DGO Magazine

October 2022 Weed did it first.

D GO

2022 Hashtag Con t est

Win a handmade glass blown piece from SlugWorth Glassware!

ENTER, FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS:

will be automatically entered. Contest ends on Oct 2 at 11:59 pm. The winner will be announced on Oct 6. Each post at a location will be counted, so you may have multiple entries. Must be able to

up

DGO is a free biweekly publication distributed by Ballantine Communications Inc., and is available for one copy per person. Taking more than five copies of an edition from a distribution location is illegal and is punishable by law according to Colorado Revised Statute 18-9-314.

DGO Magazine is published by Ballantine Communica tions Inc., P.O. Drawer A, Durango, CO 81302

4 My, how the weed tables turn

Well, well, well. Would you look at that.

A new study shows that weed smok ing is at an all time high...and the smokers may not be who you think they are. And yes, that pun was totally intended.

8 Get in where you fit in (at the dispensary)

If you’re a first time buyer at a Colo rado dispensary, just know that then process can be a little intimidating. But lucky you! You’re in for a treat, cause this guide will help make the awkward process a little easier than it otherwise would be.

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

9 Just eat it

Do you get a serious case of the munchies when you’re high as a kite? Well,just like some people like to eat while stoned, a few of us like to eat in order to get high. And by that we mean that they like edibles…all the edibles.

ON

The

Surprise, surprise

If you’re a weed smoker who abstains from other types of smoking — i.e. ciga rettes — the dislike you have of tobacco smoke may feel a bit, well, hypocritical. After all, you’re inhaling the smoke from a pipe or bong, right? So what’s the difference?

Well, there are some pretty big differ ences between the two, as science has proven, including the risk of lung cancer and other nasty nasties. But either way, you shouldn’t feel like you’re in the mi nority anymore after hearing the results of a recent Gallup Poll about cannabis vs. cigarette smokers.

According to the poll, the smoking tables have turned, and more Americans are now smoking marijuana than they are cigarettes. Poll results show that more than 16% of Americans smoke marijuana, up from 12% last year.

Historically, this is the highest report ed number of American adults to admit to cannabis use in the Gallup Polls. This poll was conducted from July 5-26, with participation from 1,103 adults.

And, what’s perhaps more interesting is that roughly half of American adults admitted to having tried marijuana at

least once. That is a significant increase compared to what poll results showed in 1969, when only 4% of American adults said they had tried marijuana.

While this is the first time that can nabis use has outweighed cigarette use, the trends for marijuana and cigarette trends have actually been headed in op posite directions for decades. Cigarette smoking has been in a steady decline since the 1980s, while marijuana use has been consistently increasing.

Interestingly, the uptick in the trend of marijuana smokers is led by younger adults. The National Institute of Health reported that in 2021 more young peo ple used marijana than any year prior, and young people (ages 18-29) are gen erally more likely to smoke a joint than they are a cigarette. Adults over 30 tend to go the other direction, but legality could be a factor in changing that.

And, according to the study, there is a correlation between education and cigarette smokers. The more educated a person is, the less likely they are to smoke cigarettes.

That’s not the case when it comes to marijuana, however. People with college

degrees are just as likely to use canna bis as those who do not have a college degree.

Another interesting takeaway from the study is that Democrats and Inde pendents tend to use cannabis in similar amounts, while Republicans admit to very little or no use. That alone proba bly isn’t shocking, but it does play a role when it comes to legalization in prohibi tive states. The Republican sentiment re garding cannabis means that red states like Texas may have a much longer road to legalization than states like Maryland might.

But the good news is that the over all sentiment regarding legalization has seen a big shift, and 68% percent of Americans now feel that marijuana should be legal — another record high. And, come November, six states could vote on ballot measures legalizing marijuana. If they pass, these states will join 19 other states where marijuana has been legalized.

The increasing number of marijuana users can certainly help politicians feel the pressure from their constituents. Af ter all, many Americans view marijuana

laws as archaic and unnecessary. More adults are using marijuana than ever be fore, and it’s time for the laws to reflect what the majority of people want.

The culture and stigmas around marijuana have changed greatly over the years. What was once considered a “gateway drug,” is now legal in 19 states across the country. The days of marijua na users being viewed as lazy, unproduc tive homebodies has changed. The sci ence and understanding of marijuana has also greatly changed. As the science and understanding of marijuana continues to change, so will the mindsets surrounding it. As the study indicates, we are almost certainly going to \see more and more people admitting to cannabis use as every year passes.

So, next time you decide to spark up a joint with your friends, remember that you are now in the majority when it comes to smoking — and remember that most of your neighbors are almost certainly on your side when it comes to legalization.

— DGO Staff

» New study shows that weed smoking is at an all time high... pun totally intended

What’s up with the downturn in Colorado’s cannabis industry?

While weed has become a staple in Colorado, the state is experiencing its first real downturn in the cannabis in dustry since weed was legalized in 2014. Market saturation, inflation, and compe tition from other legal states are playing a role in the decline. There has been a steady decline for over a year now. The ugly results of 13 months of declining sales is starting to show its face.

Colorado is currently witnessing dispensaries lay off employees and some are even closing their doors. Delivery services are struggling to keep their head above water and tax revenues are sinking as more states approve legaliza tion and inflation causes people to start pinching their pennies. 2022 has seen more than $906 million in marijuana sold, which is down from $1.2 billion in 2021.

Colorado has brought in 21% less revenue from the cannabis industry than from the same months of the year be fore. That is $53.7 million less than from the year before. Less revenue means

city and state budgets will be affected in the future. Many important programs and projects are funded through the revenue generated from cannabis sales.

School construction, recreation centers, substance abuse prevention, treatment programs and health services.

If this decline continues to march downward throughout 2022, the retail marijuana tax distribution to local gov ernments will drop from $27.8 million last year, to roughly $22 million in 2022. The State Public School Fund will also see a drop in its funding. It will fall from $31.5 million it received last year down to $24.9 million in 2022. The reality is that all programs that receive funding from marijuana taxes are going to be affected.

According to the state Marijuana Enforcement Division, the average price per pound has fallen nearly 60% since January of last year. Currently a pound of flower is selling for roughly $700 which is almost half the price it was selling for in 2021. The trim used for

things such as edibles, tinctures and oils was going for around $425 per pound last year. This year is seeing the same amount sell for $225 per pound. This is the lowest price since the state began tracking retail prices in 2014.

The state keeps offering more licenses as the doors of older establishments close. One of Colorado’s biggest brands, Veritas Fine Cannabis, laid off 33 em

ployees this year. That is almost a quar ter of its entire staff. They also closed one of their cultivation sites citing that the economic climate being a big factor in the decision. Other businesses that have decided to scale back are Bonfire Cannabis, Pure Greens, and the group behind the Buddy Boy Dispensaries. The reality is we are going to see more dispensaries shut down, and a lot of the

DO Cannabis Crawl DEALS!

Honored at all three locations! *Stamps for map will be available at the BODO location only.

Grandview Bodo Park Cor tez(REC Only) S-T: 10am - 7pm / W-S: 9am - 8pm 37 County Road 232 (970) 426-4381

MED 9am - 6:30pm / REC 9am - 8pm 72 Suttle Street Units F & G (970) 259-3674

MED & REC 9am - 8pm 1013 E. Main St. Cortez, CO (970) 565-6500

» The current decline in the state’s weed biz is a surprising and troubling turn of events

Green is going green

The cannabis industry is currently in the process of getting greener. The pressure growers are facing over their electricity use and the stress it puts on the electrical grid is continuing to increase. Waste is another issue that the industry is trying to combat. From paper and plastic waste to electric waste from vaping devices, these are all adding up.

Since cannabis is only legal in 19 states, and not federally, there are no tax breaks for installing new technologies the same way other industries can. This also means none of the federal gov ernment can fund research on how the cannabis industry can improve energy efficiency and minimize carbon dioxide emissions. Another strike against getting

data to learn how cultivation facilities can determine air-emission factors, is that the EPA is barred from researching cannabis production. The only thing related to the world of cannabis that the USDA can research is hemp with no more than 0.03% THC, and that’s only on a dry weight basis. If it doesn’t meet that criteria, then they can’t research it.

Energy use

Energy use is potentially the biggest factor when it comes to environmental impact. Many indoor grow operations are set up in old warehouses that were not originally designed to be used for cultivation. Due to regulations in places like Denver, indoor growing is the only

G H O S T W AL K

DU RA NG O

option. In other areas cannabis growers will use large scale greenhouses for their operations.

LED lighting has been one way that growers have found to cut back on their energy use and meet state regulatory standards, but they hardly see much of a difference in their electric bills. Part of the problem is that grow operations use high pressure sodium bulbs to pro duce heat for their grow rooms. If they switched those bulbs over to LED bulbs, they would lose that heat. Upgrading to LED bulbs to improve the heating and ventilation systems would cost millions. Once again, since cannabis is federally illegal, growers would see no tax credits or deductions for upgrading their busi ness.

A recent study sponsored by the Sustainable Cannabis Coalition mea sured energy use from the grow lights, dehumidifiers, and cooling systems at two separate indoor grow facilities. The preliminary results show that they are both using two to three times the amount of energy needed for their best production.

Filtration systems

A drive around downtown Denver’s warehouse district will easily let your nose know where grow facilities are located. Terpenes, also known as ‘volatile

organic compounds,’ from pine, lavender, and citrus will fill the air with their fra grance. These fragrant terpenes are not hazardous, but they are emitted from the grow facilities. Growers currently do not have to monitor the air emission out put of these volatile organic compounds.

The state, counties and cities all have odor ordinances that have essentially made facilities install carbon filtration systems and odor mitigating technology to help combat the terpene and skunky odors. New molecular filtration sys tems, known as carbon scrubbers have shown promising results when it comes to curbing the release of these VOC releases. These systems neutralize the odors before they are released into the environment.

Water usage

Water is one of the biggest environ mental impacts faced by growers. When the cannabis industry first started up in Colorado, growers treated water by reverse osmosis. This process removes heavy metals and sodium from water before they use it on their crops. The problem with reverse osmosis is that nearly half of the treated water ends up as waste water.

There is a more recent trend of using drip irrigation to water plants as op posed to using reverse osmosis. Some of these systems even have sensors to monitor the current moisture conditions in the facility. Drip watering helps make sure the plants are not overwatered which can reduce the water usage.

Recycling waste

Another big challenge facing the cannabis industry is the waste that is created from consumer packaging, elec tric waste and plant material.

Packaging waste is a big problem for the cannabis industry. Cardboard and plastic from packaging has become a problem. The use of cardboard and plastics was originally intended to help prevent cannabis products from getting into the hands of children, but policy makers didn’t really think of the environ mental problems that could arise from their use. Colorado allows dispensaries to collect packaging waste for re-use and recycling. This has led to dispensaries creating loyalty reward programs for their customers who bring back clean packaging and other various materials.

Electric waste from vape car

» How the cannabis industry in Colorado is making a shift to a more eco-friendly strategy

Feeling the heat

Colorado is feeling the heat. Ever since New Mexico legalized mar ijuana, the Centennial state has been seeing a decline in sales in the cannabis industry. Colorado was the first state to legalize can nabis and that meant people came from far and wide to spend their money within its borders. Now that neighboring states like New Mexico have passed legislation and legalized cannabis, the sales in Colorado are taking a hit. Most cannabis business owners knew this would happen at some point. Some see the decline as a temporary lull, and others feel the effects will be long lasting. Colo rado saw its largest revenue ever in 2021, where sales topped 2.22 billion dollars. The state collected an impressive $423 million in taxes from the 2021 sales alone. The end of 2021 saw a total of nearly $2 billion in taxes since legalization in 2014.

Multiple factors are affecting the Colorado cannabis business. Some think that the current gas prices are affecting sales. Some say it’s the economy. Others say it’s neighbor ing states becoming legal or the rising cost of housing and the cost of living. Maybe it’s a little bit of all of them.

Cannabis is currently more expen sive in New Mexico’s legal market than it is in Colorado. Currently the price of a gram on the black market is $5 a gram, while it’s $10 on the legal market. In Colorado, legal grams are going for $5 as well. According to the state Mar ijuana Enforcement Division, the average price per pound has fallen nearly 60% since January of last year. Currently a pound of flower is selling for roughly $700 which is almost half the price it was sell ing for in 2021. The trim used for things such as edibles, tinctures and oils was going for around $425

per pound last year. This year is seeing the same amount sell for $225 per pound. This is the lowest price since the state began tracking retail prices in 2014.

It appears that out-of-state con sumers aren’t willing to spend the extra money on gas to drive for Colorados cheaper prices. People can stay in the state they live in, pay more per gram, and save mon ey by not making the drive to Col orado for a cheaper product. Some

Take me home with you winners contest

see this as a temporary problem in hopes the economy will soon level out. New Mexico started off with around 250 retailers who were licensed and ready to go from the first day of legalization. This num ber alone is pretty staggering when you think that in one day Colorado businesses essentially got 250 new competitors in a single day.

The continual increase in cost related to the Colorado

On

26

» How New Mexico’s legal market is affecting the Centennial State

Stoner pro tip

How to blend in at a Colorado dispensary

If you’re a first time buyer at a Colora do dispensary, the process can be a little intimidating. Just know that you aren’t alone, and this guide will hopefully help make this process a little easier than my first time.

I will never forget the first time I bought a few grams at a dispensary in Boulder. I was in passing through on my way to Estes Park and thought I would jump at the opportunity to buy legal weed. As a product of being raised in Texas in the ’80s and ’90s, where weed was looked at no different than any drug, I was super skeptical and incredibly nervous. I remember seeing people get kicked out of headshops in Houston for simply saying the word “weed.”

So I gathered up the courage to walk in this dispensary in Boulder, and the second I walked in I felt like it was a trap. It looked too perfect. It was too orgain ized. There were display cases surround ing me with everything I had imagined. Every girl working in there was almost too pretty. I felt like I was on an episode of COPS, mid-sting, and at any second I was risking the door getting knocked down — with me taken away.

Once I got over my initial shock, I made my way up to the counter and the girl behind the counter asked what I’m looking for. My super epic response? Well, I blurted out, “A few grams of whatever.”

The only problem is that I did so in what seemed like the softest whisper ever — so no one could hear me. She then proceeded to sell me what she claimed will “pretty much make my brain stop,” and I hide it in my pocket and then I’m out the door.

I then quickly made my way to my rental car, where I told my friend to pop the trunk as fast as they could as

they stared at me like I was crazy. While slowly popping the trunk, they muttered, “You know thats legal, right? You dont have to hide it.”

But I felt like I did. After all, the childhood conditioning that warned me that weed was illegal and wrong and bad just wasn’t having any of it. I hid it in the trunk and made my way to Estes Park.

Things stopped being so dramatic from there, thank hell. After I got over my insane and irrational fear of getting popped, I had a great time and realized that I really over-thought my response to buying weed.

In other words? Don’t be me. It’s embarrassing. Let me try and make this a little smoother for you than it was for me on my first outing.

Do your research before you show up

Dispensaries can be very busy places, so having an idea of what you’re look ing for prior to arriving will make your experience a lot smoother. Try to decide

if you are looking for sativas, indicas, or hybrids, which will cut down on at least some of the pressure you feel in the situation. You can also check to see if the dispensary you plan on visiting has a website so you can see what they offer ahead of time. (Pro tip: They all do. Like, all of them.)

Bring your ID

No ID, no bueno. Make sure you show up with a valid photo ID — and that doesn’t mean a photocopy of your ID, or a picture of your ID, or having someone vouch for you, or proving that you’re old enough by the gray hairs on your head. It doesn’t matter. No ID, no entry.

Bringing an ID to a dispensary seems like a no brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people forget it. You wouldn’t show up to a bar or to catch a flight with out your ID, so why would you not bring it to a dispensary? You aren’t going to be placed on a list where you employer can check to see what you’ve been up to in the weed world. No ID, no dice.

Bring cold, hard cash

Remember that cannabis is legal at the state level, not the federal level. This means that some major banks and credit card companies might make it impossi ble to use plastic at the dispensary. And because of these issues, most dispensa ries operate on a cash-only basis. Save yourself a trip back to the ATM and show up with cash in your pocket.

Leave your phone in the car

It may be tempting to take pictures inside the dispensary, especially if its your first time visiting. However, this is

generally viewed as a no-no. It’s proba bly best to leave your phone in the car so you won’t be tempted. Also, just like no one likes the guy who whistles a tune to himself, no one wants to hear you talk on the phone inside. Don’t be that person.

Look but don’t touch

Please don’t put your hands on the buds when you are shown flower by the budtender. Not only is it gross, but weed is delicate. And when too many people touch the buds, they get destroyed, and that’s bad for the business. Touching the buds removes trichromes that should be intact for the end consumer. And re member, no one wants to buy buds that have been in countless strangers’ hands.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

Budtenders are highly knowledgeable when it comes to the products they are selling. They have gone through exten sive training on the products they sell, so any questions you might have can be easily answered by the budtender. You won’t be judged for asking questions, so you might as well ask and then get exactly what you are looking for.

Tip the budtender

You tip when you go to the bar or out to eat, right? So why not tip your bud tender? They’re serving you delicious, amazing weed — and that’s just as good as food! You don’t have to tip them, of course, but you should, just as you would tip your bartender. They are providing a service and are trying to make your experience the best they can. Plus, if you overtip, you will likely be remembered — and they will be anxious to help you out in the future.

Don’t light up in the store…or outside of the store…or numerous other places.

You need to do your research and find out where you can legally partake of your new purchase. While I can’t answer exactly where that is, I know one thing for sure: It’s not inside the store or out in the parking lot. Be respectful and make sure you leave the shop’s property before you start debating when it’s time roll one up.

Hopefully this list makes it a little less intimidating for the first time visitors. It can also be a good thing to send to your obnoxious friend who embarasses you everytime you head to the dispensary — they know who they are.

Just eat it

favorites

Let’s face it: Try as we might to watch the ol’ waistline, most of like to shovel some food in our mouths while we’re stoned because food — all the food — just tastes so damn good when you’re high. But just like some people like to eat while stoned, a few of us like to eat in order to get high. And by that we mean that they like edibles…all the edibles.

And if you’re one of them, the good news is that you have like a metric ton of options — including these badass edibles, some of which you may wanna snag during the Cannabis Crawl. (Yes, that shameless plug was necessary.) Anywho, here you go.

TasteBudz’ Ebb Powder

Colorado-based TasteBudz’, mak ers of infused cannabis gummies, has recently released a THC-infused powder called Ebb. It is a fast-acting dissolv able powder using nano-encapsulat ing technology. They are offering this alternative edible high that is unique to the edible world. It is water soluble and has a 15-minute on-set time. This product is intended for people on the go that are looking for an edible that gives the benefit of cannabis without eating or drinking.

Leiffa Chocolate Bars

Leiffa Brands from Lakewood, Colo rado, are currently making some truly amazing chocolates that are infused with their award-winning rosin. Flavors like peanut butter pretzel, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, strawberry crumble, and white chocolate. They do an incredible job of masking their potent rosin with rich flavors that don’t taste like they are overly sweetened. The bars are sold in 100-milligram doses of THC and offer a long-lasting body high. Medical marijua na patients can receive stronger doses at Leiffas’s dispensary in Lakewood.

Kanha Vegan Gummies

Kanha Gummies are considered to be the best-tasting infused gummies on the market, and their vegan gummies are no different. These are the first-ev er, fast-acting vegan gummies in the industry and are truly one of a kind. Even with the change to vegan-friendly, these gummies retain the same delicious flavor and soft texture as all the other Kanga Gummies.

Natty Rems Live Resin Gummies

Live Resin Gummies from Natty Rems are strain-specific and provide a full spectrum experience. Live resin is unique because it is made from fresh flower that is flash-frozen instead of dried or cured. They currently offer Sativa, Indica, and Hybrid strains to suit whatever your mood may be. Flash-freezing using a sin gle pass extraction process preserves the full spectrum of compounds, resulting in bolder flavors and higher potency.

Dialed In Gummies

Since its inception, Dialed In Gummies has had an almost obsessive drive to create the best extracts possible. They use only solventless, ice-water extracted rosin to infuse their amazing gummies. They are fat-free, gluten-free, low-so dium gummies that feature flavors sourced from real fruits and vegetables. Their packaging is 100% recyclable and hand-numbered with QR codes to see the testing results. They have some interesting flavors like GMO (Garlic Cookies), MAC (Miracle Alien Cookies),

and Strawnana “The 14er Cut.” Other flavors like Gelato Cake, Cookies and Cream, and Wedding Cake sound a little more normal but will surprise you with their great flavor.

Sweet Mary Jane Popcorn

Sweet Mary Jane Bakery has turned one of the better snack foods into one of the best with their infused popcorns. The

bakery is making some amazing flavored popcorn infused with THC and CBD. Sweet Mary Jane is offering Butter & Sea Salt, Caramel Crunch, and Wisconsin Cheddar flavored popcorn to give you the munchies and eat while you have the munchies. Each box is 10 milligrams of THC and 100 milligrams of CBD.

— DGO Staff

Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em

Sitting around stoned (or thinking of getting stoned) but you’re tired of watching reruns of The Office or Eastbound and Down? Looking for some recommendations to change it up a little? Check out our list of weed-friendly show recommendations, all of which are currently streaming on Netflix.

Grass is Greener

Released in 2019, Grass is Greener is

a documentary directed by Fab 5 Freddy starring Snoop Dogg. This documentary examines the United States shaky and racist history of cannabis. It does a great job of explaining the government’s war on drugs, state propaganda and linking cannabis and the music industry.

The documentary does a great job of showing the link between marijuana use by musicians from the early twen tieth century like Louis Armstrong, Cab

Calloway, to more modern artists like Bob Marley, Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre. Fab 5 Freddy shows how in the early twentieth century marijuan started to be demonized, often with racial motiva tion, and shows how it was often done to arrest and incarcerate African Ameri cans. Freddy also talks about the modern movement to legalize cannabis and how oftentimes the African American community is forced out due to previous marijuan convictions and the laws that don’t allow felons or those charged with drug related crimes to start their own legal cannabis company.

Weed The People

Weed The People is a great documen tary that shows the plight of children suffering from cancer and their families who rely on medical marijuana to deal with their illness. It can often be heavy at times, but it is an eye opening look into the obstacles many individuals and fam ilies often face when it comes to getting access to medical marijuana.

Even with research that proves med

ical marijuana has the potential to save lives, legislation prevents many people from getting the help they need from cannabis. This film looks past the politics and propaganda to show families explor ing the benefits of medical marijuana to save the lives of their children.

Cooked with Cannabis

Cooked with Cannabis focuses on one of the best side effects from weed, the hunger that usually follows. This food based cooking show features competi tors making THC infused dishes that can knock out any cravings you might have, all while competing for the chance to win $10,000.

The show is hosted by chef and can nabis connoisseur Leather Storrs along with a panel of celebrity judges. The contestants present their THC infused dishes to the judges, and in each episode the stakes are higher than the last. If you love cooking shows and getting high, this one might be the ticket for you.

Family Business

Feeling a little more adventurous and wanting to watch something foreign? Maybe French? Family Business just might be the show you’re looking for. A down on his luck entrepreneur working at his family’s butcher shop in France learns that marijuana is about to become legalized and decides to turn the butcher shop into a marijuana cafe.

This French comedy has a great plot and the actors are funny and relatable. The writing is great and the show is filled with great bits and even greater jokes.

Trailer Park Boys

If you’re looking for a show you aren’t going to run through quickly, Trailer Park Boys has 13 seasons and 115 episodes to keep your mind occupied. Spend some time with Julian, Bubbles and Ricky’s upside down lives and let your mind get lost in the Sunnyvale Trailer Park.

The show’s characters are constantly trying to make money, often illegally and this often leads them to jail in some hilarious scenes. And you can’t forget Bubbles’ glasses. They are perfect. The show’s dark humor and relaxed pace is perfectly blended when you just want to sit back and relax.

— DGO Staff

» But don’t do so until you flip on one of these excellent weed-centric Netflix shows

Who won the Colorado High Times Cannabis Cup awards?

» All of these fools did, that’s who!

It’s that time of year again, when Col orado cannabis companies put their best to the test in the annual High Times Can nabis Cup. Recognition in the Cannabis Cup is considered a badge of honor and a point of pride, and rightfully so. Plus, placing in the cup can help a company step into the spotlight and be a great boost for future sales. Wanting that rec ognition this year was no different.

This year’s Cannabis Cup made a few changes during the ups and downs of the pandemic. The Cup this year was de cided by an at home vote by the general public instead of a panel of judges at an in person event. Almost fifty Colorado brands competed in this year’s cup. The judging began on June 5th, when 230 judges picked up product kits from Colorado dispensaries. The judges were told to take their time as they tallied up their favorites from the 12 different categories. Only the top three brands in each category are recognized, and here they are:

Indica flower

First Place

Cookie Monster by High Level Health Second Place

Snickerz by Veritas Fine Cannabis Third Place

Frosted Pie by Frosty Top Farms

Sativa flower

First Place

Sour Orange Zkittlez by Veritas Fine Cannabis

Second Place

Honolulu Choo Choo by D’z Trees

Third Place

Chemmy Jones by In The Flow

Hybrid flower

First Place

Runtz by High Level Health

Second Place

Apple Tartz by Vera and Tical Third Place

Smooth Brain by Frosty Top Farms

Pre-rolls

First Place

Blue Apricot Gasoline Pre-Roll by High Country Cones

Second Place

Animal Face x Kush Mints Pre-Roll by Rocky Mountain High Third Place

Grumpz Living Soil Pre-Roll by Dutch Botanicals

Infused pre-rolls

First Place

Sugar Cone Infused Pre-Roll by Nec tarBee

Second Place

Golden Goat Infused Pre-Roll by Escape Artists and Natty Rems

Third Place

Caviar Bitty Infused Pancakes Pre-Roll by DADiRRi Extracts

Solvent concentrates

First Place

Blue Skunk Live Budder by High Level Health

Second Place

Papaya Power Live Diamonds by Kush Masters

Third Place

Rainbow Cookies Live Resin by Spec tra

Solventless concentrates

First Place

Tropicanna Banana Live Rosin by Äkta

Second Place

Grumpz Living Soil Live Rosin by Dutch Botanicals

Third Place

Lost Cause Rosin by Indico

Distillate vape pens

First Place

Co2lors White Cherry Cart by Evolab

Second Place

Alien Haze Vape by Natty Rems

Third Place

Lime Sorbet Vape by The Clear

Non-distillate vape pens

First Place

Nana’s Lemonade Live Rosin Vape by Mountain Select

Second Place

Tropicanna Banana Live Rosin Vape by Äkta

Third Place

Grumpz Living Soil Live Rosin Cart by Dutch Botanicals

Gummies

First Place

Sour Watermelon Fruit Chews by Smokiez

Second Place

SYNERGY 2:1:1 (CBN to CBD and THC) SleepBerry Gummies by Dixie

Third Place

Sour Fruit Gummies by Zoobies

Chocolates and baked goods

First Place

Boulder Bar by Incredibles

Second Place

Salted Chocolate Toffee Truffles by 7Sacred Third Place

Fruity Rebels Crispies by Chaos Edibles

Topicals, tinctures, capsules and sublinguals

First Place

Cedar and Black Pepper Relief Cream by Escape Artists

Second Place

Nordic Goddess 1:1 Body Balm by Caroline’s Cannabis Third Place

FORMULA 4:4:2:2 Sublingual Oil by Mary’s Medicinals

— DGO Staff

Cannabis Co.

Half-Ounce sale on select flower

So psyched The push for legalizing psychedelics in Colorado

A month after Colorado state officials certified a historic psychedelic leg islation measure for the state-wide ballot, activists with a separate second campaign are saying it is unlikely their initiative will make it on the ballot. Potential beneficiaries of these bills are hoping they both see the light of day and pass into law.

The Decriminalize Nature Colorado campaign still plans to head to the office of the secretary of state to turn in their signatures for Initiative 61, even while acknowledging the prospects of ballot qualification are incredibly slim. The measure would have removed criminal penalties for possessing, cultivating, gifting, and delivering entheogens such as mescaline, ibogaine, psilocybin, and DMT by adults 21 and older. The initiative would have also made it lawful for psychedelic services to be conduct ed for spiritual purposes, guidance, therapy, and harm reduction with or without accepting payment. However, it would not be legal to sell any of the psychedelics.

They also plan to put energy into a new campaign to help organize ad vocacy for communities that could be impacted by Initiative 58, the Natural Medicine Act. It is pretty certain by now that the only reform measure involving psychedelics this year will be the Natural Medicine Act. The Natural Medicine Act would create licensed psilocybin healing centers and certain psychedelics.

The Natural Medicine Act received over 100,000 more signatures than was needed to access the ballot after roughly three months of petitioning. Decriminal ize Nature Colorado has not yet released their signature count, but it is expected to fall short of the 124,632 needed.

10% off all glass*

First 250 customers receive a free pipe

Decriminalize Nature Colorado felt the need to propose a separate psychedelic initiative because they feel it imposes unnecessary regulations for entheogenic substances. They think that many people were left out of the conversation and that decisions were made without in cluding people and communities that will be impacted by the initiative if it passes.

There are currently 16 other states where psychedelic reform is presently advancing. Some states are trying to legalize low-level possession and access to psychedelic therapies. Other states like Texas are taking baby steps and have

already passed laws requiring the state to study the benefits and risks of psilo cybin, MDMA, and ketamine for military veterans in conjunction with Baylor Col lege of Medicine. The Hawaiian Senate approved a bill to study the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin mushrooms and develop a long-term plan to ensure that psilocybin is available for medical use to patients 21 and over.

The benefits of psychedelic therapy have been shown to be beneficial to all kinds of users. It has been shown to ease fear and anxiety in cancer patients, ease the effects of PTSD, OCD, and depres

sion that are often resistant to standard medical treatment. Unfortunately, some in the state are opposed to the legisla tion. Often the opposition comes from individuals who are either uninformed or simply misinformed. Education and understanding are going to be the most important things to change people’s minds. Even if Initiative 58 doesn’t pass, there is a good chance that the next time a psychedelic therapy bill hits the voting floor, it will have the backing of more people than initially thought.

— DGO Staff

Cannabis Crawlers get 20% off storewide

Over 40 different strains of flower to mix and match with ounces starting at $100

4g honey pots for $60 while supplies last

Weed goes sporty

» Star Buds logo makes it onto the back of the Colorado Summit jerseys, and that is freaking awesome.

The new AUDL expansion team, Colorado Summit, will be sporting the logo of Star Buds, a retail marijuana company that has locations in Denver and other US states, on their jersey for the 2022 season. This isn’t the first time an AUDL team has sported a cannabis company’s logo. Boston’s AUDL fran chise the Boston Glory, also debuted their 2022 season jersey that also features a cannabis companies logo a week before the Summit wore theirs in a game. The Boston Glory’s jerseys fea ture a logo from CommCan.This a first for a Colorado professional sports team and could be the beginning of a trend in states that have legalized cannabis.

Star Buds is excited to be the first cannabis company to sponsor a profes sional ultimate disc team and hopes it helps drive momentum towards accep tance of cannabis in professional sports. Star Buds will also sponsor the Summits beer garden at their home stadium at the University of Denver.

The logo of Star Buds is prominently front and center on the Summits jer seys. Jerseys for other sports who have taken on cannabis company sponsors tend to have the logos smaller and tend to be on the sleeves or the backs of the jerseys. The Summits jerseys are dark and the Star Buds logo is right in the center of the chest with white lettering. It definitely pops, and could easily be confused for the team name with its placement.

Cannabis sponsorships in professional sports remains rare, but it is becoming a little more common as each sports season passes on to the next. Back in 2018 the Las Vegas Lights of the United Soccer League became the first profes

sional sports team to sign a deal with a cannabis company. Other sports leagues including the UFC and NWSL have signed deals with CBD companies. CBD company sponsorships are a step in the right direction towards the acceptance of cannabis company sponsorships and the acceptance of cannabis culture in general.

The positive opinions on cannabis ac

ceptance have been continually growing over the years. We are at the point in America where two-thirds of the coun try is for the legalization of cannabis and according to the most recent Gallup Poll, for the first time ever, more Americans admit to smoking marijuana than they do cigarettes. Many other states are on the move towards legalization and this could mean the possibility of seeing

more cannabis companies sponsoring and advertising with professional sports teams.

As exciting and progessive as this ap pears, we can safely assume that major sports leagues like the NBA, MLB, NFL, and any motor racing leagues, will prob ably be the last hold-outs when it comes to cannabis company sponsorship.

— DGO Staff

GIVEAWAYS FOR ALL CANNABIS CRAWL PARTICIPANTS

The federal flaws

» Is a mass-scale federal legalization really the best plan for Colorado’s cannabis industry?

SPECIAL TO DGO

Cannabis’s popularity is currently at an all-time high. About 58% of Americans think it should be legal ized, and more people than ever are admitting to smoking the good old herb. Plus, cannabis is now legal at the state level in more places than ever.

The states where the cannabis industry is legal are now thriving, with many of them recording at or near-record sales — as well as record amounts of taxes pulled from these sales for programs across the state.

That’s all well and good, but what happens if the current push to federally legalize is successful? What impact does it have on the state of Colorado, and the other states where cannabis is now fully legal?

The threat of federal legalization of cannabis has been on the minds of growers for years, but even with a Congress that is majority Dem ocratic, legalization on the federal level has still yet to see the light of day. Winning this battle still seems far off from reality, but the potential consequences of legalizing on a fed eral level still loom in the heads of growers and business owners across legal states.

The Walmart-ization of cannabis

One of the big fears with federal legislation is the smaller business es getting run over the same way Walmart has destroyed countless businesses around the country.

Federal legislation can open the door to mega-corporations entering the cannabis business, and with the huge cash reserves these businesses have, it can be done on such a large scale that smaller ones simply won’t be able to compete.

A fear that many growers have with federal legalization is how it could immediately expose every existing market in the country to a flood of national competitors. This means the smaller growers are going to struggle with trying to compete

since the big competition will be able to ship their product across the coun try and undercut the local prices.

States that have a tight grasp on the price of medical marijuana will be forced to compete with out of state companies, which could, in turn, cause the price of cannabis to fall drastically.

States like Colorado and Washington

could see major companies set up shop in the state and force the smaller com panies out of business.

States that a newer to the legal cannabis game would also take a big hit. Businesses in these states hav en’t had the opportunity to establish themselves in the market like Colorado or Washington have. As such, it could

essentially wipe out the new growers and their businesses by crashing the market prices.

Large scale growers would likely head to states where they can get away with looser labor laws, looser energy and environmental standards to maxi mize profits. These kinds of states will typically have lower taxes, lower fees

and more lax regulations placed on them, which allows them to cultivate very large harvests for minimal cost. In turn, these large growers will export their cheaply grown cannabis all over the country where the price will be drastically lower than local growers.

As such, many cannabis business owners fear that lifting all federal

regulations on cannabis at one time will essentially create a tidal wave of smaller businesses succumbing to the pressures from the new competition. And, what’s perhaps more concerning is that these large potential operators could lead to the destruction of other important programs, like Colorado’s social equity cannabis programs, which

have been vital in helping foster more minority-owned cannabis businesses.

Federal bills or busts

And, if that all sounds like a scare tactic, it’s not. While weed isn’t federal ly legal yet, Senator Chuck Schumer re cently produced a draft bill decriminal izing marijuana that would regulate a

nationwide industry and force state markets to interact with each other.

This would be a good thing in ways, as it would open up a multitude of new opportunities for growers. It would also make traditional banking resourc es accessible to the industry, allow credit card sales, and make it possible for cannabis companies to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Another major benefit would be the ability for cannabis businesses to gain access to loans, which are currently inaccessible to the cannabis industry. With more access to funding, existing cannabis businesses could grow and get to the net level.

But one of the major problems with Schumer’s bill is that it doesn’t give the states the authority they need to keep their markets intact. While the bill would make it easier to bank and access funding, this bill would also essentially eliminate the staunch state borders that currently guard each state’s cannabis industry. That again could have devastating effects on the industry, both in Colorado and other wise.

Big downsides to fed legalization

While federal regulations would benefit the consumer, it could spell disaster for the proprietor. Federal regulations would allow businesses to have a larger selection, including prod ucts from out of state, but at a lower price due to the supply being greater. But, the current proposed federal tax structures are extremely high — and most small businesses would not be able to pay long term.

One major but potential downside of federal legalization is that the revenue and excise taxes from cannabis sales will not benefit the local communities like they once did. Let’s say federal legalization allows for the shipment and cross-country marketing of can nabis. Well, a major cannabis company in Florida could capitalize on making the majority of its money in Colorado, but if they’re operating out of another state, none of that money or excise

tax revenue would see the light of day in Colorado. It would benefit Florida instead.

This, in turn, means less money for Colorado school construction, drop-out prevention and anti-bullying programs. Less grant money would be available for school health professionals and ear ly literacy. And, that would be a huge loss. In 2019-2020 alone, $25 million was allocated for the state public school fund.

And, if cannabis does become federally legal, the federal regulations could sink smaller businesses as well. If growers are kept to the strict, often burdensome, rules that the FDA impos es, growers could really feel the pain. Plus, the FDA has historically been hostile toward the cannabis industry, and many see legalization not changing how they treat the cannabis industry, and allowing the federal agency to take control of the regulation of cannabis could end in disaster. It would especial ly hurt the smaller businesses that are currently operating.

And so would the excess taxes. Com panies in legal states are already strug gling with simply paying the state and local taxes on cannabis, but that could get worse with federal legalization.

For example, Schumer’s proposal includes a 25% excise tax that would nearly stop small businesses in their tracks — especially if they are placed on top of high state taxes — but large companies would likely have no prob lem paying these. The proposed 25% federal tax wouldn’t tank a ton of the current businesses barely making it with the current tax structure.

The clause that could change it all

As of now, interstate sales of canna bis is prohibited by law. Cannabis can only be sold in the same state it was grown in. And, most states also have residency requirements for to own and operate a cannabis business. But federal legalization could undo all that, opening the borders of each state for cross-state cannabis business. Is that the only answer, though?

No, perhaps not. Some advocates for federal legality think the better ap proach would be to disallow interstate commerce while allowing for federal legalization. This would allow the businesses that are currently operat ing there to continue to do so without the fear of large corporations coming in and wiping them out. The problem

with this approach is that there will almost certainly be lobbyists that will do all they can to guarantee interstate commerce so the people lining their pockets get their way.

And, there’s one roadblock in partic ular that stands in the way of blocking interstate commerce should federal legalization take hold, and that’s the Dormant Commerce Clause. The Dor mant Commerce Clause bans states from passing legislation that discrim inates against or excessively burdens interstate commerce.

With the federal ban on marijua na, many states have simply adopted their own regulations and programs that serve to benefit and promote their local cannabis businesses. But by failing to address this clause, small companies run the risk of being unable to compete.

Without specific congressional action to either pause, or eliminate, the clause — at least related to the canna bis industry — many state regulations and social equity programs that many licensees and businesses rely on could get cut the moment federal legality takes hold. Big business will be allowed to step in and potentially crush the little guys overnight.

The interference of big tobacco

And, there are already signs that it may. As the cannabis world becomes more and more mainstream, big tobac co companies are trying to get their foot in the market.

Recently, the big tobacco company Altria was lobbying for cannabis legal ization in the state of Virginia. This was the first time that big tobacco lobbied for cannabis in the United States, either at the state or federal level.

Altria says they support the feder al legalization of cannabis under an appropriate framework.

And, big tobacco is interested in the recreational market as well as the medicinal market. The big tobacco business has long realized that their current products are harmful to their consumers, and are now eyeing prod ucts that may keep them relevant in the changing market. Right now, vapor and heated products are the next big wave they are trying to ride. Either trying to get you off tobacco or getting you your next high, they want to be the one that delivers for you.

But big tobacco has the infrastruc ture and the financial means to crush

anyone in its way — and if anyone is going to be lobbying against changing the Dormant Commerce Clause, it’s going to be big tobacco.

Back in 2018, Altria agreed to buy a 45% stake in the Canadian cannabinoid company Cronos Group for a whopping $1.8 billion. In 2019, Imperial Brands invested $123 million in Auxly Canna bis Group. Auxly is focused on devel oping, manufacturing and distributing medical and recreational marijuana products to consumers.

Unfortunately, the big tobacco foot print is so big that it can crush the small businesses in their way. If states try to get this clause reversed for cannabis, the guys with deep pockets behind big tobacco will more than likely claim that they are having their right to interstate commerce violated. There is absolutely no way smaller businesses can com pete with competitors like this. They lack the money and resources that big tobacco and other large corporations can and willingly will throw at it. And, if they have their way, the dispensaries and store fronts will be no different than the chain stores you drive past on a daily basis.

This is no different than the way Wal-Mart moved across the country starting in the 1980s and continues to do so today. The plan of attack was to set up in smaller towns and offer lower prices and wider selections than the smaller guys, leading to the stores within the town to shut down because they simply can’t compete. The butcher shop, sporting goods store, department stores, and everything else you can imagine will typically end up shutting its doors when this happens.

And, in many cases, the people who once owned and worked at these stores are forced to work at the same place that caused their demise.

The same thing can happen with in the cannabis world if the proper laws are not put into place to protect existing businesses and the people who work for them.

Another good comparison is the beer industry. As of 2019, the Amer ican beer market was dominated by just a few companies, and the top three American breweries accounted for nearly 75% of all beer production.

Federal legalization of cannabis could cause the same consolidation to the market. Like craft brewers, mari juana growers may see so-called craft growers that fill the market for people who want craft weed — a necessary

and potentially lucrative niche. But many people will opt for the equivalent of Bud Light so they can get a cheaper high, and the small growers will suffer from the big companies’ lower prices. That can only continue for so long.

What’s the solution?

Given the real threats that federal legalization can pose, some states are being proactive when it comes to protecting against the potential downsides of federal legalization. For starters, Washington and Maine are working to protect the small cannabis companies from the potential threat of federal legalization by limiting the industry in their states. This may help insulate their cannabis businesses from the harshest consequences, should legalization happen, as statistics show that it’s typically the smallest business es and the most marginalized commu nities that suffer the most when things like this occur.

But state protections likely aren’t enough. If federal legalization comes to fruition, Congress needs to take the necessary steps to protect small Amer ican cannabis companies. They need to do whatever they can to prevent the monopolization of the corporate giants of the cannabis industry — and make sure states do not limit the amount of licenses available for cultivation and sales.

One possible solution would be to limit the amount of product that these big companies can produce or control. There are many successful state pro grams that have shown to be profitable and inclusive — and Congress can use them as a guide to making things work out for everyone, guaranteeing that no one gets left behind.

While federal legalization sounds like a good idea, it’s important to hold lawmakers accountable so they do what is right on the state level.

Without the proper laws to provide a safeguard for existing businesses, we could see many, if not all small cannabis businesses forced to close their doors.

Go DJ, that’s my DJ

Ed. note: We’ve been super busy get ting the Cannabis Crawl running for ya, so we’re running behind. But this older but good(er?) review will fix you up just fine.

Hi there. Do you like to be walloped in the face by a weed strain so strong that you’ll have no idea what hit you? Well then…have I got the strain for you. It’s called DJ’s Gold, and it’s a doozy.

(Yes, I said a doozy. Let me live my old person life.)

If you aren’t familiar with DJ’s Gold, here’s the deal: It’s a hybrid cross of two beloved strains — DJ Short Blueberry and Kosher Kush — and as with any good hybrid, the effects tend to pull equally from both sides of the fence. It’s a little bit of indica, column A — and a little bit of sativa, column B.

We’ll get to that, though.

Before we do, let me tell you that this strain isn’t just the perfect hybrid. It’s also new to the shelves at Prohibition Herb this month, and I have a feeling that once people figure out how rad it is, it’s going to be wiped out with the quickness. So, if you’re intrigued by it after reading this review, it would be wise to maybe order a lot of it and pick it up before it’s gone. You know how it be.

Anyway, back to the weed. I picked up an eighth of this little badass and really had no idea what to expect from it. I’m pretty sure I’d never smoked DJ’s Gold prior to this review and didn’t do any research before loading it into the bowl. In other words, I went in blindly, other than what I could glean from the information on the box, which was that the strain contained 20.76% THC.

So, I popped the glass jar out of that fancy-ass premium strain box as soon as I got home so I could take a look. My first thought was that the nugs inside were surprisingly compact and dense. And, rather than being bright green, they were a deeper, more olive-green color — and were layered with thick but tiny orange hairs.

The dense nugs and deep coloring were not a bad thing, mind you. I’ve just reviewed so many fluffy, thicc-booty strains from Prohibition as of late that I half-expected the container to contain bright green buds that were the size of my palm. It did not.

And, the surprises kept on coming after I unscrewed the lid.

Once I’d opened the jar, it was clear that the nugs were not only small and dense, but they were extremely fra grant, too. Thanks to this strain, my house was filled with the scent of pine and citrus, with a hint of fruit thrown in for good measure.

How such little nugs can emit a scent so strong is beyond me, but they did.

I found myself hoping that the strain would taste as awesome as it smelled. So, I threw a few of the buds into a pipe to test it out.

One inhale and my mouth was full of smoke that tasted of blueberry-flavored pine needles and lemons. Sounds terri ble… but isn’t.

The taste was so pleasant, in fact, that I found myself habitually raising the pipe to my mouth each time I would exhale. No pacing for me, thanks!

And, before I knew it, the bowl was cashed, and my head was swimming with the effects of DJ’s Gold.

It started off with the strangest, most surreal feeling — like tiny little radio waves were swimming through my head at timed intervals. My notes say some thing to the effect of, “I think my brain is ramen noodles right now.” Sounds bananas, but ramen brain is accurate.

And, it wasn’t long before that electric feeling quickly trickled down into the rest of my body, too. Shortly after the ramen brain kicked in, my face felt like it was pulsing with electricity. It was pleas ant as hell but also very noticeable.

Oddly enough, though, I wasn’t couchlocked, despite having a clear body high. I’m guessing that was the sativa side of the strain playing into the equation, which helped to keep the body high at a more tolerable level.

But while my body was high, my brain was pretty darn clear. That ramen brain didn’t affect my ability to chat, or func tion, or whatever. I was awake, aware, but also tingling with electricity. Just living the good life or whatever.

I guess the best way to describe the overall effects of this strain is that it made me pretty darn content in whatev er I was doing — whether it was sitting back, thinking about life, or just feeling the vibe (and those tiny little pinpricks of electricity).

The effects lasted for a very long time, too — de spite the fact that

» And by that we mean DJ’s Gold from Prohibition Herb

Getting super awkward with Nana OG

Ed. note: Yes, yes. Another oldie but goody. We’ll be back next month with your regularly scheduled weed reviews, aight?

It has been a very long time since I have lit up a bowl, inhaled, and then immediately started to choke on the smoke.

I’m not trying to toot my own horn here, but over the many years of reviewing weed that I have put in, I’ve gotten used to the feeling of that harsh first hit — the one that hits the back of your throat like a Mack truck and then compels you to lose a large chunk of your lung.

You know the one.

And, the fact that I typically use a Pax 3 (not #sponcon; it’s just what I use) to smoke it helps. The weed in that thing isn’t combusting like it would in a pipe, so it just tends to be a lot smoother of a hit.

Apparently a smooth hit with my overpriced gadget is not a guarantee, though — which was just one lesson I learned with the Nana OG strain, which I’m reviewing in this issue for The Green House in Durango. If you aren’t super familiar with Nana OG, here’s the gist. This strain is a hybrid of two very popu lar strains: Banana and OG Kush. I love OG Kush and Banana, and so do a lot of other people, so I was pretty excited to try this one.

Well, let me tell you. It did not dis appoint, from the beautiful nugs to the choking and gasping for air..

Before I get to how I choked, though, let’s start with how it looked. The first thing I noticed when I popped open the lid on the container was how fluffy and completely green the Nana OG nugs were. I’m not sure why the bright green color surprised me, but it did. Maybe I was expecting something a little more yellow since there’s banana in the strain name, but that is not what I got. How ever, when I looked closely, I did spot a few light orange hairs throughout, so maybe there’s more color in there than I thought.

I also kind of expected it to smell like bananas, but when I stuck my nose in the container, all I got were hints of, well, weed. It smells like freaking weed. Danky, thick, skunky weed. That’s fine with me, but don’t expect this strain to smell like a fruit bowl or you will be

sorely disappointed. And, when I broke the weed apart to put it in the grinder, that skunky funk only became more noticeable. Again, I like it.

I don’t mind my weed smelling like weed. But if you hate the stench of your good ol’ regular bag of weed, you may not love this one. You’ll probably love its effects, though. At just 24.95% THC, you wouldn’t think this strain would outweigh some of the heavyweight strains, but I’ll be darned if it doesn’t. It is POTENT.

And I do mean potent.

This is probably not a strain that you should smoke if you need to get work done, cook dinner, or otherwise func tion, because there is a good chance it will render you useless. That’s what it did to me, anyway. But not before it knocked me on my coughing ass.

The first hit of this stuff and I was choking like I’d never inhaled weed smoke before. It hit my throat like a freight train, slamming into my esopha gus with a 1-2 punch.

Pretty impressive, if you ask me. And that coughing and gasping for air contin ued well after the first hit. Every time I inhaled another hit of Nana OG I choked — but I also got very high very quickly into smoking, so the choking made me laugh hysterically every time.

This went on for a while, the pattern of choking and then laughing, choking and then laughing — which I’m sure was a ridiculous site to see from the outside. Once the bowl was finally cashed, my lungs and throat were on fire, but my brain? Well, let’s just say it was completely and totally calm and introspective. But for me, that’s totally and completely fine. I have a hard time shutting my brain off these days. I’ve been an introvert since, like, forever — probably the beginning of time — which means I live in my own head. I don’t need company.

My spinning hamster wheel of a brain can entertain itself, and entertain itself it does. It is not uncommon for me to wake up with early 1990s pop songs stuck in my head, if that tells you anything about how my brain typically works. My brain on Banana OG, though? There was no hamster wheel. There were no pop songs. I just wanted to wax

» Getting super awkward and super AWESOME, obviously

Dispensary

Ask a couple of potheads

This is a dumb question, but I’m a 48-year-old lady and I’ve been smok ing for 32 years now. I smoke more than three times a day — like it never leaves my hand. How can I get high now that I’ve been smoking for so long? I can get relaxed a bit but no more than that. I need help on what to do!

Puf: Well, first of all, that isn’t a dumb question. I have had this question for my self many times over the last few years. Tolerance is a bitch, ain’t it.

I’m going to insert the obligatory “I’m not a doctor so this is not medical advice” here, but I think I can help with some anecdotal information.

So first of all, I’m guessing it’s been a while since you switched up your intake methods, right? Like, maybe you’re a ha bitual joint smoker or like to get relaxedbut-not-high by smoking out of a bong? Yeah, that happens to me, too.

We’re all creatures of habit, and part of the problem I’ve had is that I really like to stick to what I know. That sounds borderline ridiculous, but if I’m not reviewing a product, I have my favorite two or three rigs or batteries I use. In other words, I’m lazy and don’t like to have to make changes to my stoned routine.

That can lead to ruts like the one

you’re having. My body has become super tolerant of certain concentrates, for example. I find it super effing easy to grab a vape and cart when I’m laying around being super productive (i.e. watching junk on TV). The more I use that vape and cart, the less I notice the high.

I’ve noticed, however, that when I am LESS lazy, like when I switch it up be tween concentrates, flower, and edibles, I am noticeably more aware of the high. Rather than getting relaxed, I get stoned like I used to.

You can also take a break from THC, but honestly, that sounds like shit to me. If you decide to do this, you can essentially reset your THC clock. In fact, research shows that while THC can deplete your CB1 receptors, they can recover over time and return to their previous levels if you take breaks.

And, you don’t even have to take them for that long. Two weeks is enough to get the job done. I’m not going to do it with you in solidarity, but that’s an easy way to start over — even after decades of smoking.

You can also try adding some CBD to the mix. I’ve found that flower with CBD and THC gets me a lot higher than just high-THC bud. That is purely anecdotal, mind you, but I swear that the entou

Answers to all the dumb but awesome questions you could ask a couple of ston ers

when you inhale it.

Wax is produced using dry flower and is much easier to produce than shatter, which is the finickiest little beotch of concentrates. Shatter is also produced from dried flower but it’s notoriously hard to produce. However, there are tons of pros to it if you can pull it off. For example, shatter doesn’t degrade as quickly as wax. It’s pretty shelf-stable so it can be kept for a lot longer.

Slight tweaks in the extraction process are how you get either wax or shatter. <Note: Feel free to Google a bunch of chemistry mumbo-jumbo if you must know more. The internet knows all. I know limited things.

Wax tends to be less shelf stable and degrades much more quickly than shat ter. How-so-ever, it’s easier to work with because it’s malleable. I like it cause I can just stick my dumb ol’ dab pen in the jar and take a hit. Easy freaking peasy.

Other than that, I really don’t think there’s much difference — but that’s based on my experience alone. Don’t come at me with some scientific jargon in our Instagram DMs. I’m sure that isn’t totally accurate. Either way, both get me blazed face, so I’m not going to

rage effect is real as hell. It’s worth a try anyway. And there are lots of good flower options with CBD and THC.

It may also be worth trying a new strain or six, or switching to another type of product in between old faithful. It may be less about the amount of THC and more about the mechanism. If you aren’t an edibles fan, try those. Or, you could choke down a tincture. You never know what will hit. Hell, a dry herb vape instead of a joint or pipe may be the key.

In other words, switch it up and don’t just focus on the THC component. Swap your products, change your habits, and treat it like an experiment. And, if you find something that works, you better email us back. We need to know the results.

Blaze: OOF. First of all, my condolences. I, too, have had that issue but with flower and found that if I took breaks or switched up my intake method (edibles in my case) I was back to that sweet, sweet high. Still, not a fun position to be in, especially if you already know what you like and you have a routine you’re comfortable with.

If you’re smoking a specific strain, you may have built up a strain tolerance. Try a different type of strain, THC content, and method of smoking it. If you usually smoke sativas, try indicas, and so on and so forth. One of the beauties about the

cannabis industry is that it’s so diverse. You could go weeks, even months with out using the same product twice should you choose.

If nothing else, however, you could go on a tolerance fast, as much as a bummer as that sounds. Some people report feeling much more clear headed after taking a break from weed, though it still doesn’t sound worth it to me. I’ll keep my vape and my fog brain, thank you very much.

I’ve been smoking bud and taking edibles for a while now, but concentrates have always intimidated me. What’s the difference between products like shatter, wax, and live resin?

Puf: Why you gotta make our lives so difficult?! These questions are hard today, man! I kid, I kid. Sort of. In general, there are a ton of differences between these products, but they all work to get you high — which is why they’re all fine in my book.

The main differences, though, are in the way these extracts are created. There are different extraction process es, but most shatter, wax, and live resin is extracted using butane or a similar solvent to leech the good stuff from the plant matter. That leaves you with a concentrate high in THC and flavor that will, in fact, knock your dang socks off

complain.

Same thing goes for live resin. While this concentrate will ALSO get you super freaking high, it’s produced by different means. Rather than using dried flower, live resin is made by using the freshest cannabis possible. The buds are basically flash-frozen right after they’re picked, which helps to preserve the flavor of those good ol’ terpenes.

The real difference is in the flavor. Live resin is a lot more flavorful than shatter or wax, and everyone loves the good terpenes. It usually costs you a bit more to buy, though. Whether the ter penes are worth the price hike is your call, but I think they can be. Depends on your budget and your must-haves for your cannabis products, I suppose.

Anyway, that was a tangent. I’ll let Blaze weigh in with some dumb junk they Googled now to fill in the holes. After all that writing I am in need of a smoke break. I think I’ll bust out the live resin to stay on theme.

Blaze: Hey now! I put a lot of effort skimming Google headlines! My brain hurts after reading all that, and yet I still somehow have more information to add.

Another big difference between products is consistency which can play a part in preference for some stoners. Shatter tends to be glossy and brittle. If you’re dabbing with shatter, it can feel like a guessing game as far as dosage because of its non-malleable texture. On the other hand, shatter has the capacity to make you so high, you’ll think you in vented golf. Wax and crumble, however are more creamy and malleable, making them a bit easier to use when you’re dabbing. Live resin is more glue-like and tends to be a helluva lot more expensive than shatter, wax, and crumble. RIP to my paycheck when I’m in the mood for live resin.

I’m vegan but love edibles! How do I know which ones to get when I go to a dispensary?

Puf: Well, first of all, thank you for not berating us with a bunch of pro-vegan information. We love your people, and we love your love for animals and living things, but the vegan crusades are not the way.

That said, you’d be surprised at how many edibles are vegan. Dude or dudette, you have so many freaking choices for your lifestyle! Cannabis manufacturers love to put out vegan products!

If you’re not sure where to start, I’m

going to go basic here and tell you to ask a budtender. They know what’s up with their edibles. You can also keep certain product lines in mind, too. For example, I’m pretty sure most, if not all, of Wana’s Sour Gummies are 100 percent free of gelatin. That makes them vegan by default. So you have one ally right there, homie.

Keef Sparkling is also vegan, and it’s freaking healthy, too! This THC-infused sparkling water has zero sugar, zero animal byproducts and no calories. You healthy fools will love it.

CannaPunch also offers a ton of drink options that are vegan as well as options in their line of gummies, which are sold under the brand Highly Edible.

There are probably a million others I’m forgetting, but that’s where the dang budtender is more useful than I am. The good news is that there are plenty of options and your local dispensary gurus can tell you what is or isn’t vegan. They won’t steer you wrong. Promise.

Now go forth with your animal-loving self and get high on some vegan edibles. They’re undoubtedly going to taste bet ter than that quinoa you ate for dinner last night.

Blaze: Come to think of it, it seems like there’s more vegan-edible options than non-vegan these days. Puf is on the money with this one though. A GOOD budtender will help you navigate the shelves, espe cially if you have specific dietary needs. Puf has already touched on a lot of really great, common brands but I’ll add a few more here as well.

In 2019, Incredibles, who has been a big cannabis player since it became legalized in Colorado, came out with a vegan fruit tart option.

If you’re looking for something with awards, SuckIT Edibles by Canyon Cul tivation are friggin delicious and they come in flavors like Boysenberry, Sour Watermelon, and Fruit Punch.

There are also lots of companies that make solely vegan cannabis products, so not to worry! The world is your (very high) vegan oyster.

— Blaze Ridcully

— DGO Pufnstuf

Present this coupon for 25% off any product Follow us on Instagram: @slugworth_glass Slugworthglass@gmail.com

The land of (even more) enchantment

and maintaining the current quality of the product.

Currently the price of a gram on the black market is $5 a gram, while it’s $10 on the legal market. New Mexico’s northern neighbor, Colorado, has legal grams going for $5 as well. For New Mexico to keep up with neigh boring states and curb people from buying on the black market, they need to cut prices in half.

It’s been a little over four months since the Land of Enchantment became a little more enchanted. Initial tax revenue predictions were slightly under $30 million for the year, but it is looking like the prediction will fall short and will come in closer to $22 million. The state’s current tax rate is 12% of sales until July 1, 2025. Once that date passes the tax will gradually rise to 18% beginning July 1, 2030. Statewide figures factor both medicinal and recreational cannabis in the sales.

Recreational cannabis sales started high when it became legalized, but has since seen fluctuation since. Growers are currently allowed up to 20,000 plants at one time, which is part of the problem. Growers can’t keep up with the current demand. They can’t sell what they don’t have. Currently con sumers cannot purchase more than 2 ounces of cannabis, 16 grams of con centrate, and 800 mg of edibles at one time. There is no limit to the number of purchases a consumer can make in a day and there is also no weekly or monthly for adult consumers.

One major cause of lower than ex pected sales is growers can’t meet the consumers demand with only 20,000 plants. Whatever is produced gets sold. This drives up the price due to the demand being greater, which ultimate ly hurts sales. Many think the fix is lowering the price, upping the supply,

Some politicians are looking at the supply shortages in a bright light. Four months of consistent sales shows that the first month’s sale of legal cannabis wasn’t a fluke. Taxes from these sales are bringing in much welcomed reve nue for local areas and the state that will continue to create millions more in economic activity. The state Legislative Finance committee is predicting a 10% increase in sales next year. Time will tell if the state’s sales will hit numbers, but the demand for cannabis is showing that the market has plenty of room to expand.

The New Mexico bill that legalized recreational weed also included pro visions to help residents with limited funding get a foot in the door of the industry. These low cost loans are also available to micro producers, micro re tailers, and micro manufacturers. Micro business For $1,000, micro businesses can get a license that allows them to cultivate up to 200 plants. This is aimed at attracting first time growers and could provide a much needed boost to the state’s supply shortages.

Once the supply catches up to the demand, the cannabis market in New Mexico should hit its next big stride. The customers are there, but when custom ers are forced to go to other states or on the black market, it’s the people of New Mexico that truly take the hit.

— DGO Staff

New Mexico’s legal rec cannabis industry is raking in the tax dollars for the state

brands you recognize could possibly go away.

Neighboring states legalizing canna bis seems to have played a large role in the downturn. With New Mexico and Arizona legalizing cannabis, Colorado is seeing less visitors come from out of state for purchases. This not only affects cannabis sales and tax revenue, but also tourism dollars. The sales from the neighboring states aren’t doing any better than Colorado, but those dollars are being spent in those states and unfortunately not in Colorado.

Denver’s MySpark ballot measure could raise the taxes on cannabis products by 5% in only Denver. Not everyone is behind this proposed tax increase. Shop owners worry the increase in taxes will affect their sales and cause buyers to simply purchase less or drive outside of the city to make their purchases. This is going to potentially put a strain on a business owner within the city by putting him on an unequal footing when compared to a business owner outside of Denver. Many worry that if the measure does pass, that it will drive sales down even further.

— DGO Staff

If we can be proactive in making the in dustry here as green as possible, there is a good chance the world will follow.

— DGO Staff

From

housing market, as well as the cost of living in the state, are con tinually becoming less appealing to potential new residents and even some vacationers. People are already starting to look for comparable places that offer the same things that Colorado can offer, but with a lower price tag.

The current economy is forcing people to stretch their dollars and unfortunately that means spend ing less on cannabis related items.

I’d only smoked one bowl. I was high for a couple of hours, and my mood vacillated from overjoyed and laughing about my face electrodes to chill as I was reading the weird parts of the internet.

Oh, and I also ate my body weight in snacks, so the munchies are real with this one. That’s really the only down side to this strain. You will get hungry. So, do not keep any delicious Tim Tams or giant bags of chips on hand or you will eat all of them. Even the crumbs. Which I did. But while I ate a week’s worth of calories in once sitting, what I did not do at any point was end up feeling so high that I couldn’t function. The sativa side of the strain never led to anxiety, and the indica side never made me feel heavy or tired. I just felt good instead.

very smart for a while. And it just so happened that my brain was on smart mode while my arms and legs stopped cooperating. They melted like butter instead.

You ever get that super heavy feel ing when you’re stoned? Like you’ve been turned to stone by Medusa and you are now a very smart statue?

Well, that’s what this felt like.

From page 6

tridges is mounting due them being about a quarter of the cannabis mar ket. There is currently no recycling pro gram to properly dispose of the used cartridges or their batteries. The fear is real with the possibility of the growing popularity of vape cartridges and no way to plan to recycle them. People like the cartridges because they are easy to carry, clean and a lot less smelly than carrying buds or joints around.

The plant debris problem in Colora do has been a little easier to deal with as of 2021. Since then, cannabis waste that has a low THC percentage is ex empt from the 50:50 mixing rule. The 50:50 mixing rule means that all can nabis waste must be mixed with 50% non-cannabis waste so the cannabis waste is unusable and unrecognizable. This definitely puts a strain on growers simply trying to get rid of waste. Grow ers aren’t throwing out anything that has value to them.

The cannabis market in the US and Canada lead the market in this world. What happens here will probably be repeated in other countries as legaliza tion gains more momentum worldwide.

Colorado benefits greatly from the tax dollars received from cannabis sales. Tax revenue funds non-profits, school maintenance, grants for school health care and health care professionals, early literacy programs, dropout and bullying prevention and multiple other areas. Missing out on this revenue will only hurt the areas it was meant to help.

Colorado was lucky to be one of the first states to legalize canna bis and greatly benefitted from it for years. It caused an influx of people moving to the state, and those people spent money in the industry. Colorado still is a cannabis and tourist destination that attracts people from all over. As long as Colorado stays on the forefront of the cannabis indus try, it should keep attracting peo ple from all over, especially once the economy settles back down and people can cheaply drive across the country to get those Colorado highs they crave.

— DGO Staff

I suppose that’s the mark of a solid hybrid, though. The two sides of the coin play well with themselves, making for a really unique experience — one that’s highly dependent on your mood and your plans for the day or evening or whatever.

And that’s why I call this one a doozy. It’s too unusual to describe it as anything else. I could see this strain helping to reduce your social anxiety when going out (if we’re ever allowed out of the house again, that is, now that there’s a massive uptick in COVID cases), or it could also help you kick back and relax after a long day. It all depends on your mood.

So, if I were you, I wouldn’t sleep on this one. It’s not every day that such a balanced hybrid strain comes along, and I’m going to grab some more while if it’s still on the shelf at Prohibition. You might want to do the same, cause I ain’t sharing if you miss out.

— DGO Pufnstuf

My brain was on smart and empa thetic power mode, but my body was not. I was sluggish and oozing down the couch. So sluggish, in fact, that I must have just straight up passed out while talking. And, oddly enough, I do not even remember feeling tired. I just re member talking about, like, the origins of life or something as my limbs melted like candle wax, and then everything went black. I was star-wiped into sleep. And that sleep lasted. And lasted. And lasted some more. I didn’t wake up for hours, you guys. I was dead to the world. I don’t even remember dreaming about anything. It was just pure sleep.

From

poetically about everything I could think of to show off how smart I am instead.

I guess you could say I was thinking in a straight line instead of spouting off with a crooked tree branch worth of ideas.

Whether or not I was saying any thing worth listening to, I have no idea — but I do remember feeling

So, yeah. That was Nana OG for me. I was introspective, stoned, and cough ing, and then I was dead ass asleep. For that reason alone, this strain isn’t one for parties. You’ll be fine making conversation, but then you’ll be the awkward jerk who’s passed out on someone else’s couch all night when the sleep creeps in. It is a strain for insomniacs, though — and a great one at that.

So, if you’re having trouble sleeping or just want to knock out some pain or something, this is a great strain to keep on hand. Just don’t bust it out when you need to be social or awake or whatever — or things could get super awkward.

— DGO Pufnstuf

Looking for legal weed in the Four Corners?

» Don’t you worry; these excellent dispensaries have you covered

DURANGO

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

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

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

Durango Organics, Grandview, 37 Co Rd. 232, (970) 426-4381, durangoorgan ics.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, thegreenhousecol orado.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) 4228029, lovaco.com

Mammoth Farms Dispensary, 927 CO-

3, (970) 422-3282

Mountain Annie’s, 1644 CO Rd. 203, 970-247-2190, mountainanniescanna bis.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) 3752837, santecolorado.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) 565-2345, doobiesistersco.com

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

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

LivWell Cortez, 1819 E Main St., (970) 565-9577, livwell.com

Mountain Annie’s, 310 E Main St., (970) 564-5181, mountainanniescanna bis.com

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, thegreenhousecolora do.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) 264-0942, smokeringsco.com

Pagosa Craft Dispensary, 127 Gold mine Dr., (970) 264-0833,.pagosacraft cannabis.com

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

cialists.com

FARMINGTON

The Alchemist, 115 W Main St., (505) 258-4180, thealchemistllc.com

Distinguished Dispensary, 4601 En glish Rd., (505) 278-8524, distinguished dispensary.com

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

The Grass Station, 928 E Main St., (505) 278-8825, tgs505.com

Oasis Cannabis Dispensary, 428 E Main St., (888) 505-3947, oasiscanna bisnm.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) 2584634, ultrahealth.com/new-mexico-dis pensaries/farmington-2/

DURANGO • 8AM-10PM

S. CAMINO DEL RIO | 970.247.2420

• 10AM-8PM

US HWY 550 | 970.387.5420

OUR MENU

PAGOSA SPRINGS • 8AM-9PM 270 E. PAGOSA ST. | 970.264.4420

TheGreenHouseColorado.com