Elevate November 2019 by Elevate Nevada Magazine

NOVEMBER 2019

Everything you need to know about Nevada’s vaping products

Dispelling Nevada’s biggest marijuana myth First consumption lounge opens in the state

LIFTING THE SMOKE SCREEN

Advocacy groups bring military might to veterans’ cannabis rights

The one-stop-shop for high quality post-processing equipment that scales wih your lab.

-30ºC 40L Recirculating Chiller

Item # C30-40-50L

50L Rotary Evaporator with Dual Receiving Flasks 100L Glass Reactor with 200°C Heating Jacket Item # R100h and Main and Auxiliary Condenser Insulating Sleeves

Item # SE130

@acrossintl

888-988-0899

www.AiVacuum.com

FREE DELIVERY ON ORDERS $100+

THE NUMBER ONE SPOT TO FIND YOUR AND ALL YOUR FAVORITE BRANDS

SSWLV.COM â&#x20AC;¢ OPEN 24/7 Keep out of reach of children. For use only by adults 21 years of age and older.

F I N D I T AT

INTRODUCING FOUR NEW STRAINS FROM

WHERESYOUR CAMP

THE GARDEN IS OPEN Rare genetics Small-batch Terpene-rich Picked & trimmed by hand

FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS 21 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.

from the editor

Publisher Guy Bertuzzi, guy@elevatenv.com Editor-In-Chief Beth Schwartz, beth@elevatenv.com Creative Director Brooke Bertuzzi, brooke@finetheagency.com Contributing Writers /Photographers: Justin Alexander, Josh Bell, Richard S. Gubbe, Josh Kasoff, Kendall Smith Account Executive:

Mark Damkroeger, mark@elevatenv.com ELEVATION PUBLISHING LLC Chief Financial Officer Cassandra Lupo FINE THE AGENCY Partner Kelli Maruca, kelli@finetheagency.com Graphic Designer James Nigbur, james@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. To subscribe to elevate nevada, visit elevatenv.com/subscribe 7120 Rafael Ridge Way, Las Vegas, NV 89119 Phone: 702.280.0363 | Email: info@elevatenv.com

elevateNV

elevateNevada

Over the last few months Nevada’s cannabis industry has seen the luster on its golden sheen become dull. And it seems Nevada Governor Sisolak, who was sworn into office on January 7, will have plenty of opportunity to change that— making Nevada’s cannabis industry into “the gold standard in the nation” as he declared in May in reference to bringing transparency and tighter regulation to the industry. The entire summer was consumed by a lawsuit litigating the way the state’s Department of Taxation, who regulates the cannabis industry, handled the recreational licensing application process that took place last fall. The very valuable recreational licenses were awarded to 17 of the 127 companies that applied. Four of the 17 companies—Essence, The+Source, Zenleaf and Grassroots—received a combined 33 of the 61 licenses. That seemed lopsided to those who didn’t receive licenses but because the DOT’s process did not require transparency, the scoring criteria that the tax agency used to rank applications was a mystery to applicants. Hence the lawsuit. This is where Gov. Sisolak got involved and began scrubbing the tarnish off the industry’s previously gold standard. Foreseeing where the lawsuit was headed, he ushered in a new law in May that makes public the identity of cannabis license applicants and the method the state uses to score and rank bids. But that’s not where Gov. Sisolak’s intervention in how the industry is going to get back its gilded glow ended. As legislators and the press began the investigation into President Trump and Rudy Giuliani’s dealings with Ukraine, it was uncovered that foreign nationals attempted to influence Nevada’s elections

through a milliondollar laundering scheme in order to gain a marijuana license and enter various legal cannabis markets in the U.S. last year. Failed candidate for Nevada governor Adam Laxalt’s campaign received $10,000 as did Wes Duncan, who unsuccessfully ran for Nevada Attorney General last year. Outraged by this news, Gov. Sisolak released a statement about his formation of “a multi-agency special task force to root out potential corruption or criminal influences in Nevada’s marijuana marketplace, effective immediately. Any marijuana entity—licensed or unlicensed—that violates the law will see swift and severe criminal and regulatory action.” The statement released by Communications Director Ryan McInerney on October 11 went on to say: “The Governor is disappointed in the lack of oversight and the inaction from the state over many years that led us to this critical juncture—including the apparent absence of a single criminal referral by the Marijuana Enforcement Division since the inception of licensed marijuana sales, medical or recreational, in Nevada.” Gov. Sisolak is definitely set on raising the gold bar. “Nevada’s gaming industry is seen as the international gold standard and there is no reason we cannot take steps to ensure our marijuana industry is viewed the same way,” he declared in January after signing Executive Order 2019-03, which established an advisory panel tasked with defining the scope of a future Cannabis Compliance Board. Just one more safeguard he put in place to ensure Nevada’s cannabis industry is not fool’s gold.

NEW CUSTOMERS: TEXT JOIN ELEVATE TO 702.710.4837 OR SCAN NOW TO GET CBD GUMMIES FOR A PENNY* APOTHECARIUM.COM/ELEVATE 7885 W. SAHARA SUITE 112 LAS VEGAS, NV 89117 | 702.778.7987 *LIMITS AND RESTRICTION MAY APPLY. OFFERS ARE GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. MINIMUM PURCHASE REQUIRED. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS 21 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER.

november | elevatenv.com 5

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk CBD.

elevatenv.com | november

from the publisher It’s been quite a while since I have written a publisher’s letter. But I wanted to share some exciting news on a few different fronts with you. First, I wanted to share exciting changes to elevate’s distribution points. At the end of September, Smith’s grocery stores in Southern Nevada discontinued carrying complimentary magazines that were usually available in racks near the entrances. Although we were dismayed at first, it became a blessing in disguise once we discovered that foot traffic at the grocery stores was down as a result of the stores no longer accepting credit cards. The blessing continued when we were able to secure rack space in three of the four major grocery stores in Southern Nevada. Now you can find your favorite cannabis publication in Albertson’s, Vons and Whole Foods, plus over another 2,000 locations including doctors’ offices, your local Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Jamba Juice, various Las Vegas Clark County Library District outposts, and many more locations. We have worked hard in conjunction with our partners on our distribution model to make sure elevate is delivered to racks in a timely fashion, so you get your copy the first week of each month. Our staff takes a lot of pride in producing elevate each month not only from a distribution standpoint, but also with regard to its creative that includes our award-winning covers as well as the articles that bring you the latest news and research taking place across the cannabis industry from a health and wellness perspective. All of our efforts were recently recognized by the Nevada Press Association. In September, elevate received recognition at the Nevada Press Awards winning second place in two categories. We won for Best Overall Design of the magazine thanks to the dynamic and artful creative talents of my wife Brooke Bertuzzi. We also earned a prize for Best Explanatory

Journalism for an article elevate writer Richard S. Gubbe penned that was published in our February issue entitled The Essence of Terpenes. In addition, we brought home two third place awards. Editor-in-chief Beth Schwartz won for her monthly editor’s note, Best Local Column, and we received recognition for our digital endeavors winning General Online Excellence. In closing, with Veterans’ Day around the corner I want to thank our military veterans for their service. This is the third time in five years we have produced an issue that focuses on veterans and the multiple ways cannabis has allowed them to get their lives back following their time serving this country on the battlefield. In the past we have spoken with veterans who have shared their stories of weaning themselves off of the “zombie” or “combat” pharmaceutical cocktail with the aid of cannabis. And, with 22 veterans a day committing suicide we think it’s an important topic that needs to be addressed by the federal government and our legislators. In this month’s issue we profile two non-profit organizations that have been formed specifically to advocate for our military veterans: Forgotten Not Gone, featured on page 24, and Veterans Cannabis Project, found on page 28. Both of these organizations have brought their military might to the cause so our heroes can get access to the valuable benefits of cannabis if that is their desire. We need to honor the men and women of the U.S. Military but not just on Veteran’s Day. Every time you see a veteran, please thank them for keeping us safe and providing us the freedom to do everything we enjoy including publishing a cannabis magazine in Las Vegas! Salute,

id in

DIS

fi EN So ndi SA ut ng RY he c rn ann MA P N ev abis ad a

on -p r ro g m o fi t i se lita ten t org r r N rid vice y ve ot aniz G a e a ch ts t a all com one tion e tim ng ba he es t p lps e on os e t trik e

24 #G

WI TH CO CA OK ING Sp N ic NA eC ak BIS ej a

ETO UT TH ED AM NH OU SE

CONTENTS

Fo ME ho rme GR gr me r M OW co ow gar arin 10 1 m m d e ba ed en sta t P ic to rts TS ine D to

br bi ab mig ing s h is s rig t to ht s

VA PE FEA R

air d’ po is rt?

MY ‘DO P L BA N ’ T EA GS TO A CU SE IF UC st be he ST , gi YO H ns hol O M M I , w id S TE U all ha ay S ow t ‘ tra M R ed con vel A at tra se N th ba aso ’ e n n

W N hat ev yo th ad u co e ind a’s nee ns v d um ustr api to er y’s ng kno ss p e af ffo rod w a e bo rts u to cts ut ke an ep d

DI MA SPELL ING Di RIJ NE sa d th UAN les e A t a go M VAD x to mo YTH A’S BIG ed ne uc y GE at fro ST io m n?

ca nn ab is

november | elevatenv.com 7

FIG

HT ING 28 an FR FO E s m Pr ili oj Can EDO R ca tary ect na M Ve t

Cooking Cannabis SPICE CAKE JAR by Kendall Smith

Chef Kendall Smith has created a fun and portion-controlled way for you to have your cake and eat it to, especially if you are on the go. Whether you are headed out to enjoy the fall weather with a picnic in a pumpkin patch or a jaunt to a corn maze, you will need dessert to be an easily transportable and tasty treat. Chef Smith recommends this autumn classic of infused spice cake paired with an indulgent cream cheese filling served in Mason jars for a harvest flair.

elevatenv.com | november

2 ½ cups all-purpose bleached flour ¼ cup cornstarch 4 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 2 tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. ground nutmeg ½ tsp. ground allspice ½ tsp. ground cloves

INGREDIENTS FOR SPICE CAKE:

INGREDIENTS FOR CREAM CHEESE FILLING:

2 Tbsp. coconut oil 1.5 grams cannabis oil (at 85% THC) 1 cup milk 3 large eggs 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup unsalted butter, softened until easily spreadable 2 cups dark brown sugar 12 8 oz. Mason jars or similar

3 8 oz. packs of cream cheese 3 ½ cups powdered sugar 2 cups heavy whipping cream 2 Tbsp. vanilla extract Optional ingredients: caramel syrup (Ghirardelli), white chocolate sauce (Ghirardelli)

DIRECTIONS: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 350°. Grease and lightly flour a metal or disposable 9-by-13-inch foil pan. Whisk dry ingredients and spices in a large bowl. In a small cup, heat coconut oil in microwave for 45 seconds, then add cannabis oil and let cool. Mix milk, eggs, vanilla extract and coconut/cannabis oil mixture in a 2-cup measuring cup. Beat softened butter into dry ingredients, first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble-sized pieces. Add about ⅓ of milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. Add remaining

milk mixture in two stages; beat on medium speed until batter is just smooth. Add sugar; beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Pour batter into cake pan. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake’s center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan perimeter and turn cake onto rack. Let cool. Once cake has cooled, use food processor to turn it into crumbs and set aside. Add softened cream cheese to mixing bowl and beat on high until smooth. Add powdered sugar to bowl and mix on low speed, once sugar has been incorporated, continue to beat on high for 1 minute. Add vanilla extract. Mix on low while slowly adding heavy cream. Once all heavy cream is added to bowl beat mixture on high speed until fluffy.

ASSEMBLY: You will make three layers in each jar. First place 2 heaping Tbsp. of cake crumbs in the bottom of the jar then add 2 Tbsp. of the cream. Repeat these steps two more times. Once you’ve finished you can add an optional caramel and white chocolate sauce on top. Store jars in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

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.

november | elevatenv.com 9

AMERICAN HEMP PLANTS SEED FOR EMERGENCE OF BURGEONING HEMP INDUSTRY NEW DOCUMENTARY FOLLOWS JOURNEY OF HEMP FROM FIELDS TO GROCERY STORE SHELVES

elevatenv.com | november

By Josh Bell

Filmmaker Josh Hyde came across the subject for his documentary American Hemp literally down the street from his house. Hyde, who lives in Lafayette, Colorado, had been working on getting support and financing for the follow-up to his first two narrative features (the 2010 cross-cultural drama Postales and the 2016 “spiritual stoner comedy” My Friend’s Rubber Ducky), and he decided to take on a documentary project in the meantime, as long as he could find a suitable subject nearby. “The rules were, I need to film something that’s within six to 10 miles around my house,” he explains. “Ironically, the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Industrial Hemp Division is about four miles from my house.” Thus, the seed was planted for American Hemp, which chronicles the emergence of the hemp industry in Colorado, spotlighting farmers, regulators and especially burgeoning hemp foods company Evo Hemp, whose business massively expanded during the nearly two-year period that Hyde spent following them. “At the time when I started filming for Evo, they were only in three regions of Whole Foods, and through the process of me filming, they slowly moved from a regional Whole Foods brand to a national Whole Foods brand,” Hyde says. “So, I was witnessing that growth cycle.” By the end of the movie, Evo is pitching its hemp food products and hemp extracts to major grocery-store chains at the nation’s largest food expo. Before that, Hyde depicts the difficulties of entering a market that, as the movie opens, is still in questionable legal territory federally. In interviews with officials from the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Industrial Hemp Division, Hyde demonstrates how enthusiastic the Colorado state government is about supporting hemp production, and he spends time with farmers as they start planting a crop that hasn’t been cultivated at a large scale in the U.S. in decades. “I think the biggest misconception [about hemp] is probably that it’s the same as marijuana, and then what that does is that just basically demonizes the plant a little bit, because then you take away all the other uses for the plant,” Hyde says. “It’s something like one or two percent of the American public actually eats hemp food, so we’ve got a long way to go before hemp seeds arrive in everybody’s oatmeal or everybody’s salad, or the topping to mashed potatoes.” American Hemp works to counteract those misconceptions, showing hemp as a crop like any other, a source of nutrition and wellness, whether in foods like Evo Hemp’s snack bars and protein supplements, or in hemp extracts that contain CBD. “My hope is

American public can actually just look at it for what it is.” With his dual backgrounds in filmmaking and the cannabis industry, Hyde is the right person to tackle that project. Between his undergraduate and graduate degrees in film, he spent time working with renowned documentary production house Kartemquin Films (the company behind award-winning movies like Hoop Dreams and Minding the Gap), and he contributed to acclaimed documentaries including PBS’ The New Americans, Showtime’s Sweet Mickey for President and ESPN’s The Two Escobars. Hyde also spent three years working in various capacities at a Colorado dispensary as part of his research for a narrative film project, and he remains closely involved with the local industry. For Hyde, American Hemp is more than just a documentary. “My goal was to basically make a documentary where you see people bringing a product to market, so that everybody in mainstream America can be demystified, and cannot demonize the process, because they’ve seen it,” he says. “I think as hemp moves forward, my hope is it goes the way of boutique wines or boutique coffees.” In American Hemp, audiences can see that vision start to become a reality. American Hemp is available on Amazon Prime, iTunes and other digital services.

november | elevatenv.com 11

that as consumers become more and more educated, it just becomes a regular supplement, like fish oil, like turmeric, like magnesium,” Hyde says. “All these things have benefits that increase your metabolism and can help increase wellness. I think hemp extracts and hemp foods are similar.” As American Hemp shows, major food companies and retail conglomerates are coming around to that same view, and in 2018, the federal government passed a Farm Bill legalizing and regulating the production of industrial hemp nationwide. “I didn’t want to necessarily jump on the hemp bandwagon, but then when I started filming, I realized that people need to know about the journey of hemp from the fields to the grocery store shelves,” Hyde says. In that sense, American Hemp is as much about business as it is about cannabis, capturing a new industry in its earliest stages, as it goes from home-based start-ups to established national brands. To that end, Hyde is working on expanding American Hemp into a series, allowing him to capture the ongoing development of the industry, and to depict a range of players in the hemp industry, while the feature film relied on Evo Hemp as its anchor. “I’m trying to just dig deeper and cast multiple characters so that we can bounce around,” he says. “Trying to be able to cut between all the layers, to try to remove the illusion. Because I think if the illusion is removed, then the

NEVADA GETS ITS

elevatenv.com | november

first consumption lounge

LAS VEGAS PAIUTES OPEN NUWU TASTING ROOM IN DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS by Beth Schwartz

Governor Sisolak and the state’s legislators may have put the brakes on consumption lounges by passing legislation in June that would enact a two-year moratorium, but visitors do have one legal option available to them now. A Southern Nevada dispensary has opened a consumption lounge to give tourists and those without a private residence where they can consume cannabis a place to do so legally. On October 5 NuWu Cannabis Marketplace opened a 2,800-square-foot Tasting Room inside of its 16,000-squarefoot Downtown Las Vegas dispensary. Offering 30-minute appointments and table service similar to a nightclub, consumers can select from a 60-item menu that includes prerolls, bowls, pipes, concentrates and edibles. Before making a decision to purchase a recreational product, Tasting Room visitors will be able to try a sample “flight” in a space that has a feel similar to a winery’s tasting room with rustic wood accents, pendant lighting, topiary plants, leather lounge seating, and, naturally, a giant glass bong. As outlined in AB 533, which passed during the 2019 Legislative Session, the state has put a hold on consumption lounges to conduct a study of them. NuWu, which is owned and operated by the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, was able to get around the state’s moratorium on consumption lounges because it is not subject to state law due to its location on sovereign land. “We decided to move the industry along and be pioneers,” Benny Tso, a former chairman of the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe and current tribal council member, told the Las Vegas Sun in October.

PROGRESS HALTED Earlier this year, progress toward the opening of consumption lounges seemed to be moving forward—at least in the City of Las Vegas. On May 1 the Las Vegas City Council, in a 4 to 1 vote, passed an ordinance that licensed marijuana businesses in Nevada would be permitted to apply for special-use permits to open consumption lounges at which cannabis products could be sold and consumed on site. CEO and co-founder of Oasis Dispensary Ben Sillitoe worked very closely with the City of Las Vegas on the consumption lounge ordinance. “I spent a couple of years working on that,” he said. “It had a few different iterations along the way. But I think the ordinance they finally passed was a good start.” With the City’s ordinance in place, Sillitoe was surprised when Gov. Sisolak and state legislators amended AB 533 in late May to put a moratorium on consumption lounges to conduct a study that needs to be completed on or before January 1, 2021. “I was very surprised. It happened at the last minute. I did not see it coming. It definitely took me by surprise, I understand the Governor’s approach in being cautious. It is what it is. We will have to wait and see if we will be allowed to do it in two years,” said Sillitoe, who has set aside space to eventually be used as a consumption lounge. Former Clark County Commissioner and state lawmaker Chris Giunchigliani, who was appointed by Gov. Sisolak to serve in an advisory capacity on the Cannabis Compliance Board, was also taken by surprise. “I was on the Governor’s panel with (UNLV) Professor Roberts and we were assigned the consumption lounge

STUDY VS. PILOT PROGRAM At this point there isn’t much information available about the study that the state will be conducting on consumption lounges because members of the state’s newly formed Cannabis Compliance Board, who will be conducting the study, still need to be chosen and appointed. Steve Yeager, chairman of Assembly Judiciary Committee which was the primary sponsor of AB 533, did not respond to interview requests. But during a hearing for the bill in May, he noted of the study that “the Cannabis Compliance Board will look at that issue and decide how best to proceed.” The consensus among those who have already studied consumption lounges is that a pilot program would have been a more practical option. “To me there needs to be a safe place for people to go so they aren’t violating the law. Don’t tell me they aren’t smoking in their hotel rooms because they are. So, it’s this kind of if we don’t see it, we don’t know it’s happening situation rather than trying to resolve the situation with a pilot study of eight locations or five locations and see how it works. To me that would have been better than a total freeze on doing anything,” said Giunchigliani. Sillitoe also would have liked to see a pilot program chosen over a study. “I don’t necessarily believe it (the study) is necessary but I do understand why the Governor wanted to do it,” he said. “Up until NuWu opened, tourists in Nevada who purchased cannabis were made into de facto criminals. They had no legal place to consume the cannabis they just purchased. It’s absolutely the most important aspect of this consumption lounge issue is that we can’t expect tourists to come to Nevada and participate in a legal “industry” when it’s a crime when they consume it. Now that we have NuWu there’s a place and I think it’s important and I am glad that they are there for that,” continued Sillitoe. “And it gives the state something to study which was one of my big continued on page 35

november | elevatenv.com 13

language and held a couple of town halls. We just wanted to get input from all walks of life and get their thoughts. We used that to write the language for consideration for the Legislature and they choose to put this two-year hold on it,” said Giunchigliani. “I was kind of surprised because that was one of the duties of the panel. But I suspect the industry itself is torn on the issue. I also have a feeling that larger players didn’t like the idea, and gaming had concerns as well and probably weighed in on that not moving forward for now.” The gaming industry did weigh in during the recent Legislative Session with their concerns regarding the creation of a 1,500-square-foot distance separation between the two industries. “Our position has always been about location and compatibility between the two industries based on the longstanding directive from the Nevada Gaming Commission that the two industries remain separate for their individual success. For us, as long as cannabis remains a Schedule I illegal drug under federal law, we have been asking policymakers to make sure that the cannabis establishments and the establishments with nonrestricted gaming licenses remain separate and that is why we have asked for that distance separation,” said Dawn Christensen, Nevada Resorts Association Vice President of Communications and Corporate Responsibility. “We requested the 1,500-foot buffer. It was meant to give consistency across the local jurisdictions and had basis in the current City of Las Vegas zoning code and land use regulations. The city already has several minimum special use permit requirements with a 1,500-foot separation from other uses, such as taverns, escort bureaus, outcall entertainment referral services, operations with slaughtering and procession of live poultry. We thought it was a reasonable distance.”

elevatenv.com | november

november | elevatenv.com 15

VAPE FEAR

What you need to know about Nevada’s vaping products and the industry’s efforts to keep consumers safe by Justin Alexander

ith a death toll close to three dozen, the nation’s vaping crisis seemingly came out of nowhere. As researchers and scientists feverishly continue working to figure out what has led vaping to become a health hazard, there has been a lot of speculation about the cause(s) including use of vitamin E as a cutting agent and unregulated products sold on the black market. Nearly half of the THC-containing vaping samples analyzed in the federal investigation of lung illnesses contain vitamin E acetate, a dangerous diluting agent, FDA officials revealed in early October. Although Dr. Ned Sharpless, the acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said, “There does not appear to be one product or substance in all of the cases. Testing to date,” he said, “has found a broad range of chemicals, including metals, cutting agents pesticides and other toxins.” In mid-October the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that illegal or black market THC products are largely fueling the outbreak: “The latest national and state findings suggest products containing THC, particularly those obtained off the street or from other informal sources (e.g. friends, family members, illicit dealers), are linked to most of the cases and play a major role in the outbreak.” Unlike the unregulated market, Nevada’s licensed cannabis industry adheres to stringent regulations with

all cannabis products required to undergo lab testing. “In Nevada, vape cartridges are considered concentrates or extracts and must be tested prior to sale,” explained Benjamin Chew, Ph.D., District Manager at DB Labs. Cannabis product testing in Nevada requires that the following be tested for by an independent lab: potency, terpenes, foreign matter, mycotoxins, heavy metals, 23 pesticides, yeast and mold, enterobacteriaceae, salmonella, pathogenic E. coli, four species of Aspergillus (flavus, fumigatus, niger, and terreus), and residual solvents (propane, butanes, and heptane). Even though vitamin E has not been definitively identified as the cause of lung illness due to vaping, DB Labs offers testing for it. Although the state of Nevada has “not made that a requirement,” confirmed Chew, “independently, we worked out a method to quantify vitamin E, but it is an optional test that needs to be requested by the customer.” As various government entities continue their investigation, the FDA has issued the following guidance: “Because consumers cannot be sure whether any THC vaping products may contain Vitamin E acetate, consumers are urged to avoid buying vaping products on the street, and to refrain from using THC oil or modifying/adding any substances to products purchased in stores.” The products in this review are all from licensed cultivations and none have been produced using vitamin E acetate as a cutting agent.

KABUNKY’S RAW CART

THE+SOURCE/ NEVADA ORGANIC REMEDIES’ CAMP SOLVENTLESS ROSIN CARTRIDGE For those seeking a completely innovative vape

West Sahara Now Open SIGN UP FOR OUR PREMIER LOYALTY PROGRAM AND GET INSTANT REWARDS! Text JOIN TCM to (725) 213-9334 10% OFF VETERAN DISCOUNT

10% OFF SENIOR DISCOUNT

20% OFF SHERIFF’S CARD DISCOUNT

20% OFF INDUSTRY DISCOUNT

Now Open W. SAHARA | NORTH LV | DOWNTOWN Coming Soon

RENO (Early November) | ELKO | CLARK COUNTY

ThriveNevada.com | thrivedispensary KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS 21 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER.

25% OFF PURCHASE MANAGEMENT RESERVES ALL RIGHTS *EXPIRES DECEMBER 7TH, 2019

november | elevatenv.com 17

“We’ve been monitoring the issues since we first heard the news about potentially unsafe vapes and carts. Fortunately, we’ve never used any of the additives or fillers exposed by investigative researchers. No Clearcut, vitamin E, or other cutting agents. Our vape products have only ever contained pure distillate and plant-derived terpenes,” says Nevada Made’s Josh Ranck. “Having complete control over our products is imperative to quality, which has always been our main goal with all Kabunky products. This is why we’re introducing the Raw Cart.” One hundred percent clean distillate, the Raw Cart is a one-of-a-kind product with no cutting agents, notes Ranck. All of Nevada Made’s vapes and cartridges undergo extensive in-house controls to ensure they meet internal quality standards and they inspect each batch prior to final state-mandated lab testing. “Then it goes on to the lab where it is tested for a number of contaminants, including biological and chemical. We’re proud that we consistently produce clean, potent oil to fill our vapes and cartridges. Our Raw Cart is a testament to our commitment to clean products,” offers Ranck. Since it is not flavored with terpenes, expect extremely high THC numbers. Ranck says the last batch tested above 97 percent. “People also comment on the flavor—or more specifically, the lack of flavor. Without any terpenes, this refined cannabis oil is surprisingly palatable. There’s little scent and the flavor is very mild, similar to dry vaping cured flowers,” he says. Designed with consumer wellness in mind, Ranck notes Raw Cart is the most pure distillate available on the market. “We want to give consumers a pure-distillate option that no one else has. This is the perfect vape product for users who are concerned with the latest news regarding vaping,” adds Ranck.

elevatenv.com | november 18

that offers a true-to-flower experience, try the solventless rosin cartridge from CAMP, which is the first-of-its-kind in Nevada according to Nevada Organic Remedies’ Matt Janz. “Consumers enjoy the product’s terpene profile and the fact that it’s made with zero solvents,” says Janz. “Our extraction process revolves around mechanical separation of the cannabinoids and terpenes which provides consumers with a healthier, wellness-minded choice.” Janz says Remedies’ products are healthy because they go through stringent state mandated testing for cannabinoid content, terpene profiles, microbials, pesticides and harmful contaminants. He also notes, “We are vitamin E acetate free all the way.” CAMP uses only pressure and heat to create a great tasting product that is infused with three times the amount of steam-distilled terpenes. As a result, every hit is pure and refreshing with a heavy high that will keep experienced smokers coming back for more. It is also available in ice water hash, which is strained and concentrated using nothing but ice and water, “which eliminates the need for harsh chemicals in the extraction process, such as isopropyl alcohol or butane,” notes Janz.

SHANGO’S MEMORY LOSS BADDER, SWEET LIME SLICE SHATTER, AND A-DUB DISTILLATE VAPE In order to ensure they are producing the safest medicine possible for consumers Shango goes the extra mile with its best practices. “Our production facility is medical grade and treated like a laboratory or operating room—from the required clothing to sterilization of all work spaces. No contaminants are allowed in our cultivation or production areas. We use a reliable, domestic vape tank supplier to ensure nothing bad from the tank itself will leach into the oil,” says Shango Dispensary Manager Kelli Lebsock. For those who prefer the vaping experience, Shango offers the A-Dub Distillate Vape, a hybrid that relieves stress, pain and depression with a high level of potency. It also really gets the creative juices flowing. “All our vapes are tested by state certified labs to prove cannabinoid and terpene profiles, and also the test for pesticides, microbial, mycotoxins, solvents, heavy metals and any other foreign matter,” says Lebsock, who adds Shango does not use vitamin E acetate as a cutting agent. In lieu of vaping, Shango suggests concentrates such as their Memory Loss Badder and Sweet Lime Slice Shatter, which are strong and flavorful—and are ideal for helping with sleep disorders such as insomnia. Users can also expect euphoria and calming relaxation. There are also numerous ways to consume Shango’s badder and shatter products: dab them on a rig, vaporize using an apparatus

meant for concentrates, roll it in your joint or top your bowl of flower for an extra kick. Regardless of how you consume, this is for those who are highly experienced users. “Concentrates are so much stronger than flower,” Lebsock says. “For those consumers who feel like they’ve peaked at tolerance and are not getting the feeling they are desiring or used to feel, this is the next step to achieve the effect cannabis consumers and patients are looking for.”

BEST DISPENSARY IN NEVADA SILVER STATE AWARDS, 2019

BEST DISPENSARY

IN L A S VEGA S L A S VEGA S C ANNABIS AWARDS, 2019

BEST DISPENSARY IN NEVADA JACK HERER CUP, 2018

NOW OFFERING

FREE DELIVERY

BLOOM FARMS’ CHERRY AK HYBRID CANNABIS VAPOR CARTRIDGE

JardinLasVegas.com

november | elevatenv.com 19

Thanks to a stringent production process, Bloom Farms offers consumers safe and clean cannabis oil. The proof is in the construction of the product. “Bloom Farms employs stringent end-to-end testing of their hardware and oil. All of their cartridges are tested to ensure that they do not contain heavy metals—plus they are not assembled with any solder. Once the hardware and oil is combined they test again to ensure there is no leaching or off-gassing from the hardware,” says The Apothecarium’s Hailey Stone. “Each component is tested for cannabinoids, residual solvents, pesticides, mycotoxins and metals. When the blend is completed, they then test it all again for the same potential contaminants. The final product is tested for state compliance at our distribution center.” Bloom Farms does not use any cutting agents—all of their oils are 100 percent cannabis. Obsessive about quality, all oil is made from the best flower, packaged in top-ofthe-line hardware—a BPA-free FDA-grade cartridge. “Crowned with a sleek mouthpiece, the vaporization technology inside the pen ignites around a fully integrated battery-operated ceramic component for easy and reliable heating. The oils test around 70 to 85 percent THC potency,” Stone says. You can always count on the flower to be fresh. Active cannabinoids like THC and CBD degrade over time. “Older cannabis that has begun to oxidize can result in extracts with less desirable taste, color or potency,” Stone says. “The better the plant’s smell, the better the oil. We rely on experienced connoisseurs to source flower with the best aromas and flavors. Analytical and organoleptic methods ensure that each oil retains the characteristics of its original strain.”

elevatenv.com | november

VIRTUE’S GOJI OG VAPE CARTRIDGE Virtue prides itself on hand filling its vapes with high-grade terpenes and oils to ensure the ultimate in consistency and quality. “We don’t use any cutting agents in our product,” says Heather Marnell Wallace, Virtue’s director of sales and customer relations. Goji OG, a sativa-dominant hybrid strain, has almost 16 grams of limonene, which gives it an amazing fruity flavor. It is physically sedating without being mentally sedating and the high lasts for an extended period of time, making this strain a bang for the buck. Get ready to be a little more awake, a little more creative and for there to be an overall smile on your face that gets wider with every puff of this black cherry, strawberry and licorice smoke. This is recommended for patients who need pain relief from more serious ailments due to its strength.

CITY TREES’ CALM VAPE PEN AND CHOCOLATE AGAVE TINCTURE

NV CANN LABS IS PROUD TO PERFORM TESTING FOR IS YOUR CANNABIS TESTED BY NV CANN LABS?

Accreditation #97453

info@nvcann.com • 702.826.2700 6631 Schuster Street, LV, NV 89118 Keep Out of Reach of Children. For Use Only by Adults 21 Years of Age and Older.

“City Trees has always used extensive lab testing and consistent product formulation paired with the highest quality vape devices to ensure we produce safe and enjoyable products,” says City Trees’ Don Decatur. “We have never and will never use cutting agents like MCT Oil, PG, VG, PEG or vitamin E in our vape products. All City Trees vape products contain 100 percent cannabinoids and terpenes.” Decatur points to the Calm Vape as an exemplary product. The CALM 1:1 vape is 50 percent THC and 50 percent CBD. “People enjoy the natural light cherry flavor and instant calming effects as well as anxiety, stress and pain relief,” says Decatur. “Our CALM vape can even help people come down from consuming too much THC.” For those who prefer not to vape, Decatur proffers the 325 mg THC Chocolate Agave Tincture, which can be added to a variety of foods and drinks for easy dosing. “We always recommend our tinctures or capsules for people who are not comfortable smoking or vaping,” he says, noting they are extremely versatile and discreet as well as a great value with 60 doses per bottle. And because it is liquid THC, expect to reap the benefits of the medicine quickly as it gets absorbed into the

bloodstream. Use it in place of sugar in your coffee, tea or over fruit. “It is like liquid chocolate syrup but made with great tasting agave instead of nasty corn syrup,” adds Decatur.

CURALEAF’S UKU LEMON SORBET CARTRIDGE

november | elevatenv.com 21

A balanced and beautiful hybrid, the UKU Lemon Sorbet cartridge from Curaleaf is a fruitful dessert strain that can be used during the day or evening and offers euphoria and a sleepy body high. Filled with C02 extract and strain-specific terpenes, the Lemon Sorbet cartridge does not contain butane or other hydrocarbonbased solvents. In addition to internal testing, “UKU adheres to state requirements for comprehensive testing by state-licensed independent third-party labs,” details Curaleaf’s Keith McNaboe. “This quality control process ensures that our products meet and exceed stringent state requirements. UKU vape hardware is manufactured with CCELL technology in GMP-certified facilities. Hardware components pass stringent testing for heavy metals per state regulations. Additionally, UKU vapable products do not contain vitamin E acetate or any other vitamin E derivative as cutting agents.” The finished product is an oil, free of impurities and waxes.

The Veterans Cannabis Project is the leading organization that advocates for unrestricted and supported access of medical cannabis for veterans. House of Herbs, along with Acres Cannabis and Blackjack Collective, are proud to support the Veterans Cannabis Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission of improving US military veteransâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; quality of life through increased access to cannabis.

20% OFF FOR VETERANS - 7 DAYS A WEEK -

Proudly brought to you by

Pick up location

1736 S. Las Vegas Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 727.3187

2320 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89102 (702) 399.4200

Keep out of reach of children. For use only by adults 21 years of age and older.

#GETOUTTHEDAMNHOUSE

elevatenv.com | november

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FORGOTTEN NOT GONE HELPS MILITARY VETS COMBAT POST-SERVICE CHALLENGES ONE TRIKE RIDE AT A TIME By Josh Kashoff

On a hot night in midSeptember, a crew of 10 from the non-profit Forgotten Not Gone allowed me to join them on their signature physical activity, a group ride made up of their posse of velomobile recumbent tricycles. The 12-mile ride began at 8:30 p.m. at Patriot Park and then headed to Craig Ranch Regional Park and through the suburbs of North Vegas ending well past 11 p.m. As I rode beside the military veterans of Forgotten Not Gone, I felt the almost ever-present personal anxiety about intense physical activities and possible injuries float away, allowing me to be fully mentally in control of my thoughts and surroundings and physically in control of a tricycle that’s surprisingly easy to operate. Because of its recumbent position and aerodynamics, pedaling a velomobile requires less energy than a normal bicycle. The testimonies from the accompanying veterans on the ride proved that I wasn’t alone in my feelings of personal fulfillment. “They’re a veteran organization that actually works for veterans,” says Navy veteran Nelson Ramirez of Forgotten Not Gone (FNG), “and as you can see, they have the tools to get veterans out of that isolation and depression. They could be at home feeling sorry for themselves and

thinking of hurting themselves, or they could come out here and ride a trike with somebody who’s been through what they’ve been through and can relate to what’s going on.” More heartbreakingly often than not, veterans face many challenges when returning home from serving their country. Most times there’s crippling mental or physical illnesses due to their taxing time in the military which makes living a simple life nearly impossible. Or there’s the stress of relying on a government branch that’s understaffed, overwhelmed, or otherwise unable to assist the number of struggles and traumas that our heroes face after serving. Depression, alcoholism and other types of substance abuse is also

rife among the rank of former military vets. Painful loneliness mixed with dangerously unstable mental health and suicidal ideologies are also unfortunate realities for countless veterans across America. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs simply can’t handle providing the necessary assistance for dealing with the aftermath of the horrors of war that so many veterans face on a daily basis.

suburbs of North Las Vegas. “I was truly forgotten,” recalls Guidry, who is an Air Force veteran. “I was suffering a lot of physical problems and there was just no help and I understood there was no help because of deeper reasons than people want to talk about. I figured if I was going to live another day, I was going to find the solutions myself, and that’s how Forgotten Not Gone started—out of that desperation of figuring out how to live another day.” Founded in November 2013 by Guidry and his wife and fellow Air Force veteran Kelley Guidry following more than a decade of suffering from debilitating health issues, FNG, is a 501(c)(3) Veteran For Purpose Organization. Touting a mission statement of “Stomping Out Veteran Suicide” and a call-to-action hashtag of #GetOutTheDamnHouse, Forgotten Not Gone’s emphasis in the battle

against veteran suffering and suicide is very apparent with three core values: physical, emotional, and spiritual. How they fulfill the physical key is obvious. However, the ways in which they fulfill the spiritual and emotional show the true meaningfulness of the organization. As far as spirtual, FNG emphasizes finding meaning from something considered spiritual, whether that be a religious text or other spiritual means. For the third core value, FNG’s events deliver a peer support-like network for veterans to find belonging and encouragement from—a direct blow against isolation and loneliness. It is a service that the Department of Veterans Affairs doesn’t provide—a safe space to openly discuss the battles they still fight every day. A space that allows vets to socialize with those who’ve survived similar experiences through a healthy alternative to alcoholism, crippling

november | elevatenv.com 25

Instead of relying on the federal government or drowning in addiction and depression, a veterans’ well-being advocacy group is making, or rather recumbent tricycling, its way to the streets of Las Vegas, as I experienced during my ride, to raise awareness of veteran suicide and veterans’ suffering by providing a healthy and heartracing alternative. “Too many veterans isolate, shutting off from the outside world until it’s too late. We find that physical activity is one of the surest ways to engage veterans back into an active social life,” offers Forgotten Not Gone founder Peter “Kephas Israel” Guidry in a FNG informational video. With rides that vary in difficulty, length and location, FNG’s triking brigade has traversed the entire city, taking their trikes across locations that span from Fremont Street to Red Rock Canyon and in the case of my particular ride, parks throughout the

elevatenv.com | november 26

mental illness or a dangerous concoction of pharmaceuticals. “At the very least, there’s someone who can listen to your problems because I never had that,” Ramirez says, only further cementing the absence of VA-hosted social programs. “Having these guys is really a lot of the help that I need.” Apart from advocating for veterans’ physical, mental and spiritual well-being, FNG also advocates tremendously for veteran access to medical cannabis and addresses the stigmas still associated with using the plant. With their most popular affiliated hashtag being #StigmaFree, it’s clear the hashtag has more than one meaning in the life of a veteran. “You can’t feel stigma-free at the VA when they’re telling you that something’s wrong with you,” says Guidry. But as someone who previously struggled with mental illness and a

psychiatrist who wouldn’t take me or my medicine seriously and instead labeled me as “cannabis dependent,” I found the message behind the #HowDareYou campaign to be the organization’s catchphrase that resonated the most. “We’ve found that cannabis is an option for some of our veterans with aggression and depression,” Guidry discloses. “I have GI (gastrointestinal) issues and I’ve been throwing up blood for a number of years. If I have a cannabis vaporizer, it can stop me from throwing up. Here I am, overcoming my disabilities and going to school and the VA’s saying because I use cannabis, I’m Bob Marley or something and I’m using it inappropriately.” A common experience for cannabisusing veterans is the VA diagnosing a veteran with a condition called “cannabis use disorder” which would subsequently go into their VA medical

records and lead to further issues. “But here we are though, overcoming our disabilities and using this medicine and the VA is putting all these horrible labels in our records which are unfounded,” says Guidry. “Cannabis is a great tool for certain veterans to overcome their disabilities and right now, we’re not allowed to have that conversation because people have 1930’s Reefer Madness viewpoints. If we have 22 veterans dying daily, we say that’s too damn many. It’s helping veterans no longer be depressed, go back to school, communicate with their children better and repair marriages, then how dare you put this “cannabis use disorder” label on these veterans?” And so, the recumbent tricycle fleet of Forgotten Not Gone will continue to ride on, showing veterans the true, caring support and understanding of their fellow veterans that only organizations like FNG can provide.

GR VESGIVING

CANNED FOOD DRIVE BRING IN

10 CANNED FOOD ITEMS FOR

10% OFF

AT BOTH LOCATIONS!

4647 Swenson St, Las Vegas, NV 89119 | 702.463.5777 + 1541 E Basin Ave, Pahrump, NV 89048 | 775.556.0100 Must bring in a minimum of 10 cans to receive discount. Discount applies once per customer. Additional cans wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stack multiple discounts. Cannot be used with other discounts or promotions. Keep out of reach of children. For use only by adults 21 years of age and older.

elevatenv.com | november

Fighting for Freedom

Veterans Cannabis Project brings military might to cannabis rights

by Josh Kasoff

ince 2017, cannabis advocacy for veterans has had a powerful ally. One that brings military style strength and a tactical plan to a battle that our nation’s vets can’t afford to lose. This is because the remedies veterans have found through cannabis for war-related conditions and/or taking pharmaceuticals with potentially dangerous side effects simply cannot be overstated. Veterans have found a way to reclaim and rebuild their lives from a plant with negligible side effects as compared to opiates despite the legal issues and possible difficulties they may face with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Even without any VA-sanctioned and FDA-approved research, the endless testimonies from veterans who share their stories about regaining the love of their families, beating a harrowing addiction to significantly more harmful substances or preventing their suicide illustrate the plant’s medical potential in assisting those who’ve served. With cannabis becoming increasingly used as a salve to heal the wounds of war, Navy SEAL veteran Nick Etten founded Veterans Cannabis Project, a 501(c) (4) nonprofit organization, in September 2017. Since its inception, VCP has been delivering the message about the medicinal powers of cannabis while providing sound and legitimate information to U.S. lawmakers. They have been actively waging the battle to legalize cannabis on the federal level through “direct action missions” that take place in our nation’s capital. These direct action missions operate on three fronts that include advocating on behalf of veterans’ cannabis access, educating policymakers and the public about the value of cannabis to veterans to eliminate stigma, and supporting veterans across the nation with the resources they need to understand the value

SPEND OVER $100 TO RECEIVE

FREE DELIVERY 8AM–7PM 7 DAYS A WEEK

Inyo is dedicated to making your dispensary experience the best it can be. With the largest selection of product and the lowest prices in town, we make getting free delivery a breeze.

2520 S MARYLAND PKWY #2, LAS VEGAS, NV 89109 STORE HOURS: MON–SAT 8–12A | SUN 8A–10P Keep Out of Reach of Children. For Use Only by Adults 21 Years of Age and Older.

november | elevatenv.com 29

of medical cannabis and know their rights while arming them with the tools they need to encourage policy change. Carrying out these missions for VCP is Air Force veteran and 1996 Air Force Academy graduate Doug Distaso who is Executive Director of VCP. After serving 21 years in the military, Distaso left the Air Force two years ago. At one defining point in his military career while serving as a Lieutenant Colonel, Distaso survived a plane accident but the subsequent injuries included debilitating and traumatic brain injuries that resulted in chronic pain that persists to this day. “I was on your classic “combat cocktail” of what you think a beat-up guy with PTSD and TBI would be on. My wife and I knew it wasn’t going well and as a team we decided to try medical cannabis,” offers Distaso. “Since there’s no guidelines because it’s an illegal substance and through trial and error, I weaned myself off everything to the point where there’s no real need for me to medicate on any specific timeframe.” As for his approach to VCP’s mission, Distaso is employing a three-pronged strategy to deal with the root causes of the trauma vets face. “Our intent is to educate, advocate and support,” Distaso explains. “We think if we get that right, then we can heal this community in significant ways. When I talk to people and they ask what’s at the heart of VCP, it’s that. There’s a lot of wounds that we think this plant can heal, both visible and invisible—that we should give veterans the chance to try.” He continues, “Both Nick and I saw this massive need and this existing population of people who’ve been using it for a while. You talk to Vietnam vets or other folks who’ve gone through traumatic situations and this plant has been their refuge. We recognized that there is enough anecdotal evidence and a groundswell of support within the veteran community that we saw it needed a voice,” says Distaso. “The letters and emails and sentiment and support and people looking for this option nationwide is really overwhelming.” VCP takes a boots-on-the-ground approach to connecting with the community. A prime example is their presence at events with large numbers of veteran attendees such as hosting a barbeque and concert/educational information tent at Washington, D.C.’s Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Demonstration Run earlier this year. To interact with and advocate directly for access for veterans, VCP stays up to date on a local level with the different laws and regulations surrounding cannabis. If there is an issue in one of the legalized states, VCP works to find solutions for everything from the high cost of buying cannabis at a dispensary to issues with receiving a medical card.

elevatenv.com | november 30

Veterans still face hardships across the social spectrum for their cannabis use—even in states where recreational legalization has been in effect for the last few years. “As much as we can, we’re trying to involve local networks to help those people who are afraid to reach out and ask, afraid what this (cannabis use) is going to do to GI benefits, Second Amendment rights, and all kinds of problems that people are concerned about. So that’s what we try to do on the ground, and that’s to normalize it a little more,” says Distaso. An example of the non-profit’s community involvement both among veterans and within the cannabis space is the organization’s partnership with cannabis corporation CuraLeaf. As outlined in their partnership announcement this past March the Boston-based company assists in raising awareness while offering a set of five mini pre-rolls in dispensaries nationwide (in Nevada those dispensaries are Blackjack Collective and Acres) with VCP’s logo on the packaging and a portion of the proceeds going to the veterans group. To stay true to their value of “healing our nation’s broken approach to cannabis,” VCP has approached lawmakers from multiple strategic angles which they meaningfully refer to as “Operation Legal Access.” Legislatively, the organization is supporting and lobbying for The Safe Banking Act, which would expand financial services to cannabusinesses. They are also pushing for The States Act, which would protect legalized states from federal interference. Similar to other non-profits who schedule appointments with their political representatives to discuss upcoming legislation, VCP conducts the aforementioned “direct action missions” which allow veteran cannabis patients to speak of their struggles directly with their lawmakers. As for future objectives of the veterans’ advocacy organization, Distaso says, “long-term, we’re going to have to develop a community of like-minded folks through the VCP force that can take care of this massive amount of people who have huge problems, whether it’s opioid addiction, or from a combination of pills, or struggling to find work. We think the cannabis industry is a great place for veterans to work, so those would be long-term plans.” VCP has made it its mission to stand up for veterans who have come home wounded by war only to find they need to do battle all over again to access the care they need. As veterans from across our nation’s military branches become an increasingly powerful presence in the fight to access cannabis and advocate for veterans’ rights to use this healing plant, we all win.

november | elevatenv.com 31

HOME GROW 101 Former Marine starts home garden to grow medicine to combat PTSD

elevatenv.com | november

by A.J.,

@vegasbestbud

Let me start my column by thanking our courageous military personnel for their service. For the last eight years or so, I have tried to show my appreciation to members of our military by donating my free time and expertise to help veterans start their own home cannabis gardens. I have had a home grow for the last 11 years in Las Vegas. I have been licensed and working in cultivations in Southern Nevada since 2016 and am currently working at and helping to build a brand-new state-of-the-art commercial cultivation. I would like to tell you about a new friend of mine, USMC Sergeant Russell. Sergeant Russell served in the Marines for five years before he was forced to take an honorable discharge. He was in ordinance supply, loading bombs and missiles on F-18 fighter jets. After being deployed to Bahrain, Kuwait, and Germany, he served at 29 Palms and Miramar in Southern California. Sergeant Russell now suffers from a torn labrum in his shoulder and has PTSD. After leaving the Marines, he headed to the East Coast looking for work as a civilian. He spent some time there looking for a good job with not much luck. Next, Sergeant Russell moved to Oakland, CA and landed a job at a cannabis dispensary. He found that using cannabis instead of pharmaceuticals he was prescribed was very beneficial. He also noticed after using certain strains, his PTSD wasn’t as bad. Unfortunately buying medical cannabis from a dispensary became quite expensive and eventually unaffordable. After hearing how inexpensive it is to grow medical cannabis versus buying, he soon became very interested in the process. His mother recently moved to Las Vegas. Soon after, Sergeant Russell followed—not only to be closer to his mother but to take advantage of Nevada’s more reasonable cost of living. This is where I come into the picture. Sergeant Russell reached out to me via Instagram to ask me for a consultation on how to grow his own medication. I responded by meeting with him and advising him on how to get started. His first hurdle was to get a Nevada Medical Marijuana card. In order to grow in Las Vegas “legally,” you must have a medical card. Because of his injuries, he had no problem being approved for his card. Second, Sergeant Russell needed to buy the necessary equipment to get started. Because of the size of the room he planned to use for his grow, we decided on a 4’ x 4’ grow tent. I donated a light fixture, a fan and some clones. He ordered the

rest of the necessary equipment online. Including the cost of the tent and garden nutrients, he spent under $700, which is less than buying two ounces of cannabis from a dispensary. His new 4’ x 4’ grow tent will produce one year’s worth of medical cannabis in just one crop (three months). In other words, his ounce of medical cannabis went from $350-$400 an ounce, to approximately $70 an ounce. After the initial monetary outlay for equipment, the cost of his future harvests will necessitate money only for nutrients and electricity. By the way, the next time you hear somebody complain about energy costs in Nevada, remember in California it is triple what we pay and is not always stable as Californians found out with PG&E’s self-imposed power shutdowns in October. In Nevada a 4’ x 4’ garden will probably run you about $100 a month for electric and about $50 a month for nutrients, or a total of $450 when multiplied over three months. In one garden you can easily grow one to two ounces per plant, multiplied by 12 plants (a medical patient in Nevada can grow up to 12 mature plants). In addition to the more attractive economics of having your own garden, you are now growing pesticide-free cannabis. The state of Nevada allows commercial cultivations access to over 80 pesticides for use on cannabis. I would like to give a big shout out to a few of the best cannabis seed breeders in the world for generously donating their amazing genetics for veterans to use. Sincerest thanks to @oni_seed_co for his tasty Tropicanna Cookie crosses and @capulator for his hardto-find MAC crosses. Both of these extremely generous breeders sent me over $1,000 each in seeds as soon as they heard it was for military vets to use. Sergeant Russell is in the middle of his first grow and should be harvesting his first batch of medical cannabis by Christmas. I wanted to share this story with veterans especially those within an hour’s drive of Las Vegas. Sergeant Russell reached out to me and trusted me. I invite any of you to do the same. I don’t charge veterans for my consultation or knowledge. Even if you are in California, please reach out to me, I will come to you. I have a lot of seeds that need new homes. If you would like to speak with Sergeant Russell or have any questions for me, please reach out to Rookies123@aol.com or @vegasbestbud.

More Cannabis. More Rewards. Text JOINSOURCE to 702.718.5965 Earn 1 point per dollar Earn 20 points per bag return* 100 points = $4 off Exclusive special offers

TheSourceNV.com TheSourceDispensary *Maximum 1 bag per visit.

For use only by adults 21 years of age and older. Keep out of reach of children.

WHAT’S NEW IN NEVADA’S DISPENSARIES Cowboy Cannabis adds to sugar-free gummy line Cowboy Cannabis has added a sugar-free Huckleberry flavor to its THC-infused Gummy Barrel line. Utilizing Stevia as its sugar replacement, Cowboy Gummy Barrels are one of the few sugar-free THC edibles available in Nevada. Available in sugar-free flavors of Huckleberry, Citrus Sunrise and Cinnamon, as well as nonsugar-free flavors Root Beer, Apple and Cherry flavors, each Cowboy Gummy Barrel contains 10 mg of THC. Cowboy Gummy Barrels are available at Acres, Silver State Relief, and NuWu Cannabis Marketplace. Cowboycan.com

elevatenv.com | november

The Grove hosts meet ‘n greet with Five Finger Death Punch’s Ivan Moody on Nov. 2nd

Soccer star Megan Rapinoe joins sister’s CBD company as athlete ambassador Women-owned sports recovery brand Mendi announced in October that 2019 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year and two-time Women’s World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe would be its first sponsored athlete for the brand. Spearheading Mendi’s ‘Athlete Ambassador Program’ and lending her voice and vision to amplify the brand, Rapinoe will be working with Mendi to find innovative ways for more athletes to be at the frontline advocating for player health and safety. “As a tool, CBD has been integral in Megan’s training and recovery program for the past few years,” said Rachael Rapinoe, CEO of Mendi and twin sister to Rapinoe. “She’s seen the massive potential for more people to adopt CBD into their recovery regimens and saw a need to do something about it by partnering with us to make sure we do it right.” Designed with athletes in mind, Mendi’s first line of products is made with hemp CBD for active travelers to take on their flights around the U.S., or professionals who can’t run the risk of developing trace amounts of THC that may show up in a drug test. Mendi currently offers three CBD hemp products: gel caps, gummies and a salve stick. themendico.com

The Grove dispensary will host a meet and greet on November 2nd at 1 p.m. as part of the launch of new products by Moody’s Medicinals, created by Five Finger Death Punch lead vocalist Ivan Moody. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Moody and purchase the new products at The Grove, located at 4647 Swenson St., which include sugar-free AM and PM shots made with certified pure CBD. The AM Shot comes in raspberry lemonade and the PM Shot is offered in lemon iced tea. Currently, the line includes a lemon-infused CBD water and a peppermint throat potion spray in both CBD and non-CBD formulas. Moody created Moody’s Medicinals because taking CBD helped him manage his anxiety symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD). However, he noticed a gap in the marketplace and set out to deliver a variety of CBD and non-CBD health and wellness products that don’t contain sugars, alcohols and unnecessary additives. moodysmedicinals.com

Planet 13 opens coffee shop and bistro/pizzeria On October 18 Planet 13 opened Rickety Cricket Café bistro/pizzeria and Purc Coffee Shop inside the Strip adjacent dispensary. “Planet 13 gives Las Vegas visitors the ability to shop, eat, and recreate all in one luxurious cannabis-themed complex,” said Larry Scheffler, Planet 13 co-CEO. The combined footprint of the coffee shop and bistro/pizzeria, being operated by Arizona restaurant and craft brewery chain Rickety Cricket, will be 4,500 square feet with seating for 130 to 150 patrons. planet13lasvegas.com

continued from page 13 concerns about the study. Without a pilot program per se, how do you really have data to study? I had hoped the City of Las Vegas’ ordinance would provide that.” Thrive CEO Mitch Britten sees value in both ideas. “I’m somewhat neutral. If it comes to be that it is something that everyone wants to do, I think it’s important to have them done in conjunction with dispensaries so you can be sure that what is being purchased is what is being consumed and you don’t have to worry about black market dealers but we are not out there actively pushing for this to happen,” said Britten. “For me the more important thing is that it is rolled out correctly and responsibly. It’s easier to say no then to teach people how to pace themselves and educate them on safe consumption. I think it’s smart to put these things into a study, there are enough other jurisdictions doing it. The government will do its study but the way, in my opinion, to study something is to have it in real life and deal with actual problems. I’m very appreciative to NuWu for taking that first step for the industry.”

Massage Care Infused Moroccan Argan oil with · CBD ·

· THC ·

Known to help skin withstand the test of time. Leaving skin remarkably soft, hydrated & radiant-looking.

+ Argan oil

Rose oil

No lasting residue.

Precious as it is powerful.

Visitors to Las Vegas haven’t had a place to legally consume cannabis since adult-use cannabis started being sold legally in Nevada on July 1, 2017—until NuWu opened its Tasting Room last month. When asked how tourists should have been directed to consume cannabis prior to NuWu, Giunchigliani didn’t have an answer. “I don’t know, that’s a good question. You don’t want them getting cited with a misdemeanor. I don’t know that Metro has done any citing. It’s legal to walk around with a vape, you can use it in a movie theatre, there’s no prohibitions on that. Maybe rather than an actual joint, using a vape might be the best approach for now,” she said. When Oasis’s Sillitoe was asked about consumption, he said, “We avoided that. We didn’t give them recommendations. What do you do? You can’t really advise someone on how to break the law. But most consumers don’t ask.” Sillitoe continued, “I’m happy, personally, that NuWu is there and able to provide a place for consumers to go and consume legally, it’s very important. Good for them that they get to do it.” Giunchigliani agreed. “I am surprised they hadn’t done it sooner. NuWu is a sovereign nation and they have a right to do what they want to so maybe we will see how that works for them.” “I think if I were in their position, I would have done the same thing,” said Britten. “They are in a very interesting situation. They have to abide by certain aspects and other aspects they are their own government. I don’t know if I would have done anything differently if I were in their position.”

Available at:

memainfused.com

Also Available in:

info@memainfused.com

@memainfused

Keep out of reach of children. For use only by adults 21 years of age and older. Lab tested.

KYND all-natural cannabis products are specially formulated to provide premium healing on an elevated level.

BEKYND

Keep out of reach of children. For use only by adults 21 years of age and older.

november | elevatenv.com 35

LIMBO NO MORE

DISPENSARY MAP A Guide to Cannabis in Southern Nevada 1. Acres Cannabis acrescannabis.com 2320 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.399.4200

8c. Essence Cannabis Dispensary essencevegas.com 5765 W Tropicana Ave Las Vegas, NV 89103 702.500.1714

16. NuLeaf www.nuleafnv.com 430 E Twain Ave Las Vegas, NV 89169 702.297.5323

24. The Apothecary Shoppe theapothecaryshoppe.com 4240 W Flamingo Rd Ste #100 Las Vegas, NV 89103 702.740.4372

2. Apothecarium apothecariumlv.com 7885 W Sahara Ave Las Vegas, NV 89117 702.778.7987

9. Inyo Fine Cannabis Dispensary inyolasvegas.com 2520 S Maryland Pkwy Ste #2 Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.707.8888

17a. NuWu Cannabis Marketplace Nuwucannabis.com 1235 Paiute Circle Las Vegas, NV 89106 702.844.2707

25a. The Grove TheGroveNV.com 1541 E Basin Ave Pahrump, NV 89048 775.556.0100

3. Blackjack Collective blackjackcollective.com 1736 S Las Vegas Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.545.0026

10. Jardin jardincannabis.com 2900 E Desert Inn Rd Ste #102 Las Vegas, NV 89121 702.331.6511

17b. NuWu North nuwu.vegas 1157 Nu-Wav Kaiv Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89124 702.844.2438

25b. The Grove TheGroveNV.com 4647 Swenson St Las Vegas, NV 89119 702.463.5777

4a. Blüm LetsBlum.com 3650 S Decatur Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89103 702.627.2586

11a. Jenny’s Dispensary Jennysdispensary.com 5530 N Decatur Blvd North Las Vegas, NV 89030 702.718.0420

18. Oasis Cannabis oasiscannabis.com 1800 S Industrial Rd Ste #180 Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.420.2405

26a. The Source thesourcenv.com 2550 S Rainbow Blvd Ste #8 Las Vegas, NV 89146 702.708.2000

4b. Blüm LetsBlum.com 1130 E Desert Inn Rd Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.536.2586

11b. Jenny’s Dispensary Jennysdispensary.com 10420 S Eastern Ave Henderson, NV 89052 702.718.0420

19. Planet 13 planet13lasvegas.com 2548 W Desert Inn Rd Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.206.1313

26b. The Source thesourcenv.com 9480 S Eastern Ave Ste #185 Henderson, NV 89123 702.708.2222

5. Cultivate Las Vegas cultivatelv.com 3615 Spring Mountain Rd Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.778.1173

12. Las Vegas ReLeaf lasvegasreleaf.com 2244 Paradise Rd Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.209.2400

20a. Reef Dispensaries reefdispensaries.com 3400 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.475.6520

27a. Thrive Cannabis Marketplace thrivenevada.com 2755 W Cheyenne Ave Ste #103 North Las Vegas, NV 89032 702.776.4144

6. Deep Roots Harvest deeprootsharvest.com 195 Willis Carrier Canyon Mesquite, NV 89034 702.345.2854

13. MMJ America mmjamerica.com 4660 S Decatur Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.565.9333

20b. Reef Dispensaries reefdispensaries.com 1366 W Cheyenne Ave North Las Vegas, NV 89030 702.410.8032

27b.Thrive Cannabis Marketplace thrivenevada.com 3500 W Sahara Ave Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.776.4144

7. Euphoria Wellness euphoriawellnessnv.com 7780 S Jones Blvd Ste #105 Las Vegas, NV 89139 702.960.7200

14a. Nevada Made Marijuana nevadamademarijuana.com 3195 St. Rose Pkwy Ste #212 Henderson, NV 89052 702.737.7777

21. Sahara Wellness 420sahara.com 420 E Sahara Ave Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.478.5533

27c.Thrive Cannabis Marketplace thrivenevada.com 1112 S Commerce St Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.776.4144

8a.Essence Cannabis Dispensary essencevegas.com 2307 S Las Vegas Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.978.7591

14b. Nevada Made Marijuana nevadamademarijuana.com 1975 S Casino Dr Laughlin, NV 89029 702.737.7777

22. ShowGrow showgrowlv.com 4850 S Fort Apache Rd Ste #100 Las Vegas, NV 89147 702.227.0511

28. Top Notch THC topnotchthc.com 5630 Stephanie St Las Vegas, NV 89122 702.418.0420

8b.Essence Cannabis Dispensary essencevegas.com 4300 E Sunset Rd Ste #A3 Henderson, NV 89014 702.978.7687

15. Nevada Wellness Center nevadawellnesscenters.com 3200 S Valley View Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.470.2077

23. Silver Sage Wellness sswlv.com 4626 W Charleston Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.802.3757

159

PECOS RD

PK SE RO . ST HENDERSON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT

WE ST

6TH ST

3RD ST

COMMERCE ST MAIN ST

AVE

215

PARADISE RD

LAS Y PKW EAD

RACETRACK RD

HENDERSON

HORIZON RIDGE PKWY

HORIZON DR

515

GE RID WY SUN TS PK H HEIG

14b

BOULDER CITY AND LAUGHLIN

MARYLAND PKWY

D LR

UST

RIA

SET

STEPHANIE ST

SUN

D BLV

DA AN

LAMB BLVD

PECOS RD

LAK

LAS VEGAS BLVD SOUTH

DECATUR BLVD

CACTUS AVE

Y GREEN VALLEY PKW

JONES BLVD

HIG SO HL UT AN HE DS RN PK W

14a

SILVERADO RANCH BLVD

26b 11b

SAM BOYD STADIUM

WARM SPRINGS RD

PEBBLE RD

515

SUNSET COUNTY PARK

IN AVE

OND

DIAM

KAREN AVE

SUNSET RD

WINDMILL LN

ST. LOUIS AVE

DESERT INN RD

E TWA

25a

GREEN DISTRICT

RUSSELL RD

WIGWAM PKWY

12 21

WINDMILL LN

PECOS RD

DECATUR BLVD

MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

OAKEY BLVD

SAHARA AVE

FLAMINGO RD EASTERN AVE

LAS VEGAS

E BLU

NELLIS BLVD

25b

215

WARM SPRINGS RD

DESERT INN RD

VEG

N 5TH

19 20a

SAHARA AVE

TROPICANA AVE

RUSSELL RD

SUNSET RD

19 20a

MARYLAND PKWY

24 13

27b

CHARLESTON BLVD

NELLIS BLVD

4a JONES BLVD

RAINBOW BLVD

BUFFALO DR

TROPICANA AVE

27c 18 3 8a 1 12 21 9

LAS VEG AS THE STR IP

26a SAHARA AVE

FLAMINGO RD

PAHRUMP

IN S T

DESERT INN RD SPRING MOUNTAIN RD

160

BONANZA RD

VALLEY VIEW

DURANGO DR

FT APACHE RD

HUALAPAI WAY

TOWN CENTER DR

SAHARA AVE

ALTA DR

WASHINGTON AVE

HIG

CHARLESTON BLVD

OWENS AVE

WASHINGTON AVE

215

OAKEY BLVD

IND

LAKE MEAD BLVD

GIBSON RD

27c CHARLESTON BLVD

ERN

VEGAS DR

17a

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE

RANCHO DR

LIN

CAREY AVE D BLVD

V AS

SANDHILL RD

ME A

NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT

V BL

MARYLAND PKWY

27a 20b

CRAIG RD

BERMUDA RD

LAK E

NORTH LAS VEGAS

CAMINO AL NORTE / MLK

CHEYENNE AVE

MESQUITE

CENTENNIAL PKWY

WASHBURN RD

BUFFALO DR

ALEXANDER RD

DECATUR BLVD

RAINBOW BLVD

LONE MOUNTAIN RD

ANN RD

SIMMONS ST

11a

JONES BLVD

GRAND CANYON DR

DURANGO DR

215

HO NC RA

17b

RENO

‘DON’T TOUCH MY BAGS IF YOU PLEASE, MISTER CUSTOMS MAN’ As the holiday travel season begins, what ‘contraband’ is allowed at the airport? By Richard S. Gubbe

o you want to bring some cannabis on your next trip because your destination is barren of the plant that can heal ya? You are passing through TSA screening at McCarran International Airport and your bag is flagged. So, you tell the smiling TSA agent you forgot about the ounce of weed you had in your carry-on. Does the agent put you in cuffs, smile, or send you to see the po-po? The real question is:

Does the TSA even care anymore? An 18-year-old who depends on cannabidiol (CBD) for anxiety travels with a vape pen. She travels by air often and has only been questioned once about having pure CBD in her carry-on luggage. Will a minor get hassled for a simple transport of CBD while leaving Las Vegas? If nabbed at the checkpoint, will she be sent to federal prison to serve five to 10 for drug smuggling?

elevatenv.com | november 40

When asked by a McCarran TSA agent, “what’s this?” the young traveler replied, “A CBD pen. I have a medical condition. I use it for anxiety. I have a doctor’s recommendation if you want to see it.” The agent replied, “No, not necessary.” Again, why waste time on checking the validity of a CBD vape pen even as the groundswell rages against vaping. A 65-year-old traveler enters TSA with two carry-on bags, one contains a CBD-only product with the test results on the box, the second piece of luggage contains a bag 1/3 full of Black Forest Gummy Bears. The screener flagged the carryon with the gummy bears inside. He opened the small sports bag, snagged the gummies first, looked at the brand name, put them back in the bag and said have a nice flight. On the return trip, the same traveler said some old baseball cards triggered a search into the piece of luggage containing CBD and the CBD was left alone. Flagged boxes of baseball cards? Understandable. They are dense and could be dangerous. But again, agents went right by the CBD that was now partially consumed. Agents tested no food, waived no chemical-sensitive wands. The agents cared only about security and that is the way it should be.

“DON’T TOUCH MY BAGS...” What happens if the TSA agent makes the discovery of a leafy green plant substance like the one Arlo Guthrie described, one that has no prescription? Until recently, the result would have been a stiff sentence in the slammer. With recent policy changes, the agency that regulates the skies could care less about your high and refer all matters to local authorities for determination of punishment, if any. At McCarran, anything less than one ounce is a nuisance. Despite the fact a police substation exists at the airport, officials are left with two options: let you go somewhere and smoke it or allow you to painfully dump your precious cargo in a designated bin. The question is, how willing are you to risk it and are the TSA screeners looking for it? Legally, cannabis can never be transported state to state. Additionally, not every county in states where it is legal is on board for legal possession. In Nevada, for instance, not every county has legalized cannabis. According to the TSA, the culprit is referred to local law enforcement; in this case, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department substation is summoned. Unless you are trying to smuggle a large quantity of herb, you now have the option of smoking it before you get on the plane (not sure where), going home or depositing it in the amnesty receptacle without punishment. The TSA and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

have far greater concerns than passengers bringing a little weed onboard. As one Metro official told elevate, “the risk is on the passenger bringing in some cannabis to another city.” Hardly a concern as people are rarely searched while flying to somewhere domestic. The TSA states on its website that its screening procedures are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers. “Accordingly, TSA security officers do not search for marijuana or other illegal drugs, but if any illegal substance is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer.” But what of the gray areas such as paraphernalia like vape pens? What about concentrates? Can a TSA screener know the difference between cannabis and tobacco products? Do they care? As one airline staff worker said when asked if her major airline cared at all about it, she gave a quick no.

THE FEAR FACTOR The legalization of adult-use cannabis in 11 states and the national legalization of hemp-derived CBD last year has led to mass confusion about what can be transported to where. Recent CBD legislation included in the 2018 Farm Bill, however, has seen a laxed stance by air officials and has altered the way hemp-derived CBD can be transported for personal use. Despite the “change” in policy, the fear of the weight of the deferral government is enough to scare the pants off most of the population. While stories abound about people getting through security with this or that, most are scared straight, even medical patients who have their own protocol that includes a doctor’s authorization. Then there’s the stigma of potentially breaking the law, bringing guilt, shame and the possible loss of your medical card As one medical patient, barely 21, said of forgetting she had a pen with her cosmetics, “I felt like a criminal bringing my smoking device on a plane. I didn’t want to watch as they were digging through it. I was so nervous. Bringing “drugs” would be terrifying. Could the machine “smell me”? I don’t trust the government. I could lose my medical card. Any issues and I could lose the card for something stupid.” A risk remains.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Without fanfare, the TSA changed its cannabis policy in May to allow passengers to bring some forms of CBD oil, plus an FDA-approved marijuana-based drug, on flights. The change was prompted by the only FDA-approved drug that contains CBD oil, Epidiolex, which is used to treat seizures in children with epilepsy. Before thinking about “bringing in a couple of keys

november | elevatenv.com 41

(sic)” (ala Arlo Guthrie) as a medical patient, knowing about the rules of cannabis and CBD transport can keep you out of jail. Here is the revised language from the TSA website: Medical Marijuana: Marijuana and certain cannabis infused products, including some Cannabidiol (CBD) oil, remain illegal under federal law except for products that contain no more than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis or that are approved by FDA. (See the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Pub. L. 115-334.) TSA officers are required to report any suspected violations of law to local, state or federal authorities. TSA’s screening procedures are focused on security and are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers. Accordingly, TSA security officers do not search for marijuana or other illegal drugs, but if any illegal substance is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer. Prior to this policy change all forms of marijuana were prohibited in both checked and carry-on bags. But recently, the agency updated TSA.gov to reflect new regulations that allow FDA-approved medical marijuana and products that contain hemp-derived CBD oil. The CBD oil is allowed “as long as it is produced within the regulations defined by the law” under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, which federally legalized hemp and hemp derivatives. The TSA’s new rules still ban other forms of marijuana, including certain cannabis-infused products and CBD oils that have THC, which still are illegal under federal law. It is not clear how the TSA intends to check whether or not a product contains THC. The TSA instead advises people to take their CBD medication at home prior to their flight and then find a dispensary at their travel destination, or to ship them where they are staying. This change marks the first time the TSA has made a distinction between hemp-derived CBD products and any other form of cannabis. While the agency hasn’t stated exactly how they plan to enforce the new policy, they have stated in the past they do not specifically look for cannabis in the first place and if found some they would defer to state law enforcement since maintaining plane safety is the main task of the TSA, not playing the role of the Drug Enforcement Agency. When in doubt, at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, there are “amnesty” receptacles before checkpoints for dropping off cannabis products that won’t pass TSA scrutiny or make you (more) paranoid. A better alternative than serving five to 10 in a federal pen.

#ConfidenceInConnor

elevatenv.com | november

“Amanda Connor has distinguished herself as the premier legal voice for the cannabis industry in Nevada. Sahara Wellness would not be where it is today without her advice and guidance. With Connor & Connor by our side I know we will never be caught off guard or get left behind. I cannot thank Amanda enough for her perseverance, professionalism, but most of all her loyalty. ” – Alex Davis Owner/Operator

www.connorpllc.com | 702.750.9139

Order online now!

november | elevatenv.com 43

Partake in the party.

DISPELLING NEVADA’S BIGGEST MARIJUANA MYTH Did the tax money from cannabis sales go to education?

education or the state’s Distributive School Account (DSA) for fiscal year 2018. In September 2019, the state of Nevada’s Department of Taxation transferred $43,764,762 in marijuana revenue to education or the state’s Distributive School Account (DSA) for fiscal year 2019. As for the second tax, resulting from and legislated by Senate Bill 487 that passed during the 2017 Legislative Session, it was distributed to the state’s Rainy Day account in fiscal years 2018 and 2019. We hope this will finally put the myth to rest. The school children of Nevada indeed got their money. Now the $71.2-million-dollar question is: How was the money spent that went into the DSA account?

NEVADA CANNABIS TAX REVENUES $60 $50 $40 MILLION

elevatenv.com | november

Although we have written about it on several occasions there still seems to be much confusion regarding distribution of tax money that is collected from recreational cannabis. There are two taxes collected from the sale of recreational marijuana in Nevada. One tax, a 15% Wholesale Marijuana Tax, goes to education. A second tax, a 10% Retail Marijuana Tax, is distributed to the state’s Rainy Day Fund. For the last two years the state of Nevada has followed the law as required by the Nevada Marijuana Legalization Initiative, also known as Ballot Question 2, which was passed by a vote of the people on November 8, 2016 distributing the revenue to the state’s education account. In August 2018, the state of Nevada’s Department of Taxation transferred $27,270,582 in marijuana revenue to

$30 $20 $10 $0

July 1, 2017 June 30, 2018 DSA (Education) Account

July 1, 2018 June 30, 2019 Rainy Day Fund

Blue = $27.5 million from 15% Wholesale Marijuana Tax (to DSA or education account) Orange = $42.5 million from 10% Retail Marijuana Tax (Rainy Day Fund) Fiscal year: July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018 Blue = $43.7 million from 15% Wholesale Marijuana Tax (to DSA or education account) Orange = $55 million from 10% Retail Marijuana Tax (Rainy Day Fund) Fiscal year: July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk cannabis.

NEW CUSTOMERS: TEXT JOIN ELEVATE TO 702.710.4837 OR SCAN NOW TO GET A PRE-ROLL FOR A PENNY* APOTHECARIUM.COM/ELEVATE 7885 W. SAHARA SUITE 112 LAS VEGAS, NV 89117 | 702.778.7987 *LIMITS AND RESTRICTION MAY APPLY. OFFERS ARE GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. MINIMUM PURCHASE REQUIRED. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS 21 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER.