APRIL 2016
A YEAR of
FIRSTS
Patients find relief and healing as Nevada’s cultivations, labs, and dispensaries open for business
CANNABIS’ Carbon Footprint CONUNDRUM
7 EARTH DAY
WAYS TO CELEBRATE
Grown by Patients for our Patients!
If you love our edibles, you will love our flower. Look for our strains at your local dispensary Sativa Dominant Hybrids
Frostbite, Sour Lemon OG, Banana, Tangie, EGO’s Circle of Willis (HIGH CBD/THC ratio), EGO OG, Yogi OG
Indica Dominant Hybrid Lavender
True Hybrid
Tahoe OG, Pure Indica, Von Dank’s Godzilla
from the editor
Publisher Guy Bertuzzi, guy@elevatenv.com
Editor-In-Chief Beth Schwartz, beth@finetheagency.com
Creative Director Brooke Bertuzzi, brooke@finetheagency.com
Contributing Writers: Amanda Connor, Rio Lacanlale, Launce Rake
Media Consultant Shanna Perry, shanna@elevatenv.com
ELEVATION PUBLISHING LLC President Jonathan Fine
Chief Financial Officer Cassandra Lupo
FINE THE AGENCY Partner Kelli Maruca, kelli@finetheagency.com
Graphic Designer James Nigbur , James@finetheagency.com
Digital Services Austin Grantham, austin.grantham@finetheagency.com Elevate Nevada magazine makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors, false data or omissions. Elevate Nevada assumes no responsibility for any claims or representations contained in this publication or in any advertisement. Elevate Nevada magazine does not encourage the illegal use of any of the products or advertisements within. Reproduction in whole or in part strictly prohibited. All rights reserved. 7120 Rafael Ridge Way, Las Vegas, NV 89119 Phone: 702.737.8464 | Email: info@elevatenv.com
Facebook/ElevateNV
ElevateNevada
@ElevateNV
It’s only been one year since I began receiving my Ph.D.level education on the cannabis plant. At times it has been beyond incredibly challenging, such as when I have had to delve into the science behind the plant, which is tedious to understand on its own. But, additionally, there is so very little of it in the U.S. because of cannabis’ classification as a Schedule 1 drug which makes it illegal to research. While other times it has been incredibly rewarding, such as when we featured six-year-old Avery Spadafora in our June/July 2015 issue, whose family moved from Nevada to Colorado so she could start taking CBD oil for ongoing seizures. I checked in with Avery’s father, Jon Spadafora, in March and he reports almost a year later that “the frequency and severity of Avery’s seizures continue to decline, and she is making great progress as a result. Between Hailey’s Hope and the medical care that we have received in the past 18 months, the move to Colorado was one of the best decisions we have made as a family.” Avery’s story was the one that first got my attention as to just how much cannabis can change someone’s or, in her case, the lives of an entire family. Avery had been living with nightly seizures for five years and had been to the best pediatric neurologists across the U.S. who, by the way, not only were never able to diagnose her, but never found a pharmaceutical or other treatment that could put a halt to her seizures. Out of desperation her parents turned to cannabis oil to find their child relief.
And that’s what got me hooked. That something as simple as a plant could save a child’s life was very powerful to me. To think a plant that had been demonized for decades could bring a family hope and a young girl relief from a body that had turned on her was astonishing. It was a fascinating story for me to write and it launched my cannabis journey. There’s no denying cannabis has given comfort and even healed a great many as I continually find out month after month in story after story that we detail in these pages. Sometimes, I am even too incredulous to believe the stories that I hear could be true. And then the lab reports are produced and I see where anecdotal evidence meets science as I review actual MRIs and lab tests that show cancerous tumors that have shrunk in half or even disappeared. It’s truly been gratifying to share with you the many facets of cannabis and the range of conditions and diseases it can treat while attempting to turn the stigma cannabis has endured for far too long into a legitimate medicine that those who need it can take with impunity. I had intended for this column to be about the most interesting things I learned about cannabis in the last year. But I think it’s more important to offer one general observation: the taboo surrounding cannabis needs to be eliminated so people who are sick and ailing will seek the relief and healing they need free of judgment and shame. With an open mind,
CONTENTS 7 8
7 Digitizing Cannabis
Breaking down the industry by the numbers
8 Elevate Your State
Legislative updates from across the United States
11 Cannabis’ Carbon Footprint Conundrum
What environmental impact will Nevada’s cultivators have on Mother Earth?
16 7 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day
Nurture yourself on April 22 with a canna-massage, yoga in a salt cave or by pedaling Red Rock
11
20 Happy Cannaversary!
Elevate celebrates a year of covers
23 A Year of Firsts
Patients find relief and healing as cultivations, labs, and dispensaries open
23
30 Cooking with Cannabis
Hemp Seed Pesto Linguine
34 Dispensary Spotlight:
Inyo Fine Cannabis Dispensary
38 Dispensary Map
Patients guide to finding medical cannabis in the Las Vegas Valley
30
from the publisher
A
@ElevateNV Elevate Nevada Facebook/Elevate NV
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pril is full of celebrations. From Earth Day, the beginning of Passover, and April Fools’ Day to Administrative Professionals’ Day, Tax Day (well, this may not be such a celebration for everyone) and 4/20, there are plenty of special days to choose from. And this year we can add another as we commemorate Elevate Nevada’s first anniversary. Time goes by quick! We have published nine issues and now you hold the tenth in your hands. There is much gratitude involved when you are starting a magazine from nothing, especially in a digital world. I would like to start with thanking my business partner, Jonathan Fine. After working for his family for almost a decade, I approached Jonathan with my idea for Elevate Nevada over coffee at the Venetian. At the end of the conversation, he just looked at me and said he was in! His support, his trust, and his belief in my vision have been a blessing. Elevate editor Beth Schwartz is another person who has been with me from the first issue. The experience, work ethic, and validity she brings to Elevate are humbling. Over the last year I have watched her learn about cannabis and all of its many facets as she delved into the research and writing of this magazine. I have been even more pleased to watch as she has educated the uninformed with great fervor about the healing benefits of cannabis.
My wife, Brooke, who designed our first two issues as well as the one you are now reading, has been my rock. She supported me in leaving a really stable and lucrative job to take this risk and has been there every step of the way without judgment. It has not been easy working together, but she lets me be me! There are a few former staff members who are no longer at Elevate, and, if they are reading this, I want them to know I do appreciate them, their contributions and would like to thank them. They were important to our journey and helped to define what you see today. I would also like to congratulate all of the “firsts” in our industry, as featured in the cover story on page 23, for setting the Nevada cannabis industry on the right path. Additionally, I would like to give a shout-out to Vegas Cannabis magazine for being the first publication of its kind in Nevada. But, most importantly, I need to thank our readers. The emails, phone calls and love you have shared for our magazine and its mission make everything worth it. As we continue to grow, we ask that you share your story. It is time to admit you are a patient. Do not be ashamed, embarrassed or scared. There are a lot of potential patients out there who would benefit from hearing about your experience and seeing themselves in your story. This miracle plant has amazing healing powers and spreading the word will only help others improve their quality of life. In the very sage words of George Bernard Shaw, “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” Salute,
GET IN THE GROVE FOR 420. Grand Opening Week at The Grove | April 20 - 24
™
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The Grove is your destination for natural cannabis products, and we’re opening our location near the Las Vegas Strip soon. We’re celebrating with five days of special offers. Join us 4/20 for your FREE 420 Survival Kit*. And visit us every day through 4/24 for more incredible giveaways. Visit our website for specials through 4/24. Get in The Grove. We’re your dispensary, naturally. Las Vegas | 4647 Swenson St. | 89169 *FIRST 100 PATIENTS ONLY.
- ACCEPTING ALL OUT OF STATE MMJ CARDS -
CANNABIS By the Numbers
23
STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HAVE LEGALIZED MEDICAL CANNABIS
315,000 copies of Elevate Nevada magazine have been printed in the past year
THE NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ISSUED
461
LICENSED PHYSICIANS signed medical
cannabis patient
dispensaries
APPLICATIONS
are open in
IN NEVADA
NEVADA
IN 2000,
65%
in Northern AND
in SOUTHERN
NEVADA
DISPENSARY LICENSES IN 2014 AT
NEVADA
AS T LE
STATES HOPE TO HAVE SOME DEGREE OF
CANNABIS LEGALIZATION
15,238 (accurate as of press time)
(MEDICAL OR ADULT USE) ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER
MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENT CARDS HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN NEVADA (AS OF FEBRUARY 2016) Source: Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health
10, 284
OF NEVADA VOTERS APPROVED BALLOT QUESTION
#9
MEDICAL TO LEGALIZE
CANNABIS CARDHOLDERS live in CLARK COUNTY
THE USE OF
MEDICAL CANNABIS
april | elevatenv.com 7
ELEVATE YOUR STATE
Medical cannabis updates from across the United States OHIO: Approximately three out of four Ohio voters support amending the state constitution to make medical cannabis legal for patients with terminal or debilitating conditions, according to Public Policy Polling which conducted the February 17-18 poll. The survey found 74% of voters in favor and only 22% opposed with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8%. Ohioans for Medical Marijuana (OMM), a committee that has been formed to support the forthcoming initiative, will need to collect at least 305,591 valid signatures of Ohio voters by early July to qualify the measure for the November ballot.
MONTANA: In February, the Montana Supreme Court reached a ruling that clamped down on commercial sales of cannabis by limiting providers to no more than three patients each. The court's decision upheld other provisions of a 2011 state law that represents one of the most significant rollbacks attempted by states that have legalized cannabis for medical purposes. The law, meant to curb abuses that led to a flourishing cannabis industry in Montana five years ago, would have banned medical cannabis providers from receiving any compensation. The court said the sales ban would leave some patients with debilitating illnesses with no available source for the drug. However, the court upheld the requirement that marijuana providers can take on a maximum of three patients each. The justices also upheld provisions of the law that ban medical marijuana advertising and create an automatic review for doctors who recommend the drug for more than 25 patients.
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OKLAHOMA: Two marijuana policy bills passed the Oklahoma House in March, and will now move on to the Senate. HB 2479 would reduce Oklahoma’s penalties for marijuana possession from two years to one year, in turn, cutting the mandatory minimum sentence for a second or subsequent marijuana possession conviction within 10 years of the first. It would also reduce the maximum sentence for such a conviction from 10 years to five years. HB 2835 would add people with certain medical conditions to the list of patients given limited protections for possession of CBD oil. Although the bill still limits such oil to 0.3% THC and fails to provide in-state access, it is an acknowledgement by the legislature that cannabis can help patients with varying medical conditions.
PENNSYLVANIA: The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved comprehensive medical cannabis legislation in late March. SB 3 will now return to the Senate, which approved the bill last May, to consider the House’s amendments. Gov. Tom Wolf has been a strong champion of the issue and will sign the legislation when it arrives at his desk. SB 3 allows patients with qualifying conditions to use and safely access medical cannabis with their physicians’ recommendations. As amended by the House, it allows up to 25 growers to produce medical cannabis, which would be dispensed by up to 50 dispensaries with up to three locations each.
VIRGINIA: Virginia lawmakers considered many cannabis-related bills this year, but only one — SB 701 — made it to the desk of Governor Terry McAuliffe. This limited bill allows the cultivation of cannabis for purposes of making cannabidiol (CBD) oil. Patients suffering from intractable epilepsy could receive the oil with a written certification from their doctor. While Gov. McAuliffe is expected to sign the legislation, epileptic patients won’t receive any benefit until at least 2017, as the bill requires a second passage next year.
Follow your own path to wellness.
Euphoria Wellness Medical Marijuana Dispensary is now open. It’s the mission of our highly trained staff to assist you in making informed choices to meet your medical needs. We offer a wide range of cannabis strains and products in a clean, safe environment. To provide comfort. To aid in healing. And to put you on the road to wellness. Ask about FREE DELIVERY!
702.960.7200 • www.euphoriawellnessnv.com 7780 South Jones Blvd. (at Jones & Robindale) • Las Vegas, NV 89139
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CANNABIS’ CARBON FOOTPRINT CONUNDRUM
What environmental impact will Nevada’s cultivators have on Mother Earth? By Launce Rake
For some people, the prospect of cultivating marijuana plants in Nevada’s growing cannabis industry might spark images of Humboldt County hippies in tie-dyes under the sunny sky. Of course, the high-tech reality of the Silver State’s marijuana industry has very little connection with the old, outdoor and haphazard ways of underground agriculture.
Indeed, the modern cultivation center uses enormous amounts of water and power, the two components without which the plants cannot survive. Those resources not only cost the producers many thousands of dollars every month, but strain the ability of utilities to supply them. Providing those resources comes at a price. Electricity is largely produced
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by burning fossil fuels, which pollutes the sky with heat-holding carbon, and water, as we are often reminded in Southern Nevada, is one of most precious natural resources, mostly arriving through the rapidly dwindling supply in Lake Mead. But the new industry is wrestling with the environmental impacts of its marijuana cultivation and production, and the cost, environmental and financial, of water and electrical power. Darrick J. Cole, co-founder and managing partners of Skytree Capital Partners, is somewhat of a skeptic when it comes to putting money into “green” environmental elements of cultivation centers. The reason, he explains, is money.
It can cost upwards of $5 million to go through the licensing process and build an approved cultivation facility. With those kinds of costs, investors rarely have money to put into environmental enhancements, Cole, whose company is an equity lender in the cannabis industry, says. “There are a few deep pockets trying to do alternatives” to traditional lighting and watering systems, he acknowledges. And he notes that there have been real advances in some technologies, particularly in lighting systems, that use less electricity and produce less heat, which saves on air-conditioning costs. A lot of the technology is so new that people aren’t sure that it will ultimately save significant amounts of power and money, Cole said. “I think there’s going to be a lot of trial and error,” Cole says. “I think it’s going to come. I just don’t think it’s here yet.” Producers in other parts of the country have advantages when it comes to environmental sensitivities. In California, for example, cannabis growers can do it outside, using the natural light of the sun and the natural cooling of the
great outdoors, an option that is not available in Nevada, where grows by law have to be indoors and smell-contained. Indoor cultivators in other parts of the country where medical or recreational marijuana is legal under state laws don’t have to contend with Southern Nevada’s brutal summer heat. And many of the cultivators in Nevada have only seen their first mature plant harvests in the last few months. It remains to be seen how they will handle the first full summer, in which outdoor temperatures can easily exceed 110 degrees. But cultivators and entrepreneurs are clever people, and many of them are already finding cost-effective ways to bring down power and water costs and be kind to the environment. Jon Harms, president and founder of Nano Evaporative Technologies Inc., believes he has found a technology that can cut the cooling costs of cultivation facilities in half. It is a hybrid technology that combines evaporation from terracotta-like ceramics with traditional air conditioning systems. It is more than a swamp cooler and works well in humid situations, Harms says. He says he would be happy to install his systems in any kind of building that needs cooling -- which in Southern Nevada, means any kind of building with people in it -- but cultivation centers were among the first to come calling, simply because their cooling needs are so expensive and extreme. Harms says he has installed his cooling systems in about four largescale hydroponics cultivation centers so far. In his unassuming shop in the southwest Las Vegas Valley, Harms has a demonstration system set up. Air blows through the system, coming out about 20 degrees below the ambient air
temperature. The demonstration system runs on regular AC current. Unlike a traditional air conditioner, there is no waste heat expelled. It’s not exactly a refutation of Isaac Newton, Harms explains. There is no heat generated and forced out of the system because the evaporative system uses the energy from the warm air in the cooling process. It still looks and sounds a little like magic, but Harms says his system in scalable. Since the power needs are modest, a solar-powered system might be able to provide spot cooling needs in disaster situations. In the meantime, cultivators can cut their cooling needs and air-conditioning bills by 25 to 50 percent, Harms says, noting, “This technology can pretty much change the industry.” Another technology that is being deployed and changing the industry is advanced light-emitting-diode lighting. Kevin Biernacki is a master
grower at a nondescript cultivation facility in Southern Nevada. He says the computer-controlled LED lighting he uses has some significant advantages over the traditional highpressure sodium lights that have, heretofore, been the industry standard. The powerful LEDs he uses can be tailored to provide whatever part of the visible spectrum is needed for the plants. The lighting system is computer controlled and can be accessed from a remote location. The old high-pressure-sodium lights would need frequent replacement, sometimes after just one full grow cycle. And they produce heat, a lot of
heat, over 600 degrees. All that heat had to be carried off by powerful air condition systems, which also consume tremendous amounts of energy. The new LEDs should last five to 10 years, Biernacki says. The best part? “There’s a significant saving in cost and overall carbon output,” he says. The new lighting technology has cut the air-conditioning needs for the grow site in half. Biernacki and his colleague, Brandon Wiegand, a vice president at the Grove, which has two dispensaries in Southern Nevada, say that they are among the first cultivators to use the new LED lighting technology. “We’re the largest grow where this has been deployed,” Wiegand says of
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april | elevatenv.com 13
the 16,660-square-foot cultivation. “That will only last so long, but we’ll shout it from the rooftops while we can.” Beirnacki says the goal of his effort is two-fold: To save money, but also to be good stewards of the environment. A few miles away, in an old food warehouse in the shadow of Strip high rises, an even bigger effort to save power and water is in place. Darin Carpenter, director of cultivation for Tryke Companies, oversees operations at a cultivation site that is 105,000 square feet, with capacity to expand another 50,000 square feet if and when the demand is there. The company also is building a dispensary and production center at the site, which is now producing 76 strains of marijuana and holds, Carpenter says, a “genetic locker” of 300 strains. Much of the product in the grow rooms looks like similar grow rooms around Las Vegas, but Carpenter says
the differences are substantial. The use of different technology has allowed them to reduce the water used in their hydroponics system by half, he says. Computers monitor the nutrient mix and amount of water released to the plants, and instead of just water, the plants are nourished by a moist membrane underneath the trays. Systems catch the water “exhaled” by the plants in the natural process of transpiration, allowing the center to save even more water, he explains – up to 70 percent efficiency over other hydroponics systems. The water is collected in enormous plastic containers the size of a two-door Fiat, 2,400 gallons when full, purified and sent back to provide sustenance to the plants. There is a similar effort underway on the power-use side of Tryke’s operation. The complex uses 4.6 megawatts of electricity – a lot of power,
BAM
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certainly, but Carpenter says a similarly sized operation would use roughly 8 megawatts. Meanwhile, an unconventional air-conditioning system depends on cooled water pumping through the former warehouse, a system that Carpenter calls “the lungs” of the operation. Evaporative cooling and a circulation throughout the complex keep the people, and, most importantly, the thousands of plants, comfortable. The systems cut 40 to 50 percent off their power bills versus traditional air conditioning, Carpenter says. Carpenter is tall and thin, and in his lab coat, he looks a lot like the scientist he was trained to be. We ask, why does he do it? Is he a tree-hugging hippie, or is he just trying to save on the bottom line? “It’s both, actually,” he says with a shrug. “We want to feel good about what we are doing as an industry.”
{ 7}
WAYS TO CELEBRATE
EARTH DAY
TEEPEES IN TECOPA
E-PEDALING RED ROCK Discover Red Rock like you never have before -- hop on an electric bike and glide your way around the area’s 13-mile loop. Take in one of Nevada’s most splendid natural wonders using the force of your own legs or just let your Energie bike carry you along this threehour sightseeing tour. Stop along the way to check out Indian pictographs, see the season’s most colorful cacti in bloom, and learn about the quirks of Red Rock history. redEbike.com or call 702.544.4261
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In the daytime, your view encompasses rows of magnificent date palm trees nestled in the Armargosa Valley and at night you will take in the twinkling desert sky. The beautiful vistas from the teepees at Discover Cynthia’s won’t be the only highlight of your stay on the China Ranch Date Farm. You can hike to a waterfall or visit the ranch’s bakery for a taste of delicious date delicacies from bars to muffins, but the milkshakes are heaven on earth. Discovercynthias.com or call 760.852.4580
FARM FRESH Relish Mother Earth’s bounty, reserve your spot at a fresh-off-thefarm dine-around on April 22 at Border Grill as part of the restaurant’s patio series at its Mandalay Bay location. Executive Chef Jamaal Taherzadeh is bringing a Farmers’ Market vibe to the evening’s diners who can expect dishes created from locally grown, sustainable ingredients. At the end of the night, diners will leave with their own bag of "groceries" so they can try cooking the fresh produce at home. Purchase tickets at the restaurant or bordergrill.com
NEW LIFE IS BUDDING AT DEATH VALLEY
Photo courtesy of Laura, DesertUSA blog
Thanks to the weather phenomenon El Niño, which includes warmer-thanaverage temperatures over the western U.S., Death Valley could possibly enjoy a super-bloom this year. With 2005 being the last time one occurred at the 3.4-million-acre national park, it’s not to be missed. Park employees already report a flush of desert gold but other varieties have popped up that include golden evening primrose, purple notch-leaf phacelia, and brown-eyed evening primrose. Wildflower updates can be found at www.nps.gov/deva/learn/nature/ wildflower-update-2016.htm
SALT OF THE EARTH THE ART OF CANNA-MASSAGE Canna-massage, which was pioneered in Denver, has made its way to Las Vegas. Ilan Massage Studio is now offering canna-massages using CBD for Life body massage lotion infused with cannabidiol (CBD) in its Releaf Session. The massage treatment is recommended for anybody suffering with everyday pain as a result of their occupation or athletic pursuits as well as those with chronic pain and disease. Clients can choose from a 50- or 80-minute full body massage, scalp massage or foot massage. ilanmassagestudio.com or call 702.713.2879
Allergy sufferers who can’t enjoy Mother Nature the old-fashioned way this Earth Day can immerse themselves in a Halo-Yoga class or a HaloMeditation session at the Salt Room. The classes are taught in a saltinfused chamber lined with peachcolored Himalayan salt bricks illuminated from behind. Known to help with respiratory ailments such as allergies, asthma, bronchitis and COPD, salt-laden air wafts in through vents and works as an anti-inflammatory to ease respiratory illnesses. saltroomlv.com or call 702.228.7258
Las Vegas most authentic Italian Bistro, Deli, and Patisserie. Lunch Specials Daily
BUTTERFLY KISSES It’s primetime for butterflies in the desert. And one of the best places to see them up close in all of their vivid finery is at the Springs Preserve’s Butterfly Habitat, which is home to North American and exotic butterflies. Butterfly lovers can wander among the 2,000-square-foot habitat’s springtime residents and not only study their spectacular markings, but also learn about the plants that sustain them. The seasonal habitat is open until May 30. springspreserve.org or call 702.822.7700
10690 Southern Highlands Pkwy,#103 Las Vegas, NV 89141
Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm
•
Sunday 11am-8pm
Web Menu: spaghettywestern.com
april | elevatenv.com 17
VINTAGE. COMFORTING. CONTEMPORARY. UPLIFTING. Introducing the new standard in cannabis dispensaries.
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702.740.HERB
844-5-TESTIN | 702-728-5180 | www.dblabslv.com | 4439 S. Polaris Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89103
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elevatenv.com | april
You can hire a consultant to tell you how to grow your cannabis...
...or you can hire MJardin and grow your business instead. We are cultivators, not consultants.
Visit us: MJardin.com
HAPPY CANNAVERSARY!
ELEVATE CELEBRATES A YEAR OF COVERS It’s hard to believe that Elevate Nevada has already been exploring the world of cannabis for a year. When the magazine launched last April nary a grow facility or dispensary was open. The thought of going to a dispensary and being able to buy medicine was just but a twinkle in the eye of many a suffering patient. Now we have a budding industry with more than 15 dispensaries throughout the state providing care and access to Nevada’s approximately 15,000 card-carrying patients as well as any of the medical tourists visiting our state who possess patient cards from their state.
JUNE-JULY 2015
A HANDFUL
of
HOPE One family’s journey to find relief for their child's seizures
SHOULD YOU GIVE YOUR CHILD MEDICINAL MARIJUANA? Catching up with SENATOR TICK SEGERBLOM on Nevada’s marijuana progress
december
Local non-profits
Local Non-Profits SHARE THE GIFT
&
2015
THE EVOLUTION of CANNABIS through the lens of industry mavericks
of Giving
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elevatenv.com | april
Check out our
DISPENSARY MAP page 29
HOLIDAY
GIFT GUIDE
OCTOBER 2015
AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2015
november
2015
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL ICON
MELISSA
ROLLING THE DICE ON MEDICINAL CANNABIS
ETHERIDGE makes cannabis her latest cause
+
PTSD IS RIPPING
SILVER STATE sets nation’s gold standard
the Heart out
FOR LAB TESTING
Could MEDICINAL MARIJUANA
of our Nation
FIND COMFORT
VETERANS COMMITTING SUICIDE IS CANNABIS THE
ANSWER TO OUR
with
CANNABIS
be an answer to the nation’s opioid crisis?
LAS VEGAS METRO WEIGHS IN ON CANNABIS A PATIENT’S GUIDE TO
02
january
BREAST CANCER
SURVIVORS
Southern Nevada’s Dispensaries
elevatenv.com | october
2016
february
march
2016
2016
DISPENSING
CBD Lotions,
with
Potions & Topicals
bodies
forget smoking cannabis we should be smearing it
all our over
OUTDATED
CANNABIS COULD BE
ON
the solution to our
GRIDIRON HEROES’ RETURN TO GLORY
TURN YOUR HEALTH
Upside Down
YOU?
WITH ANTI-GRAVITY YOGA
Former UFC fighter PURSUES PASSION
for the green life
Looking to the Future
WITH PREDICTIONS FOR
&
2016
&
Check out our
DISPENSARY MAP Page 23
PUMP UP YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE WITH CBD check out our dispensary map PAGE 33
/ / Front cover
The team at Elevate has spent the last year sharing not only the medical discoveries of cannabis, but also the stories of medicinal cannabis patients who have found comfort and healing using this miracle plant. From epilepsy and breast cancer to PTSD and concussions, our cover stories have run the gamut. But in the nine issues we have already published, we haven’t even begun to explore all the conditions and diseases cannabis can alleviate, heal and bring relief to. We look forward to the myriad topics we have still to cover and appreciate you discovering them along with us as we continue to elevate the conversation surrounding medical cannabis.
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R A E Y A
OF
PATIENTS FIND RELIEF AND HEALING AS CULTIVATIONS, LABS, AND DISPENSARIES OPEN
by Beth Schwartz
It’s been exactly one year since the first cannabis plants were handed off from registered patients to licensed cultivators and the budding of Nevada’s cannabis industry officially began to sprout. Elevate decided to document the many ‘firsts’ -- from the first lab to test to the first dispensary to open its doors -- that took place in Nevada during the last year. We profile the intrepid and resourceful entrepreneurs and businesses who will go down in the state’s history books as the pioneers of an industry. The ones who were undeterred by many an obstacle and persisted ahead to legally sell cannabis to patients in the Silver State for the first time. Read on to find out how an industry was born.
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FIRST CULTIVATION IN CLARK COUNTY ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE ASSOCIATION It’s been a year. A year since Paul Churchill, general manager at Alternative Medicine Association (AMA), rounded up a bunch of immature plants that would become the first medicinal cannabis sold to patients in Southern Nevada. Churchill admits it was kind of a crapshoot because Nevada law dictates that cultivators must use the plants of registered patients. “It was part of the state regulation that we acquire plants from patient growers – we got immature plants, mothers, we got any and everything as long as they were plants that were already here because nothing could be brought over state lines,” stated Churchill. “We had signed affidavits from patients, plant acquisition forms, it was all very heavily documented and it was definitely reviewed with a fine tooth comb by the state of Nevada.
FIRST DISPENSARY TO OPEN SILVER STATE RELIEF On July 31, 2015 the first legal dispensary opened in the state of Nevada. Of the 55 dispensary licenses granted in November 2014, Silver State Relief was the first to sell legal medicinal cannabis to patients. Aron Swan, general manager of Silver State Relief, attributes good, solid planning and a government entity that was easy to work with as the primary reasons the Sparks-based dispensary opened their doors before any other. “We went for permitting on pure risk which gave us a good eight weeks head start,” said Swan. “Right when we found out we got all the licenses, we broke ground. We started work on the building even before we knew we had the license. We started running cables and door locks, stuff we could do without a permit.” Being located in Washoe County also made things smoother for the 4,000-square-foot dispensary. “Sparks was very easy to work with. There’s not a day that I don’t wake up and thank God we are in Sparks because they have been so easy to work with,” Swan relayed. Silver State Relief’s opening was much anticipated.
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“It was actually a pretty neat experience. I just started running strains here that I had never run before and we ended up with some good stuff,” explained Churchill who would have loved to have brought the genetics he had been growing in California during the last eight years. “It usually takes a few cycles to get a feel for a plant and get to know its flower cycle but we had great results on our first harvest.” In August of 2015, the recipient of Churchill’s first harvest, which included strains of Strawberry Cough and Cheese, was Clark County dispensary Euphoria Wellness. And Churchill did it all himself, noting that he had no staff at his 10,000-square-foot all-hydroponic cultivation and “grew, processed, tested and sold the first dried, cured flower.” Even though Churchill was a one-man band he did have the guidance of the state. “We worked very closely with the state of Nevada, they had a huge learning curve and we were sort of their guinea pig. We got to watch their written regulations go into motion and they spent a lot of time with us. We educated them on growing cannabis and they helped to educate us on the new regs, the new policies -- the program they were rolling out here.” Looking back to last April, Churchill believes it all happened as it was supposed to, stating, “It’s all about maintaining the right climate and creating the right environment to grow the best cannabis in the world.”
“When we first announced we were opening, we received over 600 employment applications over one weekend. Of those, we interviewed 50 applicants and hired five. We were fortunate that we could be selective and hire people who wanted to work for us for the right reasons,” said Swan. Silver State Relief opened their doors using product from several harvestready plants that they purchased from patients until their own cultivation, Silver State Cultivation, produced its first harvest at the end of August. The dispensary currently sees about 120 and 180 patients a day and offers a selection of 25 strains, concentrates, tinctures, CBD topicals and edibles.
photos by Linda Seiber
FIRST LAB TO TEST 374 LABS Nevada has the distinction of being the first state to require the lab testing of cannabis before it ends up in the hands of patients. And 374 Labs will go down in the history books as the lab that tested the first cannabis sold in the state -- which seems rather appropriate since it is named for the Senate bill that created the regulatory framework for the state’s budding medical cannabis industry, SB 374. “When we finally decided to pull the trigger and go all in, it was kind of a tip of the hat to the legislative and state process that is now governing us,” explained 374 Labs Managing Partner Alec Garcia of how he and his partners chose the lab’s name. Although Garcia doesn’t have a background in cannabis testing, one of his partners is a certified toxicologist. “We had a generic background in cannabis and then through the application process and research and reaching out to labs in other states, we really began to understand the complexities of working with this plant in this matrix. There’s not standardization across this industry in general so it’s kind of a ‘do and learn as you go’ type of thing.”
FIRST NEVADA GROWER TO WIN A MEDICAL CANNABIS CUP NEVADAPURE “It’s beginner’s luck,” modestly admitted Kathy Gillespie of NevadaPure’s Medical Cannabis Cup win in February. Gillespie and her team at NevadaPure won two awards during High Time’s 2016 SoCal Medical Cannabis Cup: first place for Best CBD Concentrate with its Goji D.C. and third place for Best Medical Non-Solvent Hash with Kookies. Being a first-time grower, Gillespie, who is a co-owner of the dispensary, cultivation and production housed in a 70,000-square-foot facility on Boulder Highway, definitely thought a win wasn’t in the cards. “We just thought the odds of us winning -being a newbie let alone the first ones in Nevada to enter -- a first and a third would be unheard of, but we have some excellent growers and cultivators down here who have excellent eyes,” said Gillespie, who has a degree in horticulture. “I didn’t do it on my own. I have been working with our head grower on this for six
374 Labs, located in Sparks, received its state approval in May 2015 and by the end of July the first product was ready for analysis and so was the 2,500-square-foot lab. “It was exciting but at the same time it was a stressful and interesting time period because you don’t want your first go-round to be a disaster. We tried to cross all the Ts and dot all the Is.” Garcia and his partners did this through a lot of practice. “During the first month we were open, we used Emerald Scientific Proficiency Testing for potency. We did that to make sure we were basically on the money and we got plus or minus two percent which is pretty good, especially right out of the gate for just starting to actually analyze. Another step we took when we first opened was to quantify that our results were what we said they were. “We started validating when the list was still at 80 pesticides. We just bought all the standards and were working through that process and then the list changed again and some of the pesticides transferred over and others were new. But because we had a jumpstart based on what we thought the list was going to be, I think that allowed us to open up quicker than a lot of the other laboratories in both the north and the south.”
months to pick a strain that we had here that we really liked that I had in my home that I had been growing and looking at and feeling really warm and fuzzy about.” The cultivators at NevadaPure started with a very small pool of germ plasm that they believed had a lot of potential for improvement. “I was just looking at a lot of the attributes I thought we could improve on. Something that grew with a larger flower that would yield better nub because, keep in mind, that our intention was to turn it into a wax or oil to treat children with epilepsy or patients with cancer,” explained Gillespie. “We wanted a very high CBD content and we wanted a large percent. One of my goals in developing this strain and this germ plasm was to try and develop a higher yielding CBD strain that also yielded a higher CBD concentrate percentage and obviously I got real, real lucky the first time.” NevadaPure plans to enter its award-winning Goji D.C. in Denver’s upcoming Cannabis Cup April 22-24. For those patients interested in the concentrate, it will be available at NevadaPure in the next several weeks. (Editor’s Note: NevadaPure can also claim another first, its production house was also the first in Nevada to sell their edibles to patients.)
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info@nvcannlabs.com • 702.682.7203 • 6631 Schuster Street, Las Vegas, NV. 89118 26 elevatenv.com | april
HEALING THE POWER OF MEDICINAL CANNABIS Tonka is a Labrador-Pitbull mix.
MAN’S BEST FRIEND FINDS RELIEF FROM DEBILITATING ILLNESS WITH CBD OIL by Rio Lacanlale
There is a reason we refer to dogs as man’s best friend. Or in Carrie Wilson’s (she prefers not to use her real name) case: mama’s boy. Dogs are loyal, caring, and playful and, at the end of the day, they are family. Tonka Wilson, 7, has never given her mom a reason to worry, aside from the occasional potty accidents in the house and torn up shoes left hidden under couches and beds. That is,
until late in December 2015 when the beautiful Labrador-Pitbull mix had diarrhea and started vomiting. “Sometimes dogs eat stuff they aren’t supposed to,” says Wilson about the week that Tonka’s medical mystery began. “But by the end of the first week in January, I started to get really concerned.” Tonka’s vomiting episodes would happen up to 17 times in a row. He was puking more out than he was
precursor to a month of visits to vets, specialty vets and a battery of tests. By the end of January, Wilson could see Tonka’s backbones and hip bones protruding. The once energetic and infinitely-hungry dog was down 25 lbs., malnourished, and hooked to a feeding tube. After seeing more than five vets and undergoing exploratory surgery, Wilson was no closer to finding the cause of Tonka’s symptoms. Tonka even spent a week at a specialty center. “At this point, our
We were just shooting blind. All this money was spent and we still had no idea what was happening to our Tonka."
taking in, according to Wilson. “He wasn’t eating at all. He just stopped.” Wilson rushed her browneyed furry child to the vet, where Tonka was admitted for two days and put on IV drips before being sent home. This vet visit was the stressful
main concern was stabilizing him,” says Wilson. But after each visit, Wilson and Tonka were sent home with no answers. Identical to the days following Tonka's return home from previous vet stays, he still could not keep food down.
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S
HEALING THE POWER OF MEDICINAL CANNABIS
Still in the dark about Tonka’s condition, Wilson began doing what most mothers would do in this situation: blame themselves. “You start to second guess what you fed him that week. Was it my fault?” Nothing was working. “We were just shooting blind. All this money was spent and we still had no idea what was happening to our Tonka.” Wilson decided that enough was enough. “No more biopsies, scopes, x-rays or ultrasounds,” explains a frustrated Wilson. Despite her skepticism, she reached out to Lance Parvin, who is known for his expertise in Herbal Psychopharmacology. Parvin introduced Wilson and Tonka to CBD oil. Within two days of trying the oil on Tonka, Wilson noticed he was regaining his appetite. Wilson said the change was night and day. “I was skeptical about it working,” explains Wilson, who has a background in biology, “but if we hadn’t tried the CBD oil, I don’t think Tonka would be here today.” The treatment is both easy and effective. Tonka gets
0.1 ml of CBD oil rubbed onto his gums every night before he eats. Tonka’s recovery has been slow. But according to Wilson, after a month of CBD oil treatment, he’s back to eating two cups of food, sleeping again, and his energy has returned. “We spent over $7,000 in treatments and tests,” says Wilson. “All this time the cure was so simple. I’m a believer now!”
NEW PATIENTS RECEIVE $10 OFF THEIR FIRST PURCHASE
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702.708.2000 thesourcenv.com
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Cooking Cannabis HEMP SEED PESTO LINGUINE RECIPE COURTESY OF VEGENATION, VEGENATIONLV.COM INGREDIENTS: 8 ounces whole wheat linguine 4 ounces of walnut pieces 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic salt and pepper to taste pinch of red pepper flakes 1 bunch of fresh basil 1 ounce of hemp seeds 2 ounces of nutritional yeast 1-3 teaspoons cannabis-infused extra virgin olive oil (1=light; 2=medium; 3=strong) 3 ounces coconut oil 1/4 cup diced sundried tomatoes 1 avocado, mashed 1 cup vegetable broth
DIRECTIONS:
Boil water, add salt to pot and cook linguine. Toast walnuts in pan for five minutes. Sauté onions and garlic with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and add to food processer along with basil, walnuts, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, 1-3 (1=light, 2=medium, 3=strong) teaspoons of cannabis-infused olive oil, coconut oil, and blend together to make a paste. In a separate sauté pan, add 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and sundried tomatoes and lightly sauté. Add mashed avocados and vegetable stock and stir together until simmering. Add finished pesto, stir and simmer again. Add cooked linguine, coat with sauce and enjoy this vegetarian delight! Please remember when cooking with medicinal cannabis you are cooking with a medicine and the medicine amount and portions of the food ingested should always be taken into consideration. Always start out with small portions or doses and wait 30 minutes to an hour before eating any additional portions of food that has been medicated.
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Info@DigitalLizard.com 702.852.3400 april | elevatenv.com 31
LEGALEASE
N
Nevada voters to decide whether or not to end cannabis prohibition
By Amanda Connor
evadans will have the opportunity to vote on whether or not to legalize cannabis for adult use this November. The Nevada Marijuana Legalization Initiative is on the ballot as a result of an initiative petition -- meaning enough signatures of registered voters were collected in order for it to appear on the ballot for the state’s residents to weigh in on. In order for the initiative petition to pass, a majority of Nevada voters who show up to the polls on November 8th will have to support the ballot question. The measure would legalize one ounce or less of marijuana for recreational use in the State of Nevada for individuals at least 21 years of age or older. The marijuana could only be grown, produced, tested and sold in licensed facilities. Those licenses would be awarded to applicants utilizing a merit-based system. The initiative petition limits the number of licenses that will be granted for the adult-use market. Nevada already has a medical marijuana program and it will remain in place. The medical marijuana market has a 2 percent excise tax that is paid to the state and goes into the general education fund. If adult-use passes in November, the excise tax on adult-use product will be 15 percent. This tax will go into the general education fund as well and could produce millions of dollars to help improve and support K-12 education in Nevada. Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska are states that have previously passed laws allowing for MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY the adult use of cannabis. In the first year of having legalized adult use, Colorado received over $60 million in tax revenue and saw a reduction in the crime rate.1 Oregon saw sales in excess of $11 million in the first week of adult-use.2 Such revenue could be a MEDICINAL PURCHASE Cannot be combined with any other deal significant boost to the economy and educational or discounts. Present this ad to receive 20% off medicinal purchase. One coupon system in Nevada. per person per visit at NevadaPURE™. Not valid with any other offer. Not Thus, voters have a few short months to decide if transferable or for sale. NevadaPURE™ reserves the right to rescind discount Nevada should legalize cannabis for adult use. at any time. There is no cash value
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New Schools, Less Crime: Colorado Sees Benefits of Marijuana Legalization, MintPress News, http://www.mintpressnews.com/ new-schools-less-crime-colorado-sees-benefits-of-marijuana-legalization/208751/ 2 Oregon Stats: $11M in first week of rec marijuana sales, The Cannabist, http://www.thecannabist.co/2015/10/09/oregon-marijuana-sales-recreational-debut-colorado-washington/42068/ 1
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DISPENSARY SPOTLIGHT Inyo Fine Cannabis Dispensary www.inyolasvegas.com 2520 South Maryland Parkway, #2 Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 702.707.8888
about everything from cooking with marijuana-infused products to dabbing. Inyo also offers an online course that patients can take about general laws and regulations of what they can and cannot do.
TOP SELLING STRAINS Grape Stomper, Lavender
currently housed at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City.
TOP SELLING CONCENTRATES MTF Crumble, Moxie SFV OG Shatter
STAFF EDUCATION | “Our patients rely on our budtenders so we really make an effort to make sure we find people who are knowledgeable of the industry. We give them time and opportunity to educate themselves about the products and to do their own research on terpene profiles and different strains. I think that really shows and gives patients confidence in their ability to make recommendations,” said David Goldwater, partner.
TOP SELLING EDIBLES Evergreen Organix Chocolate Chip Cookie and Macaroon MISSION STATEMENT | To provide excellent patient care and fine quality cannabis at affordable pieces in a clean, safe environment. RANGE OF PRODUCTS | Flower, kief, edibles, pre-rolls, concentrate, and JuJu Joints MEANING BEHIND NAME | Inyo is named for a steam locomotive that was built in 1875 and retired in 1926, and is
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USER-FRIENDLY | Inyo opened only last fall but they have already made renovations, recently installing a new area in the dispensary’s lobby where patients can view videos to educate themselves
NOTEWORTHY EXPERTS | “One of the Inyo principals is a leader in the cannabis industry, Greta Carter, founder of the Cannabis Training Institute, who has developed a curriculum that adds another layer of expertise for the staff,” explains Goldwater. UNIQUE ATTRIBUTE | Goldwater cites Inyo’s budtenders as one of the dispensary’s more extraordinary aspects because they are so knowledgeable, noting that, “The time they spend getting acclimated to the different products, terpene profiles, and the interaction with patients -- that’s what makes Inyo much, much different than other places. It’s an emotional purchase, people are scared and they want to feel comfortable. They want to deal with people they know and like. We want our budtenders to be friends with the patients.” CHARITABLE ENDEAVORS | Inyo has recently partnered with Veterans Village, committing funds to house a veteran for a year.
GETMEDICALMARIJUANANOW.COM | KHHF.ORG LOCAL: (702) 388-1119 | FREE: (855) 420-1110 SE HABLA ESPAÑOL
We provide assistance obtaining your medical marijuana card FAST. We offer immediate access to medication and we’re the State’s preferred doctor. Quick, Professional, Helpful! No reason to try anyone else, this is best in Vegas!!” - Review from weedmaps.com
Very nice location...I'm glad I choose Karma. Any questions I had, they answered. Everyone is friendly. Thank you for the wonderful experience!” - Review from weedmaps.com
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OPEN FOR BUSINESS The first marijuana dispensary on Las Vegas Boulevard has opened. Located at 2307 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Essence – The Strip offers a selection of cannabis products that includes more than 20 premium strains (flower and pre-rolls), vape pens, cannabutter, a variety of topicals and oils and a wide variety of edibles, including vegan pills, cookies, brownies, honey, and chocolate. essencevegas.com Kanna Medical Marijuana Dispensary in Sun Valley, Nevada is now open. Located at 5398 Sun Valley Boulevard, the dispensary will serve Sun Valley, Reno and the Lake Tahoe Region. A family-owned and operated business, Kanna offers a passionate and professional environment to explore alternative paths to wellness through a selection of flower and concentrates. kannareno.com
The Grove, Nye County’s only licensed medical marijuana dispensary, officially opened on March 17. Located at 1541 E. Basin Ave. in Pahrump, the Grove offers full reciprocity, honoring all out-of-state medical marijuana cards and doctor’s recommendations. The Grove is a vertically integrated medical marijuana enterprise that has brought together a team of experts who bring extensive knowledge from the medical, horticultural, culinary and cannabis oil industries. thegrovenv.com
O.PENVAPE AND TGIG BRING MEDICAL CANNABIS OIL TO NEVADA PATIENTS
Denver-based O.penVAPE, in partnership with Nevada medical cannabis company TGIG, has begun producing and distributing O.penVAPE’s CO2 extracted cannabis
oils in Southern Nevada dispensaries. Demetri Kouretas, CEO of TGIG, said its relationship with O.penVAPE will make it possible for patients to obtain cannabis oil processed through CO2 extraction, a pure and safer form of cannabis oil. His company has begun wholesaling O.penVAPE products to dispensaries that include Euphoria Wellness, Inyo Fine Cannabis, Nevada Pure and the Grove. “Employing the science and technology that O.penVAPE has perfected, we are manufacturing superior cannabis oil for customers who have been requesting a way to ingest cannabis in safer measured doses,” Kouretas said, adding that TGIG has already produced O.penVAPE Reserve pure-oil and O.penVAPE strain-specific CO2 extracted oils in 250 mg cartridges.
Out of State Patients WELCOME! Plenty of parking available in our private and discreet lot Convenient Hours Open Early and Late Central Location just minutes from Downtown and the Strip DAILY MENU DEALS!
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1800 Industrial Rd. Suite #180 Las Vegas, NV 89102 (702) 420 . 2405 www.oasismedicalcannabis.com
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HOURS Mon. - Sat.: 8am - 10pm Sun.: 10am - 8pm
PATIENT NEWS STATE EXTENDS GRACE PERIOD FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARDHOLDERS The state has changed the grace period for medical cannabis cardholders who are in receipt of their approval letter but have yet to receive their card from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Medical marijuana patients may purchase in dispensaries using their approval letter for 60 days from the letter’s date of issuance, allowing patients access to medicine until they receive their medical marijuana card from the Nevada DMV. Prior to this provision, newlyapproved patients had a 14-day grace period during which they could purchase medical marijuana in a dispensary with their approval letter.
The grace period has been extended to 60 days and goes into effect immediately. This extension also applies to already-issued approval letters that bear the language “14-day grace period.” Beyond 60 days of the date on the approval letter, a valid medical marijuana card issued by the Nevada DMV is required to purchase medical marijuana at Nevada dispensaries.
PATIENTS CAN NOW APPLY ONLINE FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARDS Nevada’s Division of Public and Behavioral Health now offers online registering for patients wishing to apply for a medical marijuana card. New applicants can now register and create a profile, scan and upload their driver’s license and download and print the medical marijuana card application from
an online portal. This will save applicants the time of sending the Division an application packet request, and waiting to receive it in the mail. Future additions to the online registration portal will include online payments, upload of application documents, application status checking, application renewals, and cardholder history of dispensary purchases. To use the online registry, applicants will need to photograph or scan their driver’s license, save it in an electronic file, and upload it to the application pages. Applicants who do not have electronic access will still be able to request an application packet using this form. The online registration portal can be accessed at https://mmportal.nv.gov/ Account/Login, and then click on ‘Register as a Cardholder.’
GRAND OPENING
GET YOUR MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD! IS YOUR STRAIN UNAVAILABLE AT A DISPENSARY? DO YOU LIVE MORE THAN 25 MILES FROM A DISPENSARY?
GROW YOUR OWN! GET A HIGHER PLANT COUNT HERE! AIDS • Cancer • Glaucoma • PTSD • Cachexia • Seizures Persistent Muscle Spasms • Severe Nausea • Severe Pain FEE SCHEDULE $125 regular with records $175 without records 12 plants 5 oz add $100 24 plants 10oz add $200 For an additional fee you can have this higher plant count as per our office protocol please contact us for more information. Children with qualifying conditions accepted
1550 E. Tropicana Ave. Suite 1 • Hours of operation: Tuesday - Saturday 10 AM - 6 PM 702.280.7755 • thehealingcentermedicalclinic.org • Nevadahealingcenter.com
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Tenaya Way
DISPENSARY MAP A Patients’ Guide to Medical Cannabis in Southern Nevada
9. Sahara Wellness 420sahara.com 702-478-5533 420 East Sahara Ave Las Vegas, NV, 89104
3. Euphoria Wellness euphoriawellnessnv.com 702.960.7200 7780 S. Jones Blvd Las Vegas, NV, 89139
10. The Green House OPENING SOON thegreenhouselv.com 702.420.7301 6540 Blue Diamond Road Las Vegas, NV, 89139
7. NevadaPure nevadapure.com 702-444-4790 4380 Boulder Highway Las Vegas, NV, 89121
E Summerlin Pkwy
Charleston Blvd
159
11. The Source thesourcenv.com 702.708.2000 2550 S. Rainbow Blvd, #8 Las Vegas, NV, 89146 12. The Grove TheGroveNV.com 775.556.0100 1541 E. Basin Ave Pahrump, NV 89048 13. Apothecarium 14. Blum 15 a/b/c. Essence 16. Medizin 17 a/b. Nevada Medical Marijuana 18. Nevada Wellness Center 19. ShowGrow 20 a/b. Thrive Cannabis Marketplace A. Getting Legal
19 Tropicana Ave Russell Rd Sunset Rd
OPENING SOON
12
Pahrump
Please call the dispensary before you visit to confirm they are open.
Opening Soon thegreenhouselv.com
13
160
Ft Apache Rd
6. Las Vegas ReLeaf lasvegasreleaf.com 702.209.2400 2242 Paradise Road Las Vegas, NV, 89104
215
Hualapai Way
5. Oasis Medical oasismedicalcannabis.com 702.420.2405 1800 Industrial Rd, #180 Las Vegas, NV, 89102
W Cheyenne Ave
S Durango Dr
4. Inyo Fine Cannabis Dispensary inyolasvegas.com 702.707.8888 2520 S. Maryland Pkwy, #2 Las Vegas, NV, 89109
W Alexander Rd
S Buffalo Dr
2. CannaCopia Cannacopia.com 702.487.6776 6332 South Rainbow, #105 Las Vegas, NV, 89118
W Lone Mountain Rd
N Buffalo Dr
8. Reef Dispensary Reefdispensaries.com 702.475.6520 3400 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV, 89109
Town Center Dr
1. The Apothecary Shoppe theapothecaryshoppe.com 702.740.4372 4240 W. Flamingo Road Las Vegas, NV, 89103
95 W Ann Rd
Blue Diamond Rd
Mts Edge Pkwy
liante Pkwy
Elkhorn
Mesquite Losee Rd
Allen Ln
15
N Nellis Blvd E Bonanza Rd
tria
20b
d
A
lR
95
E Owens Ave
W Flamingo Rd
9
4 E St Louis Ave
Las Vegas
8 14
McCarran Int. Airport
7
515
15c
W 17b
Anthem Pwky
Laughlin
ea eM ak EL
N Racetrack Rd
o
R St
y
w
Pk
y
Southern Highlands Pkwy
se
Ho
w
Cactus Ave
on
riz
17a
e
dg
Ri
rH
E Silverado Ranch
ky
Pw
de
215
15
ul
Wigwam Pkwy
Bo
Windmill Pkwy
Gibson Rd
N Stephanie St
Bermuda Rd
S Decatur Blvd
S Rainbow Blvd
W Warm Springs Rd
dD
r
E Sunset Rd
3
10
S Pecos Rd
S Jones Blvd
16
UNLV
Lake Las Vegas
E Flamingo Rd
S Eastern Ave
Las Vegas Blvd
15a
2
6
Maryland Pkwy
1
15b
S Nellis Blvd
W Desert Inn Rd
Ind
us
Stewart Ave Charleston Blvd
17 Valley View Blvd
W Sahara Ave
5
N Hollywood Blvd
Vegas Dr W Washington Ave
147
E Lake Mead Blvd
N Eastern Ave
W Lake Mead Blvd
St
N Lamb Blvd
Dr
in
Ma
N Pecos Rd
ho nc Ra
Carey Ave
Camino Al Norte/MLK
N
20a
11
Speedway Blvd
Craig Rd
Simmons St
N Jones Blvd
N Decatur Blvd
Ann Rd
N Pecos Rd
215
Henderson
Boulder City
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KARMA Local: (702) 388-1119 Free: (855) 420-1110 getmedicalmarijuananow.com
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LAS VEGAS MEDICAL MARIJUANA ASSOCIATION lvmma.org (702) 499.3291 info@lvmma.org
THE HEALING CENTER MEDICAL CLINIC 1550 E. Tropicana Ave. Suite 1 (702) 280.7755 thehealingcentermedicalclinic.org
EVERGREENORGANIX.COM
PROFILE
Evergreen Organix The Needs Woman Makes of Patients Priority Who Top Wear the
For Evergreen Organix Cultivation and Production, it’s all about the patients. “First and foremost, the strains must meet the demands and medicinal requirements of the patients,” explained Kurt Barrick, chief cultivator of Evergreen Organix, of how his cultivation team selects the strains they grow. “We are looking to the patients of Nevada for their feedback, and data from testing to make selections for exclusive breeding. If the patients don't like a strain we’re growing, than that strain will be replaced with something that meets their needs,” continued Barrick, who is also CEO of the VonDank Group, noting that Evergreen uses the results of lab testing to define what strains meet the levels that dispensary owners, patients, and bud tenders are requesting. “We closely monitor what strains are working well for patients in multiple states. And having experience in other states also allows for a broader collection of data from strains.” Barrick notes that currently there is a demand in the Nevada marketplace for
Coats
strains with THC testing over 20 percent. “We understand this, but also are aware that different ratios of cannabinoids and terpene profiles affect the medicinal properties of strains,” Barrick said. In addition to patient demand to determine which strains they will grow, Barrick and his team also look at THC percentages along with CBN, CBD, and all cannabinoids as well as multiple genetic traits such as size, shape, density, color, maturation time, smell, growth characteristics, production weight, medicinal effect, and length of effect. With that in mind, Evergreen Organix is currently cultivating approximately 30 strains that include several exclusive cloneonly strains at its 30,000-square-foot Las Vegas facility. “We are breeding popular genetics and with the experience in trait selection and lab testing, we will offer these only through Evergreen Organix,” Barrick explained. “We also have some VonDank strains like Godzilla, which is about as close to pure Indica as you can get, that are stabilized and Evergreen will have
first-use opportunity for sales on those strains as well.” Another important aspect of Evergreen Organix’s growing process is their cultivation of both natural and hydroponic medicine. “We have a flowering room for cultivating in the methodology of veganic, soil less, permaculture style along with multiple rooms of lab-grade hydroponics,” Barrick said. “This really gives Evergreen the flexibility to meet all the needs of Nevada patients while allowing for reliability and consistency of product in effect, aesthetics, smell, taste, and length of effect.” But more importantly than lab-grade hydroponics, patients should seek out medicine from Evergreen Organix because, according to Barrick, “everyone on the Evergreen Organix and VonDank team truly cares that the patient is getting the cleanest possible medication grown using standards that meet and exceed their expectation.”
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NATURECIDECANNABIS.COM
PROFILE
PROFILE
Med-X, Inc Develops 100% Natural Pesticide Products Safe for Use on Cannabis
The team behind Nature-Cide All-Purpose Insecticide is so serious about having the best product in the cannabis industry they have also spent the last three years educating themselves not only in pest control, but as a patient group using the California exemption also started cultivating which allowed them to put the Nature-Cide products to the test. “Since we have been cultivating, we have discovered not only how to cultivate well, but how to cultivate completely organically,” explained Matthew Mills, COO and President of Med-X, the developer of Nature-Cide. Formulated to kill and repel a wide variety of insects, including ants, spider mites, cockroaches, fleas, ticks, bedbugs and other pests while remaining nontoxic to pets, plants and people, Nature-Cide could allow cultivators to grow organically and cleanly without ever having to spray the plants directly. “We have discovered that by spraying our cultivation on the constant, in some cases daily -- not directly on our plants -- mopping
the floors with the product, wiping down the walls, and spraying the perimeter of the building’s exterior, we have managed to discover in most cases, we don't need to spray anything on the plants at all,” enthused Mills. “We have pest-managed prior to it ever getting to the plant which allows us to grow super-organically. We have figured out a way to treat constantly by using Nature-Cide without spraying directly on the plant, keeping everything at bay.” In development for the last five years, NatureCide has been third-party tested, nationally registered with the EPA in the 39 states that require it, and approved for use on cannabis by the Agriculture Department of Colorado. The 100-percent natural pesticide is also on the recommended lists in both Oregon and Washington for use on cannabis. Having their own cultivation has also opened the Med-X team’s eyes to other issues growers face in the pest control arena. “We dove into hydroponics first and found it was not the way to go because of the many pests that are attracted to water,” explained Mills. “Using hydroponics back in the day was good but now with
all the breakthroughs in soil, it doesn’t make sense. We developed a really good soil medium and started mixing in our pesticide product only to recognize that we immediately stopped having issues with insects on plants altogether.” Med-X started developing its soil product in early 2015 and has been testing it over the last year. “We introduced some bugs into the cultivation to see what would really happen and it was a little scary at first, but it worked right away,” said Mills of Med-X’s Nature-Cide soil product, which could be available as soon as the third quarter 2016. “We are cultivators now and through our many hours of R&D we understand and take to heart what it means to patients for growers to be assured a healthier and greener harvest, every time,” concluded Mills.
To learn more about Med-X, Inc. and its initiatives using JOBS ACT Reg A+ Crowdfunding, visit www.medx-rx.com.
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Elevating the Conversation with John Hudak
J
ohn Hudak, deputy director of the Center for Effective Public Management and a senior fellow in Governance Studies at nonprofit public policy organization the Brookings Institution, has been studying cannabis policy since 2012. He was in Nevada recently and offered his thoughts on ballot initiatives, rescheduling, and the possibility of Donald Trump making marijuana great again. WHY IS OPPOSITION STARTING TO DAMPEN WITH REGARD TO CANNABIS? There are a lot of reasons for us to think there will be changes on opinion just based on generational replacement. The people most opposed to marijuana are 65 and older. It’s the only age group in the U.S. with less than majority support. They are dying off and as they do, they are being replaced in the electorate by those turning 18, and these people have the strongest support for marijuana legalization which is well over 70 percent nationwide. That’s a huge shift in public opinion. You don’t have to change minds, you just have to change the people in the electorate -- and that’s a lot easier. HOW MANY STATES WILL HAVE ADULT-USE QUESTIONS ON THE BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER? Obviously Nevada will. Massachusetts almost certainly will. I would be shocked if California didn’t, they look pretty well positioned. I think those are the three states most likely to be on the ballot and most likely to pass as well. I think Maine is likely going to miss the ballot. Florida is going to have a medical initiative on its ballot. I think Arizona might have adult-use but it’s a tough state in terms of getting initiatives on the ballot. HOW DO YOU THINK CASINO MAGNATE AND CANNABIS OPPONENT SHELDON ADELSON WILL FACTOR INTO THE BALLOT QUESTION?
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He opposed the medical initiative in Florida and that was a big reason why it was defeated, but it was barely defeated. Mr. Adelson will probably throw some money behind opposing it, but his money worked in Florida because it was so unexpected. Now a lot of people in the movement are prepared for him to spend in Nevada and they are planning accordingly. I don’t think Adelson’s money will be as effective in Nevada as it was in Florida unless he starts to spend exorbitant amounts, if he throws $30, $40 $50 million dollars behind it, you could then maybe see it having an effect. But if he does something similar to what he did in Florida (Adelson spent approximately $3 million on Florida), I think it’s just not going to be effective. WHAT ABOUT RESCHEDULING CANNABIS TO A SCHEDULE 2 DRUG? WHEN DO YOU FORESEE THAT HAPPENING? You have presidential candidates openly supporting it. Clinton does, who is more likely than anyone to become president. As does Sanders. I think Trump is being guarded, as a candidate sometimes is in a presidential primary, but at the end of the day he is a businessman and he’s going to look at it through an economic lens. It’s an industry, and I think he’s going to look at it and he can be convinced that it is something that needs reform. Maybe Donald Trump will be the guy who makes marijuana
elevatenv.com | industry connect | april
great again, I don’t know. But the much more likely scenario is that a Democrat will be elected president and Clinton has been very open about her views on rescheduling. WHAT ABOUT THE INDUSTRY’S BANKING CONUNDRUM? I think one of two things will happen in terms of reform. Either Congress is going to act in a way that resolves this conflict or the other way reform can happen is very informal. And that is for Bank of America, Wells Fargo or Chase to just come out one day and say we are working with the cannabis industry now and there’s nothing you are going to do about it. The federal government is not going to seize the assets of Bank of America because it’s starting to give checking accounts to cannabis enterprises. That would be something that would really shift policy. That would be something that, my guess is, Congress and/or the Federal Reserve would play catchup on and seriously look at reform because one of their largest banking enterprises is now doing this. But that is only going to happen when a bank sees a profit in it and that will only happen as more states come online and the industry grows. At the end of the day, it’s economic rationality that will drive a bank to do it, but they are not there yet. To read our entire interview with John Hudak, visit elevatenv.com/Elevating_ the_Conversation.
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