The Are Issue by Elevate Nevada Magazine

NOVEMBER 2017

THE

ART ISSUE DOES CANNABIS MAKE YOU CREATIVE?

A CORNUCOPIA OF THANKSGIVING RECIPES TREATING PTSD WITH CBD

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Cannabis

888-988-0899 @AcrossIntl

november | elevatenv.com 1

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 and Photographers: Justin Alexander, chef Payton Curry, Hector Leyva, Jen Shepherd, R.N. Media Consultants: Mark Damkroeger, mark@elevatenv.com Amanda Reilly, amanda@elevatenv.com Cover art, Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Cannabis, created by Izaac Zevalking. Cover photography by Jesse Hudson Photography.

ELEVATION PUBLISHING LLC Chief Financial Officer Cassandra Lupo

FINE THE AGENCY Partner Kelli Maruca, kelli@finetheagency.com

Graphic Designer James Nigbur, james@finetheagency.com

Account Coordinator Kimberly Chang, kim@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

elevateNV

elevateNevada

Producing this magazine each month is a labor of love, truly. When you only publish 12 issues a year you have to not only passionately scrutinize, but also be obsessed with the creation of each headline, page, story, and especially the cover art. Every issue has to be superbly singular and speak (sometimes scream) to its audience. Since we started publishing elevate in April 2015, we have covered a host of topics from epilepsy, autism, and PTSD to terpenes, trichomes and cannabidiol (CBD). Prior to recreational marijuana becoming legal in Nevada on July 1, elevate focused solely on medical topics which gave us the opportunity to create hardhitting covers highlighting very intense and emotional topics. One was America’s opioid epidemic, which was the cover topic of our September 2016 edition. Its devastation has been profoundly tragic with more than 52,000 people dying last year from abuse and addiction as we covered in-depth in the issue. It’s a topic that continues a year later with even more haunting consequences. The abuse of deadly opioids like heroin, prescription painkiller medication, and the synthetic opioid fentanyl recently received more attention this past August when a bipartisan commission convened by President Trump released a sobering report of its findings: “With approximately 142 Americans dying every day, America is enduring a death toll equal to Sept. 11 every three weeks,” wrote members of the bipartisan White House panel, referring to the 9/11 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. “It would also awaken every American to this simple fact: if this scourge has not found you or your family yet, without bold action by everyone, it soon will.” In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids, which is more than enough to give every American adult their own bottle of pills. -- American Society of Addiction Medicine

To illustrate the sickening opioid plague which was best summed up by the White House’s recent report, our 2016 cover was OPIATES’ GRAVE CONSEQUENCES one of those that screamed AS AMERICA’S OPIOID SCOURGE CONTINUES UNABATED, at its audience. Its power IS CANNABIS A REMEDY? was in an image of a noose A GUIDE made from pharmaceutical TO THE CITY’S MOST POPULAR pills. The accompanying VAPE PENS text read, Opiates’ Grave Consequences, in case the image wasn’t enough to convey how opiates were destroying the very fabric of our county. This impactful image and wording not only encapsulated the nation’s opiate scourge, but also carried the gravitas to win Best Magazine Cover at the 2017 Nevada Press Awards held on September 30 in Carson City. We also won first place for Best Magazine Website at the ceremony. We are very proud of the work we are doing each month in the pages of elevate. To be acknowledged for it by our peers is like icing on the cake, but what we are most proud of is that we are educating and elevating the conversation surrounding topics that deserve discussion. This brings me to another one of those topics: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It’s a topic that we typically cover every November in reference to our nation’s military veterans. However, this time it took on a new slant when the shooting at Route 91 Harvest Festival occurred. With 22,000 in attendance at the concert and even more affected in the first responder community, PTSD will be widespread among our family, friends, and neighbors. For those who have been or know someone affected, please read nurse Jen Shepherd’s primer, page 9, for coping with the aftermath of trauma using cannabis. Until next month. SEPTEMBER 2016

With an open mind,

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CONTENTS

20 20

Cooking with Cannabis

Finding Issue with Art

Dispensary Map

Cannabis & Creativity

Open for Business

Puffing your way to the creative cloud

Henderson dispensaries now selling recreational marijuana

Get it Girl!

Elevating the Conversation

A cornucopia of recipes for a classic Thanksgiving feast

Treating PTSD with Cannabis

Developing healthy coping mechanisms in the aftermath of trauma

12 Agent: #00710 Bong, James

Mission: The Bong Who Loved Me

Las Vegas-based artist finds his voice with Recycled Propaganda

elevate NV celebrates inaugural Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issue with high tea

A guide to finding cannabis in the Las Vegas Valley

with Roger Martin

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Cooking Cannabis A CORNUCOPIA OF RECIPES FOR A CLASSIC THANKSGIVING FEAST By Chef Payton Curry from Flourish Kitchens and Exhale Dispensary

As a young adult, Payton Curry began to cultivate a career in the culinary arts, starting with a degree from Culinary Institute of America and later owning a popular eatery in Scottsdale, AZ as well as consulting. Although cannabis has always had a place in Curry’s life, health concerns caused the chef to re-examine his diet and habits, forgoing alcohol and turning his skills and acumen towards cannabis and the therapeutic properties of the vegetable. Using his culinary background, Curry began creating small batches of non-ethanol tinctures, a business that blossomed into Flourish Cannabis. Curry has mainstreamed cannabis products and uses his talents to create everything from savory sauces to confections and petits fours. As part of his platform, Curry holds back 20 percent of Flourish for a staff contribution which benefits the employees of Flourish and the communities in which they live and work. With edible cannabis products as the focus of Flourish, Curry is attempting to shatter the propaganda and stigma surrounding the plant.

THE JIVE TURKEY INGREDIENTS: 14 lb. fresh turkey (defrosted, if frozen) 6 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped 8 fresh thyme stems 4 sprigs of rosemary 4 sprigs of oregano 1-1/2 cup cannabis-infused mayonnaise 1/2 cup cannabutter 1-2 Tbsp. coarse salt and pepper 3 celery stalks, chopped 1 onion, chopped

METHOD: Preheat oven to 450°F. Lay turkey in a roasting pan. Remove leaves from herbs' stems. Add sage, thyme, rosemary and oregano to mayonnaise; combine well. Rub mayonnaise/herb mixture all over outside and interior of bird. Liberally salt and pepper turkey. Add celery and onion, inside and out, and tuck cannabutter into the cavity. Roast turkey in 450°F oven for 30 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 350°F and insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Continue roasting, uncovered, until internal thermometer reaches 160°F. Cover legs with foil partway through roasting if desired. Depending on size of turkey, total cook time will be around 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Once the thermometer reaches 160°F in the thigh, check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast to make sure it reads 160°F as well.

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BACON & BRUSSELS INGREDIENTS: 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, cut in half and blanched 3 Tbsp. cannabis-infused olive oil 4 oz. bacon, cut into chunks 4 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 tsp. rosemary

3 fresh oregano sprigs 3 Tbsp. cannabis butter 2 Tbsp. Flax seed salt and pepper lemon juice

METHOD: In a cast iron or stainless-steel pan, slowly render bacon chunks until almost crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add blanched Brussels sprouts (cut side down) to the pan and turn heat to medium high. Sear the sprouts in batches until all are golden brown. Combine sprouts and bacon with garlic, herbs, flax seeds and cannabis oil in a large pan and season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

MASHED POTATOES INGREDIENTS: 3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes 1 lb. cannabis butter 1 pint cream 1 each rosemary sprig 2 Tbsp. salt 1 Tbsp. pepper

METHOD:

A TASTE OF FALL INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

2 oz. Champagne 1 tsp. pumpkin puree 2 ml. cannabis tincture 1 dash cinnamon 1/2 oz. Triple sec 1 each orange twist

Place everything (except orange twist) into a shaker and shake well. Strain and garnish.

Roast potatoes in oven at 400ºF until soft, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, heat cream on low heat and add rosemary. Cut potatoes in half, scoop out the insides and discard skins or save them for munchies. Use a food mill to “rice” potatoes into a bowl and stir in cannabutter and cream. Season with salt and pepper. 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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Connor & Connor PLLC is a proud member of the Las Vegas Community and the cannabis industry. We would like to thank our clients, vendors, partners, and the community for the support shown to us over the past year and for the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response to recent events.

#VegasStrong 8

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Dedicated flower mural for the Las Vegas shooting victims following 1 October.

TREATING PTSD WITH

CANNABIS Developing Healthy Coping Mechanisms in the Aftermath of Trauma by Jen Shepherd, R.N. Following the tragedy at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on October 1, Las Vegas has been affected on a massive scale. With 22,000 in attendance the night of the concert, PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will impact many in our community for months to come. Following this awful event, I noted many initial PTSD symptoms in both myself and friends and wanted to assist by giving the most current information on how to use cannabis effectively for treating PTSD as well as how to develop healthy coping mechanisms to deal with crisis and trauma. Trauma and PTSD are something most people cannot label with words or choose not to talk about when they are experiencing it. More than ever it’s important to take care of each other to prevent prolonged distress and not ignore any symptoms. Mental health is our key to happiness and is vital to our quality of life. When a person has PTSD, it is important for the person to understand what is occurring at the fundamental levels of their body. When undergoing a trauma or crisis, the brain switches into “fight or flight” mode. So what does that mean? It means that all the blood is being pulled from normal activities to your muscles. Instead of being in a “normal rest and digest mode,” your body activates to the “fight or flight” mode, preparing you for survival. Even with psychological traumas, this occurs. PTSD affects your autonomic nervous system, which controls operations that require zero thinking, such as breathing, circulation, and digestion.

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There are three categories of PTSD: 1. Hyper-arousal – easily frightened, trouble sleeping, decreased appetite, cyclical thinking/reoccurring thoughts, inability to relax 2. Avoidance – avoiding daily activities and friends, staying home 3. Re-experiencing – reliving the trauma through flashbacks PTSD is characterized by symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, “edginess,” paranoia, and heightened senses persisting three months or longer. It is important to note symptoms after experiencing a traumatic event so as to prevent the potential for changes in the brain that can occur after prolonged PTSD symptoms since they can create decreased levels of anandamide production. Anandamide is the “bliss molecule” that allows humans to be naturally happy. Low levels of anandamide lead to chronic anxiety and aversive memory consolidation by not allowing your brain to get rid of unwanted “forget” memories. This contributes to the inability to be happy, which means CB1receptors are not triggered to deactivate traumatic events that assist in forgetting. Treatment of initial symptoms prevents long-term issues and assists in resetting your body to rest and digest mode. It is easier to overcome the root cause of trauma once symptom relief

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occurs which happens with proper sleep, proper appetite, and a feeling of safety. Once these three basic needs have been met, the root cause can be addressed and the steps to healing can begin, which include: 1. Release stored trauma 2. Fear extension 3. Ability to develop new positive thought patterns The endocannabinoid system, which is a group of endogenous cannabinoid receptors located in the brain and throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems, regulates the hippocampus part of your brain that’s responsible for long-term storage, which is where traumatic memories are stored. Prolonged PTSD that goes untreated can lead to shrinking in the hippocampus, but cannabis can restore volume through neurogenesis. Cannabis can assist in the initial symptom relief and helps in developing new thought patterns, which aids in complete PTSD recovery by creating new brain cells through the neurogenesis process. Goals in using cannabis for effective initial therapy of PTSD: 1. Decrease in flashbacks/reoccurring cyclical thoughts 2. Decrease in nightmares 3. Decrease in negative thought patterns 4. Reduce arousal if in hyper-arousal state Cannabis is able to accomplish these goals by closing down

the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis, which shuts off stress response. When the body is stressed, hormones of cortisol and aldosterone are released from adrenal glands. These are steroid hormones. By shutting off the stress response, cannabis assists the body into homeostasis and rest and digest mode. This is for persons experiencing the hyper-arousal state. Adrenals (root chakra for you yogis) utilize CB1 in the receptor site, meaning delta 9 THC is the key to this receptor and, in theory, should assist with regulating these hormones. For those in the avoidance category, cannabis can help by assisting in the prefrontal cortex processes of the brain. The neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine are regulated and assist with depression. Cannabis compound cannabidiol (CBD) is said to have anti-anxiety, anti-psychotic, and antidepressant properties. Most effective CBD therapies are noted to be routine and taken like daily supplements. For relief of ailments such as recurring thoughts, inhalation or sublingual is the quickest route with initial effects usually occuring within 15 minutes. Finding the proper CBD/THC ratio is important and terpenes can also play a factor in effectiveness. Overall goals in trauma recovery: 1. Continue necessary activities 2. Restore emotions

3. Sustain self-esteem 4. Feel safe and established 5. Maintain and enjoy personal interactions 6. Live, laugh, love, and be grateful Every individual handles response to trauma differently. Not everyone will need to talk about the issues or need extensive assistance in recovery. The situation and the person’s ability to redirect thoughts and feelings determine their recovery needs, along with a person’s experience with trauma and if they have developed healthy coping mechanisms. Crisis and trauma can affect someone’s belief systems on a spiritual level. But what is spirituality? It’s a connection that transcends self, an inner-belief system that provides meaning to life. Loss of hope and fear of death are two of the key issues, along with anger directed at a higher being, and are important issues to address. Healthy spirit practices can decrease risky behaviors, expand social support, enhance coping skills, establish understanding of traumatic events, and activate physiological relaxation response through mediation and positive focus rather than isolation and depression. Trauma needs to be addressed through the mind, body, and soul for true recovery. Therapists, social workers, spirit leaders, and energy workers can assist with this process. In some native American cultures, three days after a traumatic event spirit leaders assist (continued on page 29)

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ong, James B 0 1 7 0 0 # Agent: Loved Me o h W g n o he B Mission: T PROVED P A 0 1 7 0 0 Status: art festival in

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Bud Life

FINDING ISSUE WITH ART Las Vegas-based artist finds his voice with Recycled Propaganda

By Beth Schwartz

t’s not surprising that artist Izaac Zevalking, who succinctly drills down complex societal issues into a solitary image could also, in a single sentence, tackle the meaning of life. “Like life, you are envisioning the endpoint but it’s the journey that is the significant thing,” he notes, adding, “Art really embodies that. We acknowledge that there isn’t any endpoint but we still embrace the journey.” Zevalking, 30, has used his own journey to create a divergant path. A graphic designer, he moved to Las Vegas five years ago from England to be near his sister. His move proved serendipitous in that it led him to start Recycled

elevatenv.com | november

Propaganda a year after arriving, which he uses as a springboard for confronting and discussing everything from religion to obseity. Of Recycled Propaganda’s origins, Zevalking says, “In essence that is what I try and do with all my work, whatever energy there is, feed off the energy of the people around me and recycle it, hence the name, and spit it out as something that is more useful to society.” elevate sat down with Zevalking to talk about his art (which has found its way into several local dispensaries), Trump, cannabis, the illogicality of logic, and acceptance of failure.

Trump Spewing

Zevalking at work on his latest piece.

Obese Pepsi

What was the impetus for starting Recycled Propaganda in 2013? I moved here and needed an outlet to say the things I was saying without saying them. I just started making images and branded that as Recycled Propaganda. I never had an intention of being an artist until I moved here. It was the way I would sort of cope with the social differences and injustice being more apparent. When you are removed from where you grew up, whether that be domestically or internationally, you have to adjust. England and America are similar enough that you can relate, not so alien that they don’t sort of overlap. England in a lot of ways does follow in the wake in America, a lot of the world does these days. So, a lot of core issues play out here and are much more polarized and apparent here, like genetically modified food and religion, they are all so much more polarized here than in the UK. Here, you have the really fit and aware people and the notfit and not-aware people, and in England it’s more like gray than so black and white. You drill a complex issue down into a single graphic. What skills do you rely on for that? The hardest part of what I do is the initial conceptualization of the pieces and there’s no real magic ingredient to it. I just jot down ideas and notions I have and when I am illustrating them I just try different variations and it works or it doesn’t work. The longer you do that sort of thing, the easier it becomes to see what does and doesn’t work visually. So, I rely on a heavy amount of intuition, and I am naturally a creative thinker. As society becomes increasingly polarized, have you seen interest pique in your work? Yes, especially since Trump came into the mix and started running for president. He brings a lot of issues to a point, either by doing something or saying something and not necessarily in a bad way either. That has definitely animated the left. I am glad I started the art I was doing prior to that because it’s given me a point of reference to be like, ‘Wow, I did this design in 2014,’ and so this issue has always been there. It’s just people are more aware of it because it’s thrust upon them. It’s fascinating to me, but it’s also been inspirational to see that when more liberal, open-minded people are angry they are more drawn toward art. You are just drawn toward something that isn’t further perpetuating the problem. The point of art is there isn’t a singularity to it, you can observe it in many different ways. Because your art is so ambiguious it leaves room for varied interpretations. The worst thing someone can say about my art is that they see it in a very specific way because it’s undermining what I am trying to achieve, which is you view it like that but someone else could view it in a totally different way. Isn’t that more important than the issue itself? How we respond to the issue? No matter what design I have created, people have pitched to me crazily

november | elevatenv.com 17

different notions of what it means. I like that, the ambiguity is what I want, I want people to be able to view it from both sides of the aisle. To be able to still relate to it and still have something to say and reflect on society because of it. I just wish people were aware that phenomenon existed. Like the Trump piece of him spewing sewage (pg. 17), it was about his oil policy, that’s why I did it. But I have had multiple people come by and say, ‘Yeah, Trump is draining the swamp.’ And that’s the beauty of art. What topic/issue has surprised you with how much it resonates with people? Specifically, with health and wellbeing, I found it quite ironic how unhealthy a lot of America is and how extremely healthy a lot of America is as well, and how hyperaware people are of a lot of health stuff, more so than in England. That surprised me how much that resonated with America because for somebody who didn’t grow up in America, it’s viewed as a highly unconcerned country about health. If you look at health policy, school lunches, obesity levels, cancer rates, it’s bad on paper so you don’t expect there to be that undercurrent here. (continued to page 32) End Prohibition

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Creativity PUFFING YOUR WAY TO THE CREATIVE CLOUD

By Justin Alexander

oes cannabis make you more creative? This is an age-old question for which there seems to be no scientific answer but, instead, only limited research and positive opinions. A 2010 study published in Psychiatry Research journal showed one of cannabis’s primary properties is its ability to increase hyper-priming, or make connections between seemingly unrelated concepts. Research also suggests that cannabis blurs the lines between a person’s five senses, allowing for an increased capacity in that realm.

elevatenv.com | november

But like with many so things, creativity depends on the user, the situation and the strain, since a person’s state of being is subjective. But at the very least we know cannabis helps reduce a person’s inhibitions and turns off their “innereditor” for more of a free-flowing experience while writing, drawing, creating art and music, or brainstorming. elevate has found nine products from the Nevada marketplace that can help get the creative juices flowing and may inspire a new way to look at cannabis use when a creative block has become an obstacle.

REMEDY’S OUTER SPACE FLOWER, SILVER SAGE WELLNESS Noting that cannabis is an essential part of his creative process, Amed Donado, marketing administrator for Silver Sage Wellness, says, “Cannabis, for me, is the [building block] for my creativity. Without cannabis, I wouldn't be where I currently am. Without my creativity, I wouldn't be able to live.” Drawing a comparison to nature, he says, if creativity is a stream, cannabis removes the stones and allows it to flow freely. When Donado sits down to get fully immersed in his imagination, he reaches for the balanced hybrid strain Outer Space from Remedy. “I feel like the high amount of beta-myrcene in Outer Space allows me to relax and think with a clear head and to be able to work at my full potential,” he says. Silver Sage originally acquired the strain from Denver Relief, and Donado says it has been on the shelf ever since. “Nick Hice, their master grower, picked up the strain many years ago from a grower in the mountains— presumably the original breeder.” Heavy on sativa with an uplifting cerebral high, the first thing to note when smoking Outer Space is its totally unique taste—deep and earthy, like inhaling morning air straight from the forest, sour and pungent. The smell is sweet with whiffs of a floral bouquet intertwined with citrus fruits. Testing in at 25.8 percent THC and .05 percent CBD, Outer Space is relaxing, yet focus can be maintained, which makes it a great daytime medicine.

GLASS SLIPPER DISTILLATE CARTRIDGE, THE+SOURCE If you are looking for a totally relaxing high with a big cerebral boost, sativa-dominant hybrid Glass Slipper fits. In fact, you might even lose a shoe while drifting off into a creative space without a care in the world. Perfect for calming creative types who have mental blocks due to anxiety, Glass Slipper is an offspring of Cinderella 99 and Pineapple 99. It is an easy smoke and a pleasing high even for those less

november | elevatenv.com 21

experienced with cannabis. Also, for those who have a hard time finding a truly calming medicine, Glass Slipper is ideal. “It’s my feeling that as cannabis relaxes the human condition, the right side of the human brain relaxes as well,” says Eric V. Vega, director of operations at Nevada Organic Remedies. “In this relaxed state the creative side of the brain can see a boost in spatial awareness and imagination.” The relaxing, sedative effect is a product of the terpene terpinolene, “which also works as an antioxidant, improving cognitive skills and slowing the aging of the brain,” Vega says of Glass Slipper which offers a ratio of 82.92 percent THC to 1.0 CBD.

FLAVRX’S BLUE DREAM PREMIUM DISPOSABLE CARTRIDGE It is said that dreams are a manifestation of one’s creative subconscious. Keep that in mind when vaping FlavRX’s Blue Dream, a sativadominant hybrid that will transport you into a sublime creative state while wide awake. “Cannabis certainly can help unlock a person’s creativity, as many musicians and artists will proclaim,” says Kawehi Galuteria, brand ambassador for Evergreen Organix. “It depends on the individual and the specific strains they are utilizing. Cannabis possesses both CBD, which is naturally produced in the brain, and THC that closely resembles anandamide, which is a natural transmitter to neurons in the brain. This combination could potentially amplify a person’s thinking by allowing neurons to fire without as much interruption.” FlavRX takes great care in mixing specific strains with proprietary terpenes, and Blue Dream was carefully curated to make sure the quality of the oil concentrate matched the taste and effects of the flower. “It’s a complex combination of terpenes derived directly from strainspecific cannabis and matching them with the pungent effects of certain fruit profiles, which also have their therapeutic properties,” Galuteria says of the distillate that tests at 56.20 percent THC. Blue Dream works especially well for creative pursuits because it simulates without pushing the user into overdrive. “When trying this product, look for increased relaxation and a feeling of happiness,” Galuteria advises. “The combination is in fact not to overstimulate the mind, but certainly puts you in a creative and highly functional state.”

elevatenv.com | november

With no sedative vibes, Blue Dream relieves pain, nausea and depression throughout the day. “The effects of cannabis on the mind also have a lot to do with the individual person,” Galuteria says. “If a person has had a busy day and they keep going back into their mind over and over again to make sure they didn't miss anything, but all they want to do is sit down, relax and work on their art project, the euphoric effects of the cannabis could ease them into a place where creativity can assume control over the mind and suppress the stressful recap of the busy day.”

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STATE FLOWER’S CHERRY AK, THE APOTHECARIUM LV The terpenes of limonene and pinene present in Cherry AK are most likely responsible for inspiring awareness and creativity, according to State Flower Cannabis’ Daniel Wacks. He stumbled upon it by accident at a dispensary in Oakland several years ago. “I thought the nose was really unique—almost offensive, but in an enticing way,” he recalls. “When we started growing it a few years later, it became a go-to for me at times when I was looking for a little shift in perspective.” It is a scent that he describes as cherries and garlic—super fruity with earthy notes and a robust woody aftertaste. “Most growers believe Cherry AK to simply be a rare phenotype of AK-47 with a fruitier nose and dense bud structure as compared to the classic iteration,” Wacks says of the strain that tests at 21.89 percent THC. “AK-47 is a mostly sativa cross of a bunch of landraces from the 1970s from all over the world—Colombia, Mexico, Thailand and Afghanistan.” The strain is known for its many positive qualities, including being an effective analgesic. Terpene caryophyllene is also found in Cherry AK and is known as an antioxidant good for the treatment of muscle spasms, pain, and insomnia. Pinene, a natural bronchodilator effective in treating respiratory conditions, is also present. Since Cherry AK inspires both relaxation and focus— which go hand in hand in the quest for creativity—Wacks draws a comparison to the practice of Mindfulness Relaxation, a therapeutic technique that uses breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind, and help reduce stress. “The process essentially allows one to attain a higher state of awareness through relaxation,” he says. “In that sense, Cherry AK's balanced effect provides just the right level of relaxation to help elevate awareness and creativity.”

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november | elevatenv.com 23

S TAY G O L D E N .

Getting to a place of relaxed clarity is exactly what smoking Cherry AK can provide as euphoria leads to engagement and then connection, awareness, and creative flow. “Cannabis doesn't "make" you creative per se, but it can certainly help you flow,” Wacks says, citing Scott Barry Kaufman, scientific director of The Imagination Institute who defines "flow" as "the mental state of being completely present and fully immersed in a task [which] is a strong contributor to creativity.” Kaufman continues, “When in flow, the creator and the universe become one, outside distractions recede from consciousness and one’s mind is fully open and attuned to the act of creating. There is very little self-awareness or critical self-judgement; just intrinsic joy for the task."

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A cross between Cherry Kush and Orange Tahoe, Mary Chino live resin induces an intense high that boosts energy, brain power, and the ability to concentrate with laser accuracy. It brings you into the present so you can tackle projects in a unique and creative way. With the Mary Chino as with all resins, a little goes a long way at 65.2 percent THC. “This genetic cross seemed like a happy medium of effects that we were striving for,” offers David Farris, director of marketing at Medizin. “Studies have shown myrcene lowers the resistance across the blood to brain barrier. This allows for a greater maximum psychoactive effect, and a quicker one at that. The calming aspect of terpinolene also assists in the relaxed thought process without being [overbearing] on your high.” Its consistency is gooey sugar and flavors of tropical orange are a delightful and refreshing way to clear the mind freeing it to explore outside the boundaries of the day-to-day rigmarole.

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elevatenv.com | november

When seeking a product that can be characterized as a creativity inducer, look for prominent levels of beta-caryophyllene, alpha-pinene and limonene. Bliss distillate cartridge offers all these properties, making it a sure-fire way to fire on all cerebral cylinders.

“Almost like releasing a caged animal, cannabis leaves the mind free from the usual stress and burdens of day-to-day life,” says Don Decatur, City Trees’ director of operations. “Once the effects have set in and the user is relaxed, deep and creative thoughts are easily conjured.” City Trees’ Bliss blend has a mild hybrid effect—a dash of focus with a hint of calming. Bliss tests at 79.6 percent THC and .75 percent CBD. The flavor is also mild for those who are sensitive to taste and want a more neutral smoke. As an added benefit, City Trees Bliss cartridges are refillable. “This allows users to reuse the cartridges and helps lower the environmental impact of this product,” notes Decatur.

GREEN LIFE PRODUCTIONS' COOKIE STOMPER FLOWER, INYO FINE CANNABIS DISPENSARY Cookie Stomper is Elephant Stomper crossed with Monster Cookies to produce a sativa-dominant hybrid. With a smell and taste that can be compared to a jammy grape, the high is mellow and cerebral and has no sedative effects. It frees the mind from all blocks and barriers including sleepiness and lack of focus. This strain is high in limonene, myrcene, linalool and isopulegol with hints of camphene—all of which are terpenes that add to its special creativity-inducing composition. This is a rich smoke through and through and can be enjoyed by patients with varying levels of cannabis experience. Testing in at 24.21 percent THC and .018 CBD, expect a smooth burn.

L’ORANGE BY CANNABIOTIX Part Orange Crush part Lemon Burst, the name L’Orange is indicative of the scent of this pungent flower—pure, fresh citrus (also expect bright orange on the buds). When broken down, olfactory greatness wafts through the room in the most pleasant way while your fingers retain a residue of sugary stickiness.

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november | elevatenv.com 25

VertEdibles.com

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elevatenv.com | november

The buzz is a happy one and perfect for morning creative sessions when you need to be at your peak. It is a get-out-of-bed-and-enjoy-the-day “morning sativa.” “The terpene concoction gives you an uplifting and happy high,” says Cannabiotix COO Neema Samari. “I definitely think the sativas and sativa-dominant hybrids give you a creative buzz, no couchlock and get the juices flowing. Everyone’s endocannabinoid system is different and from there being able to knock out creative angles and achievements.” An amazing even burn, the intensity of this product is refreshing and zesty in all its properties. L’Orange tests at between 24 and 27 percent THC and .015 percent CBD.

KANNABIS’ PURPLE DREAM FLOWER, THE GROVE True to its name, Purple Dream takes you into a beautiful royal haze even when the tasks of the day are mundane. Everything becomes just a little bit more fun and a little bit more creative under the gaze of Purple Dream. A cross between the sativa-dominant hybrid Blue Dream, known for its lucid cerebral high, and the indica-dominant Grand Daddy Purple, known for its body buzz, Purple Dream is a great hybrid perfect for mid-afternoon or evening smoke sessions. Before you partake, make sure to have snacks on hand as this “dream” comes with the strong case of the munchies in addition to wildly imaginative thoughts. Because of the desire to reach a dreamlike state, it is no accident that many creatives use cannabis while working, says Zach Wright, store manager for The Grove’s Pahrump location. “Cannabis unlike other intoxicants contains chemicals and compounds naturally produced within the body,” Wright says. “The cannabinoids can increase the rate in which neurons fire in the brain allowing the user to feel a sense of focus and well-being.” This strain not only tests at 26.10 percent THC but it has the terpene limonene, which elevates mood, increases alertness, and offers antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. “In my opinion, cannabis in general is always a happy ‘accident,’” Wright says. “While always striving to create perfect phenotypes, The Grove’s state-of-the-art cultivation continues to make strides in the right direction, ensuring all consumers needs are accounted for. This just happens to be one of those.”

november | elevatenv.com 27

elevatenv.com | november

(continued from page 11) their people with a spiritual ceremony. I love this theory. Developing proper coping strategies on a soul level include: 1. Stable social support 2. Ability to express emotions therapeutically that past trauma may prevent 3. Developing a creative outlet though art, yoga, nature Developing healthy coping skills is imperative. Learning to tolerate distressing emotions and situations is key to being happy. Helpful techniques include: 1. Practice mindful medication – practice being in the present moment. I do this when I am doing the dishes (one of the chores I rather dislike); however, I noticed if I pay attention to the way the water and dishes feel as I am cleaning the dishes, it gives me an awareness and makes the chore much easier. I also show appreciation by thanking my dishes for holding my food. I know it sounds silly, but it’s how I start my mindful practice each day. It’s also pretty cool. 2. Self-monitor your emotional state – it’s important to notice when you start feeling bad and treat negative thoughts before cyclical patterns get out of control. 3. Understand your spiritual needs and how to meet them. 4. Understand your physical and emotional needs and how to meet them.

Memorial message for the Las Vegas shooting victims on the Las Vegas 5. Understand Strip near Mandalay Bay. the coping process and integrate that knowledge. 6. Use journals or autonomic writing – one of my favorite techniques. 7. Reestablish empowerment and reach closure. Trauma can impair quality of life, affect a person’s brain development, and increase vulnerability, chronic disease, mental illness, and substance abuse. Issues can be addressed, but the only person who can really do the work is the person affected. As a community let’s work at healing together. For more information or to schedule a consult, contact Nurse Jen at 316.323.7754 or email itsnursejenRN@gmail.com. This information is not to be mistaken for medical advice. This is intended for educational purposes only and as a complement to an individual’s current health and wellness regimen.

november | elevatenv.com 29

FROM

Art TO SCIENCE

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elevatenv.com | november

ARTIST USES CANNABIS AND ART TO CALM HIS BUSY MIND

Dreaming Equal

by Beth Schwartz

“Cannabis is light in our world of darkness,” explains Juan Matthew De La Tour, who suffers from Autistic Spectrum Disorder and gets overwhelmed and overstimulated by natural light. “I think about a million things at once so it helps me focus. Autism is like having a paragraph on your tongue and not being able to get it out.” De La Tour, 35, uses cannabis to quiet his mind. “All the chaos stops. I hear machinery in my head constantly, the ideas are always going but with cannabis I am able to find the frequency I desire. It’s like being able to tune the radio in your head and I can put the music on that I want to. I would be so much angrier without it. I don’t know where I would be without it right now.” An artist from Bald Eagle, Pennsylvania, De La Tour also finds refuge from his illness in being creative. “My art is definitely about beauty from chaos and victory from misery, that’s what inspires me. Most pieces I make are out of chaos and sadness.”

De La Tour has not only been busy creating approximately 120 paintings during the last six years, but he has also developed the De La TouR technique using joint compound. “I use my hands as tools to create a pattern in drywall,” he explains of his method. “You just glide your hand like a tender dance across the wall with your fingers and draw circles in that. I’m going to change the world with it before I die -- that’s my goal.” De La Tour also “wants the power to help people and crush the forces of darkness and be a light in this world,” he says of his art. “Each year I am making progress. My posters will be all over the world selling and then I can use that as a platform to help people.”

november | elevatenv.com 31

(continued from page 18)

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elevatenv.com | november

The ultimate example of that and saddest example of that is marijuana. You have a substance that is potentially miraculously curing of numerous diseases that has been so propagandized and demonized that people think the opposite of the truth. It’s just a really neat case study, let’s show how we can manipulate thought for a whole generation Globalism based on nothing. I think it truly began with schedule I drugs, which are all mind altering. I think the forces that be don’t want you to expand your mind because when you expand your mind enough you see the strings of control being pulled. Have there been issues you wanted to tackle that you weren’t able to make succinct enough to work? Yes, I think almost every time I go to do an image. There’s a lot of ideas and a lot of them don’t work as visuals or I can’t wrap my head around it at that moment so I will just move on. Or I will initially want to do one topic but these images come up and it ends up being about something different. It’s not always tidy and linear. It’s almost as if I just allow myself to be a sponge and absorb information and listen to people make reasoned arguments and talk about stuff that’s going on then I sit down and I am doing stuff creatively and I draw upon those things. Have you ever failed to convey your message? Failure is one of the most important parts about being an artist or doing any profession. Recognizing failure is not doing it as well as you wanted to do it, improving, and then doing it better. Without that reflection and critique of your work, I don’t think you can ever really move anywhere as an artist. People find failure very difficult to embrace. I don’t like to use the word failure because there is no such thing, especially in art, it’s just something that one person didn’t like or I didn’t like that you can iterate until you do. The important thing is that you learn from it and that fear doesn’t get involved because once fear gets involved it shuts down options from the universe. You need to just be open to change.

Do you feel like once you have created a piece and sent it on its way you are missing out on the best part of artwork – the conversation surrounding its meaning? Yes, I think that’s why I like doing events and art festivals because I can overhear or see people and how they react to them and what they think of them. I think that gives me more useful insight into people than anything else. The way somebody interprets a piece of art, you can extrapolate a lot about them. I think it has really aided on my learning of being in this country by seeing reactions to my work. I would love to have a camera in each piece of my art to see what people think. Facebook

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How important is the idea of art and creativity to society? Moving forward as a society, art is probably one of the most important things and it’s still so underappreciated and underfunded and not even seen as a legitimate option. Not even art as in what I do, but creative thought in general is not very promoted that much in society. We are always just using one side of the brain to think in logical terms. That irony has to come to a point that education and everything we learn is so logic based and computers are so good at logic then why are we teaching kids logic? We need to teach them nonlogic or creative thinking. I have done some workshops with kids and kids are great because their creative mind hasn’t been squashed yet. So, generally, they are quite creative thinkers. I think there is a Picasso quote: "Everybody is an artist until they are taught not to be." I think that is very true. If we look at America, it’s successful because of innovation which is just creative thought. I think that sooner or later as a society we will recognize that.

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To read our full interview with Izaac Zevalking, visit elevatenv.com/finding-issue-with-art

november | elevatenv.com 33

Get it girl!

elevate NV celebrates inaugural Women’s issue with High Tea photography by Hector Leyva, SugarMill Studios

In celebration of publishing its October Women’s issue, elevate NV hosted a High Tea at Tivoli Village’s Cork & Thorn wine and floral shoppe on Friday, September 29. During the unveiling of the magazine’s inaugural Women’s issue, prominent female executives and leaders in Nevada’s cannabis industry networked with one another while sipping wine, champagne, and tea as a living floral wall was created out of fragrant white roses, carnations and anemones. In addition to mingling, guests also had the chance to have their lips read by a psychic, try beauty products from Evergreen Organix, sample delicious chocolate, olive oil, and honey from binske, nosh on mouthwatering dried fruit from Cannabella, and nibble on Glacé bon-bons from Libra Wellness. The high tea bar featuring Pomegranate Blueberry black tea, Peach Jasmine green tea, and African Sunrise herbal tea was hosted by Las Vegas Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. The evening’s sponsors included binske, Cannabella, DaVinci, Glacé by Libra Wellness, Leafly, Pink Leaf, Rove, and The+Source.

elevatenv.com | november

november | elevatenv.com 35

elevatenv.com | november

Keep out of reach of children | For use only by adults 21 years of age or older

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DISPENSARY MAP

A Patientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Cannabis in Southern Nevada RENO

PECOS RD

SIMMONS ST

JONES BLVD

CACTUS AVE

K EP OS .R ST HENDERSON

16a

215

GE SUNRSIDPKWY HEIGHT

LAUGHLIN

WES

D BLV PARADISE RD

L RD

VEG

18 AVE

Y RACETRACK RD

PKW AD E ME

29b

6TH ST

COMMERCE ST MAIN ST 3RD ST

TER

NA VE

RANCHO DR

AVE

RIA UST

IND

LAS

DESERT INN RD

LAK

PECOS RD

12b

16b

HIG

HLA

HENDERSON

MARYLAND PKWY

NELLIS BLVD

WARM SPRINGS RD

31b

SAM BOYD STADIUM

SET

WINDMILL LN

PEBBLE RD

8b SUN

WIGWAM PKWY

MUNICIPAL AIRPORT

elevatenv.com | november

SUNSET COUNTY PARK

BERMUDA RD

DECATUR BLVD

HIG SO 15 HL UTH AN ER DS N PK WY

SANDHILL RD

EASTERN AVE

RUSSELL RD

515

SILVERADO RANCH BLVD

LLY

E DI

BLU

KAREN AVE

RD OND

E TWAIN

FLAMINGO RD

GIBSON RD

MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

SAHARA AVE

LAMB BLVD

PECOS RD

OAKEY BLVD

8a 13 24 ST. LOUIS AVE

GREEN DISTRICT

STEPHANIE ST

30b

LAS VEGAS TROPICANA AVE

DESERT INN RD

23a

NELLIS BLVD

SUNSET RD

WINDMILL LN

N 5TH

LOS EE R

N ST

MAI

IP STR THE

23a

SAHARA AVE

215

WARM SPRINGS RD

SUNSET RD

PKWY

RUSSELL RD

GREEN VALLEY

3 20

SAHARA AVE

CHARLESTON BLVD

MARYLAND PKWY

JONES BLVD

RAINBOW BLVD

BUFFALO DR

8c 29a

LVD

9 28

TROPICANA AVE

PAHRUMP

FLAMINGO RD

32b 5b 3 20

AS B

SAHARA AVE DESERT INN RD

30a

OWENS AVE

BONANZA RD

VEG

DURANGO DR

FT APACHE RD

TOWN CENTER DR

HUALAPAI WAY

31a

OAKEY BLVD

32b

CHARLESTON BLVD

WASHINGTON AVE

CHARLESTON BLVD

RTH NO LVD NELLIS B AS AIR FORCE VEG LAS BASE

LAKE MEAD BLVD

MARYLAND PKWY

ALTA DR

160

WASHINGTON AVE

215

23b CAMINO AL NORTE / MLK

159

DECATUR BLVD

VEGAS DR

LAS

LIN

CAREY AVE BLVD

LAS VEGAS BLVD SOUTH

NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT

CRAIG RD

32a

DECATUR BLVD

NORTH LAS VEGAS

MESQUITE

CENTENNIAL PKWY

WASHBURN RD

BUFFALO DR

ALEXANDER RD

ANN RD

H NC RA

RAINBOW BLVD

LONE MOUNTAIN RD

CHEYENNE AVE

12a

JONES BLVD

GRAND CANYON DR

DURANGO DR

LAKE ME AD

215

HORIZON RIDGE PKWY

HORIZON DR

515

BOULDER CITY

1. Acres Cannabis acrescannabis.com 2320 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.399.4200

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

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

28. 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

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

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

29a. The Dispensary thedispensarynv.com 5347 S Decatur Blvd Ste #100 Las Vegas, NV 89118 702.476.0420

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

9. Exhale Nevada www.exhalenevada.com 4310 W Flamingo Rd Las Vegas, NV 89103 702.447.1250

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

29b. The Dispensary thedispensarynv.com 50 N Gibson Rd Ste #170 Henderson, NV 89104 702.476.0420

4a. Blüm LetsBlum.com 1921 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.718.Blum

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

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

30a. The Grove TheGroveNV.com 1541 E Basin Ave Pahrump, NV 89048 775.556.0100

4b. Blüm LetsBlum.com 3650 S Decatur Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89103 702.627.Blum

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

21. Panacea Quality Cannabis lvpanacea.com 4235 Arctic Spring Ave Las Vegas, NV 89115 702.405.8597

30b. The Grove TheGroveNV.com 4647 Swenson St Las Vegas, NV 89119 702.463.5777

4c. Blüm LetsBlum.com 1130 E Desert Inn Rd Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.536.Blum

12a. Jenny’s Dispensary Jennysdispensary.com 5530 N Decatur Blvd North Las Vegas, NV 89030 702.718.0420

22. Pisos Dispensary pisoslv.com 4110 S Maryland Pkwy Ste #1 Las Vegas, NV 89119 702.367.9333

31a. The Source thesourcenv.com 2550 S Rainbow Blvd Ste #8 Las Vegas, NV 89146 702.708.2000

5a. CANOPI canopi.com 6540 Blue Diamond Rd Las Vegas, NV 89139 702.420.7338

12b. Jenny’s Dispensary Jennysdispensary.com 10420 S Eastern Ave Henderson, NV 89052 702.718.0420

23a. Reef Dispensaries reefdispensaries.com 3400 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.475.6520

31b. The Source thesourcenv.com 9480 S Eastern Ave Ste #185 Henderson, NV 89123 702.708.2222

5b. CANOPI canopi.com 1324 S 3rd St Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.420.2902

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

23b. Reef Dispensaries reefdispensaries.com 1366 W Cheyenne Ave North Las Vegas, NV 89030 702.410.8032

32a. Thrive Cannabis Markeplace thrivenevada.com 2755 W Cheyenne Ave Ste #103 North Las Vegas, NV 89032 702.776.4144

5c. CANOPI canopi.com 2113 Las Vegas Blvd North North Las Vegas, NV 89030 702.420.2113

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

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

32b.Thrive Cannabis Marketplace thrivenevada.com 1112 S Commerce St. Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.776.4144

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

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

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

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

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

16a. Nevada Medical Marijuana nevadamedicalmarijuana.com 3195 St. Rose Pkwy Ste #212 Henderson, NV 89052 702.737.7777

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

34. Zen Leaf zenleafvegas.com 9120 W Post Rd Ste #103 Las Vegas, NV 89148 702.462.6706

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

16b. Nevada Medical Marijuana nevadamedicalmarijuana.com 1975 S Casino Dr Laughlin, NV 89029 702.737.7777

27. Silver Sage Wellness sswlv.com 4626 W Charleston Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.802.3757 Cannabiotix products are sold here

november | elevatenv.com 39

elevatenv.com | november

OPEN FOR BUSINESS HENDERSON GOES REC Dispensaries in the city of Henderson are now open for recreational business. As of October 20, the Henderson City Council gave the green light for Henderson’s medical cannabis dispensaries to start selling adult use marijuana. The five dispensaries are The+Source, Essence Cannabis Dispensary, Nevada Medical Marijuana, Jenny’s Dispensary, and The Dispensary. Applications for all but one dispensary were approved by a vote of 4-1 on October 17, with only Councilman John Marz voting against them. TOP NOTCH CANNABIS COMPANY AWARDS $5K GRANT TO HIV/AIDS CHARITY PROGRAM Top Notch The Health Center (THC), a Las Vegas-based minority-owned cannabis dispensary and cultivation business, announced its sponsorship of a $5,000 grant to the Community Outreach Medical Center’s (COMC) HIV/AIDS “Holistically Positive” program. This pioneer program will be open to all 8,800 Ryan White HIV/AIDS patients living in Southern Nevada and will focus on the positive effects of cannabis in alleviating some of the symptoms of HIV/AIDS patients. Grant money will be used

to fund cannabis evaluations for medical cards, cannabis education workshops, product consulting, and a scholarship. CURA CANNABIS SOLUTIONS EXPANDS TO NEVADA Vape and oil maker Cura Cannabis Solutions announced a major expansion throughout the West. Cura’s Select branded CBD (cannabidiol hemp oil) cartridges will be available in cannabis retailers in Nevada, Oregon, and California. Select CBD vape cartridges are pre-filled with hemp-derived CBD oil and mixed with essential oils that can help consumers with anxiety, chronic pain and inflammation, and sleeping issues. Founded in 2015, Cura has grown from a 15-person operation to an over 125-employee workforce in just over a year with four processing facilities in Oregon, two in California, and one in Nevada. MEDAMINTS NOW SELLING IN NEVADA Colorado-based Medamints have arrived in the Silver State. Medamints are mint flavored edibles made with a blend of peppermint and organic vanilla combined with premium cannabis CO2 oil in variations of sativa, indica and hybrid. Other Medamints flavors include chocolate and exotic chai.

november | elevatenv.com 41

PROFILE

Advances in technology make SunTrac Hybrid Climate Systems light years ahead of yesterday’s HVAC/air conditioning systems Many Nevada cultivators have just finished their first full summer harvest. Following such a huge accomplishment, many growers are reviewing how things went to see what they might do differently next year and how to better combat the cost of doing business in the unrelenting desert heat. With summer energy bills weighing in as a significant budgetary item, that’s certainly one of the major costs to examine. “Cultivation facilities are now beginning to experience price pressure on their per-pound cost. The SunTrac system focuses on reducing air conditioning or HVAC system electrical usage which is one costsaving fix that is both economically and environmentally beneficial,” explains Rich Cooley, CEO of SunTrac USA, the manufacturer of SunTrac’s Hybrid Climate Systems. “SunTrac systems can assist in controlling monthly expenses to operate the grow facilities and extract significant value because when you are saving money on your electricity bill it drops straight to your bottom line.” How does the SunTrac system work? Rich Cooley: SunTrac manufactures a patented hybrid thermal panel system that is engineered and designed for integration with

elevatenv.com | november

residential and commercial air conditioning and heating systems. The SunTrac system features parabolic mirrors that generate and harness concentrated solar thermal energy to be the perfect blend of energy efficiency and renewable energy bundled into one system. What is a solar thermal panel and how will it reduce the electrical use of an air conditioner? RC: A solar thermal panel collects the sun’s abundant energy and uses the sun’s thermal energy to heat liquids, gasses and other materials. SunTrac is NOT a solar electric system. SunTrac’s solar panel is thermal and does a large portion of the HVAC unit compressor’s job. HVAC compressors add heat and pressure to the refrigeration system. SunTrac’s solar thermal panel does the same thing, but uses no energy compared to the compressor that uses a lot of energy. For an average air conditioner generating 4 to 7-1/2 tons of cooling, all you need is one SunTrac panel which measures 4-foot by 8-foot and does the work of up to 15 solar electric panels. The energy that SunTrac saves is the equivalent of what those 15 traditional solar panels generate and our system installed is well under $10,000. SunTrac systems are modular and expandable for HVAC systems from 5 tons up to 500+ tons.

SUNTRACUSA.COM

What is one of the biggest misconceptions about solar energy (thermal vs. electric)? RC: Everybody generally thinks all solar energy is either a solar water heater or it’s solar electric panels that cover your roof. So, when they think about solar panels and air conditioners they think of dozens and dozens of panels, if not more, that generate electricity to power the air conditioner. There is a misconception that all solar is one of the two categories I mentioned. SunTrac is the first major firm to bring solar thermal in this particular application to market, which requires a small footprint to install, and is cost effective for virtually all HVAC systems. Is SunTrac compatible with existing heating/air units? RC: Yes, SunTrac works with both existing and new systems. There are a couple of basic requirements for a SunTrac system. Importantly, the HVAC system needs to be multi-stage, variable speed or variable capacity. For commercial units with one or more single speed compressors, SunTrac offers a variable speed upgrade kit so that a single speed package unit becomes a variable speed system that can work with a SunTrac system. Why is a SunTrac Hybrid Climate System ideal for a cannabis cultivation? RC: Using SunTrac and variable capacity equipment helps growers fine tune the cooling load as well as their humidity control so they can get precise heating, cooling and environmental control. While maintaining the proper environment for growing, cultivators also want to be able to control their operating costs. We help them save money and energy by reducing the amount of electricity their HVAC system uses. Between the electricity they use for lights as well as for their HVAC system, many growers are paying additional utility demand charges which happen in the afternoon and other peak times of energy usage. SunTrac generates the most thermal energy, providing the most efficiency, during the high heat times of the day year-round. We help grow houses avoid higher demand charges for energy spikes in the heat of the day especially in the desert Southwest. SunTrac helps when it hurts the most.

What kind of cost savings can a grow facility expect when using a SunTrac system? RC: HVAC systems and air conditioners using SunTrac technology reduce their energy use by 25 to 40 percent, not only saving significant energy but also significant money. Additionally, the SunTrac system qualifies for a 30 percent federal tax credit and a fiveyear accelerated depreciation schedule. By using a SunTrac system, a grower can pay for his entire air conditioning system in a timeframe of seven to eight years on average. He or she will have regained all the capital they will have expended on their HVAC systems. SunTrac equipped air conditioning systems are the only HVAC systems that actually pay for themselves. What kind of effect does SunTrac have on a cultivation’s carbon footprint? RC: SunTrac benefits customers because it saves them money on the electric costs of running their HVAC systems, but it also has a positive effect on the environment. For every 10,000 SunTrac thermal panels installed, we save over 39 million kilowatt hours of energy a year which equals 59 million lbs. of CO2 emissions. By displacing and reducing energy demand this, in turn, saves our customers an estimated $4 million dollars a year in electricity costs. The fact that SunTrac offers significant savings as well as reduces our carbon footprint is a big win for our customers and the environment. 480.999.6091 • SunTracUSA.com

november | elevatenv.com 43

Elevating the Conversation

with Grow for Vets founder Roger Martin

oger Martin started giving medical cannabis to vets in 2013 and in January 2014 made it more official by establishing non-profit organization Grow for Vets. Although a U.S. Army veteran, Martin says the impetus for starting the charity was not his military service, but instead it was the lack of healthcare options available to vets today. “It was only after meeting many young vets who were taking 20-25 different drugs a day because they were free and they couldn’t afford to buy cannabis that I decided to start Grow for Vets,” says Martin, who believes cannabis saved his life.

Do you actually grow cannabis for the vets or is it donated? Initially we grew it. In the beginning I thought we would grow some cannabis and it would kind of be a weekend hobby thing. I would get together with 20 vets in Colorado Springs and give them free cannabis and that would be it. It kinda worked like that for the first year but once I formalized it and Grow for Vets was born, it just went viral very quickly after that. By May or June of 2014, we were no longer able to grow enough cannabis to give out. It wasn’t even a close call because it just exploded overnight. We decided we would stop doing that and rely on generous growers, both businesses and individuals, to help us out. In turn, we have been able to give away over $1.5 million dollars’ worth of free cannabis products to veterans in a little over 3-½ years, all thanks to the generosity of the people and companies who support us. Does the type of medicine Grow for Vets distributes vary from month to month? It’s based on what we have on hand. That’s what dictates what we can give out. I hate to equate it with a food bank but it’s kinda the same type of system. We don’t try and supply veterans with all the cannabis they are going to need for any given timeframe. Our whole point is education, we are primarily trying to educate veterans that there is a safe alternative to the deadly drug cocktails. How are you shifting the paradigm as far as veterans using cannabis? All the time I get wives who thank me for saving their husbands’ lives. I get kids who thank me for giving them back their daddy. As far as shifting the paradigm, that’s how you do it, you get people who bought into the Reefer Madness hysteria and you show them the real deal. This isn’t about gangs selling marijuana to kids in seventh grade. This is about the medicinal benefits of the plant

elevatenv.com | november

that has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes and only because of self-serving idiotic politicians that the paradigm shifted to the fact that it became viewed as a drug as dangerous as heroin and cocaine. You are working on a new venture called Operation AirDrop. What’s its mission? I had always pooed-pooed hemp. One of our older vets had great success with it and that changed my attitude about hemp. So, we are preparing to launch a new project called Operation AirDrop and that program will allow us to ship free hemp oil-based products to veterans in all 50 states. I am excited about doing that because one of the most difficult parts of my job for the last four years has been getting letters and emails mostly from moms and wives begging me to help their son or daughter but they live in a state where cannabis isn’t legal. It’s been very frustrating to me not to be able to help those people at all. I’m really excited that soon we will be able to help veterans in all 50 states and once again we will be blazing the trail on that. We will be the first ones to ever do this. What is the end goal for Grow for Vets? It hasn’t been a success to me until the day comes when veterans have safe access to free medical cannabis the same way they have safe access to the free deadly drugs that are killing over 18,000 of us a year. And that day will come not just when the VA doctors can issue a recommendation for cannabis, that day will come when the VA pays for a veteran to go to a licensed dispensary every month and obtain whatever amount of cannabis they need for treatment of their medical conditions. That’s my goal and hopefully it will happen in my lifetime. To read our entire interview with Roger Martin, visit elevatenv.com/Elevating_the_Conversation.

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