterms with 53.1% in favor of recreational legalization for adults over 21. The Amendment will also allow for the expungment of most records of past cannabis arrests and convictions.

While some of the details of the mea sure remain unclear, Amendment 3 allows people with marijuana-related non-vio lent offenses to petition for release from incarceration or parole and probation and have their records expunged.

less than half of the country was supportive of it.

» Here’s what happened (and what didn’t) during the midterms when it came to legalized recreational weed

But while weed has now been legal ized in the state of Missouri, Amendment 3 still allows municipalities to bar recre ational marijuana through a public vote. It also makes smoking in public a fineable offense.

Like most other states where recre ational marijuana is legal, the state will impose a 6% tax on cannabis related products to fund certain programs. There will be a lottery system for licenses and certificates.

Arkansas rejects legal cannabis

In Arkansas, more than 56% of midterm voters rejected Issue 4, which would have legalized cannabis state wide. Medical marijuana was legalized in Arkansas in 2016, so it is interesting that the measure did not pass, considering that most states will progress toward recreational legalization shortly after medical is passed.

However, the newest legalization measure faced tons of opposition state wide, with the Arkansas Family Council Action Committee pushing the “Protect Arkansas from big marijuana” angle, and it worked. The opponents claimed that recreational legalization would increase crime and substance abuse within its borders, and even had former Vice Presi dent Mike Pence show support for voting against the measure.

The measure also faced opposition from some medical cannabis advocates, who said the Arkansas proposal places too many limits on the legalization of cannabis and noted that it would only benefit a handful of dispensaries.

North Dakota vote fails again

About 55% of midterm voters in North Dakota voted against recreational legal ization for the second time in four years.

North Dakota’s measure would have allowed people 21 and older to legally use cannabis at home and possess or grow up to three plants. It also would have also established policies to regulate retail stores, cultivators, and other types of marijuana businesses.

One downside to this measure passing would have been the ability of employ ers to enforce existing policies that ban marijuana use. Hopefully in 2024 this will hit the ballot again and residents of North Dakota will lean more in favor of

legalization.

South Dakota says no for the second time in four years

South Dakota’s Measure 27, which would have legalized recreational use for adults 21 and over, was rejected by 53% of its voters on election day. What’s interesting about that measure failing is that South Dakota voted to pass a legal recreational amendment in 2020, with 54% of the voters in support of it, but the measure was later overturned as part of a legal challenge by South Dakota Gover nor Kristi Noem. This stopped the reform from moving forward.

Noem did say that if Measure 27 was passed during the midterms that she would not be involved in any legal chal lenges, but conveniently, it did not pass.

At least some of the midterm opposi tion can be attributed to a group called Protecting South Dakota Kids. Through out the election process, the group incorrectly argued that other states that have legalized marijuana have seen an increase in opioid fatalities due to legal cannabis.

South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws were behind the bill and wanted to “restore the will of the people,” referring to the 2020 election. Unfortunately, the group is going to have to wait until 2024 to have another shot at it.

Here’s to more legal states in the nation

While three states voted against legal

cannabis, it was great to see two states act progressively and vote for recre ational legalization during the midterms. With any hope, more states in 2024 will legalize what more than two-thirds of the country wants: recreational marijuana.

By the way, it’s worth pointing out that misinformation was a big player in the failed legalization measures, with oppo nents pulling out bogus stats to prove how “dangerous” cannabis is. That’s prob lematic, and if you have a crazy relative who won’t take the time to look at real legalization data from trusted sources, make sure to send them some accurate information, not only to inform them, but to prove to them the dangers of this type of propaganda.

Get in the holidaze spirit with these cheesy stoner gifts

» Cause everyone needs a little more green (and red) during these trying times, right?

Giving and receiving cannabis-related gifts has become as normal as getting those unwanted socks from your mom or that random-ass gift card your dad picked up at Walgreens on Christmas eve. And, the options for packaging your cannabis gifts have come a long way, too. There’s no longer a need to put a bag of weed in an old cracker box and wrap it with some leftover wrapping paper. In other words, if you’re giving the gift of weed (or

weed-related items) this year, you can do it up right.

Take, for example, what Denver-based KushKards is doing. This company has brought cannabis gifting into modern times with their cute and clever greeting cards, and the founder and CEO have been actively working to remove the stig ma often associated with recreational use.

KushKards are greeting cards with a

twist, and that twist is that they’re the perfect option for your stoner pals. Their holiday line comes with cheeky messages like “Joint to the World” and “Light up the Holidays,” and each one features a slot to attach a pre-rolled joint or a one-hitter. The cards are legal to mail across the globe, too, as long as you don’t attach any cannabis inside the card. But if you aren’t mailing them, they would be a great op tion to stick a joint in to gift to your local

friends at Friendsgiving or Christmas.

And, what’s better is that KushKards are available at over 4,000 locations with in the US and Canada. They can also be purchased on their website KushKards. This should be your first stop when you need to send a “Dank You” card to your friends for helping you move or for just being an all-around great person.

But while we love the idea of cheesy

weed-related holiday cards, we also wondered what else was out there that was stoner holiday related. Here’s what we dug up.

Holy Smokes ornaments

One of my favorite holidaze gifts we have found is a Jesus Christmas tree or nament from CrankCakesShop on Etsy. It features a bust of Jesus smoking a joint, with a scroll across the bottom that says “Holy Smokes.”

This is the perfect thing to gift your self and stick on the tree to piss off that super-conservative aunt who pushes her bogus form of religion on you every time you see her. It would also make a great secret Santa gift for that same aunt’s Christmas tree.

Or, maybe just buy it and throw it on her tree, but don’t tell anyone what you’ve done. Wait til after dinner on

Christmas day for someone to spot it and then watch the fireworks go off.

You can find this amazing ornament online at Holy Smokes Glass Ornaments.

Christmas stoner box

We all have those friends who are missing something when you show up to their place to get stoned. They don’t have papers, or their lighter doesn’t work, so you have to light the joint on the stove and run outside, so you don’t stink up the apartment.

Well, BoxItForward on Etsy has a small Christmas box that covers all their stoner needs. The box features a plastic grinder, an ashtray, lighters, papers, blunt tubes, and a smell-proof bag to keep curious noses at bay.

The box itself is pretty awesome too. It says, “Special Delivery from the North Pole Express Direct from Santa’s

Workshop.” This is a basic first aid kit for stoners, and everyone should have one in their cabinet.

Snarky holiday stoner shirts

We also found some excellent appar el that you can wear to your family’s Christmas get-together without drawing too much attention. Your grandma will probably even tell you that she thinks your shirt is cute because it looks like a super festive holiday shirt.

Take, for example, the shirt we found, which says, “Weed Wish You a Merry Christmas.” It is framed by hidden pot leaves amongst the holly and two burning joints.

Weed Wish You a Merry Christmas Shirt

There’s also a sweatshirt your mom will love, but she probably won’t under

stand its real meaning. This festive-look ing sweatshirt features gingerbread men and says, “Let’s Get Baked.”

Wear it and chances are your mom and grandma will think you recently got into baking, but we all know what kind of baking you’re really into: the kind that you did before you drove over to meet your family.

Let’s Get Baked Sweatshirt

So what’s the moral of the story here? It’s fun to find gifts for your friends or yourself to cause a little trouble at dinner. Hell, we’d probably just get the “Let’s Get Baked” sweatshirts for our mom and grandma. We know they’d wear it and probably be oblivious to the messaging.

A stoner’s guide to New Year’s resolutions

2023 (or at least learn how to roll a dang joint, Napoleon!)

It’s almost that time of year again. Whether or not you want to, you’re about to start hearing from all the annoying people you know about their dang New Year’s resolutions. And what’s worse is that you’ll be expect ed to reciprocate with your own New Year’s resolutions, which you never actually follow through on. It’s a thing, you know. But this year, maybe it’s time for a change. Maybe instead of mocking them for not following through with their unrealistic ideas (and then feeling ter rible about your own lack of follow-through), you can create a list of realistic stoner resolu tions that you can actually follow

through with instead. Wild idea, huh.

And not only will that prove you’re on top of things, but you get to be the annoying person for once who’s badgering ev eryone else about THEIR resolutions! It’s a win-win.

ble? Maybe with enough practice, you can be one of those people who can roll an incredible one-handed joint. This is a su per cheap resolution (a whole lot cheaper than a gym membership, anyway), and it’s one that you can work on while watching TV. Just buy a pack of papers, roll, and repeat.

Resolution #2: Create the best playlist for getting ripped

Music is powerful. Music is a drug. So why not combine music and weed with a perfectly curated playlist to take you on that journey?

Resolution #1: Rolling the perfect joint

This one seems like smoking weed 101, but it’s not. Rolling joints is hard, and there’s a good chance that the joints you’re rolling are pretty lopsided and lame. In fact, we’re guilty of rolling pretty terrible joints ourselves. Somehow all we can roll are cones.

So why not spend the coming year learning how to roll the best joints possi

Use the same weed for every practice joint, and when you get to your last paper, and hopefully your best joint, you can reward yourself by sparking it up.

The only downside to being an excel lent joint roller is you become a target to roll all the joints for your lazy-ass friends. They’ll hit you with the old “but you roll them better than I can” business. Maybe this is a good one to keep to yourself so you won’t be the one in your friend group that rolls up joints that look like the perfect pre-rolled joints at your favorite dispensary.

It’s never fun having to hunt for one song after another when you’re stoned, especially when you’re just trying to enjoy yourself. So, if you take the time to make a playlist that includes all your favorites will help make your ride so much more relaxed and fun.

If you are smoking an indica, create a playlist that’s a little slower, one that lets you sink into the couch or that super comfy chair in the living room.

If you’re smoking a sativa, create an upbeat playlist that makes you want to move around and get stuff done.

And, feel free to get crafty with it if

»

time to get serious about self-improvements in

you’re smoking a hybrid. Maybe choose a few upbeat songs for the first few, followed by slower ones that will hit when you start feeling the effects of that perfectly rolled joint you learned how to roll.

Resolution #3: Learn to make your own edibles

We all love edibles, although some of us love them more than others. So what could be better than spending a little time at the start of the new year learning how to make the perfect edible? There are tons of resources available online, and plenty of books cover how to make pretty much any kind of edible you crave.

Maybe you like peanut butter cookies with M&M’s but have never seen any infused ones for sale in your area. This is the perfect opportunity to come up with the best recipe and impress all your friends with your perfect cookies.

Maybe gummies are your thing, and you found the coolest T-rex mold on eBay that you’ve been dying to use. Why not do your part to bring the dinosaurs back from extinction with your own home

made gummies?

Learn to grow your own weed

Resolution #4:

Have you toyed around with the idea of seeing how green your thumb actually is? Well, 2023 is the perfect time to test it out. But wait. Quick disclaimer: You will need some supplies to get this going, and it definitely isn’t the cheapest resolu tion, so make sure you’re well aware of that first. However, it might be the most rewarding.

Anyway, for starters, you are going to need a dedicated grow area with a grow light. Depending on the growing space’s temperature and humidity, you will also need climate control gear — fans, ACs, heaters, or dehumidifiers. To round it out, you will need some seeds, soil, and containers for your plants.

You can find many tips for growing online that will help you produce the best possible flower. Your first tries at it might not be the most successful, but with time, practice, and patience, you should be on your way to growing some great buds.

Just remember to brush up on the

grow laws where you are at. Colorado allows up to six plants per person 21 and older, and up to three flowering at one time. But you should also remember that counties and municipalities can pass stricter laws. For instance, Denver limits home growing to 12 plants in a residence, even if there are three or more adults over the age of 21.

And, marijuana plants must be kept in an enclosed, locked area that can’t be viewed openly. This means the plants can’t be outside.

In homes with residents under 21, any marijuana grow area must be enclosed and locked in a separate space that mi nors can’t access. Extra precautions must be taken at homes without residents under 21 to ensure any visiting youth don’t have access to marijuana plants. And don’t forget that none of your home grown can be sold, so don’t even try it.

Resolution #5: Take a tolerance break

We know that taking a tolerance break sounds like the most challenging reso lution you could possibly think of, but it

can also be incredibly rewarding if you can make it through. After all, it is way too easy to end up with tolerance that’s through the roof if you are constantly partaking alone or with your friends.

Giving your body a break and allowing for a reset will bring your tolerance levels back down, and it will save you a little money while you’re on your break. Pick how long you want your break to be and stick with it. Don’t be unrealistic, though; pick a number you know you can achieve. And don’t pick anything less than a week because that short of a break is not going to do you any good. If you go 2-4 weeks, you will feel like that reset did you well and will feel the goodness of getting super high again.

The idea behind these resolutions is to help you get started on a new you in 2023. If none of these hit home, get stoned and think of what you can do to make your year-in-cannabis more productive or more in line with how you want to live. Good luck, and happy New Year!

Adolescents just wanna have fun

We’ve all heard the old argument that if cannabis remains illegal, it will deter more kids and adults from smoking it. It is an idea that has been lodged into people’s brains for decades, thanks to programs like D.A.R.E., which convinced impres sionable children that cannabis use was going to be the downfall of society.

While D.A.R.E. has become a little antiquated, there are still vocal critics of legalization around these days, as you’re likely well aware. And those folks like to say that it ramps up marijuana and other drug or alcohol use, increases crime, makes traffic more dangerous, harms public health, and lowers teen educational achievements.

Hell, you probably even know a few people who believe that, and they’re almost certainly not calling cannabis “cannabis.” They’re calling it dope, just like your mom’s fourth husband, Jeff, who knew a guy in college who knew a guy who “lost it all” because he started smoking weed.

Well, you can finally tell Jeff to shove it, because recent studies have proven that such nonsense is not the case.

Legalization has no impact on kids’ attitudes

toward cannabis

A recent study, published by Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, focused on children’s attitudes toward cannabis in both legal and non-legal states. What researchers were curious about was the idea that the continuing growth of the acceptance of marijuana would lead to younger people not viewing cannabis use as risky.

These researchers, who were affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, assessed chil dren’s perceptions of cannabis for three years. They used data from a multi-state adolescent brain and cognitive develop ment study to see if and how these kids’ views changed over time.

And, here’s where it gets good. What they found that there was no effect on kids’ perceptions of cannabis due to laws from states with recreational cannabis. Cannabis legalization had no impact on their tiny minds, meaning that the kids in legal states didn’t have significantly different perceptions of cannabis legaliza tion compared to the kids in states where prohibition is rampant. Suck it, Jeff!

What this means is that fear tactics, which are common in prohibition states,

likely don’t deter kids from wanting to try weed (or not). Rather, it’s individual, child-level characteristics that affected the kids’ view of cannabis.

That said, researchers admit that this is a short-term study, and are now curious to see how these kids’ and adolescents’ views might change as they move into adulthood.

Adolescent marijuana use in legal states is dropping

And, what’s more is that a study conducted in 2021 showed no increase in child marijuana use in states that have legalized recreational use. The results of this study, which was a 10-year study that lasted from 2009-2019, were bolstered by a similar study that lasted even longer but showed the same result.

Even better? Some recent studies show that marijuana use in the youth has actu ally taken a nosedive, and the legal states of Ohio, Rhode Island, and Hawaii have all shown significant decreases in adolescent cannabis use as well.

Wait, what? The kids aren’t all getting high because you can buy weed in their states? Go freaking figure.

The U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse also released the results of its Monitoring the Future survey last year, and what it showed was that marijuana use in all forms dropped significantly for 8th, 10th, and 12th-grade students.

These results will be surprising to some, but facts are facts.

What this says to us is that the crowd who claims that legal recreational weed use causes an increased use in young people is going to have to find another argument. The baseless claims have continually proven to be proven false — and will almost certainly continue to be debunked.

The same crowd seems to throw what ever they can against the wall, hoping it will stick, and unfortunately, it does in some states (and some households).

The best thing we can do is share in formation from researchers that debunks their claims so we can move forward with medical and recreational legalization in states that are still dealing with outdated marijuana laws.

» But not if it involves using cannabis like their parents — at least according to new research, anyway

Cannabis inflation, inschmation

Whether we like it or not, the price of nearly everything is going up. Gas, groceries, restau rants, and airline tickets. But the one thing that is getting cheap er? It’s cannabis.

That’s right. Weed prices are dropping, right in the midst of rampant issues with inflation.

So, you might be asking yourself if cannabis is immune to inflation. The short answer is no. The Colorado cannabis market is not free from the effects of inflation, but there are some factors in the weed market that are driving the prices down and keeping them there.

For starters, the relatively small supply chain for Colorado’s weed market is one of the most significant factors in driving down the price. Marijuana is still federally illegal, which means that any weed grown in Colo rado has to stay in Colorado. As such, there’s limited travel required for all of the products created or grown within the state’s borders, which keeps shipping rates incredibly low at a time when shipping rates are insanely high.

But that’s not the only issue. Dispensaries are also seeing less traffic and purchase amounts are dwindling due to customers having less disposable income. And what’s causing the limited disposable income? You guessed it. Inflation. It’s causing peo ple to be hit with higher prices in nearly every other aspect of their daily lives, which limits the cash they have to spend on weed.

There’s also an abundance of weed because demand saw an uptick during the pandemic. Because people were forced to stay home during the pandemic, they were buying more weed (likely to keep them sane. Trust us; we were there too). In turn, growers produced more and more to keep up with the demand, but now that supply is outweighing the demand.

Don’t believe us? Take a look at the

numbers.

The supply of cannabis produced in the last 18-24 months far exceeds what consumers are buying. In July 2022, the price of a pound of flower dropped to $709, nearly half the price in 2020 — and the lowest price since the state began reporting prices in 2014.

An increase in the number of cannabis businesses has also helped to drive the price down. In 2014, 48% of all weed sales in Colorado were in Denver. In 2021, that number had dropped to 31%, likely due to all of the markets across the state.

Flower prices are also dropping in part due to more people growing, cannabis being cheaper to grow, and massive com

panies moving into the state and affecting the market with massive grow operations.

Neighboring states are now selling recreational cannabis, which is another reason the price has decreased and why sales have slowed in the last year. Res idents of Southwest Colorado have no problem driving to New Mexico to buy weed if they choose to, but residents in New Mexico are not driving an hour or more to purchase cannabis in Colorado like they once were.

What’s causing the downturn in medical?

Heck, it’s worth pointing out that even medical sales are down nearly $40 million

in the last two years. There are numerous factors causing that downturn.

For starters, patients are not allowed to receive medical can nabis endorsements through tele health visits. Patients could do so during the pandemic, but that window closed back in July. Plus, House Bill 1317 put a cap on the amount of THC concentrate patients can buy each day. While patients used to be able to buy 40 grams daily, they are now limited to 8 grams a day. This law also allows the state to track purchas es to prevent medical consumers from going to multiple shops in a single day, and makes getting a medical card a lot more com plicated for 18- to 20-year-olds. Those younger patients must visit a doctor in person and obtain written consent from two doctors from two different practices.

All of this adds to the abun dance of supply in the state that is continuing to stack up.

So what’s the issue?

Well, weed may be cheaper to buy for you, but shops are strug gling, and that is a problem. Sales are down across the board.

In turn, there are a handful of Colorado growers who want to see the state put a freeze on new licensing until things level out. More growers producing more cannabis will only keep driving the price down fur ther, they argue, making it harder for the smaller operations to stay afloat — espe cially as they compete against the larger grow operations across the state.

Still, there are some in the industry who don’t see the prices as a decline, but more of a leveling off due to complete oversaturation of the market. People are still buying weed, but it appears they are not buying as much. Whether that trend will continue remains to be seen, but if it does, it could have some not-so-great effects on Colorado’s cannabis industry.

What’s causing the drop in recreational prices?

» Everything may seem like it’s getting more expensive, but the one thing that isn’t is weed

Enriquo Palazzo SPECIAL TO DGO

In November, the state of Colorado celebrated the 10th anniversary of the approval of Amendment 64, which made recreational marijuana legal statewide. Since the historic passage of the bill, we have seen 21 more states across the US pass similar legislation.

Colorado has led the coun try’s legal cannabis charge by cultivating the best flow er and edibles, which has turned into a $2 billion per year industry. Researchers across the country have since placed their focus on the chemi cal makeup,

Happy 10th weed-iversary, Colorado!

health benefits, and risks of cannabis use.

Prior to legalization, the ad verse effects of cannabis were the only factors studied due to it being federally illegal — and widely viewed as a harmful substance. But the shifts in public opinion on marijua na over the last decade have opened the door to all kinds of research people could at one point only dream about.

We’ve learned a lot about cannabis and its effects in the 10 years since Colorado pioneered the way for the rest of the nation, and we have learned some amazing things. Here are some of the lessons we’ve learned since cannabis became legal a decade ago in Colora do.

Lesson #1: Labels don’t mean much

One interesting takeaway that researchers found recent ly is that the labels on cannabis products these days don’t tell you — much other than whether the container holds a sativa, indica, or hybrid. These labels leave consumers scratching their heads regarding what is in the product.

And, one of the major pain points that researchers discovered while studying the nearly 90,000 samples from six different states is there is no set standardization

when it comes to labels. What research ers did discover, however, was that the vast majority of the cannabinoids in recreational cannabis are psychoac tive THC. Not terribly surprising, right?

When researchers looked closely at the samples and their terpene contents, what they found was that products generally fall into three distinct categories: 1.) Can nabis that was high in the terpenes

caryophyllene and limo nene; 2.) Cannabis that was high in myrcene and pinene, and 3.) Cannabis that was high in terpino lene and myrcene.

Unfortunately, those categories did not corre spond directly to being indica, sativa, or hybrid, according to researchers. In other words, a sample with the label indica will have an indistinguishable terpene composition as samples labeled sativa or hybrid — and it’s impossible to figure out which one

they are based on terpenes alone.

Dispensaries are required to disclose the dosage information on the label so customers are aware of the percentage of THC and CBD, but they are not required to list information about other com pounds, including terpenes. They

can also call the product whatever they choose.

You would imagine that all Blue Dream strains are the same no matter what dispensary you are shopping at, but according to researchers, it just depends on the strain.

Lesson #2: It has immeasurable health benefits

Professor Angela Bryan and her colleagues have spent the last several years studying how commercial canna bis products influence and affect public health.

In order to study these effects, Bryan and her colleagues must drive to the study participants’ homes and take health-related measurements in the van before the participants consume THC edibles or flower in their own homes.

Due to federal law, all cannabis products come from the participants, not

from Bryan.

After the participants consume the cannabis, their measurements are retaken. What Bryan and her team have found is that cannabis provides beneficial effects for people who are in chronic pain, people who have anxiety, and those who have cancer. In fact, more than 87% report using medical marijuana for pain-related conditions.

The early data from the study shows that when people use a THC strain containing CBD they show fewer signs of intoxication and less cognitive impairment. Adults with chronic pain who receive cannabis treatment have been shown to see a significant reduction in pain, accord ing to researchers. And in adults with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, oral cannabinoids have ef fectively kept patients from vomiting, according to their research.

And while numerous studies have also shown that many people remain hesitant to try cannabis because they are worried they will feel too high or anxious, these researchers have noted that there may not be a way to

» Colorado’s cannabis industry is officially the big 1-0. Here are all the lessons we’ve learned over the last decade.

resolve that. What they’ve found is that the right combination of cannabidiol CBD and THC can help patients reap therapeutic benefits without the side effects that are concerning to some potential users.

Those who use a THC+CBD strain report feeling less physically and men tally stoned and have less of a desire to smoke more, according to researchers. The study has also found that using a CBD and THC combination results in lower levels of circulating cytokines. Cytokines are markers of inflammation often associated with pain located in the blood. Previous studies in animals suggest CBD and THC may work syner gistically to fight inflammation and pain, while CBD may attenuate the cognitive impairment associated with THC — which this study appears to back up.

Other recent studies have shown that cannabis has also been shown to help regulate and prevent diabetes. Research conducted by the American Alliance for

Medical Cannabis has shown it to stabi lize blood sugars, lower blood pressure, and improve blood circulation.

Lesson #3: There may be some risks to certain groups

Cannabis use is not without risk, especially for pregnant women and young people who are still developing. Recent research from the University of Colorado Boulder found that teenagers who are heavy cannabis users are po tentially at risk of sleep problems later in life, and use by pregnant women may increase the risk of sleep problems in their children.

CU Boulder studied 1,882 twins from the Colorado Twin Registry during the study, and participants completed sur veys about their sleep habits, marijuana use, and mental health. Researchers found that about one-third of the par ticipants who started using marijuana before they turned 18 suffered from

insomnia, compared to less than 20% of those who did not smoke marijuana regularly before they turned 18.

There are theories about why early cannabis use causes sleep problems later in life, but scientists aren’t exactly sure what causes it. One theory is that the cannabinoid receptors are being desensitized or disturbed by all the cannabis when the brain is still develop ing, leading to sleep issues later in life. Brain imaging studies have shown early marijuana use can alter the develop ing prefrontal cortex, which leads to structural changes in the brain, which bolsters this idea.

During the study, researchers looked at 472 identical twin pairs that share 100% of their genetic makeup and 304 fraternal pairs that share only 50%, and researchers were able to infer to what degree the traits were inherited. What they concluded was that many of the same genes that contribute to the risk of early cannabis use are also associat

ed with insomnia — and insomnia with short sleep. Researchers acknowledge that there’s a chance that sleep prob lems could influence marijuana use — and that cannabis use can influence sleep problems.

Researchers don’t believe that all strains of marijuana are bad for every one all of the time. Certain strains have been shown to be beneficial in promot ing sleep, especially if used occasionally. One thing researchers do stress is for young people not to use marijuana as a sleep aid because their brains are still developing.

And researchers also found that while there are multiple ways to consume marijuana that might not seem as bad as smoking, it’s not a good idea while pregnant. Even exposure during preg nancy can have negative consequences, according to researchers. Studies have shown evidence that using marijuana in any form during pregnancy is associated with decreased academic ability, cogni

tive function, and attention in the offspring.

Lesson #4: Cannabis users aren’t

actually lazy

We’ve all heard jokes about how stoners are just couch potatoes eating left over pizza and Funyuns while watching TV, but Bryan’s research — outlined above — found that this was not true. What Bryan’s research found was that cannabis users tend to have a lower body mass index, better insulin function, and better waist-to-hip ratio and are more likely to meet exercise recommendations than non-users.

Bryan and her colleagues also found that 80% of those interviewed mix marijuana with work ing out, with 70% saying it increases enjoyment. Another 78% of participants claim it boosts recovery, and 52% say it motivates them.

Another recent study showed that adults 40 and older who regularly use cannabis spend more time engaging in physical activity than non-users, adding to the theory that cannabis users aren’t living up to the lazy hype. This results in cannabis users engaging in roughly 2.5 more hours per week of light to mod erate physical activity than the average non-user.

It might surprise some that the research doesn’t support the idea that cannabis users are lazy, but cannabis users can be found in nearly all arenas of sports and exercise — especially in Colorado, where an active lifestyle is the norm. But non-lazy stoners take part in all types of activities, according to research, from surfing, bike riding, snowboarding, and skiing to running long distances.

One of the drivers in cannabis use in people 40 and over might be because they are using it for pain relief, and with that pain relief comes the ability to par ticipate in activities they enjoyed when they were younger. After all, cannabis has been shown to have anti-inflamma tory and anti-analgesic properties, but there is no single identifiable reason as to why cannabis reduces inflammation. Researchers believe that cannabinoids are able to create pathways in the brain that reduce or shut off the body’s

anti-inflammatory response. Whatev er the reason, it is very promising for those searching for alternative forms of pain relief, especially when it’s between dangerous and addictive painkillers or cannabis.

Lesson #5: Legalization increased use, but not necessarily problems

According to research from CU Boulder, residents in states with legal cannabis use marijuana 24% more fre quently than residents of states where it remains illegal. However, while canna bis markets allow for an uptick in use, ongoing research has shown no increase in behavioral problems in states where cannabis is legal.

In fact, property crime and violent crime rates tend to decrease after states legalize cannabis. Even the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service has stated that their research indicates that medical marijua na laws significantly reduce violent and property crime rates.

And while critics of legal marijuana have long claimed that crime and drug use will increase, recent studies show how untrue those claims are. DUIs and crime did not explode following legaliza tion in any state.

Several studies also have shown that opioid use and deaths have actually declined in states following legalization. According to an extensive study by BMJ, higher storefront cannabis dispensary counts are associated with reduced

opioid-related death rates at the county level.

Furthermore, numerous studies have proven that legalization not only results in less marijuana being smuggled into the U.S. from other countries, but that the legislation also affects the amount of cocaine and heroin that is brought into the country as well. When the de mand for marijuana declines, this hurts the importers so much that they have trouble importing other drugs, too.

To be fair, this is a relatively new area of research. Future research needs to be done to ensure that limitations in recent studies do not provide insufficient data for these claims. Only a few states have been examined thoroughly, and with legalization on the rise, it is important to continue evaluating its effects on crime, as well as other concerns regarding marijuana use and legalization.

Lesson #6: Less may be more

Researchers have also found that just because users take more cannabis doesn’t necessarily mean they will get any higher, but it just might put them at greater risk of long-term adverse side effects.

Researchers theorize that no matter the THC intake, the cannabinoid recep tors in the brain might at some point be so oversaturated with high levels of THC that using more cannabis will not do much more. In other words, at some point, the user will be at their limit and they won’t get any higher.

To come to this conclu sion, researchers assessed over 120 regular users, with half of the users used some form of concentrate, while the other half used flower. What they found was that potency did not track intoxication levels. The concentrate users did not get any higher than the flower users, even with the higher potency of the concentrates.

However, there were striking differences in blood levels between the two groups. Still, the feelings of being high were remarkably similar, regardless of what type or potency of cannabis participants used. Their balance and cognitive impairment mea sures were similar, too.

The study also found that the partic ipants’ balance was about 11% worse after using cannabis and memory was compromised. But within about an hour, that impairment faded.

Researchers aren’t sure how the concentrate group could have such high THC levels without more significant intoxication, however, but they suspect a few things are at play. For starters, regular users of concentrates likely de velop a tolerance over time. There may also be genetic or biological differences that make some people metabolize THC more quickly. And, it may be that once the compounds in marijuana, called can nabinoids, fill receptors in the brain that spark intoxication, additional cannabi noids will have little impact.

At the end of the day, what we’ve really learned is that 10 years of legal marijuana has brought some interesting discoveries from those researching all aspects of the plant, its uses, and its effects — and we’ve learned some inter esting anecdotal lessons, too. It’s been a fascinating decade, to say the least, and we can only imagine what the next 10 years will bring, especially as our tech nology and research methods improve.

And, with any hope, the continued acceptance of cannabis will ensure that there is even more research into the plant that brings so many of us our daily dose of blissfulness. The more we know, you know?

Want to get Luscious?

You know a product is good when a ton of different people – some of whom rarely smoke; others who are regular im bibers; some who have shied away from cannabis because of panic attacks – all like it, even with their unique, individual ized preferences.

That was the case with the LucidMood vape pens, which are disposable vape pens filled with a mix of THC distillate, CBD and CBG isolate, and superior sourced terpenes. The concentrates in these pens aren’t cut with filler oils, including Vitamin E acetate, so you don’t have to worry about any of that gnarly junk causing health issues. These pens come in a variety of different THC to CBD rations and are meant to produce “designer highs” – LucidMood’s words, not mine.

Got all that? Good. So, LucidMoods offers five different varieties of pens, all of which have “L” names: Luscious, Luminous, Loving, Lively, and Lullaby. Not gonna lie to you – I seriously hate the names – but that’s OK, because I love. these. pens. I just don’t like buying them because saying you want a Luscious pen is a little horrifying. Anyway.

As I said, it doesn’t matter if I like the names because these pens are badass. I first encountered them when my sister was visiting for Snowdown – we bought the Luscious and Loving pens that time –and that was when we realized how well these pens work for all types of smokers. My sister had been a frequent smoker in her early 20s but stopped at some point because she would have panic attacks after smoking, which is not uncommon with a lot of people (especially if they’re buying whatever clandestine weed they can get in a state with no legal market). I had to peer pressure her into trying these vapes, and surprise! She didn’t have a panic attack. She had a giggly, easy to handle high and we all sat around laughing at dumb shit for a couple hours after imbibing.

It was a good experience – not only be cause the LucidMoods vapes didn’t cause anxiety, but also because they tasted so freaking good. The Luscious vape tasted herbal, clean, and a bit like a fancy in cense. Whatever it was, it tasted nothing like weed, which was perfect for her noob

ass. That vape became our go-to during her trip, which is saying something, con sidering that I have an entire shelf full of flower and concentrates.

And given the fact that this vape was the only thing she’d imbibe on, you will not be surprised to hear that she loaded up on them before heading back to the prohibition state where she lived.

So, for all of those reasons, I was stoked when Prohibition asked me to review one of the vapes for this issue. I figured I’d switch it up this time and try out the Lively version, since we’d already tried out the other two.

Each pen has a different ration of CBD and THC, along with some other unique properties, and Lively, a 2:1 THC to CBD ratio, uses terpenes like Limonene and Valencene to help wake you up and lift your mood. As with the other Lucid Moods vapes, the Lively version tasted delicious – like a flowery, somewhat citrusy cloud of vapor rather than weed. If you’re averse to the taste of flower, you will LOVE these things.

And you’ll also love the effects. I was a little worried that this particular version would cause some anxiety because it’s meant to wake you up, but I had none of that biz after I used it. I was awake, raring to go, and not hungry in the slightest.

Too bad I used it at like 10 pm, because all of those qualities are awesome during the day. At night? Eh, not awesome unless you’re on deadline or something. And, I was not. So I found myself awake, weirdly chill, and yet still motivated until about midnight, when I finally gave in and imbibed on some sleepy indica flower to knock me out.

I’m super impressed with these handy little vapes, friends. They are so conve nient, they taste great, they don’t smell bad, and so far they’ve worked exactly as described on the package. If I could rename them, they’d be perfect. But until someone puts me in charge of that, I’ll just suck it up and order the damn Luscious vape. No shame when a product is this good.

— DGO Pufnstuf

» Don’t lie, you totally do. And you can do JUST THAT with LucidMood’s line vape pens

Blumese did not give us the blues

» Or the meses, for that matter. It was all smooth, stoned sailing with this strain.

“Should I order a bunch of Chinese food from Door Dash: Y or N” – this was the last text message I sent out after smoking a bowl of Blumese while on a trip to Denver late last month.

I don’t remember sending it out – I ac tually don’t remember much of anything, really – and it’s all due to this wicked, strong-as-bull strain from The Green House in Durango.

Let me start from the beginning, though. A friend and I made the trip to Denver to attend the Great American Beer Festival, which someone on Insta gram so lovingly called “The Coachella of beer festivals.” If you’ve never gone, I highly (heh) recommend it … but I digress.

Anyway, we stopped at The Green House prior to our trip to pick up a gram of Blumese to review for this issue. I’d never smoked this strain before, and my friend, who rarely imbibes, had definitely not done so, either.

A quick Google search informed us that Blumese is an indica strain that was “originally developed for greenhouse grows with the aim of growing high yield ing plants with amazing terpene profiles at the same time,” according to Durango Cannabis Company, which grew this par ticular batch we were picking up.

According to DCC, this strain is a cross between the legendary Blue Dream and Burmese Kush, and the container we were handed contained … wait for it … freaking 26.7 percent THC. (The Green House is trying to kill us.)

Needless to say, my friend and I were a little afraid of this strain. But, as usual, fear didn’t get in the way of our stoner stupidity, and after a couple of beers at GABF (read: 800 or so), we decided to try it out. I loaded a bowl, lit it up, and things almost immediately went fuzzy.

I remember laughing a lot – like a lot, a lot – and I remember thinking it would be hilarious to speak in a 1920s mobster ac cent, which set my friend off into a bout of laughter that seemed to last for an eternity. And then, I remember nothing.

But, as usual, the evidence the next morning told a telling tale of two super stoned, super hungry people stuck in a

Denver hotel room with no cable. Prior to looking around our room, I pulled up my text messages, which went from normal to nonsense (see the Door Dash text as evidence).

Once glance around the room and it was clear we’d gone with the “Y” in that equation and ordered Chinese food. A LOT of Chinese food.

Sitting next to me on the nightstand was an open container of sweet and sour sauce – yeah, I’m ashamed – and a container of cheese wontons. There were about 50 discarded Rice Krispies treat wrappers tossed on my bed, which we’d apparently retrieved from the car at some point, and boxes of rice, sweet and sour chicken, whatever my friend ate, and soda cans strewn haphazardly around the rest of the room.

I don’t even want to know what we spent.

We tried to piece together the night with our respective memories, and my friend remembered at one point we left the room to get drinks and locked ourselves out, so we had to return to the front desk of the hotel, red eyed and giggly, to get a new key. I was apparently barefoot. More shame.

On the upside, we had nary a hangover from the million beer challenges we’d put ourselves up to the night before, so Blumese did its job. And, to be fair, it did its job on the “get us super stoned” end, too. So stoned we ordered food and laughed at everything.

I highly recommend you check out this strain, but I also recommend you hide your credit cards and Door Dash login from yourself beforehand. Otherwise you’re going to end up stoned, full o’ carbs, and food-broke the next morning. Otherwise, have at it.

That strain and its 26.7 percent THC won’t smoke itself, and a strain this fun should never go to waste.

— DGO Pufnstuf

Hi there! It’s time for another Q&A with our good buddies Blaze and Puf. These two potheads are here to answer all of your burning questions about cannabis, legalization, and other weed-related inquiries. That’s basically all they’re good for — that and smoking weed — so you might as well take advan tage of their useless knowledge as you see fit.

This month, we have all sorts of awesome questions to answer for you. From gluten-free edible options to solutions for solving your joint-rolling problems, here are your questions about pot for our in-house potheads.

Have questions to ask these two fools? Send them to editor@ dgomag.com and we’ll do our best to answer them. And, feel free to send them allll over — your wild, wacky, and just plain weird questions about weed. Nothing shocks us at this point. And we do mean nothing.

I live in a state where weed isn’t legal, but I want to get high. I see these shops with hemp-derived delta 8 products all over the place, but I’m a little hesitant to try them. So what are the dangers of unregulated delta 8 or delta 9 prod ucts?

Blaze: It can be super tempting to pick up some Delta products when you are in a state where you can’t find legal cannabis, especially if you are on vacation, but don’t just jump head first into buying it without knowing the risks.

Delta products are unregulated, so you can’t necessarily believe what the packaging says, as there are no formal rules for testing or marketing the prod ucts. And that could result in some not so great things.

For example, according to the CDC and FDA, consuming low-quality Delta prod ucts could result in poisoning. But what’s more is that Delta 8 and 9 are both

cannabinoids found in marijuana, but the version you are getting with these prod ucts is synthesized from hemp oil. If there aren’t internal safety measures in place, it could result in the dosage information being off, so there’s a genuine concern that you could take too much of this good thing.

And, doing so could suck. While you won’t die from high THC intake alone (synthesized or otherwise), it can result in a gross, unwanted high. For example, some people suffer from hallucinations, vomiting, tremors, anxiety, dizziness, confusion, and sometimes even lack of consciousness.

I’ll tell you that I have tried a handful of different brands and find them all to vary in strength and onset time. Sometimes I’ve had a 25 mg edible and the effects felt super pleasant. But the next time, and with the same brand, I felt like I was miles past being too high to ride my bike. Other times I’ve felt nothing at all. It just seems so hit or miss, and definitely doesn’t seem worth it unless you just can’t function without something in your system and can’t find the real thing. Start off small and see where it takes you, though. Do not just jump in without knowing how your body will react.

Puf: I mean, Blaze pretty much knocked it out of the park with that long-winded answer, but I’ll try to add something useful. So yeah. The main problem with these prod ucts is that there’s no real way that they’re being regulated. Unlike cannabis, any com pany can jump on the Delta 8 bandwagon and schlep some junk at the corner store, the headshop, or wherever you may find them. That makes finding Delta 8 products convenient but doesn’t necessarily mean they’re safe.

We saw something similar with the CBD craze that happened a few years back. Once CBD oil was available across the nation, plenty of shady manufactur ers popped up with a CBD get rich quick scheme. And what resulted from that? Well, not much that was good.

There were numerous investigative re ports into what was contained in some of the CBD oil you could find on the shelves in non-legal states, and unsurprisingly, there were some nasty things found, including traces of acetone or butane in some cases (which is what is commonly used to leech the oil from hemp). That

kind of stuff is obviously not ideal when you’re putting something into your body.

That doesn’t mean that they were all like that, nor does it mean that Delta 8 products are all being pushed by some fly-bynight company looking to make a quick buck without taking care of their custom ers. But it’s still buyer be ware for stuff like this, and if you can avoid it, I would.

I love to smoke joints but suck at rolling them. What are the best cones or wraps for someone like me?

Blaze: Not everyone can roll the perfect joints, so you aren’t alone. RAW cones seem to be the most widely available cones these days, which is good news for you. These cones are easily filled with your favorite flowers, and I consider them fool proof. You can find them in a handful of sizes to take care of any task.

King Palm Terp Infused Palm Leaf Cones are an excellent alternative for someone looking for some flavor with their smoke session. King Palm has over 30 flavors, like Berry Terps, Banana Cream, and Lemon Haze, and they come in a few different sizes as well.

If you want to get a little more exotic, check out Smoke Roses Goji Berry Cones. These goji berry fruit-infused blunt cones feature exotic terps and a one-gram capacity. They also burn slower than just about any other pre-roll on the market and taste amazing.

Puf: Umm, hello, Juicy Jay’s! Just kidding. You have a ton of options, and I know this because I’m also awful at rolling joints. Like, there’s no point in even trying. I will not succeed.

Anyway, as Blaze mentioned, RAW cones are always a win, and they’re super easy to come by, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding them. They’re essen tially fool-proof, too. You just grind up the ol’ weed and dump it into your cone.

Twist the end and call it a day.

That said, I’ve been super into flavored cones recently, and that’s where Juicy Jay comes in. Never have I ever seen so many fruit-flavored cones! You get your pick of blueberry, grape, blackberry, watermelon, and maybe some others? I don’t remem ber. But what I do know is that I love the watermelon option. It sounds like it could be gross with your weed, right? But it’s not. It truly isn’t.

Or, if you want more exotic flavors, may I suggest Cyclones? These bad boys are translucent (which is cool!) and they have flavors like Ice Dream, Chill Blue, and Pimperschnapps, which is a mix of peach and mint. I don’t know why it

works, but it does.

Otherwise, Blaze offered some pretty good suggestions above. You have a ton of options for your joint-noob-rolling self, so have at it.

Ugh. So I smoked quite a bit the past few weeks but just found out that I have to take a drug test. Is there a surefire way to ensure that I can pass my drug test? Help!

Blaze: Oof. Been there and it isn’t fun at all. Passing a drug test when you’re definite ly within the window of popping positive for cannabis can be done in some cases, but it typically just depends on the type of test

you have to take. You may not be able to game the system on certain types of tests.

The most important thing you can do from the get-go is to start drinking water. Tons and tons of water. Rumor has it that that alone can help flush out your system if you’re on the tail end of the window in some cases, but don’t rely too heavily on that advice. It’s totally anecdotal.

If you are taking a urine test, you have a few options. Drink as much water as possible and take the maximum dosage of vitamin B2 (Riboflavin). You can also boost your fluid output by taking diuretics to help you flush your body out quickly.

Detox drinks are an other great thing to add to the mix and can be an other layer of security to passing when combined with water. I haven’t had to utilize one in a hot minute, but I’m guessing that you can find them at any headshop. Just be aware that they’re disgusting and you’ll hate life, and you do need to follow the instructions to a T in order to maximize your chances of them working.

Hair follicle tests will be a bit more challenging to come out on the positive side. You can find multiple types of detox kits, pills, and shampoo, all of which are specially de signed to rid your hair follicles of toxins.

The best way to use the shampoo is to use it at least three days before your test, and preferably around 10 days before. Make sure to leave it in for at least 15 minutes each time you wash your hair. And, it is recommended to do at least 15 washes for maximum effectiveness.

That said, none of these methods are guaranteed. It sucks, but might still be worth a try depending on what the drug test is for.

Puf: I do not envy you. Getting rid of cannabis in your system is not an easy task

because it can stay in your system for up to 90 days, which means you can detect it for a window of up to three months.

If you’re trying to beat a drug test, the first thing you should know is that it won’t be easy. It will also depend on last time you smoked (or ate) cannabis, as well as a ton of other factors, like your body composition and the type of test you’re being asked to take.

If it’s a urine screen, you can dump some money into a detox kit and drink a ton of water to try and maximize your chances of beating it. But we know many, many people who have tried and failed to do so, so don’t bank on it being a magic answer to your problem. There are tons of options available online, so just take your pick (but read the reviews first).

If it’s a hair test, well…I don’t know what to tell you about that, other than RIP your job opportunity, or probation, or whatever else you’re drug testing for. Beating a hair test is not easy.

You can try the methods Blaze suggested above, of course, but again, I haven’t personally seen anyone conquer those things. They’re pretty annoyingly failsafe.

A blood test, on the other hand, ain’t no big thang! If you’re taking a blood

test, the window in which you will pop positive is only about 12 hours, so just maybe don’t imbibe for a day or two beforehand and you’ll be good.

A saliva test has a window of 24 hours on average, so again, if you are lucky enough to draw that straw, just avoid using cannabis for a few days and you should be good to go.

I want to start using cannabis ex tractions, but there are so many dif ferent options, and I don’t know which one to pick. Can you help me narrow them down?

Blaze: If I were you, i would start with something user-friendly. Many extractions will require you to have specific gear, like a butane torch, to heat up shatter or wax. Try a concentrate on a disposable vape.

Disposable vapes can’t be recycled, so an eco-friendly choice I support is Pax Era vapes. Pax Era vapes have cartridges that you can swap out, which will keep you from adding to the mountain of batteries that cant be recycled. They’re also super user-friendly, which is great for someone who’s just starting out.

Puf: Yeah, extracts are great, but they ar en’t necessarily easy to use if you’re trying to conquer something like shatter or wax. If you want to go that route, you’ll need either some specific gear or a vape specif ically made for dipping into a concentrate. For that reason alone I say you should steer clear initially.

I would start with, as Blaze suggested, a vape pen that comes pre-loaded with concentrate. There are tons and tons and toooooons of options available, so you have your pick. I grab one every time I go to the dispensary because they’re so convenient to keep around the house.

Or, if you want to dump a little more change into this experiment, you can always pick up a battery and some carts to swap out. Those are also filled with concentrate (obviously) and there are lots of options to choose from, whether you want a high-end terpene-filled cart or something you can try and discard if you hate it.

Best bet is to ask a budtender next time you’re in the dispensary. Tastes are particular to each person, and what I love may not be the best answer for you.

I love edibles, but I have to be really careful because I have a gluten allergy. Are there gummies or other edibles that are certified to be gluten-free?

Blaze: There are plenty of options when it comes to gluten-free gummies and edi bles. Many cannabis companies in Colorado are offering some really great gluten-free options. Take your pick! Most dispensaries offer a gluten-free option, whether it’s gummies, chocolates, and even boysen berry lollipops if you’re into that type of thing. The products are typically labeled as gluten-free, too, so you don’t even have to guess at it to figure it out.

And, at this point in our timeline, nearly all dispensaries will have multiple gluten-free options to choose from, so don’t hesitate to ask your budtender or check out your favorite dispensaries’ website and browse around. Gluten-free products will be labeled as such.

Puf: Well, well. You’re in luck! There are tons of gluten-free edibles out there for you gluten-intolerant folks. And what’s even better is that they’re not gross (unlike most gluten-free bread, which should be burned in a bonfire).

For starters, all you need to do is track down some Robhots, which are gummies that you can find allllll around Colorado. Their entire line is gluten-free, and they even have an option that has a liquid cen ter, kind of like an adult Gusher, but filled with beautiful THC! That’s a level-up if we’ve ever seen one.

Coda also offers gluten-free options, and their edibles are available all over Colorado. You can find them pretty much anywhere, including Durango, and they have some epic flavor combos, too. Want to try out some lychee-cucumber edibles? Well you can! There are also mango-chile-lime edibles too, which warms my half-Mexican heart to its core. So many gluten-free options!

And there are plenty of others, too. Ripple, Wana, Incredibles, Dixie Elixers, Nfuzed, and almost certainly dozens more offer gluten-free edibles, so just ask someone at the dispensary to find out what your options are. You have PLENTY of them. The world is literally your little weed oyster.

I was cleaning out my office drawer and found a really old joint. Is it safe to smoke for ancient times’ sake, and will I even get high if I do?

Blaze: Umm, you can always try it and see what happens, but THC will degrade over time, so there is a good chance that ancient joint isn’t going to get you really high. I would suggest ripping the paper and

throwing it back into nature. As much as you might not want to see what appears to be good weed tossed, sometimes it’s better just to let it go.

Puf: Hahaha. Wow. This happened to me once at a paper a long time ago. We were cleaning out some drawers and found some long-gone reporter’s one-hitter, a little bag o’ weed, and a lighter. We were all tempted to go outside and light one up (or pour one out) for the homie.

But you know what we ultimately did not do with it? Smoke it.

Not because we were anti-cannabis, mind you. We did not smoke it because it was very old and there would be no point in doing so. The THC in weed doesn’t last forever, and if it’s exposed to light, heat, or other environmental factors, it can degrade pretty quickly.

So, we did exactly what Blaze sug gests: We returned it to nature. Some times you just gotta call it a loss and move on.

Or smoke it if you want, I guess. It probably won’t hurt you, but chances are it won’t taste very good, and you proba bly won’t get very high. And what’s the fun in that?

FEEDBACK!

Dispensary listings

DURANGO

Border Buds, 1929 US-550, (970) 259-2639, borderbuds.com

Colorado Grow Co., 965 1/2 Main Ave., (970) 259-1647, coloradogrowcompany.com

Durango Organics, Bodo Park, 2 Suttle St., Suite F & G, (970) 259-3674, durangoorganics. com

Durango Organics, Grandview, 37 Co Rd. 232, (970) 426-4381, durangoorganics.com

Durango Rec Room, 145 E College Dr., (970) 764-4087, durangorecroom.com

The Greenery, 208 Parker Ave., Suite E, (970) 403-3710, durangogreenery.com

The Green House, 730 S Camino Del Rio, (970) 247-2420, thegreenhousecolorado.com

Kinfolk Farms, 83A Davidson Creek Rd., (970) 759-8683, kinfolk-farms.com

LOVA Canna Co –Durango, 1135 S Camino Del Rio, Suite 220, (970) 422-8029, lovaco.com

Mammoth Farms Dispensary, 927 CO-3, (970) 422-3282

Mountain Annie’s, 1644 CO Rd. 203, 970247-2190, mountainanniescannabis.com

Prohibition Herb, 1185 Camino Del Rio, (970) 385-8622, prohibitionherb.com

Rocky Mountain High, 120 E 36th St., (970) 259-4093, rockymountainhigh.co

Santé, 742 ½ Main Ave., (970) 375-2837, sante colorado.com

Telluride Bud Company, 3473 Main Ave.,

(970) 422-8311, telluridebc.com

CORTEZ

Chronic Therapy, 1020 S. Broadway, (970) 529-2045, chronictherapy.com

Doobie Sisters, 695 N Broadway, (970) 5652345, doobiesistersco.com

Durango Organics, 1013 E Main St., (970) 565-6500, durangoorganics.com

The Herbal Alternative, 1531 Lebanon Rd., (970) 529-7007, theherbalalternative.net

LivWell Cortez, 1819 E Main St., (970) 5659577, livwell.com

Mountain Annie’s, 310 E Main St., (970) 564-

MANCOS

The Cultured Cannabis, 385 N Willow St., (970) 533-9931, theculturedco.com

LivWell Mancos, 101 Railroad Ave., (970) 533-9848, livwell.com

PAGOSA SPRINGS

The Green House, 270 E Pagosa St., (970) 264-4420, thegreenhousecolorado.com

Pagosa Therapeutics, 235 Bastille Dr., (970) 731-4420, pagosatherapeutics.com

San Juan Strains, 356 E Pagosa St., Unit B, (970) 264-5323, sanjuanstrains.com

Smoke Rings, 266 E Pagosa St., (970) 2640942, smokeringsco.com

Pagosa Craft Dispensary, 127 Goldmine Dr., (970) 264-0833,.pagosacraftcannabis.com

High Grade Specialists, 600 Cloman Blvd. #1, (970) 731-3202, highgradespecialists.com

FARMINGTON

The Alchemist, 115 W Main St., (505) 2584180, thealchemistllc.com

Distinguished Dispensary, 4601 English Rd., (505) 278-8524, distinguisheddispensary.com

Dreamz Dispensary, 3501 E Main St., SUITE i-2, (505) 258-4680, dreamzcannabis.com

The Grass Station, 928 E Main St., (505) 2788825, tgs505.com

Oasis Cannabis Dispensary, 428 E Main St., (888) 505-3947, oasiscannabisnm.com

Purlife Farmington, 3024 E Main St., STE A, (505) 695-2360, purlifenm.com

The Reef Joint, 3000 E 20th St., Suite D2, (505) 278-8963, thereefjoint.com

Toke Dispensary, 4339 E Main St., Ste A, (505) 278-8823, ziatoke.com

Ultra Health Dispensary Farmington, 4251 E Main St., Suite D, (505) 258-4634, ultra health.com/new-mexico-dispensaries/farming ton-2/

5181, mountainanniescannabis.com

Opening Pandora’s synthetic weed box

» California’s cannabis industry is pushing back against the nationwide Delta-8 industry — and for good reason

The California Cannabis Industry Association recently published a white paper entitled “PANDORA’S BOX: The Dangers of a National, Unregulated, Hemp-Derived Intoxicating Cannabinoid Market,” which addressed the state of the synthetic cannabinoid market. The report’s main focus refers to the approv al of the 2018 Farm Bill, which approved both hemp material and byproducts — and has led to loopholes that allow a thriving but unregulated Delta 8 market to schlep products nationwide.

When it was introduced, most people assumed that the bill was intended to legalize non-intoxicating hemp products like CBD. What Congress didn’t realize that they essentially left the door open for synthetic hemp-based THC products — but they did. It passed, and now we’re watching the ramifications of it across the nation.

And now the California cannabis asso ciation is speaking out about the dangers of that.

The problem with unregulated hemp THC products

“On May 19, 2022, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal issued its ruling in AK Futures, LLC v. Boyd Street Distro, LLC, 35 F4th 682 (9th. Cir. 2022), affirming a District Court’s decision that products containing Delta-8 THC are lawful under the Farm Bill because they meet the stat utory definition of industrial hemp—even though they can get consumers high,” the white paper states.

It also outlines the potential problem with the exploitation of this loophole, stating: “While cannabis and its deriv atives remain federally illegal, massive loopholes in the federal definition of hemp are being exploited by ‘hemp’ product manufacturers to sell extremely potent, often chemically synthesized intoxicants that are more powerful than anything available in licensed cannabis dispensaries.”

In other words, what the white paper is saying is that having chemically synthe sized intoxicants, i.e. Delta-8 and Delta-9 products synthesized from hemp (along with all of the other synthetic hempbased cannabinoids that are popping up), on the shelves of any store, anywhere

that it hasn’t been outlawed, without reg ulations or licensing, is a big, fat problem. While cannabis in legal states is subject to strict regulation and safety standards, these products aren’t…which means that you’re running the risk of ingesting things that may not be on the label, with THC quantities listed that may not be accurate.

And, in some cases, the synthetic THC contained in these products is a hell of a lot more potent than what’s on the shelves in the dispensaries. It’s not unusual to see synthetic Delta-8 edible packages in some states (ahem, Texas) with 1,000 milligrams on the label. If you’ve ever accidentally over imbibed on real weed, you know what the issues with that could be.

So what can be done about

it?

The white paper outlines four recom mendations to address the issue.

The first issue calls for necessary federal legalization of the cannabis plant, which would deter these types of unregu lated products from being bought or sold. The white paper recommendation states:

“Cannabis needs to be legalized and regulated at a federal level, and all plants grown for cannabinoid content should be subject to a similar set of regulations rather than an arbitrary, unworkable THC threshold.”

The white paper also recommends that the 2018 Farm Bill loopholes be fixed to prevent the unregulated delta producers from going unchecked. While the loop holes have allowed people in prohibition states to purchase edibles and other products with THC, it’s not a safe way to allow it.

The third recommendation in the white paper is for the Food and Drug Admin istration to “approve or disapprove of novel or synthesized cannabinoids not found in the plant in commercial quanti ties.” Colorado has already done that by outlawing synthetic Delta-8 products, but there aren’t a ton of other states who have joined in.

The fourth calls on the government of California to enforce existing laws to pro tect consumers. “Given the lack of federal leadership on cannabis policy, California has an opportunity to set an example for

other states by crafting and implement ing a coherent regulatory framework that encompasses all plants grown for cannabinoid content rather than indus trial purposes,” the paper states. “Now is the time to do that.”

What’s next?

It’s unclear as to whether or not anything will come of the white paper, but it’s a good first step to getting the unregulated market under control.

And, the FDA sent warning letters to five businesses back in May that were im properly selling Delta-8 products, which is another good start.

“The FDA is very concerned about the growing popularity of Delta-8 THC products being sold online and in stores nationwide,” FDA Principal Deputy Com missioner Janet Woodcock, M.D, said.

“These products often include claims that they treat or alleviate the side effects related to a wide variety of diseases or medical disorders, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, nausea, and anxiety. It is extremely troubling that some of the food products are packaged and labeled in ways that may appeal to children. We will continue to safeguard Americans’ health and safety by moni toring the marketplace and taking action when companies illegally sell products that pose a risk to public health.”

Either way, the widespread availability of Delta products’ in states where no recreational cannabis use is genuinely is a cause for concern. You can find gum mies, flower, vapes, and pre-rolls at gas stations, corner stores, and head shops — and there’s no telling what’s in them. It’s an issue that needs to be addressed ASAP, before something happens and the canna bis industry faces the undue blame.

Study shows that smoking weed doesn’t make you look cool

Does sparking up a joint make you feel like you’re the king of cool? Do you think the giant cloud of smoke makes you look mysterious? According to a newly released study, it might have the opposite effect on the people around you.

Boooooooo. We need all the help we can get.

Anywho, researchers at Harvard Community College in Santa Monica, California, recently took the time to find out just how people see you as a pot smoker, and the results may be surprising to some of you. Researchers found that depending on users’ IQ, hygiene, income, and environment, smoking cannabis may make you appear less cool to people.

The study stemmed from Dr. Wallaby Frank watching the cult classic “Dazed and Confused,” in which there’s a scene where Matthew McConaughey’s char acter asks another actor if he had a joint with him. The guy tells him no, and McConaughey responds with, “It’d be a whole lot cooler if you did.”

Dr. Frank thought McConaughey’s character was the epitome of cool and, by default, should have had his own joint. This scene lit a fire with Frank to figure out what exactly it meant to be cool in relation to cannabis.

Frank and his team of professors in terviewed 374 participants, ranging from ages 12 to 99, who all claimed to smoke cannabis three or more times a week.

Frank said, “We also put a big fat red stamp on everyone under the age of 18 because you’re a kid and barely have a brain to begin with,” so it’s unclear why they even included them in the study. And, for what it’s worth, anyone who claimed they smoked because it was “cool” was immediately deemed uncool by the researchers.

“Many people assume that they’re automatically cool just because they consume marijuana, but in reality, this is untrue … Do you know who also smokes weed? Narcs,” Jill-Rose Neemoy, a re searcher involved in the study said.

Other signs of “uncoolness” associated with smoking cannabis include making less than $35,000 a year, being more than

$10,000 in debt, never having traveled outside of one’s country of birth, and having a diet 60% or more dependent on processed foods.

Researchers also found that some oth er odd factors made people seem uncool, including tipping less than 20%, having sweaty palms, shaky knees, the inability to play the piano, deciding to start an entire social media account dedicated to guns and weed, guns and shrooms, weed and shrooms, shrooms and coke, weed and coke, or coke and pills.

Factors that made cannabis smokers seem cool were dark humor, punctuality, a true passion for the cannabis plant that includes knowledge of cannabinoids, classifications, and a knowledge of the industry as a whole.

Dr. Frank said it was an incredibly difficult study to measure. He said that participants would show up dressed really nice, reeking of weed, with a big smile on their faces, and the researchers assumed the participant was cool. Then the researchers would ask what year World War One started, and the partici pants would have no idea which deemed them less cool.

“But on the flip side of that, someone else would come in dressed like a hippie, with no shoes on and sticks in his beard, but then he’d get to talking about theo retical statistics, free jazz, and endocri nology,” Frank said. “By the end, I’d be sitting there wondering who was actually conducting the study, me or him?”

With the new year just around the bend, maybe let this be a reason to try and get your high another way than smoking. You don’t want to be the only person judged for being a monster because you are smoking your cannabis instead of eating it or vaping it.

» But honestly? We beg to freaking differ, thank you.

ASK a of COU�LE POTHEADS

IS HERE FOR YOU!

DGO’s Blaze and Puf answer your weed questions you are too embarrassed to ask anyone else.

Come one, come all with your silly, embarrassing, or just plain weird questions about weed, weed-related issues, and whatever else you can dream up. We’ll do our best to answer them in the best way possible

And here we go.