Veterans Fight War on Drugs by Elevate Nevada Magazine

NOVEMBER 2016

VETERANS FIGHT WAR ON DRUGS Military heroes look to Question #2 for safe access to cannabis for relief from PTSD and battle wounds

The search for CBDdominant medicine in Nevada is over CHECKING IN WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS: TOMMY CHONG, ETHAN NADELMANN & DEREK PETERSON

Chocolate Therapy VETERAN OWNED AND OPERATED ReleafWellness.com

Where science and cannabis collide

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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: Justin Alexander, Amanda Connor, Rianna Durrett, Lissa Townsend-Rodgers, Madeline Rubidoux Media Consultant: Mark Damkroeger, mark@elevatenv.com Sean Sonner, sean@elevatenv.com

Cover Photo: Darren Braun

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 Peter Chen, peter.chen@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: 702.737.8464 | Email: info@elevatenv.com

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Earlier this year, in the May issue of elevate, I was lamenting the lack of CBD-dominant medicine in the Nevada marketplace. At the time, it seemed that everything being grown was geared toward those looking for medicine with a high THC number. Finally, it seems, CBD-rich medicine has become available in the dispensaries. From capsules and tinctures to oils and topicals, there is a plethora of choices from which Nevada’s patients can select. With that development in mind, I am very pleased to tell you that this month our product review is focused on CBD or cannabidiol, which is the cannabinoid that offers healing without the high. You will find Justin Alexander’s review of various CBD-dominant products on page 7. This is a good sign that Nevada’s cannabis industry is maturing as it begins to offer more of a variety of both THC and CBD products to the state’s nearly 25,000 patients. Some of those patients include military veterans, which brings me to another story in this issue found on page 17. It’s a story I am particularly passionate about because it deals with veterans and their ability to get safe access to cannabis. Because cannabis is still federally illegal, many veterans have not pursued registering with the state of Nevada for their medical marijuana cards for fear of jeopardizing their VA benefits. I find it ironic that veterans who fought for our freedom can’t freely use cannabis to treat the injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) they suffered as a result of their service to our country. I interviewed several veterans and was horrified to listen as they recalled their experiences of becoming addicted to opiates as a result of being prescribed the typical “VA cocktail” by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to treat their conditions. One veteran described

his experience of quitting opiates as akin to being a heroin junkie going through withdrawal. Just to put it in perspective for you, there were almost 19,000 drug overdose deaths in 2014 attributable to prescription pain relievers like those included in the VA cocktail, but not one death from cannabis. Additionally, with 22 veterans committing suicide every day as a result of PTSD, don’t they deserve better? It is unfortunate that because of the way the federal government views cannabis, it puts our military heroes in a position to have to choose between paying rent and putting food on their table or medicating with cannabis to deal with the drastic impacts of PTSD on their lives. U.S. Congresswoman Dina Titus also weighs in on this topic in her OP-ED piece found on page 21. Congresswoman Titus is working with her colleagues in Congress to remove the current barriers preventing veterans from having conversations with their doctors about accessing medical marijuana. She is diligently working to pass the Veterans Equal Access Act, H.R. 667, legislation that would eliminate current VA policy. All of this should give you pause as you decide whether you will vote ‘yes’ on Question #2 to regulate marijuana like alcohol on November 8th. If passed, our veterans will get safe access to lab tested cannabis without having to become part of the state’s medical marijuana registry. This is not a trivial matter, as Roberto Pickering, one of the vets I interviewed for my story told me, “Don’t be mistaken, this is a war we are fighting and we can beat it, we really can if we can get veterans the medicine they need.” With an open mind,

CONTENTS 5

Cooking with Cannabis

Thanksgiving Waffle Sandwich

The search for CBD-dominant medicine is over

Local dispensaries cater to patients by offering cannabidiol-rich products

Dispensary Spotlight

ShowGrow Las Vegas

Military heroes return home only to fight war on drugs

Veterans look to Question #2 for safe access to cannabis for relief from PTSD and injuries

Pipe Dreams

Newly cancer-free, Tommy Chong finds answers in God, laughter, and, yes, cannabis

Turning Tides

Drug Policy Alliance chief Ethan Nadelmann is sitting pretty this election season but his success is far from enough

Blüm’s the Word

Nevada plays big role in Derek Peterson’s strategy to bring Terra Tech across the green line

Dispensary Map

A patients’ guide to finding medical cannabis in the Las Vegas Valley

Legalease

State adopts revised regulations to medical marijuana law november | elevatenv.com

This November, you will have the opportunity to vote Yes on 2 to regulate marijuana like alcohol. You can learn more about the initiative at: RegulateNevada.org /RegulateMJinNV A regulated adult-use marijuana market will:

● Reduce or eliminate the underground marijuana market in Nevada ● Make it more difficult for our children to access by requiring an ID to purchase ● Provide funding for K-12 education ● NOT change existing medical marijuana laws or affect patients’ rights Email: info@regulatenevada.org to learn how you can get involved.

Paid for by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol.

Cooking Cannabis THANKSGIVING WAFFLE SANDWICH BY MADELINE RUBIDOUX, EVERGREEN ORGANIX

When November 25 rolls around, it’s always a challenge to figure out what to make with all of those wonderful Thanksgiving leftovers that is a notch more exciting than a casserole or pot pie. Chef Madeline Rubidoux suggests creating vegan waffle sandwiches stacked with everything from the ubiquitous turkey and cranberry sauce to apple and mushroom stuffing, gravy or yams. Throw on a slice or two of cheese and a sprinkle of truffle salt for good measure and you’ve got a sandwich fit for a pilgrim with a gourmet palate. Happy Thanksgiving!

Yield: 8 Vegan Waffles

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

2-½ cups all-purpose flour 3 cups flour 2 Tbsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 3 cups rice milk 1/3 cup orange juice 1/3 cup coconut oil (substitute for your advised dosing of infused coconut oil) 1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat wafflemaker. 2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. 3. In a separate bowl, combine rice milk, orange juice, coconut oil and vanilla extract. 4. Then combine both dry and wet ingredients until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes. 5. Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. 6. Pour batter onto waffle iron and cook until golden brown. After making waffles, layer the sandwich with Thanksgiving leftovers.

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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THE SEARCH FOR CBD-DOMINANT MEDICINE IS OVER LOCAL DISPENSARIES CATER TO PATIENTS BY OFFERING CANNABIDIOLRICH PRODUCTS By Justin Alexander

CBD, or cannabidiol, creams, tinctures, capsules and oils are often preferred by medical marijuana patients for their health benefits without the high that comes from THC-rich products. Working in conjunction with low doses of THC for the highest effectiveness, CBDs have proven to be helpful when it comes to acting as a bronchodilator for asthmatics, reducing the spread of cancer and metastasis, decreasing seizures in childhood epilepsy, and relieving chronic or acute pain. To follow are some CBD and hemp oil based products that are currently being stocked in Nevada dispensaries.

INFUSED PAIN CREAM Developed by Morgan Rebentisch, a licensed aesthetician for more than 10 years, Infused Pain Cream is a labor of love for the skincare devotee. “My family has owned and operated a skin and body care manufacturing facility for over 20 years which [sparked] my passion for the industry,” she says. Rebentisch decided to infuse the same skin and body care products with cannabis. “I started with the highest quality CBD extract in the world and built our products around it,” she says. One hundred percent THC-free, Infused Pain Cream’s full spectrum CBD extract at 200 mg contains phytocannabinoids (CBD-A, CBG, CBN and CBC) and terpenes, and it is cultivated and extracted using organic, sustainable farming practices. Ideally used as an anti-inflammatory for topical discomfort to treat arthritis, backaches, muscle strains, sprains, bruises, cramps, spasms, joint pain, headaches and pre/post workout soreness, it contains capsaicin extract, organic menthol, essential oils, shea butter, organic cocoa butter, and terpenes. Rebentisch recommends applying a generous amount to the area of discomfort and massaging until completely absorbed.

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KYND TINCTURE Kynd’s CBD-dominant tincture at 174 mg works in conjunction with minimally activated THC to create anti-inflammatory pain relief without the feeling of being high. Tinctures hit the bloodstream quick, taken under the tongue, and go directly to the endocannabinoid system. Kynd uses MCT oil and D-Limonene, and CBD-rich strains like Ringo's Gift and AC/DC in its tinctures. “Our process for infusing the tincture is proprietary, but we work very hard to retain all the most viable compounds available from the cannabis plant,” says Ryan Clendenin, director of production for Kynd Cannabis Company. “Our goal is to be gentle with our extraction and purification processes in order to obtain only the best our flowers have to offer. That's why we extract using supercritical CO2.” While tinctures work slower than smoking cannabis, they are a great option for those with weakened immune systems or respiratory issues and patients can use the MCT oil-based product to blend into fats/oils in recipes. Best for anti-inflammatory, anti-pain, and mood stabilization, many patients say that tinctures can help control jitters and sleepless nights. When in doubt on dosage, go with how you feel, starting with a few drops for minor anxiety. Administer by holding 1/2 ml of Kynd Tincture under the tongue for about 20 seconds. Add Kynd Tincture to smoothies, coffee or tea. Infuse homemade edibles with the tincture, which is not alcohol-based and safe to use in larger doses. “Most of the first cannabis indica medicines in the U.S. market were tinctures or syrups,” Clendenin says. “This dates back to the 1850s, of course, but nonetheless the non-smoking forms of cannabis use have been popular all along this great experiment of medicine making, with prohibition being the greatest hurdle to real progress on human healthcare from chronic pain management to cancer treatment.”

SILVER SAGE WELLNESS’S JIMMY B. OIL CAPS Silver Sage Wellness makes products with a purpose. In this case, it’s JBO capsules, which come in different strengths and are named after the founder’s son Jimmy Blasco who is autistic. “JBO capsules are created using a two-part extraction

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process with a high CBD-to-THC ratio for patients looking to tackle the biggest diseases and conditions that can be difficult, if not impossible, to treat with standard medicine,” says Joseph Cavi of Silver Sage Wellness. “In making JBO, the standard extraction process using isopropyl alcohol has been modified so that patients can consume by oral syringe or by capsule.” Extracted from vegetable oil, tinctures provide rapid relief from pain and inflammation and contain all natural cannabinoids, organic coconut oil, kosher-certified soy lecithin powder, and gelatin. Use as a daily supplement morning and evening by dropping under the tongue and letting it dissolve to assist with eating and sleeping. Tinctures can be added directly to any recipe. Perfect for travel, capsules are for those looking to medicate discreetly and good for diabetics interested in avoiding sugars and other ingredients found in edible medications. Take one capsule and wait 40 to 60 minutes to judge effectiveness before increasing dosage. Always stay hydrated and have food in your system when consuming cannabis oil. “Capsules are recommended for all patients looking for relief, especially those patients suffering from cancer, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, IBS, diabetes, and PTSD,” says Cavi. “Tinctures are preferred by patients who have a hard time swallowing large capsules and who suffer from migraines, nausea and have trouble sleeping.”

O.PENVAPE CRAFT RESERVE: CBD RESERVE-ACAPULCO GOLD Made from a strain that comes from areas around Acapulco, Mexico, the orange hairs of the Acapulco Gold flower resemble a golden nugget with gold, green, and brown colors of resin collecting on the buds. Smoking Acapulco Gold has been described as having dinner at a five-star restaurant says Robbie Wright, head of production for The Grove. “Aromas of burnt toffee linger when the bud is broken up and has a reputation for being one of the best cannabis strains ever created with the effects it achieves for the patient,” he says. While dosage is dependent on symptoms and medical condition, since this is a high-CBD strain, Wright says that users often find they need more—Acapulco Gold plants can have as much as 23 percent THC potency, and the CBD content ranges from four to 12 percent. Wright notes that a strain with a four percent CBD potential is considered high. Made using a CO2 extraction process, followed by many

refining steps, patients receive the cleanest and most cannabinoid-infused oil possible. Acapulco Gold CBD is for sufferers of general anxiety disorder or PTSD. It also works to lift spirits and decrease stress. The body high can also relieve chronic aches and pains. Wright is quick to point out the differences between hemp oil products and CBDs, the former he says are not as powerful. “THC needs to be present in small amounts in order to synergistically work with the CBDs in transportation to the receptor sites in our body's endocannabinoid system,” Wright says. “The sooner more studies are conducted, the more we will learn, but that takes the government to take a stronger stance on the classification cannabis is currently in. Without change, the best medical studies that could be conducted will never see the light of day due to the federal restrictions in place. We only know a small amount of the potential this plant can provide. The sooner restrictions are lifted, the quicker we can inform the public.”

CHARLOTTE’S WEB INFUSED MINT CHOCOLATE OR OLIVE OIL Charlotte’s Web hemp extract oil is often confused as being a CBD but, in fact, that has never been an accurate description given that it has always been a whole plant hemp oil extract that contains all beneficial cannabinoids, according to Amanda Reilly of CWNevada, LLC. Charlotte’s Web is named for Charlotte Figi who suffered more than 300 seizures per week before being given low-THC, cannabinoid-rich hemp extract oil by her parents. Figi is now 99.7 percent seizure-free. Developed from the world-class hemp genetics of the Stanley Brothers, Charlotte’s Web is cloned, hand planted and organically farmed in Colorado. “Hemp has been used for thousands of years for a variety of wellness needs and the U.S. government patented the cannabinoids in hemp as antioxidants and neuroprotectants in 2003,” says Reilly. “Charlotte's Web hemp extract oils can be used without side effects to address a variety of wellness issues.” From kids with seizures to the aging population's muscle aches and pains to stressed executives with high anxiety, the main goal of Charlotte’s Web is to improve quality of life. Moreover, cannabinoids are a great alternative to opioids.

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Recommended use is to take orally. Those with minor bodily stresses should try 1 to 2 ml per day of Charlotte's Web Everyday which contains 7mg/ml of Charlotte's Web hemp extract. Use as you would fish oil. Patients with more severe bodily stresses should try 1 to 2 ml per day of Charlotte's Web Everyday Plus product (18mg/ml) and those with severe stresses should try 1 to 2 ml per day of Charlotte's Web Everyday Advanced product (50mg/ml). “It's exciting to be on the forefront of fi nally gaining the proper research on how beneficial cannabinoids can be,” says Reilly. “Since 1937, society was taught that this plant killed brain cells and was of the devil. Now we are learning the exact opposite might be true.”

EVERGREEN ORGANIX’S PHOENIX TEARS SYRINGE OIL

Introducing KANNABIS, top-grade marijuana cultivated in an eco-friendly environment with no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Because you should never have to settle for anything less than the gold standard.

As a discerning patient, inquire about KANNABIS at your dispensary of choice.

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A review of Greek mythology reminds us the Phoenix was a mythical bird whose tears could heal wounds. Appropriately named, Evergreen’s Phoenix Tears Syringe Oil gets its healing power from RSO, which, in this case, provides relief from chronic panic and injuries. A solvent-based process of extracting cannabis oil using the RSO method, developed by Rick Simpson as reflected in the name, the cannabis flower is soaked in a laboratorygrade ethyl-alcohol for 48 hours or more, strained, and then the solvent is evaporated over heat. The reduction process yields the concentrated oil. Cannabis soaks for a long period of time to maximize extraction to include cannabinoids and terpenes, but also phytochemicals, plant sterols, chlorophyll, and other medicinal components of the plant. To use, apply Phoenix Tears directly to the skin, mix with lotions, swallow in capsules, take sublingually or dilute into various types of oils for cooking or topical applications. With a ratio of 499.6 mg THC to 2.67 mg CBD, it is recommended that new users consume less than one drop of Phoenix Tears in one sitting.

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ELEVATE YOUR STATE

Medical cannabis updates from across the United States

OREGON: On October 1, Oregonians could legally buy marijuana for recreational use at shops intended for that purpose. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) approved licenses for 26 retailers around the state, meeting a key deadline almost two years after voters passed a ballot measure legalizing pot. October had been set as the month in which retail store licensing would start under an OLCC timeline. Medical marijuana stores have been permitted to sell recreational marijuana since last October. Such dispensaries won't be allowed to sell to recreational users after Dec. 31. The approved retail shops are located in the Portland area, and in southern, central and western Oregon. Ten testing laboratories have also been licensed.

ALASKA: The Alaska Marijuana Control Board issued the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first retail business license in September. Frozen Budz, which plans to make cannabis-infused products, received Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first retail license. Many other applications remain under consideration, and the review process for other retail businesses continues. In addition, it has not adopted rules or considered applications for cannabis cafĂŠs, which are establishments that allow on-site consumption of alcohol commonly available for adults 21 and over who choose to consume a safer product should be able to partake at a regulated establishment, whether a resident or not.

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FLORIDA: A Saint Leo University poll released in late September indicated public support for an amendment that would legalize the use of medical cannabis in Florida. Amendment 2 will allow Florida doctors to legally recommend medical marijuana to their patients with debilitating illnesses. Passage of Amendment 2 also authorizes the Department of Health to issue identification cards to patients and caregivers who qualify, as well as register and regulate facilities to produce and distribute cannabis for medical purposes. Although a Florida amendment to legalize the use of medical marijuana in 2014 was unsuccessful, favorability toward the amendment sits at 68 percent as of September. The amendment is required to get 60 percent of the vote for it to pass into law. In 2014, it received 58 percent.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Both major parties’ nominees for New Hampshire governor, Colin Van Ostern (D) and Chris Sununu (R), are on record in favor of decriminalizing marijuana possession. It now appears very likely that New Hampshire will be able to pass a marijuana decriminalization bill in 2017. Pro-decriminalization Republicans, Frank Edeblut and Sununu, finished in a near-tie for first with a combined more than 60 percent of the vote, laying to rest any lingering belief that Republican voters might support continuing the state’s war on marijuana users.

Looking for a medical marijuana dispensary? Go with the original.

Medical Cannabis is Legal Medical Cannabis is Illegal

NEW JERSEY: In September, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed Assembly Bill 457, which adds posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of qualifying conditions for the state’s medical marijuana program, making it legal for veterans and other people suffering from PTSD to participate in the program. There is no waiting period for the law to take effect. A statement issued by Governor Christie, who has frequently said he opposes medical marijuana, says the measure was put into action to help soldiers who emerged with this disorder following the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Christie said the new law is intended to “provide struggling veterans and others with the ability to use medical marijuana to treat PTSD, but only after it has been determined by a physician or psychiatrist that conventional medical therapy is ineffective.”

We’re Las Vegas’ first medical marijuana dispensary, offering the biggest variety of flowers, concentrates, pre-rolls and edibles. All products are 100% lab tested to ensure the highest quality. Our knowledgeable and friendly staff is here 7 days a week to assist you in finding the right medicine for your needs. • FREE express delivery valley-wide! • Call ahead and have your order waiting when you arrive! • We accept out-of-state cards! Check out our entire menu at euphoriawellnessnv.com Mon – Sat: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Sun: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

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DISPENSARY SPOTLIGHT ShowGrow showgrowlv.com 4850 Fort Apache Road, Ste. #100 Las Vegas, NV 89147 702.227.0511 TOP SELLING STRAINS | Wifi OG and Snoop Master by Cannabiotix; and Head Cheese by Polaris TOP SELLING CONCENTRATES Moxie Badders and Cannavative’s high-CBD concentrate TOP SELLING EDIBLES | Evergreen Organix baked goods and Tryke’s gummy edibles TOPICALS | Lemongrass Topical Rub by CBD for Life MISSION STATEMENT | The dispensary’s mission is to provide a welcoming atmosphere that is conducive to a patient’s overall health, ease of access, and above all, their safety. RANGE OF PRODUCTS | ShowGrow carries products that are suited for every patient’s favorite method of consumption including flower, prerolls, concentrates, edibles, capsules, vape cartridges, topicals, and tinctures, in both a THC- or CBDdominant format. BACKGROUND | ShowGrow originated in Southern California, with dispensary locations in Orange County, downtown Los Angeles, and San Diego. ShowGrow Las Vegas is the brand’s first nationwide expansion project, and aims to bring the same California standard of plentiful selection, friendliness, and consistency to the Nevada market. UNIQUE ATTRIBUTE The origin of ShowGrow’s name derives from a digital screen (as seen in bottom photo above) that televises, in real time, all the action going on in the brand’s cultivation facility.

MEDICINE SOURCE | ShowGrow has meticulously sourced only the highest-quality strains from the most reputable local cultivators, including Cannabiotix, Polaris, and AMA, in an effort to constantly diversify inventory and offer some of the most potent and highesttesting strains available in the state, in addition to priceconscious options. CUSTOMER SERVICE ShowGrow believes in cultivating lasting relationships with all of its patients by providing personalized, one-on-one care tailored to help each individual achieve their health and wellness goals through medical cannabis. The vast majority of first-time patients who come to ShowGrow’s facility are now regulars who are on a first-name basis with ShowGrow’s employees. The concept of being part of the ShowGrow family is very real. SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ShowGrow has collaborated with several different vendors including Cannavative, Moxie, Cannabiotix, and Dixie to host symposiums based on product education that are free to both patients and non-patients. ShowGrow’s long-term goal is to spread awareness about the healing properties of medical cannabis to a demographic that is not yet patients by participating in local non-cannabis events. By exhibiting at community events and festivals such as Bite of Las Vegas, ShowGrow has been able to bring medical cannabis into the light and reach an audience that may otherwise feel uneasy about the emergence of dispensaries in their community.

STAFF EDUCATION | Each budtender at ShowGrow undergoes a week-long, individualized training session with veterans of the cannabis industry before they assist patients on their own. Additionally, the ShowGrow staff receives routine training sessions on the newest products emerging in the Nevada market. PHYSICIAN REFERRALS | ShowGrow works closely with Dr. Beckett and Dr. Cowan of Valley Center for Cannabis Therapy. CHARITABLE ENDEAVORS ShowGrow works in collaboration with local charity Opportunity Village. During its recent grand opening event, all bar and merchandise sales were donated to the charity. LOYALTY PROGRAM | ShowGrow offers a loyalty program that all firsttime patients are automatically signed up for. When patients have achieved Platinum-level status, they receive 10 percent off all of their orders for life. ShowGrow also offers a daily buy-one-get-one free special on eighths of at least one strain every day.

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MILITARY HEROES RETURN HOME ONLY TO FIGHT WAR ON DRUGS Veterans look to Question #2 for safe access to cannabis for relief from PTSD and injuries by Beth Schwartz

“In some cases it’s a matter of life or death,” says former U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Roberto Pickering of passing Question #2 to regulate marijuana like alcohol on November 8th. Although Pickering’s statement sounds dramatic, he is referring to the statistic that 22 veterans commit suicide each day as a result of PTSD. “A lot of veterans are coming back from the war with battle scars and they are being prescribed opiates to deal with it to manage their pain but as they heal, the opioid addition doesn’t go away, instead they develop an addiction and then they are dying on the streets as heroin addicts,” Pickering described of the nation’s war heroes. Pickering advocates voting yes on Question #2 this month because it would allow safe access of cannabis for his military brethren. “Anything that chips away at this disgusting number of 22 veterans killing themselves each day, which is actually far lower than the actual number, would be welcome. I think that it is going to save a lot of lives, I really do. Access is everything, and that’s where it starts,” he opined.

TAKING THE VA COCKTAIL From the moment his VA doctor wrote him a prescription for the anti-psychotic Seroquel, Army veteran Boone Cutler lost complete control of his life. “It was at exactly that moment, it wasn’t in the war, it wasn’t when I got to Walter Reed, it wasn’t after I got blown up. It’s when I got that prescription of Seroquel and took it on top of Ambien, on top of chloral hydrate, on top of all these other things -- that was it, it was over for me. Why? Because that was the last time I had the ability to make decisions for myself. “You are zombied out and because you are on all these

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drugs, guess what you never think about doing? Coming off all these drugs, because your day is spent managing them,” explained Cutler, who has a tattoo emblazoned across his right forearm that appropriately reads ‘take the pain’. “I don’t know who decided to put me in charge of my own medication with a head injury, memory loss and short-term memory issues, but it probably wasn’t the best idea. “I would lie down and wouldn’t be able to sleep and would take an Ambien and chloral hydrate. I would lie back down, wake up, completely forget that I took the Ambien and chloral hydrate, and dose again. One night I took four Ambien over a period of about five hours and drank a half a bottle of chloral hydrate. The next day I got up, changed my will and left everything to my dog, Buster.” Christoper Lengyel, 28, also started on the VA cocktail for PTSD shortly after leaving the Army following four years of service. “At first, I didn’t know what was going on. No one talked about it. I didn’t know what it was. No one offered the warning signs of what PTSD was or talked about it in a way as to look for warning signs. After a couple of incidents that brought the situation to light, they immediately started putting me on anti-depressants. I have had four extensive joint surgeries so I was also on different opiates, oxy, Percocet, Seroquel,” relayed Lengyel. “You name any of the sleeping and anti-anxiety pills and I was on them. Close to the time I was getting out of the military, it got to the point where these pills were destroying my body and I had to get an endoscopy because I was throwing up blood. I had severe ulcers in my stomach, and my kidney and liver enzyme numbers were not good. I was well on the way to damaging my liver and kidneys from processing all of these pills,” Lengyel explained. Former Marine John Millken, who has had 17 surgeries on both of his feet resulting from an IED blast in Afghanistan in 2009, was on opiates for half a decade. “When I first got hit I was immediately put on opiates and I didn’t get off of them for 5/1-2 years -- not one day. As soon as I would start going down on the pain meds, they would do another surgery and they would go back up again. I was figuring what the doctors were giving me was good stuff but it just ended up not being that way.” Like the other veterans profiled in this story, Millken, 29, decided to wean himself off opiates. Their stories are all very similar to Millken’s. “I live in pain every day. I still have pain in my right foot, but my main motivation for coming off the opioids was I realized how much it had changed me, I could literally feel it draining the life out of me where I was getting weaker, and weaker each year. I went cold turkey, it was probably the worse month-anda-half of my life to be completely honest. After getting off of the pain meds, it took about two or three months to

even out and for a month straight I was puking every morning. It’s like being a heroin junkie going through withdrawal. Once I got past that, I could literally just feel my mind getting clearer and clearer as I got further and further away from that point.”

FROM COCKTAILS TO CANNABIS Pickering, 36, has been using cannabis medically for the last five years. It aided him in getting off the many pharmaceuticals he was taking as well as kicking alcohol. “It absolutely changed my life, I don’t drink alcohol anymore, I get a good night’s sleep, I am not aggressive, I am not angry. If you have the ability to get a good night’s rest and lower your anxiety levels, that’s pretty much a fix. It’s like giving a thirsty man a glass of water,” he noted of the cannabis tinctures and edibles he uses every night before bedtime. Lengyel started with CBD-based cannabis and RSO-style (Rick Simpson Oil) products. “Within three or four weeks I was able to reduce my anxiety attacks, get better sleep, and the overall day-to-day grind of being in crowds was curbed by using cannabis,” offered Lengyel, who also prefers tinctures, edibles and vape pens in low THC strains varying from 12 to 18 percent. “I use different stuff depending on what conditions I am treating. When it gets humid outside, my joints kill me so I use a lot more CBD-based product. If I am having an acute anxiety attack, I prefer something more sativa-based. If I can’t get to sleep, I will medicate with an indica.” Cutler’s first experience with cannabis was also life changing. “I smoked the weed and I went to sleep. I slept,” he enthused passionately. “That may not be amazing for a lot of people, but if you haven’t slept in five years, it’s amazing. Because what I had to do before that was use all those drugs, plus half a bottle of NyQuil and a good amount of Scotch. That’s the way I lived, that’s the way a lot of us lived. That’s the way a lot of us are living right now who aren’t in this room and they are going to die.”

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THE CONSEQUENCES OF CANNABIS Even though cannabis gives veterans their lives back, there are myriad reasons why they can’t or won’t use it. More often than not it’s concern over losing their VA benefits. Although medical marijuana is legal in 25 states, it’s still federally illegal and so veterans fear becoming part of a state’s medical marijuana registry. “I think passing Question #2 to get veterans safe access is extremely important because they are going to be able to walk into a dispensary without a medical card and get lab tested medicine. Adult-use would end them having

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to pay for the fees to keep up with a medical card and it would stop them from buying cannabis on the streets.” Pickering continued, “In some cases they are losing their benefits. They are tied directly to the medications that the VA is prescribing. In order to get their disability pay, they take their medication because their families’ income is reliant on their disability pay.” Cutler offered another reason why veterans don’t want to register in Nevada’s medical marijuana program. “They are afraid to lose their gun rights because if you have a medical marijuana card they are taking away guys’ CCW permits. War fighters don’t like to lose their guns, it’s not going to happen. But if I am on Ambien, and Seroquel and all this other stuff I can stumble right in and say, ‘give me that AR (assault rifle)’ but if I get high at night to go sleep that’s a problem.”

MAKING A CASE FOR CANNABIS When it comes to quality of life, the veterans elevate interviewed for this story don’t see a downside to cannabis. “When you see a vet who is using it and for the first time since he has been at war he or she can sleep through the night without having a panic attack from a nightmare, it’s hard to look past that,” emphasized Lengyel. “I am going to keep driving this point home until someone understands the positive benefits of this far outweigh any negative repercussions. States with medical marijuana in place saw a 20 percent reduction in opiate use within the first year. “With the amount of veterans committing suicide or dying from overdoses and the fact that cannabis has the potential to alleviate a lot of those factors, it’s a shame that the government doesn’t do anything. The lack of research or refraining from doing research in any field in the U.S., or the world for

that matter, is just a form of complete ignorance and a huge disrespect to the scientific community.” Cutler disagrees. When he hears people say they can’t vote ‘yes’ on Question 2 “because there’s not enough science. Here’s all the science I need to know: If I say it works, how you can you say it doesn’t? That’s all the science I need.” But all the veterans included in this story do agree on one thing, cannabis has altered their existence for the better. “It really has changed my life. I don’t think medical marijuana is a miracle cure by any means, but when you stop smoking medical marijuana you aren’t sick for a month-and-a-half straight. If you have to go a day or two without it, it’s not going to kill you like that stuff does,” offered Millken. “I think cannabis saved my life,” concluded Pickering. “That’s one more that might have gone on the tally.”

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DEPT. OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MUST MODERNIZE POLICIES RELATED TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA

OP ED

By U.S. Congresswoman Dina Titus On Veterans Day, we must recommit our efforts to bring federal policy in line with state laws and support scientists who recognize the value of treating PTSD, epilepsy, nausea, and severe pain with medical marijuana. As a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, my prerogative is to ensure that we provide the safest, most innovative, and most humane health care options to those who wore the uniform and now suffer from servicerelated mental or physical ailments. That’s why I believe the Department of Veterans Affairs must modernize its policies related to medical marijuana. The VA’s current protocol forces veterans, in states where it is legal, to seek medicinal cannabis on their own rather than with a VA doctor’s advice and supervision. That makes no sense. In our effort to provide veterans a fulfilling, pain-free life, we cannot ignore the fact that too many of our heroes have developed an overreliance on prescription opioids, which, in turn, has often led to increased addiction, homelessness, and suicide. Nearly 60 percent of our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from chronic pain which resulted in a major spike in opioid prescriptions. In fact, from 2001 to 2013 there was a 270 percent increase in opioid prescriptions in the VA. The Department’s latest data show that 13 percent of veterans who take opioids— around 68,000—are addicted. After recognizing the problem, the VA took action: prescriptions have been reduced by 20 percent; there is a push for alternative therapy options like yoga and service animals; and more attention is being paid to screening for depression and substance abuse. But we have more work to do. VA directives continue to prohibit VA doctors

from prescribing or even speaking with veterans about medical marijuana as a potential treatment, even in states where it is legal. I am working to change that by asking my colleagues in Congress to remove the current barriers preventing veterans from having conversations with their doctors about accessing medical marijuana. We must pass the Veterans Equal Access Act, H.R. 667, legislation that would eliminate the current VA policy. Republican opposition has kept the measure from becoming law, but each time Congress has voted on it, we have seen more and more lawmakers recognize the need for a change. As we work to expand access, we must also strive to learn more about the effects of medical marijuana. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency recently approved the first federal study to assess the therapeutic benefits of medical marijuana to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among veterans. My hope is that this research will encourage the VA to undertake additional studies in this field. I recently hosted a roundtable with student veterans from UNLV who told me stories about how they have coped after returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan with injured minds and bodies. One student described how he lost his sense of self after a VA doctor prescribed a 450-milligram daily dose of opioids to fight his service-related injuries. Others echoed similar stories about how powerful prescription drugs led to intense bouts of loneliness and depression. Many of them have gone to local medical marijuana dispensaries in Las Vegas to treat their pain. They strongly believe trading opioids for medical marijuana has brought about positive changes in their lives. Veterans should not have to seek treatment alone, nor should doctors rely solely on powerful painkillers to treat the varied ailments our service members face. We must be creative and innovative and think outside the box about potential treatments. Our service members make significant sacrifices while in uniform. We owe it to them to continue promoting the safest and most effective care when they come home, whatever form that may be, including medical marijuana.

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NEWLY CANCER-FREE, TOMMY CHONG FINDS ANSWERS IN GOD, LAUGHTER, AND, YES, CANNABIS

By Beth Schwartz

he marijuana industry is going legit and right along with it is Tommy Chong. Chong, who became an iconic figure in the marijuana movement as a result of starring in the Cheech & Chong movie franchise made popular in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, has used his movie fame to go straight just as the entire cannabis industry is also becoming legal. Known best for embodying the antics of one of two potheads who became the poster boys for stoner culture, Chong is now enjoying a new adventure in the cannabis industry. It’s a journey that has resulted from an experience with illness that is no laughing matter. Ironically, what was once fodder for both a comedy routine and the premise of an entire catalog of movies has aided Chong in both overcoming the challenges of cancer and starting a career as a cannabis entrepreneur. THINGS ARE TOUGH ALL OVER Diagnosed with prostate and rectal cancer, Chong began medical treatment for both in 2014. Chong had been diagnosed with prostate cancer a few years earlier but was told it was very slow growing and wouldn’t require aggressive treatment. “Unfortunately I ended up contracting rectal cancer, too, and that’s when I got real serious. “I did radiation and chemo and had the operation, and that took about a couple of months. I got the operations, they closed off the rectal on me and they equipped me with

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a colostomy bag, which I named Donald Trump, by the way, so it’s apropos because it’s always full of hot air and shit,” quipped Chong, who clearly has not lost his sense of humor. In addition to traditional cancer treatments, Chong also used cannabis. “I will tell you where the pot really came into play,” explained Chong. “After the operation I lost about 30 lbs. and I was down to under 140 lbs. and at my age that’s not healthy. I got out of the hospital and I got home. My gorgeous wife told me to go smoke some weed. I smoked some bud, some really nice medical sativa and that night I remember it so clear because I woke up and I was hungry and I hadn’t had an appetite because the oxycontin and other drugs take away your appetite. If you don’t have an appetite and you are older, that’s the first sign of death. “I hobbled to the refrigerator, opened the frig door and I was hungry. I had some roast chicken and I just ate. The high got me thinking comedic thoughts again. Like,

for instance, going to the refrigerator in the middle of the night like stoners do and from that moment on, every time I would get miserable, I would go smoke a little bit. Then I started rehabbing myself by smoking because when you get high, you start having all of these creative thoughts.” Not only did Chong use cannabis to find his creativity again, but he also found it aided in his cancer recovery. “My span of cancer treatment was about a year. I did the operation, chemo pills and radiation, they radiated the prostate area, they didn’t have to remove it. With me, I still got the equipment. It’s coming back a little bit at a time. After the operation I started injecting cannabis oil into the muscle. I did the injections for about two weeks, it made me feel much better. “I went to the oncologist about two weeks ago for an MRI as a follow-up because I got off the chemo and other treatments and I am totally clean. I beat it in a year,” reported Chong of his newly diagnosed cancer-free status. Chong attributes being cancer-free to a combination of

november | elevatenv.com

both the traditional medical treatments he received and cannabis. “It’s the way the pot affects the brain; that is the most important thing because it calms the brain and puts you to sleep. It gets you really stoned and being really stoned is slowing brain activity down to a crawl so that you are almost a vegetable. But that’s what they do for people who are really sick, they put them in medically induced comas to help them recover.” Prior to his use of cannabis for cancer, Chong was unaware of the medicinal properties of the plant. “Unfortunately I didn’t know. Had I known that, I would have been, when I went to prison, I would have been smoking it,” explained Chong, who spent nine months in prison in 2003 for selling glass pipes and bongs across state lines. “I got offered a lot of pot and then I would get drug tested so I actually quit smoking for almost three years while I was in the court system. Then a couple of years after I got out of prison, I got diagnosed with prostate cancer so I think that my not smoking it had a lot to do with me getting cancer. That’s just my theory.” STILL SMOKIN’ With this theory in mind, Chong decided to create Chong’s Choice, a line of cannabis products that the

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actor-turnedbusinessman says is innately medical. “We look at our product like it is all medical. They talk about recreational, but to me all pot use is medical. If it comes from Chong’s Choice, it’s medical.” The Chong’s Choice line of products includes oil cartridges, THC strips (infused breath strip), flower, and pre-rolls that are currently sold in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Chong’s Choice will be launched in the Nevada market on November 8 at Shango Las Vegas where Chong will introduce hybrid, indica and sativa flower and shatter product lines. “We contact growers that grow the best,” explained Chong of how he determines the flower used in Chong’s Choice. “We find out who the best growers are in different areas and we form a partnership and as long as they are providing us with a topnotch product, they are part of the Chong’s Choice family. We guarantee the product, the high quality.” Chong and the team at Chong’s Choice concern themselves with the methods that the growers use when deciding who they will work with. “We want to make sure there’s no poison on the plant and no poison in the fertilizer. The truth is if you use the right techniques, you will have superior bud but you have

to make sure the water is clean, the environment is clean, and that the workers know what they are doing. We are dealing with a medical substance and so it has to be topnotch in order to be effective.” NICE DREAMS “If you look at the Cheech and Chong history, the message was always there. It’s subliminal but it’s there. It was a conscious decision on my part. If I was going to represent a stoner, I wanted people to see a guy who worked out with weights, and ate healthy,” Chong continued, “my message has always been either blatant or subliminal humor, I always promoted humor with marijuana, no one ever got hurt in our movies, there was no greed factor involved, if anything it was what pot does to you. It makes you forget certain things like your name. That’s why it worked hand in hand it wasn’t...I wasn’t really surprised, we weren’t rebels in a sense, we were missionaries.” And a missionary he remains – continuing to spread the word. “Everybody has to do their homework, I don’t care who it is. They come to me with all sorts of ailments and fears. I tell them you have to know everything you can about what you are putting in your body and you have to be comfortable with it but read everything you can. Do what I did, study it and

study the plant itself. Study the whole thing and put your mind at ease. The last thing I want anybody to do is take my word for it because what works for me might not work for you.” Chong enthusiastically continued, “That’s the kind of knowledge and encouragement people need because the healing process is about knowing that what you are doing is going to heal you. If you have faith in it, then you will be healed. I don’t care what disease you have, do your homework, make sure you know what you are

putting in your body. You should know that with all the drugs they give you. Just read the label before you put it your body.” Chong is not surprised that marijuana has and continues to have a positive impact on his life. “What pot really did for me was put an intelligent and positive spin on my life and it’s been doing that all my life. The other great thing is the spiritual aspect because, once, after I did my first toke of cannabis I went on a God search. “I have always leaned in that direction. When I was kid I went to Sunday school and I ended up teaching it and I went to a bible camp when I was eight years old, and it changed my life. I learned how to pray and I learned the basic Christian teachings, the parables, and it stayed with me all my life, but when I got into cannabis I went more into the Eastern spiritual area. Cannabis is really responsible for me going on a God search. If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, look for God. That’s all it takes.” That and making people laugh, Chong concluded. “I think when you make people laugh, you are healing a lot of ailments that they don’t even know they have. I think that’s the greatest thing about cannabis is that it makes you laugh and the reason it makes you laugh is because you start focusing in on silly little things you didn’t notice before. “And so I have come to the conclusion, I have always been right. Back in the ‘70s we did an interview and I asked what if we are right? What if Cheech and Chong are right and everybody else is wrong? And it’s proven to be.”

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TURNING TIDES DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE CHIEF ETHAN NADELMANN IS SITTING PRETTY THIS ELECTION SEASON BUT HIS SUCCESS IS FAR FROM ENOUGH By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

Usually, when a veteran fighter sees the battle turning his way, his confidence increases, his spirit lightens. But not Ethan Nadelmann. “My job is to be nervous, in part,” he says, “I think we really need to avoid feeling overconfident now.” Even with a turning tide of marijuana legalization, the founder and executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance knows that there is still a distance to go. “I continue to be invigorated both by the victories that we’re increasingly securing and by the remarkable people that are working to take charge of this movement,” he says, but “I continue to be outraged by the drug war injustices I see all the time.” Nadelmann has fought for drug policy reform for decades, as an author, teacher and as head of the DPA. While they have led the fight for marijuana reform, it’s only part of the organization’s mission. “Marijuana is only a third of what we do,” he explains. “The second part is ending mass incarceration and the drug war component of that. The last third is about treating drug use and addiction as health issues, not criminal issues.” The Drug Policy Alliance has always been a global organization— Nadelmann has spoken on issues everywhere from Mexico to the Netherlands. This year, he visited Europe to discuss drug policy and share ideas, but recently there has been something of a change in the tone. “I used to go there to understand how their harm-reduction policies operate. Now they’re inviting me over because they want to

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understand how could it be that America, the great drug warrior of the world, is leading the world in legalizing cannabis,” he says. He acknowledges that the reasons for the change are complex—“there’s a whole range of variables in the United States”—but their effects are undeniable. “Take the Gallup polls on marijuana legalization from 2004-2015 and line them up and see a diagonal. It was 34 percent in 2004 and 58 percent last year,” he points out. “I can give kind of an explanation, from generational change to having three presidents in the White House in a row who have used marijuana in one way or another. But the thing that really distinguishes the United States and helps explain the difference is the role of medical marijuana since the early 1990s. “I think that since the emergence of that issue in the United States, our first policies in California in 1996 and subsequent initiative victories in the western states in ‘98, ‘99 and 2000,” he continues, “that has an impact on the public perception of marijuana, and an impact on who the marijuana consumer was. People saw marijuana being sold above-ground and legally regulated and taxed and they saw that nothing really bad was happening.” Nadelmann also credits good old American pop culture with

contributing to the changing attitude. “What also happened in the late ‘90s, when we first won those medical marijuana initiatives, is the entertainment media started to incorporate medical marijuana. I’d say that from 1997 through 2000, almost every major television entertainment program, both comedies and dramas, rolled in a medical marijuana episode or two,” he says. “In a kind of subtle way, it opened up the door to a conversation about legalization.” Today, as both medical and recreational marijuana move forward in states across the country, Nadelmann feels that, whether it’s Massachusetts or California, the concerns are the same. “They basically want to know that legalization equals control and regulation and taxation and trying to protect kids. Those are the arguments that persuaded them in four states in 2012 and 2014,” he says, “They want the government to get the tax revenue instead of the gangsters, they want the cops to focus on real crime rather than arresting young people for marijuana. That’s what it boils down to.” For the states that are moving forward with cannabis, regulations may sometimes be cumbersome, but they offer reassurance to the industry and its customers, as well as the community at large. “It’s about doing it in an intelligent way. Obviously, almost everyone has an interest in consumers being informed and protected,” he says. “If consumers know what they’re getting and there’s some assurances about quality and accountability… there’s reliable packaging, there’s efforts made to protect the users of marijuana products with food processing rules. “Everybody’s concerned about making sure that those who use marijuana for serious medical purposes have access to higher-grade forms of cannabis that reflect their health needs.” He also notes that those outside of cannabis share some of the some apprehensions as those who are involved in it: “I think there’s a kind of general concern that any type of advertising be limited and done in a respectful way. Everyone’s concerned that this be done in an environmentally beneficial way.” But, as the guy whose job it is to be nervous, he’s not underestimating the opposition either—he knows that, while every inroad made boosts the legalization side, it also inspires the prohibition crowd. To continue reading the rest of our story about industry leader Ethan Nadelmann, please visit elevatenv.com/ Turning_Tides

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BLÜM’S THE WORD

NEVADA PLAYS BIG ROLE IN DEREK PETERSON’S STRATEGY TO BRING TERRA TECH ACROSS THE GREEN LINE

By Beth Schwartz

ith eight MME licenses in Nevada, it’s safe to say Terra Tech Corporation, the first U.S.based, publicly-traded company to touch every aspect of the cannabis lifecycle from cultivation and extraction to retail sales, has made the Silver State a major part of its plan to continue legitimizing the cannabis industry. Leading the charge for Terra Tech is former banker Derek Peterson, who says of the strategy he has methodically developed, “We didn’t want to spread everywhere in the country because we are still a small company in bandwidth. For us to put energy in Oregon and Washington, it would come at an opportunity cost so we made a decision to put one of our two primary focuses on California, obviously because it has the fifth or sixth largest economy on the planet and the largest medical marijuana economy in the union so that was a no-brainer,” continues the Terra Tech CEO, and co-owner of Blüm dispensaries, which has licenses for four dispensaries, two cultivation centers, and two production and extraction facilities in Nevada. “Nevada is very smart when it comes to regulation as we can see in how they handled the oversight of gaming regulations. We knew they would regulate well but that they would leave it very open to being friendly to entrepreneurs, and that is the most important piece when we look at legislation across the United States -- is it entrepreneurial friendly? Do we have a decent probability of getting a return on that investment? In New York, for example, the answer to that question is ‘no’ because they have a very limited program and the existence of the black market, and any overt operator will tell you we just can't compete against the black market. With Nevada we knew they would do a great job of regulating, but the state would also leave it open enough so entrepreneurs could have a lot of flexibility and navigate the industry very well.” In addition to including Nevada in its overall growth strategy, another part of Terra Tech’s end goal is

to be on a national exchange at some point. “Our objective is to build the company into a $75-million-dollar company with a significant balance sheet. We went from a few million in shareholder equity to over $40 million in shareholder equity in the last year so our fundamentals are intact. But we going to get a little bit bigger before we knock on their door and we have already taken a lot of measures that would be required by the Nasdaq,” explains Peterson of future plans, even though he acknowledges that until banking regulations are sorted out he won’t be ringing the Nasdaq bell anytime soon. In 2015, Terra Tech’s revenue was close to $10 million. Because Peterson forecasts that the company will do between $20 and $22 million this year and is on a run rate to have similar expansion in the coming years, it appears Peterson will soon have his house in order even

if the Nasdaq doesn’t. To continue fostering Terra Tech’s exponential expansion, Peterson cites a plan that combines acquisition and organic growth. “California is a primary focus for acquisition right now because it’s very fragmented, it is very mom and pop. People who have been in the industry for close to 20 years are ready to cash out so we want to acquire other retail dispensaries and brand them under our Blüm banner so they have the same look and feel, and a measure of consistency as any franchise model would. We want to increase cultivation to have the backbone to distribute additional products through that retail footprint.” As for organic growth such as Peterson pursued in the Nevada marketplace, he says, “We will want to go after permits ourselves in different municipalities, but

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that's a little bit of a longer game. For us, it's a long gameshort game. When you go after a permit you have to spend a year on the legislative cycle, months and months and months on the permitting process and they take their time scoring, and once you find out you have won you have to build out the facilities so you are two or three years down the line before you are doing anything that even comes close to getting a return on your investment. Whereas acquiring an existing facility that is up and operating with cash flow and generating revenue is extremely short-term. “So we try to balance the long-term activities with the short-term in order to build a massive retail footprint and a massive kind of calculated cultivation, extraction, and production footprint as well. That’s our goal over the next couple of years and that’s how we think we break $100 million -- through acquisitions in the short run and, fortunately, we have the tools, the shelf registration, and the financing to be able to execute on that.” Not only will Peterson grow Terra Tech into a national cannabis powerhouse, but the 42-year-old believes his strategy will bring a good measure of legitimacy to the cannabis space. “When there is a fully transparent company that is operating -- not on the fringe and not on

the software side, not on the technical side, but actually growing seed-to-sale, processing extracts and retailing the cannabis out to consumers -- the optics of that will bring a tremendous amount of legitimacy to the space. “We have created a roadmap because we were the first and we went through the headache, expense, and risk of doing it -- just like the original growers paved the way for the new people who came into the marketplace and took the most risk -- on the corporate side. So for us, that's our biggest contribution -- that the other companies now have a roadmap, they know how to go from point A to point B, to get capitalized and to execute on their business model. I think that's provided a huge benefit and a huge resource to the cannabis industry at large.” While Peterson’s aggressive strategy in crossing the green line has been arduous, he believes it’s an industry that is worth the struggle. “A lot of startups fail so it creates a nice litmus test where people are able say, ‘These guys went from $500,000 in sales to $25 million plus, plus, plus in sales and a huge amount of shareholder equity in a very short period of time’,” says Peterson. “It brings people a measure of confidence that they can come into an industry as challenging and competitive as ours and execute and do well.”

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DISPENSARY MAP

A Patients’ Guide to Medical Cannabis in Southern Nevada

3a. Blüm letsblum.com 1921 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.476.2262

12a. Nevada Medical Marijuana nevadamedicalmarijuana.com 3195 St. Rose Pkwy Ste #212 Henderson, NV 89052 702.737.7777

22. The Clinic theclinicnevada.com 4310 W. Flamingo Rd Las Vegas, NV 89103 702.447.1250

3b. Blüm letsblum.com 3650 S. Decatur Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89103 702.627.2262

12b. Nevada Medical Marijuana nevadamedicalmarijuana.com 1975 S. Casino Dr Laughlin, NV 89029 702.737.7777

23a. The Dispensary thedispensarynv.com 5347 S. Decatur Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89118 702.476.0420

4. CannaCopia cannacopialv.com 6332 S. Rainbow Blvd Ste #105 Las Vegas, NV 89118 702.487.6776

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

23b. The Dispensary thedispensarynv.com 50 N. Gibson Rd Henderson, NV 89104 702.476.0420

5a. Canopi OPENING SOON 6540 Blue Diamond Rd Las Vegas, NV 89139 702.420.7301

14. Oasis Medical Cannabis oasismedicalcannabis.com 1800 S. Industrial Rd Ste #180 Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.420.2405

24a. The Grove TheGroveNV.com 1541 E. Basin Ave Pahrump, NV 89048 775.556.0100

5b. Canopi OPENING SOON 1324 S. 3rd St Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.420.7301

15. Pisos Dispensary pisoslv.com 4110 S. Maryland Pkwy Ste #A Las Vegas, NV 89119 702.367.9333

24b. The Grove TheGroveNV.com 4647 Swenson St Las Vegas, NV 89119 702.463.5777

5c. Canopi OPENING SOON 2113 N. Las Vegas Blvd North Las Vegas, NV 89030 702.420.7301

16a. Reef Dispensaries reefdispensaries.com 3400 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.475.6520

25a. The Source thesourcenv.com 2550 S. Rainbow Blvd Ste #8 Las Vegas, NV 89146 702.708.2000

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

16b. Reef Dispensaries reefdispensaries.com 1366 W. Cheyenne Ave North Las Vegas, NV 89030 702.410.8032

25b. The Source thesourcenv.com 9480 S Eastern Ave Ste #185 Henderson, NV 89052 702.708.2222

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

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

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

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

18. Shango Las Vegas goshango.com 4380 Boulder Highway Las Vegas, NV 89121 702.444.4824

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

19. Showgrow showgrowlv.com 4850 S. Fort Apache Rd Ste #100 Las Vegas NV 89147 702.227.0511

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

W Lone Mountain Rd

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

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11. Medizin medizinlv.com 4850 W. Sunset Rd Ste #130 Las Vegas, NV 89118 702.206.1313

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2. Blackjack Collective blackjackcollective.com 1860 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.545.0026

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

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

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E Bonanza Rd

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s Ro

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3rd st

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igh

lan

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k Pw

Dr ad Me ake

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McCarran Int. Airport

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rial

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november | elevatenv.com

OPEN FOR BUSINESS MEDMEN BEGINS CONSTRUCTION ON CANNABIS FACILITY SET TO OPEN IN 2017

MedMen broke ground on a new $15 million, 45,000-square-foot cannabis production and cultivation facility, located off Interstate 80 in Washoe County, in early October. The facility, expected to be fully operational in 2017, will serve as a model for the industry with a 26,000-square-foot, state-of-art Dutch-style greenhouse employing the latest in agro-technology, a cutting-edge extraction and production facility that measures 19,000 square feet, and high-tech testing lab for quality control. This will be MedMen’s first project in Nevada and is expected to produce 10,000 pounds of cannabis annually, and will employ nearly 200 people during the construction phase, and 50 people when fully operational. “Cannabis is the fastest growing industry in the country, expected to reach more than $20 billion dollars in sales by 2020,” said Adam Bierman, MedMen’s CEO and co-founder. “This facility is a shining example of what is possible when smart capital and industry expertise come

elevatenv.com | november

together. We selected Nevada for a number of reasons, in no small part its business-friendly environment, but above all because this state is on the leading edge of the cannabis evolution. We are at an inflection point in our industry. We have passed the tipping point, and cannabis will become mainstream. Nevada just happens to be more progressive than most other states. We look forward to making this a showpiece for Nevada, the cannabis industry and our company and we look forward to working closely with the local community.” “Our philosophy is that cannabis is like any other industry, and we operate it like any other industry with institutional best practices and subject matter expertise,” added MedMen co-founder and COO Andrew Modlin. “What we do differently is that we bring a high level of innovation and performance.”

THE+SOURCE CULTIVATES NEW LOCATION IN HENDERSON

Offering more than 30 different strains of medical

marijuana, as well as a variety of concentrates and edibles, The+Source medical marijuana dispensary has opened a Henderson location at 9480 S. Eastern Blvd. “We are proud to provide access to top-rated medication, provided by our well-trained and compassionate staff, and make it more convenient to people living in the southeast part of town,” said Andrew Jolley, CEO and co-owner of The+Source and President of the Nevada Dispensary Association. “We’re excited to be welcomed into another area of the community.” Each strain sold at The+Source is labeled to include the amount of THC and other cannabinoids, to ensure that each patient knows exactly what is in the product. The+Source also produces and packages its own marijuana, including its own line of signature strains. The+Source opened its first location in December 2015 at 2550 S. Rainbow Blvd. at Sahara Avenue. Along with CEO Jolley, The+Source is owned and operated by partners Steve Byrne, Pat Byrne, Liesl Sicz, and members of the Harvest of Tempe team, The+Source’s sister dispensary.

The+Source’s Henderson location will offer the same operating hours as the original, and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone number is 702.708.2222.

OAKSTERDAM TO TEACH CULTIVATION CLASS NOVEMBER 11-14 On November 11-14 Oaksterdam University is presenting a horticulture seminar from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Plaza Hotel in Downtown Las Vegas. Experts from Oaksterdam University will teach attendees the how-tos of growing quality cannabis during its Las Vegas Indoor Horticulture Seminar. The 2–4 day (part I and part II) seminar will cover everything you need to know from seed to harvest, including: Local, State & Federal Law, Grow Room Design, Seed to Harvest, Pests & Pathogens, Strain Selection, Organic Methods, Yield Maximization, Nutrients & pH, Soil Science, Lighting & Equipment, Electrical Safety, and Sustainability. To reserve your seat, visit http://oaksterdamuniversity.com/lasvegas2016/

november | elevatenv.com 39

SAVE THE DATE

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH QUESTION 2: WHAT HAPPENS NOW? Leslie Bocskor, Andrew Jolley and John Laub, president of the Las Vegas Medical Marijuana Association, discuss the results of Question 2 and the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future. Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in/12 p.m. luncheon & presentation Location: Royal India Bistro at the Rio Hotel & Casino For more information, please visit lvmma.org

elevateNV.com

elevatenv.com | november

xxx

www.inyolasvegas.com

PROFILE

Inyo houses one in-need veteran every month at Veterans Village

Inyo Fine Cannabis doesn’t waste time. The local dispensary and delivery service offered assistance to Veterans Village on the spot after being introduced to the program last year by one of their budtenders, Sheldon Gates, who is an Army veteran having served in Iraq. “He liked what he saw and said, ‘What can we do?’” Veterans Village founder Arnold Stalk relays of his introduction to Inyo co-owner David Goldwater. “Inyo has been an absolute blessing. Without the private sector, we would not be open. They help us help people who are hurting and suffering.” Veterans Village’s two facilities make it so that no homeless veteran in Las Vegas needs to be on the streets. The converted motels now house about 375 veterans a night, and its crisis intervention center helps about 5,000 people a month. The program has been such a success that this year it caught the eye of the

White House. Cynthia Dias, a former homeless woman who served in Vietnam and is now self-sufficient after staying at Veterans Village, sat with First Lady Michelle Obama during the President’s last State of the Union address. “We’ve become the gold standard of how to treat vets in the U.S.,” says Stalk, who traveled to the White House with Dias. He founded Veterans Village as a promise to his father, a Navy veteran from World War II who passed away six years ago, the year before Stalk opened the Village. Success stories like Dias’s are what brought national attention to this inspiring program, although Stalk also has a soft spot for elderly veterans who are welcome to stay permanently. “We have a lot of seniors,” Stalk says. “They often have nothing. They put themselves in harm’s way so we can continue to have our freedom, so here they are treated as they should be treated.”

Veterans Village offers both transitional and permanent housing to veterans – but don’t think they stop at providing just a warm bed to sleep in. Food comes from hot spots such as Whole Foods and Starbucks, and Veterans Village also provides healthcare, transportation, and job counseling. Inyo’s monthly donation covers all of this for one veteran every month. Inyo will be increasing its support of Veterans Village this month by donating 20 percent of its Veterans Day sales to the charity. To learn more about how you can help, visit www.veteransvillagelasvegas.org.

november | industry connect | elevatenv.com

LEGALEASE

UNDERSTANDING CHANGES TO NAC 453A STATE ADOPTS REVISED REGULATIONS TO MEDICAL USE OF MARIJUANA LAW

By Riana Durrett & Amanda Connor his past January, the Division of Public and Behavioral Health began gathering input on the regulations under Nevada Administrative Code (“NAC”) 453A which regulates the use of medical marijuana in the state. Throughout the year, the Division accepted comments from representatives of the medical marijuana industry, patients and other members of the public discussing the most needed changes to the program. As a result of these many months of discussions and multiple versions of proposed regulations, the Division ultimately adopted revised regulations on September 9, 2016. The final version can be found on the Division’s website at www.leg.state.nv.us/Register/2015Register/R148-15A.pdf.

Some of the changes are summarized below, but for a full list see the revised regulations on the DPBH website referenced above. ● With regard to measuring products, the new regulations define those that are processed as an edible or concentrated product as a “production run” rather than a batch. ● The new regulations provide guidelines on research and development. They allow product cultivated for research and development to be sold once it passes quality assurance tests. ● A medical marijuana establishment (“MME”) is now allowed to submit a compiled financial statement, rather than a CPA-certified audit. ● Wood surfaces are allowed under certain conditions. ● Testing of up to 125 pounds of “wet” marijuana that is destined for extraction is permissible. ● Foreign matter is defined. ● The new regulations set forth an independent contractor category for agent cards and set forth rules relating to independent contractors. ● Annual due date for fees on registration certificate renewals.

42 42 elevatenv.com elevatenv.com| |industry november connect | november

● Requirements relating to inventory control and tracking have changed. ● Labeling requirements have changed. ● Requests for retesting have changed. Prior to making the changes, various representatives of the medical marijuana industry testified before the Nevada State Legislative Commission. The representatives and the Division agreed that they would continue to work to make improvements to various areas. Possible areas for improvement could include the following: ● Addressing microbial limits, such as treating harmful bacteria differently than beneficial bacteria. ● Addressing testing issues, such as treating edible products and concentrated products differently. ● Improving consistency in testing results. ● Streamlining the agent card system. While the regulations are not perfect, with the help of medical marijuana industry representatives, patients, advocates and other public figures, Nevada is well on its way to improving regulations for marijuana in Nevada.

xxx

moxie710.com

PROFILE

Moxie brings signature live resin and commitment to be a community partner to Nevada market The team at Moxie Extracts feels just as strongly about being a world renowned cannabis concentrate maker as they do about educating patients on its benefits. “Our goal is to help more patients, period,” explains the company’s founder and President Jordan Lams. “We start by educating patients on how to safely use cannabis concentrates and then introduce them to a quality product they can use to find relief.” Employing a philosophy described by Lams as a safe and reliable means of providing patients cannabinoid medicine, Moxie currently works exclusively with medicinal dispensaries. That focus is a result of Lams' younger sister’s terminal diagnosis and ensuing illness from leukemia. “It’s rough, I have had family members go through it and it’s one of the most brutal things you can watch someone you love go through,” he notes of cancer. “To have anything that helps that -- I wanted to scream it from the mountaintops and tell anyone who would listen and this just seemed like the best outlet for that.” Moxie’s signature product is its live resin. “It was our first product and it is

our primary product. It makes up most of our business, and it’s the one we have won the most awards for,” says Lams. Moxie has other products in development but wants to ensure that “when we implement something on a national scale, we want to make sure that it is holds up to our standards. We have to make sure the quality is consistent in all markets before we release it, and that it’s a product people are actually going to want,” offers Lams. Moxie is currently operating in California, Nevada, and Michigan. They are about to open a facility in Colorado, and eventually will have a presence in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts in early 2017. That steadfast approach has worked very well for the concentrate company as they have been awarded over 50 different awards and accolades, namely for nonpsychoactive cannabidiol products.

a small family business that’s trying to join a community and become partners in areas that understand and appreciate what it is that this business can do. We can lend a huge hand,” Lams passionately enthuses. “Whether it’s the school system in Nevada or helping hurting former manufacturing towns in Pennsylvania, we are here to provide jobs and outreach to the community as well as alternative therapies to patients.” Lams is sanguine about his commitment to the cannabis industry. “There was a major need for good people with proper intentions, who have experience and can relate to the situation, to provide a level of compassion to people who are otherwise in a really horrible situation with regard to the way healthcare is run in this country. I felt, and continue to feel, a fiduciary responsibility to the patients to do this right, and it has turned about to be a great decision.”

Not only has their dedication and measured pace won Moxie a significant number of accolades, it has also allowed them to pursue their vision of being a good corporate citizen as they grow. “We are not a Wall Street fund trying to make $100 million dollars. We are

november | industry connect | elevatenv.com

Elevating the Conversation with Adam Denmark Cohen, co-founder of MJardín & founder of Jardín Premium Cannabis Dispensary

HOW DID YOU START IN THE INDUSTRY? WHY? My foray into cannabis began in 2011 when I was invited to Colorado to visit a commercial cultivation facility. At the time, I was serving as COO of an alternative asset private equity firm focused on the luxury hotel and resort asset class in South Florida, the Caribbean, and South America. I co-founded that company in 2008 after serving as General Counsel to a resort development company. Having completed my undergraduate and legal studies at the University of Colorado, which in hindsight proved to be fortuitous, I was quite familiar with the landscape of Colorado but completely unfamiliar with the legal cannabis industry. The moment I set foot in that grow, I knew that my professional life was going to take an unexpected turn. WHAT WAS SO ATTRACTIVE ABOUT CANNABIS TO WOO YOU AWAY FROM THE INVESTMENT SECTOR/PRIVATE EQUITY? After a year of intensive research, I recognized what is clear to most today -- a “generational macro trend” in the emerging legal cannabis industry. Being deeply rooted in the private equity world, I was struck by the dearth of traditional investment capital in what was quickly becoming a multi-billion dollar industry. I observed that institutional investors in particular were sidelined and the growth of the industry and the quality of its participants were suppressed due to outmoded federal prohibition and the resulting conflict between federal and state laws. Yet, the industry was quickly gaining legal standing across the U.S. along with unprecedented public support and was poised for explosive growth. I was, and remain, convinced that eventually the legal barriers, in the form of federal prohibition, would fall. WHAT WAS THE IDEA BEHIND MJARDÍN? HOW DID IT EMERGE? During my private equity days, I participated in the development and operation of a hotel management company

elevatenv.com | november

that was formed to manage one of our luxury hotel assets. I saw how a third-party operating company could deliver much needed service to its clients and scale in a really significant way. I recognized that there would be an emerging need for the services of professional management companies in the cannabis space, of which there were few to none at the time. I also understood that as the industry expanded across the United States, more sophisticated capital would enter into the space to invest in existing companies and to pursue licenses, oftentimes under a limited license framework. With the expansion of the industry, facilities would become larger, more expensive, and more complex. Investors in those companies would be looking for the support of a proven operator. MJardín could be ideally suited to fit such needs. Today, we describe ourselves as a turnkey cultivation services company that provides day-to-day facility management to select cannabis businesses across the United States. We have become an industry leader with clients in 10 states producing over 130,000 lbs. to date. IS JARDÍN YOUR FIRST CANNABIS DISPENSARY? WHAT MAKES JARDÍN DIFFERENT? I am a co-owner of a medical dispensary in Colorado and have been peripherally involved with others, but this is the first time I have taken the lead as an operator. While the names are similar, this is a completely separate company from MJardín. I enjoy the cultivation side of the business, but it is, of course, primarily business-to-business. The development of the dispensary and the Jardín brand, on the other hand, has allowed me to tap into my passion and creativity and the dispensary will afford a greater opportunity to interact with clients and the community. A great deal of thought and attention to detail has gone into the construction of the dispensary and development of the brand. Jardín (“garden” in Spanish) is intended to elevate the dispensary experience for our guests. We are striving to create a “luxury” experience in terms of the physical dispensary, the products we carry, our staff and culture, and our overall guest experience, yet we want to ensure that we are perfectly accessible to all. We have set a high bar for ourselves and are very excited to introduce Jardín to Las Vegas.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Amanda Connor has proven to be an expert on the subject of marijuana policy and regulations. The industry recognizes her capabilities and lawmakers appreciate her as a knowledgeable resource.â&#x20AC;? --Patricia Farley

Connor & Connor PLLC is a boutique law firm focusing on business formation, transactions, litigation, licensing, and permitting. The attorneys at Connor & Connor PLLC understand cannabis law and its intricacies.

www.connorpllc.com | 702.750.9139 45

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